Title
Tailored Collaboration on the Impact of Chloride-to-Sulfate Mass Ratio on Corrosion of Old Copper Pipes with Lead Solder (Ordinance S-52302) - Citywide
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an agreement between the City of Phoenix and Water Research Foundation (WRF) for the subject tailored collaboration research project. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and for the City Controller to disburse funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
A well-designed study investigating the impact of the chloride- to-sulfate mass ratio (CSMR) on old copper pipes with lead solder is needed and is of direct interest to the City of Phoenix. The City is planning to develop a new Advanced Water Purification (AWP) facility that will convey purified water with a higher CSMR than current supplies the distribution system. Research confirming that CSMR will not have a detrimental impact on lead corrosion can prevent a costly treatment approach that would need to be implemented to mitigate CSMR in the purified water.
The tailored collaboration with WRF will investigate the impact of CSMR on corrosion of old copper pipes with lead solder under different water quality and corrosion control treatment conditions. While tests with new copper pipes with lead solder (CuLS) manufactured for testing indicate a significant increase in lead associated with introduction of water with a higher CSMR, several studies indicate CSMR is not an issue in old CuLS due to passivating scale that builds up on the interior of the pipes over time. Given the criticality of making sure the higher CSMR is not an issue, the researchers plan to answer this question with harvested pipes from participating utilities, including Phoenix and several other systems that are in a similar situation.
Contract Term
The term of the contract is thirty months, beginning on January 5, 2026, ending on July 5, 2028.
Financial Impact
Funding in the amount of $120,000 in available in the Water Services Department's Capital Improvement Project budget.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Ginger Spencer and the Water Services Department.