The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCC AG PKT 2003-06-09 #K AGENDA REPORT DATE: June 9, 2003 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager FROM: Douglas A. Dancs, P.E., Director of Public Works /City Engineer SUBJECT: INTRODUCTION OF CITY OF SEAL BEACH LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SANTA ANA REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD ADOPTED ORDER NUMBER R8- 2002 -001 SUMMARY OF REQUEST: The proposed action will introduce the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) for information and authorize staff to submit for comments to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQCB) via the County of Orange. BACKGROUND: The Clean Water Act (officially known as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972) was passed into law to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters, and where attainable, to achieve a level of water quality that provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and for public recreation in and on the water. The first goals of the Clean Water Act are zero discharge of pollutants and the protection of "fishable /swimmable" water quality. Since 1993, the -City has been a co- permittee with the County of Orange to meet the requirements of the various regulations associated with the Act. After each permit renewal, the City is required to continue to implement storm water quality management programs and develop additional programs in order to control pollutants in storm water discharges. On January 18, 2002, the SARWQCB adopted Order No.R- 2002 -001 entitled "Waste Discharge Requirements for the County of Orange, Orange County Flood Control District, and the Incorporated Cities of Orange County within the Santa Ana Region Area Urban Storm Water Runoff Orange County" known as "the Permit ". The LIP is one of two documents developed to respond to the immediate requirements of the Permit. The Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP) was prepared by the County with the assistance of the 34 cities within Orange County to act as the general guide and basis for the cities to follow as to what must be done to comply with the two Regional Board permits that cover all of Orange County, the Santa Ana and San Diego Regional Agenda Item /" . Boards orders. The LIP describes in detail how each city will accomplish the water quality goals and objectives within its own boundaries. Both documents, the DAMP and LIP, must be submitted to the County prior to July 1, 2003. The County, as Principal Co- permittee, is responsible for compiling these documents into a single package and submitting it to the Regional Board by the deadline. The LIP will serve as a basis for City compliance during the five -year life of the third term - permit, but is subject to upgrading and variable data modifications as the City determines necessary, or as directed by the Regional Board. The LIP was prepared by using a template developed by the County and the Cities working together in subcommittees to provide consistency in the regional application of the local LIP's. The document is a fixed report that only allows modification of variable data such as City information. The programs, requirements, forms, inspections and new procedures can not be changed by Staff or City Council. There are twelve (12) distinct elements with each element including a focus on pollution prevention measures as well as a program effectiveness assessment. The component parts of the DAMP and LIP are as follows: 1. Introduction 2. Program Management 3. Plan Development 4. Legal Authority 5. Municipal Activities 6. Public Education 7. New Development 8. Construction 9. Existing Development 10. Illegal Discharge and Illicit Connections 11. Water Quality Monitoring 12. Watersheds This Local Implementation Plan is an extensive document and will require several new items and tasks that will directly affect the City in its operation and service to the community. The City will be required to add resources, spend more time, effort, and money to implement these operational changes required by the Plan. The following is a partial list of the significant impacts that the LIP will require of the City: 1. The City will be required to search for, locate, inspect, prohibit and eliminate all identified illicit discharges and illegal connections. These include all sanitary sewer overflows, hosing or cleaning of gas stations, auto repair garages and other types of automotive service facilities, cement— related equipment, port-a -potty servicing, and discharges of food related waste (grease, mat washing, and trash bin water) into the City's storm drain system including City streets, alleys, and other right -of —way. 2. All City personnel will be required to be trained to identify illicit discharges and to report them to the appropriate Department. The City must pursue an extensive Agenda Item - community outreach program educating the public, employees, and contractors of the water quality program. In addition, four Public Works Employees are required to be trained as Authorized Inspectors and attend approximately 40 hours of training per year and the NPDES coordinator is required to attend over a 100 hours of permittee meetings. 3. The City is also required to inspect all 52 City fixed facilities, field programs, and drainage facilities. The inspection intervals will be determined based on its priority as a high, medium, or low threat to water quality. At the minimum, facilities will be inspected and cleaned annually. The City will also inventory all industrial and commercial sites in the City, classify the sites, and inspect the sites to verify compliance. This includes more frequent cleaning of 190 catch basin filters, 197 catch basins and storm drain pipes. 4. The City is required to implement all of the new programs and regulations associated with the LIP including incorporation of all Capital Improvement Projects and routine maintenance. All existing and future maintenance contracts and all future Capital Improvement Projects will be modified to implement all applicable Best Management Practices (BMPs). This includes new construction and development sites, which consists of also retrofitting in existing residential, industrial and commercial developments. The additional cost for contractors to implement is unknown. However, additional costs will result in less street paving funds, less sewer rehabilitation funds, etc. 5. The City will be required to assess and modify the City's General plan for water quality principles and policies, CEQA checklist and environmental checklist, and the project review, approval, and permitting process. Identified projects will be required to submit a separate Water Quality Management Plan for each project. The City has been able to address many of these changes in the General Plan update through the current process and is one of the first Cities to deal with the issue. 6. The City is also required to submit all of the new reporting and documentation associated with the Permit, the new plan and all associated regulations. The amount of additional time, effort and funding to implement the new program requirements has been roughly estimated. As the requirements become more stringent annually, these costs are expected to increase. This program and its costs must also be coupled with the new Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR's) for sewer systems that all permittees are required to follow as well. As noted above, there are many new provisions contained in the LIP changing operational issues in the City. The LIP and the DAMP are being submitted to the County and additional comments may be received from the SARWQCB before Council adopts the final document at a subsequent Council meeting. Adoption may not occur for several months due to the comments received, and collaboration with the sub - committees. The DAMP and LIP are quite large, over 1000 pages, and are on file with the City Clerk's office. Agenda Item FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Employees have been reallocated within the department budgets. In FY 02/03, the City budgeted $136,000 for storm drains and NPDES compliance and authorized an additional $86,000 from General Fund Reserve during the past 11/2 years to install catch basin filters and screens. The estimated budget for FY03 /04 is estimated at a quarter of million dollars for storm drains and NPDES compliance. In addition, the cost of modifying all maintenance programs and contracts, and all Capital Improvement Programs to be consistent with the LIP is estimated to increase one to ten percent. Recently bid projects and maintenance contracts such as the pool, tree trimming and landscaping have already been required to implement the requirements of the LIP. It is expected that as the permit evolves, the City will need to contribute more and more general fund dollars to stay in compliance. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the proposed action will introduce the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) for information and authorize staff to submit for comments to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQCB) via the County of Orange. Prepared By: Co viod M k K. Vukojevic, P.E. Douglas A. Dancs, P.E. Deputy City Engineer Director Public Works /City Engineer NOTED AND APPROVED: �hn B /ahorski, City Manager • Agenda Item