HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2001-69 Renewal/Extension - Environmental Protect -t CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATI N
RDOPD -� a
TO: Honorable Mayor Pro Tern and City Council Members
FROM: Pam Julien Houchen, Mayor
DATE: September 10, 2001 c�
s
SUBJECT: H-Item for the September 17, 2001 City Council Meeting
Approval of Resolution relating to the Discharge of Wastewater in the
Pacific Ocean 49es .
ISSUE:
Currently, the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) discharges approximately 236
million gallons of wastewater(sewage) into the Pacific Ocean on a daily basis. Under
existing practices, approximately one-half of this wastewater(118 gallons) is treated to a
secondary level, with the remaining one-half treated to only the primary level.
Primary treatment includes a filtering process that only removes solid materials from the
wastewater. Secondary treatment not only removes the solid materials, but also
accelerates the removal of most of the wastewater bacteria through an advanced
decomposition process.
According to recent studies underway by the OCSD, and analysis of the OCSD "20-
Meter Fecal Coliform Study" data gathered in 1996, under certain conditions, the
wastewater plume emanating from the OCSD ocean outfall, some 5 miles offshore, may
move much closer to the shoreline than was formerly known. Furthermore, the data
collected and analyzed from these studies is inadequate and incomplete to conclusively
rule out the OCSD outfall as a source of beach postings and ocean water closures by the
County Health Care Management Agency.
At a minimum, there needs to be further study of these conditions before the
Environmental Protection Agency Section 301 (h)waiver extension is renewed.
Therefore, I am recommending that the city oppose the renewal of the waiver and support
full secondary treatment of wastewater by the OCSD.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Sao/- 69
1. Adopt Resolution No. relating to the discharge of wastewater into the Pacific
Ocean. I �
f
PJH:ek
xc Ray Silver
Bill Workman
Bob Beardsley
Connie Brockway
2
RESOLUTION NO. 2001- 69
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH RELATING TO THE
DISCHARGE OF WASTEWATER INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN
WHEREAS, the City of Huntington Beach is a member agency of the Orange County
Sanitation District(OCSD); and
OCSD is a special district that provides wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal
services to 21 cities with about 2.35 million residents in central and northern Orange County,
including the residents and businesses of Huntington Beach; and
OCSD uses a 10' diameter Ocean Outfall to discharge approximately 236 million gallons
per day of wastewater from OCSD's 2.35 million customers; and
50% of the wastewater discharged out the Ocean Outfall is wastewater treated to a primary
treatment level and 50% is wastewater treated to a secondary treatment level; and
The Ocean Outfall that sits 190' below the ocean surface about 4.5 miles offshore from the
Santa Ana River mouth between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach; and
This discharge creates a wastewater plume in the ocean that can be up to 6 miles long, 2 to 3
miles wide and 100 feet thick; and
OCSD's 20-Meter Fecal Coliform Study in 1996 showed that the wastewater plume may—
under certain wave, tidal, and current conditions—approach the shoreline where it can contaminate
the beaches and swimming areas of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach; and
The 1972 Federal Clean Water Act requires most Publicly-Owned Treatment Works
(POTWs)to treat all wastewater to full secondary levels before such wastewater can be discharged
from a treatment facility; and
The Act authorizes POTWs to request a waiver of this full secondary requirement from the
US Environmental Protection Agency(US EPA) under Section 301(h) of the Act as long as the
POTW can show that the less-than-full-secondary discharge does not harm the environment or harm
public health; and
OCSD requested and was granted a waiver under Section 301(h) by US EPA in 1985, with
an extension granted in 1998; and
The current waiver(as extended) expires on January 1, 2003; and
As projected by a 1999 Environmental Impact Report associated with OCSD's Strategic
Plan, full secondary treatment of wastewater reduces nearly all parameters of ocean pollution
including levels of fecal coliform bacterial and viruses, and
1
PDA:2001 Resolu:Discharge of Watewater to Ocean
RLS 2001-0678
9/6/01
Res. No. 2001-69
Sanitation agencies in Los Angeles County have not applied for new waivers under Section
301(h) and are in the process of treating all wastewater at full secondary levels; and
All or a significant portion of the additional expense of constructing and maintaining
facilities associated with full secondary treatment at OCSD will likely be borne by the ratepayers of
OCSD, including the residents and businesses of Huntington Beach; and
Huntington Beach relies upon a safe, clean ocean to sustain its quality of life and its
economic and tourism base; and
The residents of Huntington Beach use the ocean and its beaches for health, recreation, and
business endeavors, including fishing,boating, and swimming,
Now, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does hereby resolve
as follows:
1. That it hereby opposes any extension of or application for a waiver of full secondary
discharge requirements under Section 301(h) of the federal Clean Water Act by OCSD; and
2. That it hereby supports the full secondary treatment of all wastewater discharged into
OCSD's Ocean Outfall, or some other technologically feasible method to improve the quality of the
effluent and reduce the amount of bio solid sent out the outfall; and
3. That it hereby urges its resident and business population to join with the Council in
advocating for safer, less environmentally impactful wastewater discharge into the Pacific Ocean
and in recognizing and accepting the community-wide obligation and financial costs that lie therein.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach at a regular
meeting thereof held on the 17th day of September , 2001.
