The Design was Created by Wildermuth & Submitted to the Regional Board 2 years Ago, so Why Pay Webb to Make it Again?
Below is the Transcript from the January 20, 2015 Beaumont City Council Meeting in which Kyle Warsinski, who hasn’t lied to Council since the Raids, presented the Wastewater Expansion Preliminary Design prepared by Wildermuth Environmental’s to comply with the City’s Regional Board Order R8-2014-0005 deadline of January 30, 2015.
Less than two years later three of the five Councilmen that Approved Wildermuth’s Preliminary Design called a Special Meeting and Awarded Albert Webb and Associates a $727,000 Contract to prepare a Wastewater Expansion Preliminary Design.
And that January 30, 2015 Deadline that was complied with has now turned into a May 31, 2017 deadline. How did that happen?
January 20, 2015 Beaumont City Council Agenda item 7.g. Preliminary Plan and Schedule for the Salt Mitigation Facilities & Expansion of the WWTP by Wildermuth Environmental: http://www.ci.beaumont.ca.us/D…
January 20, 2015, Slideshow Presentation of the City of Beaumont’s Preliminary Plan
for Recycled Water and Salt Mitigation: http://www.ci.beaumont.ca.us/documentcenter/view/19730
November 7, 2016 Beaumont Special Council Meeting Agenda Item 1: Council Awards $727,000 Contract for Preliminary Design to Webb and Associates: http://www.ci.beaumont.ca.us/D…
01/20/2015 Council Transcript: http://podcast.ci.beaumont.ca.us/mp3/CC_2015-01-20.mp3
37:00: Kyle Warsinski: Before you tonight is a Proposed Preliminary Plan and Schedule regarding Salt Mitigation Facilities and Expansion of the Beaumont Wastewater Treatment Plant. Before the question comes up, I might as well go into it, which is what is the Basin Plan. That is the Plan for the Santa Ana River. It governs the use of Surface and Groundwater and requires Permits for Recycled Water Discharge, Reuse, and Recharge. It establishes requirements for Water Quality, Operation of Water Treatment Facilities, Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting. The City of Beaumont participated over two years with the Regional Board and other Agencies in this Area to include many beneficial elements into the Plan including joint and severed cooperation and responsibilities with the City of Banning, BCVWD, SGPWA, and the YVWD.
38:00 Warsinski: Shared costs of Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting. Since 2009 Beaumont paid for 100% of the Monitoring and Recording for the Beaumont Management Zone. As of the last couple months or so, I forgot the exact date, all of those Parties I just iterated, put together a Regional Monitoring and Reporting Plan for the Regional Board. The Plan provides a 10-year goal to attain Water Quality Objectives, a 5-year goal to build Salt Mitigation Facilities, and a 1-year goal to deliver Recycled Water to Golf Courses for Irrigation. It also has Approval for Stormwater and Recycled Water Recharge Plan with ‘End-of-Pipe’ Water Quality Measurement Requirements. Another phrase that’s going to be thrown around or discussed in this entire Document are ‘Maximum Benefit Requirements’.
39:00 Warsinski: Maximum Benefit Requirements are made by the State of California, enforced by the Regional Board, and applied to the Cities of Beaumont, Banning, BCVWD, SGPWA, and the YVWD to foster Regional Cooperation to protect Water Resources in the Areas. The Maximum Requirements include conditions for the operation of the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant including Water Quality Standards for Recycled Water and Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting. The two Maximum Benefit Requirements apply to the different Management Zones. The City currently Discharges and Operates in two Zones, one’s called the San Timoteo Management Zone. The Maximum Benefit Requirements limit of TDS, Total Dissolved Solids, otherwise commonly referred to as ‘SALT’, is 400. Beaumont Management Zone is 330. The other option, or the scenario as opposed to non-compliance is something called “Anti-Degradation”. That baseline of what the Basin Objectives.
