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Approve the renewal of an agreement with the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District for the Department of Resource Management to provide water pollution prevention inspections on behalf of the district for $175,000 for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022; and Authorize the Director of the Department of Resource Management to execute the agreement and any subsequent amendments, subject to concurrence by the County Administrator and County Counsel, on behalf of the County
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the renewal of an agreement with the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District for the Department of Resource Management to provide water pollution prevention inspections on behalf of the district for $175,000 for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022; and
2. Authorize the Director of Resource Management to execute the agreement and any subsequent amendments, subject to concurrence by the County Administrator and County Counsel, on behalf of the County.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Solano County currently has an agreement with the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District (District) to perform water pollution prevention inspections for the District through June 30, 2017. These inspections are performed by the Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Services Division during routine inspections of hazardous materials and retail food facility businesses located within the District’s boundaries. Incorporating the District required inspections into the inspections already performed by department staff is a more efficient and less disruptive method to implement the water pollution prevention program on the business community. The Department seeks approval to enter into a new agreement with the District to continue this mutually beneficial water pollution prevention inspection program from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no net county cost anticipated from this program. The inspections for the District are incorporated into the routine inspections already performed by the department, and no increase in staffing is required for implementation of this program. The District will reimburse the Department for actual costs associated with water pollution prevention program inspections up to a total of $175,000 through June 30, 2022. The Department’s FY2017/18 requested budget includes $35,000 in revenue for performing these inspections. This revenue will be projected for each subsequent fiscal year through the end of FY2020/22
DISCUSSION:
The District is required by the Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board to implement a water pollution prevention program. This program requires that the District control the discharge of storm water and wastewater from residences and business within the District’s service area, which encompasses the incorporated areas of the cities of Fairfield and Suisun City. As part of this program, the District is required to make inspections of businesses to inform them about water pollution prevention and to ensure that prohibited wastes (such as hazardous waste, grease, fats and oil) are not improperly disposed into the sanitary sewer or storm drainage systems.
The Department inspects businesses that use hazardous materials and generate hazardous wastes as part of the implementation of the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) program for Solano County. The intent of the CUPA program is to reduce the number of inspections and agencies overseeing facilities using or generating hazardous materials and wastes by having all inspections performed by one, state approved agency. As part of its retail food protection program the Department also inspects food facilities that generate fats, oils and grease during food preparation and clean up activity. The District, recognizing that the Department already has staff with the required expertise at the businesses that fall into the District’s water pollution prevention program, has entered into past agreements with the county for the department to perform water pollution prevention inspections on behalf of the District. The Board of Supervisors first authorized such an agreement on May 11, 1999, and most recently on June 12, 2012. This most recent agreement expires on June 30, 2017. The District has contacted the Department and requested that the County enter into a new agreement that will continue to have department staff conduct the water pollution prevention inspections during normal CUPA and food facility program inspections through June 30, 2022. The agreement will also allow for follow-up water pollution prevention inspections by department staff if a major violation is observed, such as discharge of a hazardous material to a storm drain. Any required water pollution prevention program enforcement activity will be referred back to the District.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to approve the agreement and not to authorize the Director of the Department of Resource Management to execute agreement documents. This is not recommended as this agreement provides efficient implementation of the water pollution prevention program at no cost to the county, and is less disruptive to local area businesses.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed this agreement and concurs. Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District staff and their counsel have also reviewed this agreement and concur.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION