Minutes - Sewer System - 2007-02-21•
COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT
MINUTES OF SEWER SYSTEM COMMITTEE MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2007
CALL TO ORDER Four Board of Directors of the Costa Mesa
Sanitary District met in Committee session on
February 21, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at 628 W. 19th
Street, Costa Mesa.
Director Monahan called the meeting to order at
10:30 a.m.
0 DIRECTORS PRESENT: Jim Ferryman, Gary Monahan, Bob Ooten, Art
Perry
DIRECTORS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Robin B. Hamers, Manager /District Engineer;
Thomas A. Fauth, Assistant Manager; Joan
Revak, Board Secretary/Program Manager /Clerk
of the District;
OTHERS PRESENT: Karl Dulake, Maintenance Supervisor; Debbie
Bjornson, Permit Processing Specialist; Paul
Guzman, Inspector;
RISK ASSESSMENT /NEEDS ANALYSIS
Attending Committee Directors and Staff agreed to expand the Sewer System
Committee goals to include risk assessment and sewer system needs analysis to
address all aspects of the District Sewer System including sewer system failures and
Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) in general which potentially could open the District to
legal proceedings. The Committee further agreed to add all Strategic Plan Section V
• Goals to the Committee's goals.
sA COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT
MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEWER SYSTEM COMMITTEE MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2007
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SEWER LATERAL LEGISLATION AND ISSUES
Mr. Fauth summarized the January 2007 California Association of Sanitation Agencies
(CASA) Mid -Year Report concerning "Private Sewer Lateral Legislation." During the
November 28, 2006 meeting, the CASA State Legislative Committee decided more
information was needed prior to pursuing a California statewide sewage lateral
inspection program. The Committee raised the following issues:
a. Does the definition of lateral mean the entire lateral or only the upper lateral?
b. Agencies without I &I oppose a mandatory requirement.
c. Would inspections be required on houses less than 10 years new?
d. With anticipated strong opposition from realtors, escrow agents and title
companies, what organizations could CASA count on for support?
e. How does CASA respond to the "one size fits all" argument?
Discussions led to the conclusion a California State law would either supersede or be in
conjunction with a CMSD ordinance. Director Ferryman suggested CMSD should
encourage CASA to address CMSD guidelines if and when CMSD generates such an
• ordinance. Director Ferryman recommended CMSD draft a letter to CASA now and
noted CMSD is on hold regarding any lateral inspection ordinance.
Mr. Fauth suggested updating the realtors and property managers with the latest
legislation and District information. Director Monahan drafted a letter for Mr. Fauth to
send to the realtors with a self- addressed /stamped envelope encouraging a response
and set a tentative meeting date in the November 2007 time - frame. Director Ooten
recommended including a copy of the CASA Report in the letter to the realtors.
Mr. Fauth reviewed the available 2001 — 2004 SSO statistics for the California Counties
of Orange, Riverside and San Diego to help identify how the CMSD measures up in the
number of SSOs -per- hundred -miles of main sewer lines and the volume (number of
gallons) spilled per year. From 1999 through May 2005, CMSD documents the following
for all District lines size 4 inches through 30 inches:
# Public Spills Per 100 Miles Sewer Line 3.91
# Private Spills Per 100 Miles Sewer Line 1.37
Total Spills Per 100 Miles Sewer Line 5.28
Mr. Fauth will revise the statistics to reflect the SSOs since May 2005. Specific local city
SSO information was not available from the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control
Board. Mr. Fauth will call the local cities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Newport
• Beach, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana to obtain SSO statistics. Mr. Fauth distributed
the list of local plumbers, reviewed the list of plumbers providing CCTV services and
associated costs, and presented a list of 14 local plumbers providing trenchless sewer
replacement services. Mr. Hamers assured the Committee C &R Drains is well qualified
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�R MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEWER SYSTEM COMMITTEE MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2007
PAGE 3
and presents the best possible customer service as C &R Drains is the District's first
responder in after -hours SSO emergencies.
Mr. Fauth verified the August 2006 CMSD Assessment submission documented a total
of 24,870 parcels within the District. Staff estimates there are approximately 25,440
laterals within the District and Staff will verify this count. Mr. Hamers believes this
number is too low given there are 110 miles of 4 -inch and 6 -inch sewer lines within the
District. Director Ooten stated OCSD has great concern about the number of parcels and
has two Full -Time employees dedicated to validating parcels.
Mr. Hamers presented the specific example of 1934 Flamingo as he revisited the City of
Costa Mesa's position on tree roots in sewer lateral lines. Mr. Hamers reviewed the City
of Costa Mesa's policy on sewer lateral damage caused by City tree roots and the
District's policy on main line blockages caused by City tree roots. The District approach
is to encourage the resident to file a claim with the City of, Costa Mesa, document the
repairs with photographs and file in small claims court if the City of Costa Mesa rejects
the claim. Director Monahan added the City of Costa Mesa rejects every claim the first
time it is submitted to "filter out the nuisance claims."
• Director Monahan recommended inviting the City of Costa Mesa to the scheduled March
15, 2007 OCSD "Presentation on Sewer Lateral Ownership" and stated the information
gained from the presentation should assist in bringing in the City of Costa Mesa to
support citizen's claims for City trees damaging laterals. Mr. Fauth will draft a letter for
President Perry to send to the City of Costa Mesa including the Mayor, Public Services
and Risk Management. Mr. Hamers reiterated the City position is to force the citizen to
1) file a claim, 2) dig up the damaged lateral, 3) document the process with pictures, 4)
take the City to Small Claims Court, and 5) maybe finally have a resolution once the City
is willing to talk just prior to going to Court.
DISTRICT WELCOME PACKAGE
Mr. Fauth showed the variety of items that might be included in a District Welcome
Package. The Committee reached a consensus to tailor the package to a concise item
or set of items including the latest newsletter, Household Hazardous Waste information
and the CMSD Trash Collection Policy and pricing. These items also could be placed on
the City of Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce visitor display and potentially with the
'Welcome Wagon" coupons.
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MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEWER SYSTEM COMMITTEE MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2007
PAGE 4
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EMERGENCY RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS
Mr. Fauth outlined the minimum District Yard requirements to respond. to SSO
emergencies as follows:
a. Location: Centralized District location for equalized response;
b. Lot Size: 10,000 to 12,000 sq ft for outside storage and parking;
c. Building Size: 3,000 to 5,000 sq ft for office, hoist repairs and storage;
Several locations were identified as potential sites Staff will review including checking
with Caltrans, "excess" school properties and to continue cold calling. Acquisition of an
industrial property in the $1- to -$1.5 million range has been unsuccessful due to
undersupply and over pricing. Staff will work with the Treasurer to develop various
scenarios including purchase of a larger facility and leasing out the excess as well as
potentially co- locating the current Headquarters with a District Yard.
WESTSIDE PUMP STATION ABANDONMENT
• An environmental analysis or environmental impact report is needed to assess the
feasibility of replacing six west sideopump stations with a gravity sewer line. Director
Ferryman scheduled a meeting with Orange County Sanitation District General Manager
Jim Ruth for March 3, 2007 to revisit the options in this environmentally sensitive area.
Mr. Guzman presented several success stories when lateral lines are properly
maintained and SSOs are prevented.
CLOSURE
The next meeting was scheduled for March 21, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Chairman Monahan adjourned the meeting at 12:20 p.m.
i
,8E- CRETARY `° - PRESIDENT