DATE: September 10, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Request Authority for Director to update Water Discharge Requirements for Certain County operated facilities
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt Resolution authorizing the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning, or the Director’s designee, to execute and submit applications to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board to update Waste Discharge Requirement permits and obtain coverage under State Water Resources Control Board Order WQ 2014-0153-DWQ for the County Service Areas and County Waterworks Districts identified and listed in Exhibit A.
2. Adopt Resolution authorizing the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning, or the Director’s designee, to execute and submit an application to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board to update Waste Discharge Requirement permits under California Regional Water Quality Control Board Order No. 95-263 for County Service Area No. 31, Zone B Shaver Lake Village and Camp Edison.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning, or designee, to execute and submit the required applications and supporting documents to California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). The applications will obtain coverage under the State Water Resources Control Board Order WQ 2014-0153-DWQ, General Waste Discharge Requirements for Small Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (General Order) and/or update Waste Discharge Requirement permits (WDR permits). Pursuant to Water Code, Section 13263(e), WDR permits may require periodic updates and/or amendments. This item pertains to locations in Districts 1 and 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could deny the recommended actions and require Department staff to submit each application to your Board for review, approval, and the Chairman’s execution.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. All submittal costs are paid properties benefitted by wastewater system. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues were included in the impacted County Service Area (CSA) or Waterworks District (WWD) FY 2019-20 Adopted Budgets.
DISCUSSION:
The RWQCB is responsible for permitting and regulating wastewater systems in California. Periodically, the RWQCB pursuant to Water Code, Section 13263(e) mandates wastewater systems to update operational WDR permits. The County operated facilities identified in Exhibit A and CSA 31B - Shaver Lake Village and Camp Edison have either not received updates to their WDR permits or have experienced a treatment process change; therefore, the County has been notified by the RWQCB to update the existing individual WDR permits or apply for coverage under the General Order.
General Order coverage is only applicable to small domestic systems with a monthly average flow rate of 100,000 gallons per day or less, that discharge to land. WDR permits under General Order coverage are executed by the Executive Officer of the RWQCB. All of the County’s operated facilities listed in Exhibit A qualify to be permitted through General Order coverage. CSA 31B is regulated under RWQCB Order No. 95-263 and exceeds the threshold under the General Order and requires a more extensive application in order to update the WDR permit.
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning, or the Director’s designee, to timely submit the required forms and documentation to update the WDR permits.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Exhibit A
On file with Clerk - Resolution for General Order Application Submittal (Multiple Districts)
On file with Clerk - Resolution for Permit Update Submittal (CSA 31B)
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa