HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.a.1) General Manager Written AnnouncementsBoard Meeting of September 20, 2012 ' Y.a. 1)
Written Announcements:
Employee Status Updates
a) Recent Retirement
David Reindl, Senior Engineer in the Plant Operations Department, retired on
September 14, 2012 after 32 years of service.
Out -of -State Conference Attendance
b) Attendance by Associate Engineer Don Berger at the Water Reuse
Symposium in Hollywood, Florida, Sept 9 -12, 2012
Associate Engineer Don Berger attended the National Water Reuse Symposium in
Hollywood, Florida, September 9 — 12, 2012. This was the 27th annual water reuse
symposium hosted by the Water Reuse Association. The conference consisted of
technical sessions about the latest water recycling technology, regulatory developments,
and other issues related to the development and operation of water recycling programs.
In addition, it included networking and knowledge sharing with other water recycling
professionals from around the country. Attendance at the conference was included in the
Fiscal Year 2012 -13 Operations and Maintenance Budget.
c) Employees to Attend Water Environment Federation Technical
Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) in New Orleans, Louisiana,
September 29 — October 3, 2012
The 85th Annual Water Environmental Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference
(WEFTEC) will take place at the New Orleans Memorial Convention Center from
Saturday, September 29 through Wednesday, October 3, 2012. The following eight
District employees will be attending:
Ann Farrell, General Manager
Curt Swanson, Director of Collection System Operations
Alan Weer, Plant Operations Superintendent
Leo Gonzalez, Pumping Stations Supervisor
Michael Penny, Senior Engineer
Nancy Molina, Associate Engineer
Melody LaBella, Assistant Engineer
Samantha Engelage, Assistant Engineer
WEFTEC is the premier water quality conference which provides state -of- the -art
information at a reasonable price. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in
workshops, technical sessions, facility tours, and view exhibitions.
Written Announcements
September 20, 2012
Page 2 of 2
Environmental Matters
d) Rescission of Cleanup and Abatement Order — Bollinger Canyon
Road, San Ramon
In 1990, the District was named in a Cleanup and Abatement Order (CAO 90 -141) issued
by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) with another
company, Tracor Aerospace. This CAO was issued to require investigation and response
to a release of chlorinated solvents from the District's Bollinger Canyon Leachline that
provided sanitary sewer service to the Tracor Aerospace facility and a limited number of
other businesses in the area. Tracor Aerospace's operations resulted in the discharge of
1,1,1 - Trichloroethane to the District's leachline which, by design, then released to the soil,
and groundwater near the leachline. After becoming aware of this condition, the District
took immediate measures with Tracor Aerospace to discontinue the discharge of
chlorinated solvents to the Bollinger Canyon Leachline. The District participated with
Tracor Aerospace to complete the actions needed to comply with CAO 90 -141 with
regard to conducting a site investigation and routine monitoring of groundwater and creek
water samples.
Since CAO 90 -141 was issued, Tracor Aerospace sold the facility to Marconi Aerospace
who sold the facility to BAE Systems. Each of these companies assumed responsibility
for complying with CAO 90 -141. In 2011, the District coordinated with BAE Systems to
inquire with the RWQCB about the steps needed to consider rescinding CAO 90 -141
using the data trends of 20 years of environmental sampling at the site. This inquiry was
met favorably and the District supported BAE Systems with developing and submitting a
formal request to the RWQCB to consider rescission of CAO 90 -141. On September 10,
2012, the District received the formal rescission letter for CAO 90 -141 from the SF Bay
RWQCB which cited all requirements of the Order were met. The final actions needed to
close the case are to properly abandon the monitoring wells developed for this project.
District staff will work with BAE Systems to ensure the wells are destroyed and the
necessary paperwork is submitted to the RWQCB.
e) Update on Agreement with Property Owners on La Espiral Drive,
Orinda
The property owners of 154 La Espiral Drive in Orinda, Josh and Robin Meezan, have
signed a settlement agreement with the District and are coordinating permitting and
construction of soil stabilization and repair of the slide that threatens the District's sewer
easement in their backyard and the backyard of a neighboring property (158 La Espiral
Drive) (ESR) for the at 154 and 158 La Espiral, Orinda. We expect that the Meezan's
contractor, Engineering Soil Repairs, will complete the work before the onset of wet
weather. The District will pay about $150,000 of the cost of the project and staff will
continue pursuing collection of about $45,000 from the owners of 158 La Espiral Drive.