HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-08-23; Encina Joint Advisory Committee Ad Hoc; Minutes>•• ' •.*.o
ENCINA JOINT POWERS
MINUTES OF THE JOINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1978
AT THE
ENCINA WATER POLLUTION CONTROL FACILITY CONFERENCE ROOM
Ed Stiles, Chairman Stanley Mahr, Vice Chairman
1. CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chairman Stanley Mahr called the meeting to order at
9:06 A.M.
ROLL CALL
Present;
Vista Sanitation District
City of Carlsbad
Buena Sanitation District
San Marcos County Water District
Leucadia County Water District
Encinitas Sanitary District
County of San Diego
JAC Administrator
Encina Joint Powers
Absent:
Buena Sanitation District
Encinitas Sanitary District
JAC Counsel
Guests:
Leucadia County Water District
C M Engineering Associates
League of Women Voters
Carlsbad Journal
Joe Zapotocky, Dan Carr
Mary Casler, A. J. Skotnicki
Bill Dominguez
Jim McKay, Stanley Mahr
Dick Hanson, Stan Van Sickle
Mark Schneider, Jack Kubota
Jim Frandsen
Ron Beckman
lies Evans, Mary Taylor
Ed Stiles
Jack Filanc
Roy H. Gann,
Eric Elliott
John Murk
Ruth Honnold
Jan Stevens
Esq.
JOINT ADVISORY COPKITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST T*J, 1978
2. MINUTES OF JULY 26, 1978
Chairman Mahr asked for the approval of the July 26, 1978 min-
utes as submitted.
Mr. Zapotocky moved that the minutes be approved as submitted.
Seconded by Mr. McKay, the motion unanimously carried.
3. MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JAC MEETING OF AUGUST 2, 1978
Chairman Mahr asked for the approval of the Special JAC minutes
of August 2, 1978.
Mr. Zapotocky moved that the minutes be approved as submitted.
Seconded by Mr. Skotnicki, the motion unanimously carried.
INFORMATION
4. PROPOSED EPA CLEAN DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS
Chairman Mahr asked Mr. Evans for his comments on the proposed
EPA discharge requirements.
Mr. Evans stated that it might be interesting for the JAC to be
aware that lurking in the background is the possibility that the
EPA is going to implement new guidelines for NPDES permits for
discharge into the ocean. Buried in the Clean Water Act is a
sentence or two or a paragraph that says there is not much known
about the ocean environment or how discharges to the ocean of
treated sewage affects the marine environment and, because of
that, some investigations need to be done both by the EPA and the
discharging agencies to insure that the marine environment is pro-
tected. It is very likely that, in the future, when we apply for
a NPDES permit, we are going to have to make substantially the
same case as we're making now for our application for modifica-
tion of secondary treatment requirements just to get a NPDES per-
mit to discharge to the ocean. This would include a permit for
-- a. secondary discharge as well as a permit for a primary discharge.
The regulations have not been implemented but the information,
which is being gathered for the application for modification of
secondary treatment requirements, can also be used for the NPDES
permit application. In fact, we may have to develop a continuous
monitoring program in order to keep the information up to date.
5. RECLAMATION SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING OF AUGUST 10, 1978
Chairman Mahr asked Mr. Evans for his comments on the Reclamation
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JOINT ADVISOR|*IISDMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGOUg 2B, 1978
Subcommittee meeting of August 10, 1978.
Mr. Evans stated that a proposal was considered for a pilot pro-
ject utilizing worms for the digesting of sludge. The Subcom-
mittee decided that we did not have the expertise to provide a
scientific evaluation of this proposed project nor did we have
the approximate funding of $73,000. Mr. Evans continued that
he had written Bert Elkins of the San Diego Region Reclamation
Agency but, as yet, has received no answer. Mr. Frandsen stated
that Mr. Elkins had retired from the County on August 21, 1978.
The other item on the Reclamation Subcommittee agenda was the
Leucadia County Water District's proposal to utilize the ocean
outfall as a failsafe and also to discharge increased solids
from the reactivation of their plant. The Subcommittee agreed
to recommend to the JAC the utilization of the ocean outfall
as failsafe as long as it was within the ownership rights of an
agency to be approved.
However, the idea of Encina having additional solids was a con-
cept that the Subcommittee felt should be brought back to the
JAC and discussed in the context of the Encina facility being
developed as a regional solids handling facility rather than
just considering one agency at a time.
