STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Transportation & Infrastructure
AGENDA DATE: February 26, 2025
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Dallas Water Utilities Department
EXECUTIVE: Dev Rastogi
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SUBJECT
Title
Authorize a three-year service price agreement for E. coli testing in rivers and lakes for the Dallas Water Utilities Department with Texas A & M AgriLife Research through an interlocal agreement with Texas A & M System - Estimated amount of $369,600.00 - Financing: Stormwater Drainage Management Fund (subject to annual appropriations)
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BACKGROUND
This action does not encumber funds; the purpose of a service price agreement is to establish firm pricing for services, for a specific term, which are ordered on an as needed basis according to annual budgetary appropriations. The estimated amount is intended as guidance rather than a cap on spending under the agreement, so that actual need combined with the amount budgeted will determine the amount spent under this agreement.
This service price agreement will provide the City of Dallas with a bacterial source tracking approach that uses two DNA fingerprinting techniques (ERIC-PCR and Riboprinting) to characterize E. coli from unknown sources and compare them against E. coli from known sources in the Texas E. coli BST Library.
The bacterial source tracking approach is based on known-source samples collected from various sources in Texas waterways, including humans, domesticated animals, and numerous wildlife species. Other primary source tracking providers include Source Molecular and Microbial Insights. These source-tracking approaches are generally based on quantitative detection (qPCR) of markers specific to certain source classes (e.g., humans). Good markers are available for some sources (e.g., humans, cattle), but markers for some sources, especially wildlife, are limited.
Dr. Gentry's lab is the only lab currently offering BST services based on...
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