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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-01-12; Ad Hoc - Water Commission; MinutesMINUTES ME€llNG OF: WATER COMMISSION DATE OF ME€llNG: TIME OF MEmNG: 2:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEmNG January 12,1994 (Regular Meeting) 5950 El Camino Real ~~ CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Henley called the Meeting to order at 2:OO p.m. ROLLCALL Present: Absent: None. Commissioners Henley, Kubota, Louis, Maerkle and Melideo. PLEDGE OF AUEGlANCE was led by Commissioner Louis. COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE: Commissioner Maerkle presented Bob Greaney with a belated birthday card. OLD BUSINESS: 1. 01 12-01 - Proiect to Line and Cover Maerkle Reservoir - Action Bob Greaney referred to the Agenda Bill included in the packet giving the history of this item. The project began in 1988, with the design and construction of a 1 O-million gallon water storage facility. The second phase of the project began in 1991, with the design and construction of pumping facilities and chloramination facilities. The third phase began in 1992, with the design of the lining and covering phase. A 10 percent design report was given in June, 1993, by the consultant, John Powell and Associates, with staff recommendation to proceed with the design. At that time, the Commission requested additional information regarding filtration alternatives and a concrete liner rather than the proposed asphalt liner. At the July 28, 1993, Commission meeting, the alternatives were reviewed and costs presented. The decision was made to write to the Department of Health Services to request an exemption from lining and covering the reservoir. November 10, 1993, the concrete liner option and construction of a filtration plant were determined to be infeasible. The third item reviewed at that time was the response from the Department of Health Services to the request from the District for an exemption from lining and covering the reservoir. After a discussion of the item, the Water Commission requested staff to invite the Department of Health Services to the next Commission meeting to review their response. January 12, 1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 2 OU) BUSINESS: (Continued) Representatives of the County Water Authority and the Department of Health Services attended the December 8, 1993, Water Commission meeting. The Water Authority presented a review of the 10-day storage policy, and Ms. Roy from the Department of Health Services, reviewed the response regarding the District's request for an exemption. She summarized her letter by stating that the District could certainly apply for an exemption, but would be required to construct additional facilities and perform substantial additional testing. The approval of the exemption would take approximately six months from the State and EPA. Ms. Roy further pointed out that regardless of the additional facilities constructed and money spent on this exemption, should the District fail any of the tests (Le., tests for Giardia cysts), the lining and covering of the reservoir must be completed or a treatment facility constructed, within an 18-month time period. Mr. Greaney stated that staff does not recommend pursuing the exemption alternative and if the Commission does not want to proceed with the design to line and cover the Maerkle Reservoir, recommends that the Commission recommend to the Board of Directors that the design contract with John Powell and Associates be terminated and revisions to present City policy regarding the 1 0-day storage requirements be considered. In reply to Commission query regarding the amount of water available for emergency supply at this time, Mr. Greaney stated there is a 13 to 13 1/2-day supply now. Commissioner Maerkle questioned switching one of the 'D' tanks from potable to reclaimed water. Mr. Greaney stated the District will go out to bid next month for a tank to be constructed adjacent to that reclaimed water tank to replace the storage loss. The funds are available for the building of that tank. Commissioner Maerkle suggested that rather than line the present reservoir, the District should build another tank on the 55 acres the District owns and use the Squires Dam for reclaimed water. Mr. Greaney stated that 600 acre feet of reclaimed water storage is not needed, nor is it in accordance with the Master Plan, Also, if that amount of reclaimed water was stored in that reservoir, it would have to be covered due to the algae growth. Commissioner Maerkle questioned there being any runoff into the Maerkle Reservoir. He said that until a few years ago, the reservoir only received the water that fell directly on it, as it was graded to have no runoff. Mr. Greaney stated it is the same today, but between where the ditch is located around the perimeter and the waterline, there is runoff, with a possibility of rain and runoff going toward the reservoir rather