The recommendation of the Subcommittee that the ocean outfall be
utilized as a failsafe to the extent of each agency's ownership
in the outfall should be considered by the JAC at this time and
the solids handling concept later in the meeting.
Mr. Schneider said that he felt everybody should be able to use
their share of the ocean outfall but it also has to be understood
that they have to meet whatever requirements that Encina has for
discharging influents into that outfall.
Ms. Casler asked if he meant to use it as a failsafe. Mr. Schneider
answered to the affirmative.
Mr. Skotnicki asked if, when the outfall is used as a failsafe, is
there any way of measuring the quantity or how do we know when
we're exceeding capacity.
Mr. Zapotocky said that the term "failsafe" could mean flows in
excess of normal flows for a shock-loading period rather than oh a
revolving flow basis. He said that Vista had a proposal to go into
a reclamation plant by a developer and he's thinking of on-site use
of the water but as a failsafe provision, he wants access to it.
He asked if we were talking about continuous flows up to nominal
capacity or are we talking about something in excess of nominal ca-
pacity?
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JOINT ADVISORY C^IITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUSTUS?, 1978
Mr. Evans said that the peak capacity of the ocean outfall,
which we all agreed on in the Seventh Supplement, is 38 MGD
peak wet weather flow. Whether this is capacity or not, it
is what everybody agreed to and wrote down. Each agency has
a specific ownership right of that 38 MGD peak wet weather
capacity.
All agencies, with the exception of Carlsbad, have pumps which
limit their discharge to the plant. Except for the City of
Carlsbad, which is in the middle, we probably have a built-in
system for determining whether or not an agency is exceeding
its peak wet weather flow right.
Mr. McKay said that the outfall isn't utilized at the off peak
hours. With treated effluent, you could store and you could
discharge during off peak hours. There are a lot of ways to
work around this peaking problem but it would mean storage,
which would be a good way, and it wouldn't be utilizing other
agency's capacity.
Chairman Mahr said that what Mr. Evans would like to know today
is whether the JAC would look with favor on by-passing the treat-
ment plant as a failsafe system.
Mr. Skotnicki said that, from the standpoint of a superficial
look at it, the fact that you own certain capacity in that out-
fall and, therefore, you should be able to use it looked to him
as something you can't refute. However, nowhere in that Basic
Agreement can you find any consideration for that kind of con-
nection since that outfall was designed to take care of this
plant. He said that, at that point, no one considered a failsafe
and this would obviously come up again. His concern was that we
did not give this a superficial treatment now in considering it
and then, in 5 or 10 years, we build in a set of problems for
whoever sits here.
Mr. Zapotocky said that there was one thing that was not quite
consistent with what Mr. Skotnicki was saying. The upstream
reclamation plants are going to preserve capacity in the plant
so that plant capacity isn't going to match the pipe capacity
presumably. The more of us who go to reclamation upstream, the
less treatment that is going to be required here but the flows
in the outfall are going to be increased. That's a considera-
tion that he felt also had to be made as to how far we can ex-
tend the capacity of that pipe beyond the capacity of the plant
either through the addition of pumps or whatever.
Mr. Carr asked how the outfall figure of 38 MGD was arrived
which he thought everyone had agreed on.
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JOINT ADVISOR^%MMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST 23, 1978
Mr. Evans said it was hard to tell exactly what the capacity of
an outfall like that is because it's all done on paper. When
it was originally designed or when the agreement was written,
Brown and Caldwell evidently provided information that said the
gravity flow capacity of the ocean outfall was 38 MGD. We know
that, by adding pumps to the outfall, the pipe was actually de-
signed to withstand the pressure that goes along with forcing up
to 60 MGD through the pipe.
Mr. Schneider asked if any agency, which had plenty of outfall
capacity, would be required to share in the expense of putting
in the pumps.
Mr. Evans said that it was something that would have to be worked
out. If some agencies want more capacity in the ocean outfall
and other agencies want to stand fast, then we have the same prob-
lem we had in Phase II A. By not asking for additional capacity,
an agency's ownership capacity in the outfall is diminished. How
this will be treated will be through a series of negotiations.
