HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.a.2) General Manager Written Announcements5.a.2�
Board Meeting of November 17, 2011
Written Announcements:
Staff Out -Of -State Travel
a) Director of Plant Operations Margaret Orr to Attend
National Association of Clean Water Agencies' 2011 Fall
Strategic Leadership Retreat in Charleston, South Carolina
from November 14 thru November 17, 2011
Director of Plant Operations Margaret Orr will attend the National Association of
Clean Water Agencies' ( NACWA) 2011 Fall Strategic Leadership Retreat and
2011 Developments in Clean Water Law Seminar from November 14 through
November 17, 2011, in Charleston, South Carolina. Ms. Orr, as co -chair of the
Biosolids Committee, will participate in the Strategic Leadership Retreat which is
a full day of discussions among NACWA Board Members and standing committee
leadership on critical strategic issues facing the association. After that meeting,
Ms. Orr will attend the 2011 Developments in Clean Water Law Seminar.
NACWA's law seminar is the only conference of its kind focused specifically on
the legal and regulatory challenges facing the municipal clean water community.
The topics covered at the seminar will span the range of legal and regulatory
issues impacting the clean water utilities, with some of the top clean water
attorneys in the country providing valuable analysis and insights. Of particular
interest to the District are the biosolids and nutrient sessions.
District Events
b) Collection System Operations Open House and Staff Move
In Update
The move -in to the CSOD facility in Walnut Creek is delayed to correct
deficiencies identified during the inspection by the City of Walnut Creek and the
fire department. Move in is now planned for December 1 and 2, 2011. An Open
House for District employees and their families is scheduled for Saturday,
December 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Notices will be emailed and posted
throughout the District two weeks before the event.
Written Announcements
November 17, 2011
Page 2 of 2
General Updates
c) Single Wall Piping Notice of Violations at Moraga and
Orinda Crossroads Pumping Stations
On August 30, 2011, the District received two Notices of Violation from Contra
Costa County Hazardous Materials Program. The violations were related to the
underground fuel storage and piping at Moraga and Orinda Crossroads pumping
stations. On October 14, 2011, the District responded to the violations by
providing the County with the required forms, certifications, updated monitoring
and response plans, and proposed improvements to the fuel piping from the
underground fuel storage tanks.
The existing single wall piping at both pumping stations needs to be replaced with
double wall piping to comply with underground storage tank regulations. The
underground storage tanks are double walled and comply with the County
requirements; however, the single wall piping does not. The District plans to
design and construct the piping improvements by July 31, 2012. The estimated
cost of the piping improvements is $38,000. The County has acknowledged
receipt of the required forms and plans, and has accepted the District's proposed
construction schedule.
d) Treatment Plant Natural Gas Purchase
On November 8, 2011, the District purchased one third of the treatment plant
natural gas for January through December 2013 at a price of $4.75 per decatherm
at PG &E Citygate. Natural gas prices remain depressed as the economy
struggles to recover, abundant sources of natural gas become available through
hydraulic fracturing of shale, and gas storage inventories remain high. The District
will now look toward purchasing the next one third of the gas for January through
December 2013 and is targeting a price of approximately $4.50 per decatherm.
An update will be provided to the Board when the next purchase is made.