ATTEST: / Q
City Clerk al- -jN-01 Mayor
REVIEWED AND APPROVED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
f3 fo/
City Adiffinistrator. City Attorney
/��%l
2
PDA:2001 Resolu:Discharge of Watewater to Ocean
RLS 2001-0678
9/6/01
Res. No. 2001-69
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH )
I, CONNIE BROCKWAY, the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of
the City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of said
City, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council
of the City of Huntington Beach is seven; that the foregoing resolution was
passed and adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the
members of said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on the 17th
day of September, 2001 by the following vote:
AYES: Green, Boardman, Cook, Julien Houchen, Garofalo, Dettloff,
Bauer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
City Clerk and ex-officio C erk of the
City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach, California
J� �
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
HUNTINGTONBEA,CH CITY COUNCIL MEMO
C= C
O d
O
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members �' �
o-�-`
From: Dave Garofalo, City Council Member W-01
M
Date: September 17, 2001
Subject: LATE COMMUNICATION FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 COUNQ
MEETING- REGARDING ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION Iv D
DISTRICT RESOLUTION
ISSUE:
I have carefully.read two versions of council submitted Resolutions regarding an
issue I have been particularly close to for several years. I have taken the most
significant elements of two fine sets of thoughts and suggest the following as
one way to accomplish our collective goal and mission. The issue is not to spend
out time opposing a certain waiver, but to rather support and encourage those in
charge to continue to work diligently towards adopting the most sophisticated,
best, most cost-effective technology leading to the ultimate discharge of the
purest, least harmful outflow from the total operation and mission of the OCSD.
To that end I submit the attached.
Please Note: What is in BOLD is a change from the original Resolution, and
what is stMe-keu is suggested for omission.
NW .�,c
RESOLUTION NO. 2001-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH RELATING TO THE
DISCHARGE OF WASTEWATER INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN BY THE DULY
RECOGNIZED ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT (OCSD)
WHEREAS,the City of Huntington Beach is a member agency of the Orange
County Sanitation District (OCSD); and
OCSD is a special district that provides wastewater collection, treatment, and
disposal services to 21 cities with about 2.35 million residents in central and northern
Orange County, including the residents and businesses of Huntington Beach; and
OCSD uses a 10' diameter Ocean Outfall to discharge approximately 236 million
gallons per day of wastewater from OCSD's 2.35 million customers; and
WE UNDERSTAND CURRENTLY: 50%of the wastewater discharged out the
Ocean Outfall is wastewater treated to a primary treatment level and 50% is wastewater
treated to a secondary treatment level; and
The Ocean Outfall that is located 190' below the ocean surface about 4.5 miles
offshore from the Santa Ana River mouth between Huntington Beach and Newport
Beach; and
Recent reports have indicated the presence of a wastewater plume in the ocean
that can be up to 6 miles long, 2 to 3 miles wide and 100 feet thick; and
nrcrn's 2Q r ek-A..12@ea I CA-1_ ..., et„d y i 1 996 ShAW.,o,h tl,.,t Ohio. .,steyi to f
pzaxzzv zrnrTdizavz vvzcai�3�V&jt8,tidal, and 6414'f'0at6And}ti6n6 app;-Rapz-tho-shevelino
TL.o 4,4 ,,,tl, .«: ,o8 PQTAT to vet veffif ,�tl,:� fi,11 ., h,..,« „t
f.A,,.., +b,o 1 TS I—R4HA :rAr,mor,tnl D,.eteetiE) A..oaey (J4 9 9P A) , a E I e• 9@etia a 301(h) A-_f a A-
The ete eel Wai*ethas SHWHE1ed) e*pine14 e43 1AR4114 d
, , OWElift t4@ o
Huntington Beach relies upon a safe, clean ocean to sustain its quality of life and
its economic and tourism base; and
The residents of Huntington Beach use the ocean and its beaches for health,
recreation, and business endeavors, including fishing, boating, and swimming,
If evaluation of all data by impartial, independent experts shows the outfall
from the Orange County Sanitation District is in any way implicated in the
contamination of Orange County beaches, it is respectfully requested that the
Board of the Orange County Sanitation District take immediate action to correct,
eliminate and permanently remove this problem.
Since the ocean has a finite ability to purify itself, we believe, adding
disease causing foreign material, such as partially treated sewage, is
inappropriate. We thus request that the Board of the Orange County Sanitation
District take the necessary action to construct facilities that eliminate all materials
that adversely affect humans, or adopt new technology that protects the
water system and prevents the further contamination of the Ocean.
Now, THEREFORE,the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does
hereby resolve as follows:
1. T-has-it her-eby appeses My eNteesi An Af,,,. ., plie.,aff&W A-=::Ai=:
by QGSP;-and
1. That it hereby urges its resident and business population to join with the
Council in advocating for safer, less environmentally impactful wastewater discharge into
the Pacific Ocean and in recognizing and accepting the community-wide obligation and
financial costs that lie therein.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach
at a regular meeting thereof held on the day of ,
2001.
ATTEST:
City Clerk Mayor
REVIEWED AND APPROVED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Administrator City Attorney