Mr. Kubota made a comment, as one of the people involved in the
original Encina system, that if you take a textbook approach you
realize that there is a sewerage collection system, a treatment
system and a disposal system. If one of the member agencies de-
cides that they want to use their rightful share of the disposal
system and bypass the treatment system, there's nothing wrong
with it. In fact, several years ago, when Burroughs was having
problems, one of the proposals was that they build their own in-
dustrial waste treatment facility at the plant, run a line along
the railroad tracks and dispose of treated industrial waste into
the ocean outfall. He felt that we should treat this thing in
the light of what our individual needs are so long as out individ-
ual enterprises are not jeopardized.
Mr. Hanson said that he hoped JAC would give conceptual approval
to the use of the outfall.
Mr. Evans stated that an agency who wants to use some of its ex-
cess capacity in the ocean outfall now is going to have to remem-
ber that they might be encroaching into Phase III. Some agencies
have a lot of excess capacity in the ocean outfall and would not
be encroaching into Phase III. Other agencies, by providing up-
stream storage or something and equalizing their flow, might also
never exceed it. . __....
Mr. Schneider said that, even though an agency goes into the re-
clamation business, they still pay for 0 & M in the plant. He
asked Mr. Beckman if this was what was said.
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JOINT ADVISORY CQ<TEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST 23, 1978
Mr. Beckman said he was making reference to a clause in our
Basic Agreement which says something of that general nature
that you should share the O & M costs based on your flow even
if you were reclaiming.
Mr. Zapotocky said there was more to the question than what we
were discussing at present. He felt that the focus was the
solids handling.
Mr. Evans said he had treated the solids handling as another
agenda item because the Subcommittee asked that it be discussed
in a larger context.
Mr. Zapotocky asked if if it wasn't everybody's intent, at the
present time, to send the solids down here.
Mr. Evans said that he understood that Daon was going to do it
upstream.
Mr. Zapotocky asked Mr. Hanson if this wasn't his proposal to
send untreated solids to Encina. Mr. Hanson replied to the
affirmative.
Mr. Skotnicki asked Leucadia if they were not going to be dump-
ing the sewage during wet weather.
Mr. Hanson answered that, initially, they would have the ability
to control the amount before it goes through the plant. There-
fore, even though there might be a 3 or 4 month extended wet
weather period during the year, rather than operate the plant
at capacity, we will be putting enough through it to keep it alive
biologically.
Mr. Schneider asked whether they would be separating the treated
effluent from the raw sewage so that the failsafe line would be
for treated effluent and not raw sewage. Mr. Hanson answered to
the affirmative.
Mr. Hanson continued that, once Leucadia had committed itself to
the capacity of the plant and the flow was actually being con-
tributed, they would have to treat capacity flows at that plant.
Also, Leucadia is exploring other uses for the reclaimed water
other than the initial use of putting it on the La Costa golf
course. •"-'""""
Mr. Beckman stressed Mr. Schneider's point in that the thing we
are responsible for, in the final analysis, is what comes out
that pipe. If we use it as a failsafe system, we have to have
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JOINT ADVIOSRtf^pMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST-23, 1978
some reliable reporting method as to what agencies are putting
into the failsafe system with regard to constituent parts.
Ms. Casler asked for a clarification of the physical method of
getting out into the ocean.
Mr. Evans said that Leucadia is building a new line but they
would have to make a new connection to the outfall. They would
go to where the plant discharges into the outfall directly in-
stead of going through the whole plant. They would not be using
the capacity of this plant except for their solids. They would
also provide effluent testing the same as San Elijo. In addition
to the testing, the quantity would be measured.
Chairman Mahr felt there was one advantage to by-passing the plant
and that was that, any agency, in order to go into reclamation,
is going to have to have a certain amount of holding capacity or
they won't be able to control a steady flow to the outfall. This
would be an advantage to everybody because they wouldn't neces-
sarily be hitting this outfall at the peak flow at Encina which
would generate a better use of our outfall.
Mr. Schneider said it seems that Carlsbad, Buena and San Marcos
ought to get together and have one line going down there.
Mr. Zapotocky said it seemed to him that we should encourage rec-
lamation and make it as easy to facilitate as we can. If it re-
quires a failsafe, then that ought to be encouraged. He said that
Vista raised their water rates 30% this last week and, if we're
going to keep agriculture in this area, there is no way unless
we get into the reclamation business.
Mr. Kubota said that if you are a fresh water agency and have
concerns of meeting your customer needs, particularly agricul-
tural water, you're out looking right now to bringing in sources
of reclaimed water.
Mr. Schneider made a motion to use the outfall as a failsafe sys-
tem with the proper restrictions. Seconded by Mr. Dominguez, the
motion unanimously carried.
ROUTINE REPORTS
6. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE REPORT
Chairman Mahr asked Mr. Evans to comment on the Operations and
Maintenance Report.
JOINT ADVISORY C<%/£TTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST 23, 1978
Mr. Zapotocky asked about the Manager's meeting with PERS rep-
resentatives. Mr. Evans said that the changeover of retirement
system would be about 4 months. PERS requires an actuarial study
and we have to file a resolution of intention. Technically, the
employees would have to vote as to whether they want Social Se-
curity, etc.
a. Application for Modification Mr. Evans continued with the
application for modification. He said that he had spoken with
the marine biologist consultant who informed him that the final
regulations would be out the first week of September. At this
point, we are still preparing the application utilizing some pre-
liminary draft regulations.
Brown and Caldwell have nearly concluded the physical analysis of
our ocean outfall. The marine biologist is completing her work.
The clinical samples have been taken and are out for testing.
In-house, we are completing the recreational part of our applica-
tion and the County is developing the industrial waste monitoring
section.
b. Digester Cleaning Mr. Evans said the contractor was moving
in equipment the week of August 21 and draining of Digester No. 2
will begin on August 28. Fabrication of the mixing system is
nearly complete and will be inspected this afternoon. The blowers
should be received within the next 2 weeks. Piping and electrical
materials have been ordered. By the next JAC meeting, everything
should be pretty well completed.
c. Phase III Design The Design Review Committee has been very
active with Brown and Caldwell and preliminary decisions have been
made. Brown and Caldwell is starting to let sub-contracts now for
the geotechnical work, the surveying and the architectural work.
We are starting to receive requests to approve sub-contracts which,
for the most part, will be minority firms as required by Federal
regulations. We anticipate that the design review will be complete
by early October. Then we will be into the^design phase, which is
scheduled to last approximately one year. This puts construction
approximately a year and a half away.
d. Bird Centrifuge Mr. Skotnicki asked if the Bird centrifuge
was back in operation. Mr. Waters said that our centrifuge should
be back in service within two weeks. Mr. Evans said that we have
had a leaner centrifuge for the past two weeks and we are supposed
to have another leaner centrifuge coming in as part of our testing
program.
e. Normality of Digester No. 1 Mr. Evans explained to Mr. Skot-
nicki that the measuring stick for an operating digester is the
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JOINT ADVISOR^<1)MMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST 23, 1978
relationship between two chemical tests; a test for alkalinity
and a test for volatile acids. Hopefully, when we start feeding
Digester No. 1 everything, because No. 2 will be down for clean-
ing and installation of the mixing system, we'll start off with
Digester No. 1 in good shape.
Mr. Skotnicki asked if there was any investigation on the caustic
soda which Mr. Carr had suggested might be a possible cause of
our digester troubles. Mr. Evans said that it had been investi-
gated and we found that we couldn't identify any users who were
using that type of cleaning compound to any great extent. Caustic
soda is so reactive that, almost immediately upon entering the
sewer, it would change into something else and would be impossible
for us to identify.
Mr. Schneider said it looked as though Burroughs is giving us a
lot of trash waste material. Mr. Evans agreed and said that they
have not been able to get their own treatment system into operation.
Mr. Frandsen said that Burroughs was trying to put in their zero
discharge into operation and, because of that, they have upset
their own system. The County will be sending a letter to Carlsbad
because he felt that there was no reason, with proper planning,
that Burroughs couldn't prevent this sort of thing from happening.
Mr. Beckman said that there was a 24 hour sampler on the line at
Burroughs.
Mr. Beckman was asked what measures were available to the City to
make Burroughs comply with the City's request. Mr. Beckman said
they were working with them on two fronts; the first front is to
make sure that they comply with discharge standards and secondly,
to reduce water use.
Mr. Hanson asked Mr. Murk if the problems, which we are experi-
encing with the digesters, could be attributable to problems at
Burroughs. Mr. Murk answered to the affirmative adding that the
miniature digesters were operating with no stress whatever dur-
ing the last 60 days.
f. Septage Haulers Mr. Zapotocky noted that the haulers were
dumping less. Mr. Evans said that the haulers found it cheaper
to dump at the two locations free of charge than to dump at Encina.