than away. Commissioner Louis questioned whether it is a possibility to get an exemption, and Mr. Greaney reiterated what he stated in the report. Ms. Roy had indicated that a lot of testing would have to be done and if the District failed any of the tests, a letter would be forthcoming from that Department giving this District 18 months to either cover the reservoir or build a filtration plant. Commissioner Louis said it is expensive to cover the reservoir, and it isn't known whether it will work. January 12,1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 3 OD BUSINESS (Continued) Mr. Greaney said the District can’t use the Maerkle Reservoir now without full notification to the public. It is now isolated and not in use because of the field inspection made by Ms. Roy. Commissioner Kubota stated he was puzzled that Ms. Roy would dictate to this District that this pool of water could no longer be used, as nothing has changed since the service was installed. He said that he felt the runoff issue is a ‘red herring”. The Water Authority statement was never a mandate for ten days of storage, but ten days of self-sufficiency. If the District had a well field and could supply three or four days with wells, that would count toward the ten days of self- sufficiency. Also, if there were ties with Escondido and Vista, with commitments for emergency supplies of two days or so, that would count toward the ten days of self-sufficiency. Mr. Kubota said that to commit to millions of dollars of expense to line and cover this reservoir would seem unnecessary, particularly when cities like Oceanside have only a two day supply of water. Commissioner Kubota said that there is to be an update on the report from the Water Authority, and he felt if this District had updated information that presented the problem in its gross magnitude, this Commission could better handle a decision. Some agencies don’t have a ten day supply now, and are waiting for the Water Authority’s storage project to see what that brings. He said that it is now seven years since there was a re-evaluation of what the District does, and Mr. Kubota believes that it is time to make a reality check of everything we do, and this project is one of those. There certainly is a problem with emergency storage. The Water Authority has had three shutdowns in the last year; December--10 days; January--10 days, and February--1 0 days. Mr. Kubota said he has the utmost faith of the capability in staff that this District will have water. He suggested that consideration be given to making a reality check of the entire issue, and if it is a matter of looking at it and all of us working together to come to some conclusion, then at this point it would help to seek an exemption at this time to help the District get down the road a piece. Bob Greaney said that the ten day water storage policy referred to for this project is the City of Carlsbad’s policy. It is incorporated in the City’s Growth Management Policy. The City policy is that every Local Facilities Management Plan be predicated upon the District assuring the City that there is, in fact, a ten-day storage for each Plan that has been completed. The Commission would need to recommend to the City Council that they change the ten-day policy. Commissioner Kubota asked whether that came directty as an interpretation of the Water Authority policy, and Mr. Greaney said the Water Authority Policy is subsequent to the District policy. Mr. Kubota said that there are three water agencies in Carlsbad, Vallecitos, Olivenhain and Carlsbad, and the other two do not have ten days water storage. Mr. Kubota said he has never said that he was not in favor of ten days of self-sufficiency-just not necessarily wrapped up in storage--but with well fields and action with other local agencies. Mr. Greaney said that the Commission would have to request the Council to change the policy to go from ten days to something less than ten days. Commissioner Maerkle said we do have ties with other agencies, but they don’t have ten-day supplies and they look toward Carlsbad. He favored an exemption for now to buy time to look at other alternatives, such as a new reservoir on the site that the District owns, and not try to rehabilitate an old reservoir. January 12, 1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 4 OLD BUSINESS: (Continued) The Commission discussed how to chlorinate the reservoir, and Bob Coates said it would have to be chlorinated between the time it was pumped out and served the people. It is not known at this time how much chlorine that would take. Commissioner Maerkle said that the District put a line from Rancho Santa Fe Road to Deer Springs, and there is an arrangement with Vallecitos for a right to draw water through that line, if it is necessary. That brings the water to where it connects to the aqueduct. Mr. Greaney said that if the District fails one test, it will get a notice to proceed with the lining and cover or construct a filtration