REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 30, 2016
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
THROUGH: KEVIN L. NORGAARD, PE, Supervising Professional Engineer
Department of Public Utilities - Wastewater Management Division
BY: ORLANDO M. GONZALEZ, PE, Professional Engineer
Department of Public Utilities - Wastewater Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to adoption of the 2015 Wastewater Collection System Master Plan Update as per the State Water Resources Control Board Order No. 2006-0003-DWQ
1. Adopt a finding of conformity as per Environmental Assessment EA-16-001
2. RESOLUTION - Accepting and adopting the City’s 2015 Wastewater Collection System Master Plan Update
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a finding of Conformity for the City of Fresno Sewer Collection System Master Plan Update (CSMP), pursuant to Section 15177(b)(2), of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines and adopt a resolution accepting and adopting the City’s 2015 Wastewater Collection System Master Plan Update (WCSMP).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) requires the development of a Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP). The SSMP must include an asset assessment and management plan. DPU has prepared the WCSMP to meet the requirements. The WCSMP evaluates the existing wastewater collection system for current and future capacity, and infrastructure condition. The plan when implemented over the long term will meet the requirements as set forth in the City’s General Plan.
BACKGROUND
The last WCSMP to be completed for the City of Fresno’s wastewater collection system was finalized in early 2006. The plan was developed from inspection data gather in the early 2000’s and utilized the relevant General Plan. That WCSMP addressed the physical weaknesses and capacity shortfalls. The 2006 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) has mostly been implemented and requires updating to include new inspection data and projected population growth shifts.
In 2006 the SWRCB issued Order No. 2006-0003-DWQ requiring “all federal and state agencies, municipalities, counties, districts, and other public entities that own or operate sanitary sewer systems greater than one mile in length that collect and convey wastewater to a publicly owned treatment facility in the State to develop and implement a written Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP)”. The SSMP required most of the elements included in the WCSMP dealing with capital project identification, planning, and scheduling. The relevant SSMP requirements are:
• Evaluate those portions of the sanitary sewer system experiencing or contributing to a sanitary system overflow discharge caused by hydraulic deficiency
• To define collection system design criteria
• To develop a rehabilitation and replacement plan which identifies and prioritizes system deficiencies
• Develop an implementation plan both short and long-term for actions necessary to address said deficiencies
• Develop a schedule for portions of the CIP to implement the short and long term action plans
In 2013 the Wastewater Management Division developed a dynamic sewer system model. The model was developed by DPU staff to quickly determine if sewer capacities are adequate for new projects being reviewed by the Development and Resource Management Department. The model was prepared based on the City’s General Plan projections for land use. As part of the preparation of the WCSMP a third party consultant was hired to validate and calibrate the model. This new model was used to identify current and future capacity issues which were then incorporated into short and long term CIP plans.
DPU uses closed circuit cameras to inspect the City’s wastewater collection system. Each year hundreds of miles of sewer are inspected and classified with grading software. The immediate emergency pipe failures are addressed when identified but, the lower priority failures such as cracks, offset joints, and deformed pipe are stored in a database. Part of the WCMP body of work was to develop a scoring system to prioritize these critical yet non-emergency failures for repair before they become life safety issues.
The item before Council is the adoption of the WCSMP. By adopting the WCSMP a plan is put in place to address wastewater collection system shortfalls. DPU staff will then implement the detailed planning and CIP to ensure the wastewater collection system is able to protect the health and safety of the public well into the future.
City Attorney has reviewed and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
An initial study was prepared for the above-described project, which has been determined to be a subsequent project fully within the scope of the Master Environmental Impact Report ("MEIR) prepared for the Fresno General Plan (SCH # 2012111015). With the mitigation imposed, there is no substantial evidence in the record that this project may have additional significant, direct, indirect or cumulative effects on the environment that are significant and that were not identified and analyzed in the MEIR. After conducting a review of the adequacy of the MEIR pursuant to Public Resources Code, Section 21157.6(b)(1), staff has determined there are no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the MEIR was certified and that no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time that the MEIR was certified as complete, has become available. The project is not located on a site which is included on any of the lists enumerated under Section 65962.5 of the Government Code including, but not limited to, lists of hazardous waste facilities, land designated as hazardous waste property, hazardous waste disposal sites and others, and the information in the Hazardous Waste and Substances Statement required under subdivision (f) of that Section. Therefore, any necessary environmental review required by CEQA has been completed for the project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because the WCSMP does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding to implement the mandated WCSMP is addressed in the Sewer Enterprise Operating and Capital Improvement budgets and will have no impact to the General Fund.
Attachments:
Resolution to accept and adopt Wastewater Collection System Master Plan Update 2015
Environmental Assessment EA-16-001
Wastewater Collection System Master Plan Update 2015