He said that, at the present time before a hauler can dump, a sam-
ple has to be drawn which is a deterent to dumping.
7. SULFIDE CONDITION REPORT
Mr. Evans said that this was the usual type of report for this
time of the year and there were no major problems of any sort.
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JOINT ADVISORY C^JITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST?3, 1978
8. EXPENDITURE REPORT
.Mr. Evans said that this report was the final report from the
County for the operation of the plant during the past fiscal
year and all of which was within budget.
He continued that the flows were shown on the second page of
the Expenditure Report and overall flows seem to be up about
17% over the year.
Mr. Evans said that we have been testing the meter. This month,
Ron and his operators are draining each of the sedimentation
tanks and doing routine maintenance. So far this month, we have
tested the flows twice. Everytime we fill a sedimentation tank,
we test the flows. This morning at 5 A.M., the flows were tested
and were about 39,000 gallons/minute and the meter tested 8.7%
low. On August 16, the flows were about 10,800 gallons/minute
and the meter tested 5.3% low. A factor of 7% is being used.
He felt confident that the meter was plus or minus 2% so whatever
is wrong with the flows, he didn't believe it was the propeller
meter.
ACTION
9. LIABILITY
Mr. Evans said that, in the Basic Agreement, the question of
Liability was not really addressed and Roy Gann proposed a Li-
ability clause in the Draft Agreement for Reorganization. Sev-
eral agencies have indicated that they would feel more comfortable
if such a Supplement would be adopted.
Mr. McKay moved that counsel be authorized to prepare an Eighth
Supplement to the Basic Agreement to apportion liability among
the six agencies according to ownership. Seconded by Mr. Schneider,
the motion unanimously carried.
10. INDUSTRIAL WASTE STUDY PLAN
Mr. Evans said the Industrial Waste Study Plan has to be sub-
mitted to the Regional Board by the end of August. He has spent
some time with the County Industrial Waste Section and, with their
advice and assistance, worked out eight tasks which he feels are
reasonable. The RWQCB staff also agrees that this is a reasonable
study plan.
Mr. Evans said he had contacted each agency by letter describing
the work involved in tasks 1, 2 and 3 and, essentially, he asked
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JOINT ADVISOR]f"V>MMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGOTf 2^3, 1978
each agency to perform Task 1.
Task 1 is going to mean a different level of effort for the dif-
ferent agencies. He asked that the agencies, who needed help,
either contact Jack Thomas or himself immediately.
This information is required by October 15 and Jack Thomas and
Bob Maynard agreed that with the information from Task 1, they could
perform the other tasks by our deadline of December 15.
Mr. Evans explained that a Class II discharger was someone dis-
charging something into the sewer which was industrial waste;
i.e., a Class II discharger would not necessarilly be a gas sta-
tion that just pumps gas. However, a gas station that pumped
gas and had a garage which performed repairs, change oil, etc.
would be a Class II discharger because it has a potential of
discharging things that could reach our sewer and would be un-
desireable.
What we're looking for in Task 1 is an inventory of these Class
II users. Jack Thomas will evaluate that inventory and do the
inspections as necessary. Hopefully, each of our agencies have
a pretty good idea of their problem areas.
Mr. Hanson moved approval of the Industrial Waste Study Plan.
Seconded by Mr. Skotnicki, the motion unanimously carried.
Mr. Dominguez said that, it seemed to him, there should be a Task
9 which would include a schedule of sanctions, notices, fines or
whatever to put some teeth into what we're going to do.
Mr. Evans said that at least five of our six agencies have indus-
trial waste ordinances which call for punitive action for vio-
lating discharge regulations. In fact, if each of our agencies
were enforcing the ordinances the way they were written, he felt
sure that we wouldn't be having any problems.
Mr. Dominguez said that perhaps the ordinances weren't working
or were being under-utilized. Perhaps, as a Task 9 plan, we
ought to review the ordinances as they stand right now. They
probably are sufficient but the utilization should be reviewed.
Mr. McKay suggested that there was noting in the Draft Plan which
compelled the agencies to perform. Mr. Evans suggested the best
thing to do would be to turn over enforcement to the County.
Mr. McKay asked if there have been any problems where an agency
has failed to back Jack Thomas. Mr. Evans answered that Burroughs
has been in violation many times and is in violation right now.