40:00 Warsinski: So Maximum Benefit has a high standard, a higher number, so a lower standard of TDS, just by a little bit, to encourage participation in the Maximum Benefit use of water in those Management Zones. So if you don’t comply with the Basin Plan’s Maximum Benefit Requirements these other things kick in: There could be Monetary Fines, Cease & Diciest Order, and the Anti-Degradation Water Quality Objectives, if you remember, the Max Benefit was 400 TDS and the Beaumont Management Zone was 330. Anti-Deg for San Tim is 330 TDS and it’s 230 for the Beaumont Management Zone. See you can see the difference in the different Objectives you’re looking at. So going into the Document that was presented to you for review as well as what we’re looking to submit to the Regional Board have a Deadline for the end of this Month is the Preliminary Plan & Schedule regarding the Salt Mitigation Facilities and Expansion of the Treatment Plant.
41:00 Warsinski: This figure shows the Salt Mitigation Facilities Master Plan which is designed to implement the Basin Plan to comply with Maximum Benefit Requirements for Recycled Water Discharge, Reuse, and Recharge. It also includes Benefits of capturing new storm flows from Developed Areas to recharge the Beaumont Groundwater Basin. The Plan represents a cost-effective solution for water resources now and into the future. Some of the key points is that keeps Recycled Water local, provides Recycled Water to Golf Courses for irrigation. Our initial Phase is looking at providing 1.5 Million Gallons per Day to the Golf Courses and peak supply would be 5 MGD. Another key component of the Salt Mitigation Plan is that it protects endangered species and natural habitat at Coopers Creek and that is a 1.8 MGD average that is discharged down that habitat Area and the Plan also maximizes Stormwater Recharge.
42:00 Warsinski: This is our Master Plan for the Sewer Treatment Plant. The old Sewer Treatment Plant was first constructed in 1929 using ‘state of the art technology’. The Sewer Plant went through limited change until 1994 when a ‘NEW’ Facility was built to meet modern water quality standards including innovative use ultra violet lights to disinfect recycled water rather than using cool rain. The State of California is now looking to modernize the Treatment Plant again to meet much more stringent water quality recycled water in this Area to conserve a valuable resource for the future. The Master Plan for the Treatment Plant to 8 MGD. It calls for Reverse Osmosis and advanced Treatment to remove and concentrate Brine.
43:00 Warsinski: The Plan provides different alternatives for Brine Disposal including Zero Liquid Discharge, Evaporation, or using the Brine Line. Discusses and plans out for Pump Stations to deliver Recycled Water the Golf Courses and Recharge the Basin and shows potential for Solar Power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money through efficiency on operation costs. Some of the keys to keep in mind for this Preliminary Plan Schedule; it can be updated in the future and include new ideas and alternatives.
45:30 Warsinski: I have the City’s Consultant, Mark Wildermuth from Wildermuth Environmental who is the Author of Report and Preliminary Plan. Also in attendance tonight is Kurt Berchtold from the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board and Hope Smythe.
48:30: Kurt Berchtold, Executive Officer for the Regional Water Quality Control Board. I’m here tonight to urge your timely submittal of a Salt Mitigation Plan to us. The Requirement to submit a Salt Mitigation Plan by January 30th is included in our Basin Plan and compliance with that and other Deadlines in our Basin Plan is a requirement for the City to continue to participate in the Maximum Benefit Program.
49:00 Berchtold: I won’t go into great detail on that Program, but it relaxes the standards for TDS that the City has to comply with in exchange for the City and other Agencies in the Area agreeing to participate in a comprehensive water resource management program for the Groundwater Basin in this Area. In my view; the Maximum Benefit Program provides for improved sustainability of the Groundwater Basin Area and I believe it’s very important that the City continue participate in that program. I would encourage timely submittal Salt Mitigation Plan to us and I’d be happy to answer any questions.
51:30 Andrew Schlange: I’ve been in the Water Business for 55 years, 40 of that as ‘top management’ for three different water agencies. I’m here to express, as the Regional Board Management Consultant, I’m here recommend the Plan that’s before you for submittal to the Regional Board by January 30th. It’s very important that the Plan and the date is met.
52:00 Schlange: The failure to do that can be very costly in the future to the City by the loss of the Maximum Benefit move to the Anti-degradation. I would also like to say that I’ve worked with Alan [Kapanicas] and this Staff many years. I’m very impressed by their honesty, their integrity, professional integrity. I think they have put a lot of effort and cooperation other activities in order to bring this thing forward for your consideration. I encourage you to Approve the Request before you.