Needles City council approves $43,533 contract to add SCADA at two water sites

Needles City’s council voted to authorize the city manager to sign a professional-services agreement with SMH Electrical Construction to install XIO SCADA at the L Street booster station and Well No. 15 at a cost not to exceed $43,533 from water asset replacement funds.

Staff said XIO is the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system used across the city’s water facilities to let operators monitor tank levels, pump status, run times and chlorine remotely. The presentation noted L Street and Well No. 15 currently lack SCADA; both sites require operators to make twice-daily rounds and weekend on-call checks. Installing XIO at those sites will allow remote monitoring from phones and is intended to reduce labor and weekend call-outs.

Council members questioned whether L Street is a primary or backup booster. Staff responded that L Street is an emergency/backup booster exercised periodically and not the primary station; adding SCADA would let staff verify pump operation and chlorine readings without sending personnel to the site.

The council moved, seconded and approved the contract authorization by roll call. The agenda packet lists the amount and funding source; the approved motion authorizes the city manager to execute the agreement for not more than $43,533 from the water asset replacement fund.

The council did not discuss vendor selection alternatives during the hearing; staff said SMH was contacted because it had prior experience on a related booster station and because certified electrical contractors with SCADA experience are difficult to find in California. The council did not request additional procurement details; no amendments were recorded.