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MINUTES - AUGUST^??, 1978
Carlsbad is working with Burroughs but, if Jack Thomas were
the enforcing officer and had the authority, he felt that Bur-
roughs would be shut down.
Mr. McKay said that he though what Mr. Dominguez was suggesting
then was that perhaps, when a violation of this type occurs, it
would be to the benefit of the member agencies of Encina to find
out from the agency in which the violation occurs what they're
doing about it. He didn't think it was fair
that the other agencies be subject to a cease and desist because
of one violator within a particular agency's area.
Mr. Skotnicki asked if Burroughs was in violation of the City's
ordinance, what does the ordinance require the City of Carlsbad
to do or what does it allow the City of Carlsbad to do. Also,
has the City of Carlsbad done what their own code says. He is
going to look into it.
Mr. Kubota said that he agreed that a Task 9 should be implemented
to evaluate the administrative arrangement, and the ordinances and
the interpretation of them and then.commence to say in a positive
way "from now on, we're going to do it a little bit differently".
He felt that we had to respond with some courage and some dignity
and in a forthright manner.
Mr. Evans said "it's questionable whether the ordinances have been
enforced uniformly. It would be more desireable for the six agen-
cies to have a single enforcement agency."
Mr. McKay referred to the single enforcement officer and felt re-
luctant to have such an outsider come up basically uninvited. He
felt that the City of Carlsbad has to make a decision that they
can only dump so much in heavy metals and if they want to allocate
that total batch dump to one organization, then that's Carlsbad's
prerogative. In San Marcos, we limit to our limit down here.
We're only allowed to dump two ppm total heavy metals to this plant.
We only let a single discharger dump two ppm into our system so that
we can reserve capacity for other heavy metal dumpers. If we want
to take the total volume of heavy metals and give it to one industry,
I think that's our prerogative.
Mr. Dominguez said he felt that Jack Thomas should attend one of the
JAC meetings and tell us what he feels the problems are because that's
his field of expertise.
Mr. Evans said that he had spoken to Jack Thomas who felt he couldn't
speak to the whole system. He could speak to Buena, Vista and
Carlsbad because he is actually involved in their process but as
for Leucadia, Encinitas and San Marcos, he is not involved. He's
not sure of what is happening there.
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JOINT ADVISOR'j^pMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGCTBT 23, 1978
Mr. Carr asked if, after this Industrial Waste Study Plan is
put together and these different tasks are performed by the
agencies, would Jack Thomas be in a better position to speak
to the total problem. Mr. Evans answered to the affirmative.
Mr. Schneider asked if we ran a sample of the heavy metals.
Mr. Evans asked Mr. Waters to set up the sampler at the in-
fluent and get Keith Boger to do the heavy metals series on
it.
Mr. Schneider felt that we should have a series of tests so
that we could show the RWQCB the effluent we're getting into
the plant. If we have a record of what has been coming into
the plant over a period of time, then we're not going to have
such a big hassle over these industrial waste problems.
Mr. Hanson moved that we add a Task 9 to the Plan. The Task
would be "review existing ordinances, resolutions and policies
of each member agency, which establishes Industrial Waste Pol-
icy, to determine if they are adequate and update as necessary".
Motion seconded by Mr. Skotnicki and passed unanimously.
Mr. Dominguez began a discussion of operator staff. He said
the time frame in which we are getting replacements, we're
losing personnel constantly out of the plant, the replacement
through the County personnel system is slow and there are sev-
eral things that are impeding that replacement schedule. He
made a suggestion to the JAC that the Manager write a letter
to the Board of Supervisors asking that certain personnel
changes be made as it relates to providing personnel for the
plant. We're asking the plant operator to complete more and
more tasks and he is doing it with fewer personnel with the
replacement schedule the way it is. He felt that we could work
out some kind of waiver if we could spell out the critical need
that we have for replacement personnel at this plant.
Mr. Zapotocky asked why the freeze should affect this plant be-
cause the member agencies are paying the bill and not the County.
Mr. Dominguez agreed but it was an administrative policy.
Mr. Zapotocky said it was all the more reason to go independent.
Mr. Zapotocky said the County wouldn't affect a freeze on them
for law enforcement as a contract City so why should the County
freeze hiring on the Encina contract considering we're picking
up the total costs including all the overhead and administrative
costs.
