S A V E - R - B A Y _NBWA.Summary.Pres.Final.PPt Protect Your Home, Health and Environment March 2010 The Problem, Privately-Owned Laterals. You Can Help Solve It!

S A V E - R - B A Y Our Program For Today Background Information about laterals The problem: privately-owned sewer laterals What agencies are doing to solve the problem Recommended solutions and actions 5/1/20152

S A V E - R - B A Y Co-Sponsors of the Lateral Studies Central Marin Sanitation Agency Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District North Marin Water District Sausalito Marin City Sanitary District Sewerage Agency of Southern Marin Novato Sanitary District San Rafael Sanitary District Ross Valley Sanitary District Sanitary District No. 2 of Marin County North Bay Watershed Association 5/1/20153

S A V E - R - B A Y Storm Drains Are NOT Sanitary Sewers 5/1/20154 Storm Drains collect stormwater and runoff, then discharge it untreated into the Bay Sanitary Sewers collect sewage, then deliver it to a treatment plant where it is cleaned, discharged into the Bay or recycled Private Laterals connect a home or business to the sanitary sewers

S A V E - R - B A Y Lower Lateral Overflow Prevention Device Upper Lateral Collection Pipeline 5/1/20155 What a Private Lateral Is

S A V E - R - B A Y Laterals are a Concern Laterals are the privately-owned connections to the publicly-owned sewer pipelines Many are old and poorly maintained Roots enter breaks, then enter mainlines, causing blockages that can damage homes and the environment 5/1/20156 A root removed from a sewer pipeline. Similar but smaller roots can block and break laterals

S A V E - R - B A Y ABOUT HALF OF SEWER SPILLS ARE CAUSED BY LATERALS Public Sewer Mains950 miles Private Sewer Laterals817 miles 5/1/20157

S A V E - R - B A Y Fats, Oils, Grease, Roots Cause Spills Blockages occur in sewer mains and laterals from roots, buildup of grease and other substances, causing backups and spills 5/1/20158

S A V E - R - B A Y Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) Also Cause Spills 5/1/20159 Infiltration – Indirect flow of stormwater into a sanitary sewer system at open joints and cracks Inflow – direct flow of stormwater into a sanitary sewer system..from downspouts, drains, yards,,,parking lots and streets

S A V E - R - B A Y Inflow and Infiltration: Key to Lateral Problems Stormwater enters cracks and breaks in laterals, manholes and other places Wastewater volumes can increase 1000% or more Sewer pipeline and treatment systems become overloaded Sanitary sewer overflows result. They are prohibited and subject to fines 5/1/201510

S A V E - R - B A Y 5/1/ Inflow & Infiltration Can Overwhelm Treatment Plants Central Marin Sanitation Agency, Dec. 31, Massive inflow of stormwater through laterals and sewer pipes overflow the treatment plant

S A V E - R - B A Y Regulatory Hammer 5/1/ East Bay Cities given limits on wastewater volume they discharge to treatment plant in Will require fixing lateral problem by a set deadline. Costs could be $2 billion! Similar requirements expected to be imposed everywhere in next 5 to 15 years Goal: develop our own cost-effective solutions— before we are forced to do it some other way

S A V E - R - B A Y Costly Fines Examples of Fines in the Past Year for Violations AgencyFine City of Pacifica$2,300,000 Sewerage Agency of Southern Marin$1,600,000 City of Carlsbad/ City of Vista$1,100,00 City of San Mateo$950,000 Town of Hillsborough$405,000 Santa Margarita Water District$133,000 City of Redding$83,000 Crystal Springs CSD$24,000 5/1/201513

S A V E - R - B A Y Costly Lawsuits In Addition to Regulatory Fines: –Clean Water Act allows third party lawsuits –Expensive judgments and settlements have resulted from legal action by environmental groups 5/1/201514

S A V E - R - B A Y Summarizing the Solution We must decrease inflow and infiltration, stop sewer overflows and spills, to: –Protect the environment –Protect public health –Comply with new regulations, avoid regulatory fines –Avoid costly lawsuits –Avoid heavy cleanup costs 5/1/201515

S A V E - R - B A Y What Public Agencies Are Doing 1.Decrease I&I from public systems through an aggressive pipeline repair /rehabilitation program 2.Construct storage tanks and/or ponds to temporarily store high flows to treatment plants 3.Expand treatment plant capacity 4.Develop lateral programs for our area Sanitary agencies are currently taking all these steps 165/1/2015

S A V E - R - B A Y Sanitary Agencies Investing In Solutions Developing options for requiring inspections and repair of privately-owned sewer laterals and assisting property owners to carry those out Invested $200 million in pipelines, pumps, ponds and treatment facilities from /1/201517

S A V E - R - B A Y Public Agencies Can’t Do It Alone Past decisions were made using different standards than today’s –Cheaper to build larger treatment plants for high flows than to fix mains and laterals –Blending and treating high stormwater flows was ok –Decisions were made to leave laterals alone – the problem was considered too difficult But with over $200 million being invested in public systems, it’s now time to deal with private laterals 5/1/201518

S A V E - R - B A Y Public Agency Options for Assisting Private Property Owners Laterals are private NOT public property, complicating public agency options for developing solutions 12 approaches to solving lateral problems were studied by members & technical consultant Evaluated price, effectiveness and ownership (public vs. private) Four approaches were recommended for further evaluation by the consultant 5/1/201519

