To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: TED SEMAAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
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APPROVE THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH’S SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLAN RE-CERTIFICATION PER CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD REQUIREMENTS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City maintains the local sanitary sewer system and is committed to protecting the public’s health and the environment. Federal and State Water Quality regulations require agencies to maintain a comprehensive Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) with the goal of preventing Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). In order to provide a statewide regulatory approach to address SSOs, the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for sanitary sewer systems (Order No. 2006-0003- DWQ) in 2006. In 2008, the Monitoring and Reporting Program portion of the WDRs was revised as Order No. 2008-0002-EXEC. These two Water Quality Orders are referred to as the Sanitary Sewer System Waste Discharge Requirements (SSS WDRs). Provision 14 of Order 2006-003-DWQ requires: “The SSMP must be updated every five years, and must include any significant program changes.”
In October 2009, the City Council approved the original SSMP, and in 2015, the City Council approved an updated SSMP. The City has made significant improvements in the management of the sanitary sewer system as reflected in the reduced number of SSOs to only a single incident during the last 5 years. Staff is requesting that the City Council re-certify the updated SSMP and direct staff to continue implementing the requirements outlined in the updated SSMP. A SSMP 2022 Certification summary is attached to this report that summarizes the key activities that have taken place since 2010.
A copy of the overarching SSMP document is available at the City’s web site at (https://www.redondo.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=28178) referred to as the City of Redondo Beach Sewer System Management Plan <https://www.redondo.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=28178>
BACKGROUND
In order to provide a statewide regulatory approach to address Sanitary Sewer Overflows, the SWRCB adopted General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, Water Quality Order No. 2006-0003 (Order), on May 2, 2006. The Order covers public agencies that own or operate a sanitary sewer system comprised of more than one mile of sewer lines which convey wastewater to a publicly-owned treatment facility. The regulations and requirements contained in the Order were used as the basis for the audit in assessing compliance.
The Order requires that the City develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive SSMP documenting the City’s program to properly operate and maintain its sanitary sewer system that will reduce sanitary sewer overflows. In October 2009, the City Council approved the SSMP that set the stage for the development of master plans in three areas: The System Evaluation & Capacity Assurance Plan (SECAP), the Rehabilitation and Replacement Program (RRP), and the Operation and Maintenance Program (O&M). Since the original approval of the SSMP, there have been many updates to various components of the program; including a 2016 revised emergency Response Plan and an updated Fats Oils and Grease database and inspection program. Since 2010, the City has implemented numerous projects and programs that are highlighted in the attached document titled Sewer System Management Plan Certification.
Per Order 2006-0003-DWQ, the goal of the SSMP is to provide a plan and schedule to properly manage, operate, and maintain all parts of the sanitary sewer system. This will help reduce and prevent SSOs, as well as mitigate any SSOs that do occur. The SSMP documents an enrollee’s program to properly operate and maintain its sanitary sewer system. The City’s SSMP addresses the following elements:
1. Goals
2. Organization
3. Legal Authority
4. Operation and Maintenance Program
5. Design and Performance Provisions
6. Overflow Emergency Response Plan
7. Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Control Program
8. System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan
9. Monitoring, Measurement, and Program Modifications
10. SSMP Program Audits
11. Communication Program
The City’s SSMP goals and objectives include:
• Minimize the number and frequency of Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs).
• Prevent sewer system overflows by:
o Performing systematic and timely condition evaluation of all sanitary sewer mains to ensure a high level of system serviceability is maintained at all times.
o Performing sewer system repairs and replacement to the greatest degree possible prior to street surface reconstruction.
o Implementing effective sewer mainline cleaning/flushing program to ensure full capacity of collection system is maintained to the furthest extent possible.
o Performing timely repairs and replacements of sewer collection system as identified by system evaluation.
o Maintaining pump station Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to ensure timely response to pump station failures so that sewer system overflow does not occur, and to provide system operational data to make timely and appropriate decisions on equipment repairs and replacements.
o Providing sufficient emergency electric power generation to ensure no pump station will cause a sewer system overflow due to the loss of electrical power from service provider.
o Performing routine pump station system maintenance to ensure system does not fail to operate due to foreseeable mechanical, electrical, and control equipment malfunction.
o Performing systematic and timely evaluation of pump station systems (condition and capacity) to ensure a high level of system serviceability is maintained at all times.
o Conducting timely capacity evaluation of entire wastewater collection system to ensure adequate dry weather flow capacity is provided for customer service demands, and surplus capacity is provided for inflow and infiltration during wet weather.
o Implementing system improvement projects to provide adequate capacity to convey peak wastewater flows
o Cost effectively minimizing the sources of inflow and infiltration.
o Providing all necessary training of personnel to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to operate and maintain the system to the highest standards.
o Implementing the fats, oils, and grease (FOG) control program to minimize the entry of these substances into the collection system
o Establishing proper legal authority for implementing the above
o Maintaining the necessary level of funding and staffing for providing proper operation, maintenance, and repair of the system as detailed in the Operation and Maintenance Program; and providing adequate capacity as detailed in the System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan through periodic reviews of the rate structure.
o Installing citywide “smart manhole cover” devices to monitor the sewer system’s operation and provide a real time warning and notification of any upsets, thereby preventing potential overflows.
• Minimize the impact of SSO’s that do occur by preparing a proper Overflow Emergency Response Plan, training staff in its implementation, and implementing the plan when needed.
• Properly document and report SSOs per the Waste Discharge Requirements
Provision 14 of the State Water Board Order 2006-003-DWQ requires: “The SSMP must be updated every five years, and must include any significant program changes.” In October 2009, the City Council approved the original SSMP, and in 2015, the City Council approved an updated SSMP. Staff has been diligently implementing the plan since that time. Notable activities include upgrading the SCADA (equipment and pump station monitoring) system, rehabilitating or constructing over 10,650 linear feet of sewer main, installing a protective lining for over 15,500 linear feet of sewer main, capital improvements to the Rindge Lift Station and Alta Vista Lift Station, design of capital improvements to Portofino and Yacht Club Way Lift Stations. A more detail list of activities is included in the attached SSMP 2022 Certification Summary.
Staff is requesting that the City Council re-certify the SSMP and direct staff to continue implementing the requirements outlined in the updated SSMP. Near term anticipated work includes constructing significant upgrades to the Portofino and Yacht Club Way lift stations, continuation of the pipe lining program, and a city-wide video inspection of the system to assess further rehabilitation needs. The significant improvements in the management of the sanitary sewer system is reflected in the reduced number of SSOs to just one incident during the last 5 years. Staff will continue to implement the recommended actions included in the Plan. A copy of the overarching SSMP document is available at the City’s web site
at (https://www.redondo.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=28178) referred to as the City of Redondo Beach Sewer System Management Plan <https://www.redondo.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=28178>
COORDINATION
This SSMP has been coordinated by the Public Works Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Improvements to and operation of the City sewer system are funded by residential property fees that accrue to the City’s Wastewater Fund.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
SSMP 2022 Certification Summary