Mr. Dominguez pointed out that Proposition 13 excluded safety
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JOINT ADVISORY CO^JTTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST 2?, 1978
personnel hiring so there isn't that kind of problem that we
have in safety service people. He thought that the Board
would comply if we requested that they provide us with some
waivers for expedient personnel replacement.
Mr. Frandsen said that there wasn't an actual freeze but agreed
with Mr. Dominguez that a letter from this agency would provide
us with employees in short order.
Mr. Dominguez moved that a letter be written to the Board of
Supervisors by the Manger. Seconded by Mr. Hanson, the motion
passed.
11. REGIONAL SOLIDS HANDLING FACILITIES
Mr. Evans said that the Reclamation Subcommittee began to dis-
cuss solids handling and felt that it was a policy matter that
should be discussed at the JAC level and asked him to put it on
the Agenda with advantages and disadvantages.
Mr. Zapotocky felt that, if it was going to be a policy decision,
we should be allowed to get imput from the respective boards be-
fore we get into this discussion.
Mr. Schneider said that his Board had discussed this last week
and they felt that we need to know what agencies are going to be
sending solids down to the plant. Also, what about the RWQCB?
Are they in favor of having this system here on the coast? His
Board felt that no decision should be made without a study on
how it will affect the plant and the various agencies that reg-
ulate us.
Mr. Hanson said that information gathering process would have to
be done before each individual agency or council can make a de-
cision as to the concept of using this plant as a regional solids
handling facility. Maybe the Subcommittee or another Committee
could be asked to put together that information which would tell
us what facilities might be required and the cost of those facil-
ities. Also the RWQCB reaction to it, etc. It could be done by
a Committee which should be heavily loaded with engineering type
people.
Mr. Schneider said that his Board indicated that sludge is the
problem we're having right now causing our cease and desist.
Mr. Zapotocky agreed with Mr. Hanson that a lot more study must
be done.
Mr. Evans said that, before any Committee can decide anything on
what a facility is going to cost or approach the Regional Board,
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JOINT ADVISOR^"*»pMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGuW 23, 1978
they must know if there is a demand for it. We know only that
Leucadia would like to discharge 770 Ibs./day.
Mr. McKay said he had no numbers to state but he felt that they
would be desireous of that opportunity to discharge solids.
Mr. Beckman said that now the options are still open but there
were some considerations that would have to be made. If you're
looking to encourage reclamation, he felt the way to do it was
with satellite plant but satellite plants create their own prob-
lems. People are concerned about the odors and the odors are almost
always related to the solids handling. So, if we want to have
solids handling systems at the satellite plants, we will have
some degree of opposition. It's a decision that each agency
will have to make for itself.
Mr. Hanson addressed Mr. Murk. He asked if there were any in-
herent problems, which can't be overcome, with having upstream
satellite plants and shipping solids downstream.
Mr. Murk said that the most significant problem is that we trans-
port the solids through the sewers and that tends to grind them
up and we get finer solids at the regional facility.' The real
problem comes in with what difference does it really make in
terms of how much more it costs to treat a unit of solids here
after it's been chopped up rolling around in sewers for X number
of hours.
Mr. Schneider asked about the odors of the sludge handling plants
and the location.
Mr. Murk said that the problems are of an industrial nature be-
cause they have all the refineries there primarily and, secondarily,
because the community moved in on the plant.
Chairman Mahr suggested that the Engineering Committee work with
Mr. Evans and see what they come up with.
Mr. Zapotocky moved that this be referred to the Engineering Com-
mittee and that they meet as quickly as they can. Seconded by
Mr. McKay, the motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Evans said that he had received a call from Don Brown of the
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and he had made arrangements with
Paul DeFalco, Region 9 EPA, to have Alan Abrams, Chief of Divi-
sion of Water Quality, speak for the Chamber luncheon on•Septem-
ber 27. Each of the JAC members will be receiving invitations
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JOINT ADVISORY CQ^UTTEE MEETING
MINUTES - AUGUST S», 1978
to that luncheon.
Mr. Abrams would prefer questions in advance in writing. If
any of the JAC have questions, please contact Mr. Evans or Mr.
Brown.
Interest Rate on VSD Fund The fund is invested with the County
portfolio and the interest rate varies between 6-7%. The
Auditor Controller's office didn't know exactly what the rate
was last year but thought it was about 63s%.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:25 A.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Taylor
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