plant. To apply for an exemption will take six months to go through the State and the EPA. Mr. Greaney read again from Ms. Roy’s letter to the District. Mr. Coates said there could be a penalty in postponing this, as it will cost money to do the testing necessary for an exemption, and if at any time, the District fails a test, we would have to line and cover the reservoir, and that could be when the economy is heated up and it will cost more to do the work at that time. This present project would provide two hundred million gallons for seven and a half million dollars. Mr. Coates said if it takes almost a year to secure an exemption, and the District doesn’t have a ten-day storage during that time, and you have a 50-50 chance of getting the exemption, then there is one bad sample and you are told to get the problem solved within 18 months. In reply to query from Commissioner Louis as to how often theDistrict samples the reservoir now, staff indicated it is weekly. Mr. Louis asked how many bad samples, and staff indicated they routinely get positive readings exceeding the limits. The District chlorinates approximately in the middle of the reservoir. Commissioner Melideo stated that she was not in favor of seeking an exemption. She said she did not feel the ten-day supply should be changed, and did not feel that Carlsbad should depend on the other neighboring agencies. She said she wants to forget about the exemption and have the City go ahead with a positive attitude to be self-sufficient in case of a disaster. With the increasing population in this area, ten days may not be enough. Ms. Melideo said she felt Ms. Roy was against an exemption, and again she reiterated the Crty should go ahead with what is best for the City and have an abundant supply of water. This area is a desert and everyone needs to be careful and take care of themselves with regard to water supplies. Commissioner Louis said that some of the Commissioners believe this supply of water can be protected and provide a supply of water. Commissioner Melideo added that the District should either fix that reservoir, and do it right, or build another one. Commissioner Louis stated that it will be difficult to get the cover to go up and down on the Maerkle Reservoir. Commissioner Maerkle said that the District owns 55 acres, and should construct an underground storage, which would more than compensate. January 12,1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 5 OLD BUSINESS: (Continued) Bob Cmes said that it could cost one hundred million dollars to build a reservoir with 1Oaay capacity to avoid spending seven and a half million dollars, which is the present anticipated cost to cover and line the reservoir. Also, with spending that .seven and a half million dollars, the District could say, yes, we have ten days storage. If you spend the one hundred million dollars, you would also have the 1Odays storage, but the rates would triple. Mr. Greaney said that if the District is going to apply for a waiver, they need to recommend to the Board to terminate the consultant's contract; not mer and line the reservoir and pursue a waiver. Also, there is the need then to pursue changing the policy of the City from a tenday storage to ten-day sufficiency, and that would have to be forwarded to the Board or the City Council. Mr. Greaney said he suggested terminating the contract with the consultant, if the reservoir is not going to be covered. The other alternative is to proceed with this project that the District has been working on since 1987. Commissioner Kubota stated that nothing the Commission is doing here today is intended to slow anything down. He said they are just looking at options, because they are relying on a plan that was done seven years ago, and some things do change. Commissioner Maerkle reiterated his concern that the reservoir was taken out of service and is being used for reclaimed water and that he would not have wanted that. (9' Reservoir) Commissioner Kubota suggested that if a waiver were sought, perhaps the things that had to be done in support of that application could be performed by the consultant. He added that he would be willing to take a recess right now and write down the things that need to be done in order to not delay the project. He would like to stop and do a realty check to determine the right course of conduct, if the policy is changed to self-sufficiency. Mr. Greaney said he would have to write a memorandum to the Ci Manager that the District is in a holding pattern and not moving forward. Also, that we do not have tendays storage as previously stated. The District would have to go to full notification to the public, and Mr. Greaney said he does not want to do that. This would involve cautioning the cliens that the water being supplied to them does not meet standards. Mr. Greaney said that at the time Ms. Roy made the field inspection, the reservoir was shut off and has been off since last fall. Commissioner Kubota said that he