S A V E - R - B A Y 12 Approaches Evaluated 5/1/ Identify and eliminate inflow into public sewers and laterals Reduce Infiltration into Public Sewers Continue Status Quo- Private Ownership of Laterals Use incentives to reduce I/I Entering Laterals Mandatory Disclosure of Lateral Problems at time of Sale Public Rehab/Replacement of Lower Lateral during Public Sewer Rehab/Replacement Projects Mandatory Inspection and Repair/Rehab/Replacement when Lateral does not meet Agency Standards Public Ownership of Lower Lateral Public Ownership of Lateral (Upper and Lower) Add Storage Facilities for Peak Flows Increase Secondary Treatment Capacity Click for Details Click for Details Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Four Approaches Recommended 1.Identify and eliminate inflow into public sewers and sewer service laterals 2.Use incentives to reduce inflow and infiltration entering sewer service laterals 3.Public rehabilitation/replacement of lower lateral during public rehab./replacement projects 4.Mandatory inspection, repair/rehabilitation/ replacement when sewer service lateral does not meet agency standards 5/1/ Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Private Lateral Inspection Program Elements Triggers for Inspection/Testing Inspection and Testing Methods Control Mechanism Incentives and Affordability 5/1/ Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Potential Triggers for Inspection/Testing Sale of Property/Transfer of Title Remodel above a threshold value Change in Use Change of Customer Wastewater Agency Discretion 5/1/ In area with high I/I Smoke testing shows problem Inspection shows blockage or problem Overflow causes a nuisance Connection of additional living quarters or plumbing fixtures Following lateral repair and replacement Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Inspection &Testing Methods Closed-circuit TV Inspection (recommended) Low Pressure Air Test Water Leakage Test 5/1/ Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Inspection and Testing Methods Recommend Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program (PACP) National program with certificate issued by the National Association of Sewer Service Companies –Includes standards for judging quality of lateral –Plumber’s certificate requires about 1.5 days training, passing an exam and $750 –Ensures consistent judging of videos and demonstrates qualified plumbers 5/1/ Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Control Mechanism Agencies issue a certificate of compliance to property owner -- duration is typically years, depending on the nature of work completed 5/1/ Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Incentives and Affordability Lateral replacement costs typically range from $2,000 to $6,000 To help property owners, agencies can consider: –Grants, –Low-interest loans, –Liens against property with reimbursement in future 5/1/ Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Incentives and Affordability cont. Additional incentives to defray property owners costs can include: –Agency lateral repair/replacement insurance –Agency administered master contracts for work at discounted, guaranteed cost –lateral repair during mainline repair at property- owner expense –lateral repair during mainline repair at agency expense 5/1/201528

S A V E - R - B A Y Next Steps Review the problem and potential solutions with the public at local agency board meetings Using public input and staff recommendations, agency boards will consider adopting local ordinances and programs to implement solutions 29 Technical Summary

S A V E - R - B A Y Meanwhile, Here’s How You Can Help Inspect your lateral Maintain your sewer lateral: use a qualified plumber or contractor Obtain a permit from your sanitary agency before making lateral repairs Disconnect outdoor drains that go to sewer laterals Participate and provide input as your local agency develops its solutions 5/1/201530

S A V E - R - B A Y For More Information: Contact Your Local Agency or 5/1/201531

S A V E - R - B A Y 5/1/201532

S A V E - R - B A Y #DescriptionProsCons 1*Identify and Eliminate Inflow into Public Sewers and Sewer Service Laterals Effective approach to reduce inflow portion of peak flows. Most effective when coupled with flow monitoring to identify areas with high levels of inflow. Must repeat fieldwork periodically to maintain inflow at low levels. Requires notification to the public prior to testing. Some property owners will act to prevent discovery of prohibited connections. To be effective, requires repairs to public facilities and enforcement of corrective actions for private property. 2 Reduce Infiltration into Public SewersActions needed are within public agency authority. Rehabilitation projects are expensive. Impacts associated with construction work. 3 Continue Status Quo - Private Ownership of Sewer Service Laterals Inexpensive.Property owners act when lateral fails. Ineffective at reducing infiltration into sewer laterals. 4*Use Incentives to Reduce I/I Entering Sewer Service Laterals Inexpensive.Voluntary nature of approach limits effectiveness. Voluntary repair/rehabilitation may not occur where needed. 5 Mandatory Disclosure of Sewer Service Lateral Problems at Time of Sale (includes upper and lower lateral) InexpensiveVoluntary nature of approach limits effectiveness. Voluntary repair/rehabilitation may not occur where needed. 6*Public Rehabilitation/Replacement of Lower Lateral during Public Sewer Rehabilitation/Replacement Projects Addresses all lower laterals over time. Expensive – adds 50% to the cost of public sewer rehabilitation/replacement. 7 Public Rehabilitation/Replacement of Sewer Service Lateral during Public Sewer Rehabilitation/Replacement Projects Very EffectiveSignificantly more expensive that Approach #5. 8*Mandatory Inspection and Repair/Rehabilitation/Replacement when Sewer Service Lateral does not meet Agency Standards Address all sewer laterals over time. Fair - cost of individual lateral paid by property owner. Repair/rehabilitation may not occur where needed. Requires long time (25+ years) to address majority of laterals. 9 Public Ownership of Lower LateralPartial solution - effective at reducing infiltration entering through lower lateral. Partial solution – may increase infiltration entering through the upper lateral. Expensive. 10 Public Ownership of Sewer Service Lateral (includes upper and lower lateral) Effective.Expensive. 11 Add Storage Facilities for Peak FlowsCost effective approach to reducing peak flows. Difficult to site storage facilities. Public opposition to storage facilities. Potential for odors and vectors if not properly operated. 12 Increase Secondary Treatment CapacityProvides secondary treatment for all sewage within design criteria. Requires space for additional treatment facilities. Expensive to construct. Expensive to operate. Increased energy use. Not feasible in all locations. * Recommended elements for consideration in Marin County. 33 Return to Previous Viewed Slide