Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a contract with the Midwest Biodiversity Institute, Inc. (MBI) for water quality assessment and watershed monitoring services for Central Ohio watersheds.
Assessing the biological and water quality of Central Ohio watersheds will support the City’s continued compliance with its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Ordinance 0237-2023 authorized the development of a multi-year plan for these assessments.
The plan mirrors existing MBI programs with the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati and one across Northeastern Illinois on behalf of five independent watershed groups. These two programs utilize an integrated prioritization system (IPA) model supported by regularly scheduled watershed monitoring following a rotating basin approach. The plan will work in tandem with some monitoring by the Ohio EPA to provide information about the health of area waterways and to measure water quality improvements resulting from the City’s ongoing operations and capital improvement program (CIP) projects under Blueprint Columbus and at the City’s WWTPs.
The assessment will occur at multiple sites from 2024 through 2032. This ordinance authorizes assessment and monitoring through December 31, 2025. It is estimated that the first three priority mainstem or watersheds, consisting of 53 sites, will be surveyed during this time frame.
This ordinance is submitted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code for not-for-profit service contracts. These services cannot be provided by City employees because they require very specialized biological sampling methods, for which we do not have the expertise.
SUPPLIER:
Midwest Biodiversity Institute, Inc. | D365 Vendor #005569 | Federal EIN on file | Expires 1/30/2026.
MBI is a Non-Pr...
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