favored seeking an avoidance and seeking an appeal over Ms. Roy. He said this is a form of coercion, and only because the Carlsbad Water District raised the issue. Mr. Greaney said that because the reservoir can't be used, there is no? a tenday storage supply that Carlsbad had before Ms. Roy made her field inspection-until some action is taken by the District. Commissioner Kubota urged staff to appeal that decision and do it immediately, as that decision is out of line. If the water is chlorinated and monitored, that reservoir has served the community well all these years, whether or not it is decided to line and cover the reservoir next week. Mr. Kubota said he would like to know how many reservoirs there are in the County that are uncovered. Mr. Greaney said this is the only type of reservoir in the County that is being used. Commissioner Kubota said he challenged that statement. January 12, 1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 6 ou) BUSINESS: (Continued) ACTION: On motion by Commissioner Maerkle, the Water Commission directed staff to apply for a waiver. AYES Henley, Kubota, Louis and Maerkle NOES: Melideo Mr. Coates said it will probably cost $100,000 in engineering costs and tests to comply with the rules for applying for a waiver. The City has rules about going out for proposals for contracts that exceed a certain dollar amount. Mr. Coates suggested allowing John Powell & Associates to submit a proposal. Commissioner Kubota said that the consultant has been doing a lot of preliminary work on this project, and it would seem that they would have the knowledge necessary to make any applications. He suggested staff and the consultant come up with a work plan on this. Mr. Greaney said that he felt the Commission does not want to continue with the lining and cover. It will take six to eight months to get an answer regarding an exemption, and he questioned whether the Commissioners want to continue the contract that long. At this point, Mr. Greaney read from Ms. Roy's original letter which contained instructions for complying with standards to apply for a waiver. Mr. Coates said that staff would need to set up some type of treatment for the water from the reservoir and would need to put the water some where else for testing. Commissioner Melideo stated that originally the Commission was to discuss what type of lining was to be used in the reservoir and there was not a concern about what happens in other cities. She felt that time and money are being wasted at this time. Mr. Greaney stated that he would recommend to the Board that the contract with the consultant be terminated and not'w the Council that we do not have ten days of water storage because the reservoir is isolated. Chairman Henley said he felt the reservoir could be brought up to par, if needed. ACTION: Commissioner Kubota made a motion to direct a request to Ms. Roy to re- consider the decision to isolate the Maerkle Reservoir; and second, if Ms. Roy is not willing to re-consider this decision, to seek an appeal with her immediate superior. Commissioner Melideo stated that she would not vote for the second part of the motion, and upon agreement with Commissioner Louis, who seconded the motion, the second portion of the motion was deleted. January 12,1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 7 OLD BUSINESS: (Continued) ACTION: On motion by Commissioner Kubota, the Water Commission directed staff to request Ms. Roy of the Department of Health Services, to re-consider her decision to isolate the Maerkle Reservoir. AYES: Henley, Kubota, Louis, Maerkle and Melideo ANNOUNCEMENT: Jim Meton, County Water Authority, announced there will be a booth at the Dei Mar Fair, June 17 to July 4, 1994, with the 50th anniversary of the San Diego County Water Authority on June 9, 1994, and asked the Commissioners to consider manning the booth at some time during the Fair. GENERAL MANAGER REPOm: CWA Water Storaae UDdate Meeting Mr. Greaney announced the County Water Authority will make a presentation to the Board of Directors next Tuesday, January 18, 1994. This will be an update on the storage project and he asked the Commissioners to attend the Council meeting, if possible. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On motions by Commissioner Maerkle, the following Minutes were approved as presented. Minutes of the Regular Meeting held November 10, 1993. AYES: ABSTAIN: Melideo Minutes of the Regular Meeting held November 24, 1993. AYES: Kubota, Maerkle and Melideo ABSTAIN: Henley and Louis Minutes of the Regular Meeting held December 8, 1993. AYES: ABSTAIN: Louis Henley, Kubota, Louis and Maerkle Henley, Kubota, Maerkle and Melideo January 12, 1994 WATER COMMISSION Page 8 NEXT MEmNG DATE: The next regular meeting of the Water Commission will be Wednesday, January 26, 1994, at 2:OO p.m. There will be an election of officers for 1994. ADJOURNMEM: By proper motion, the Regular Meeting of January 12, 1994, was adjourned at 3:44 p.m. /-> Minutes Clerk