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Home My WebLink About07.a.1)a) Considering amending District Code to revise existing policy on private sewer laterals 7.a. l )a) -, COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN CONSIDER AMENDING DISTRICT CODE TO - REVISE EXISTING POLICY ON - PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS -� = Board Meeting October 20, 2016 r Jean-Marc Petit,Director of Engineering and Technical Services Danea Gemmell,Planning&Development Services Division Manager Dan Frost.Senior Engineer,Planning and Applied Research CONSIDER AMENDING DISTRICT CODE TO REVISE EXISTING POLICY ON PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS 1 10/13/16 CCCSD'S CURRENT APPROACH TO PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS • Property owner responsible for upper and lower lateral • On a project by project basis, District offers property owners opportunity to work with District contractor to replace lateral — paid for by property owner directly to contractor _ I TYPICAL SEWER LATERAL CONNECTION adean t Cl"nmt . /I sldawalk / str"I zaAl�Sty _\1 . 'Image from East Bay Regional Private Sewer Lateral Program website 2 10/13/16 CURRENT DISTRICT CODE • 9.10.040-Ownership,maintenance and connection of side sewers. • A side sewer is a private facility.The property owner shall be responsible for constructing,repairing and maintaining the entire side sewer between the building and the public sewer(including both the lateral and building sewers,and the tap,saddle or wye connection fitting at the public main sewer).The District shall not be financially responsible for any side sewer construction,operation,maintenance,repair, abandonment or other costs whatsoever,except where the District itself or its contractor reconstructs or realigns the public sewer,thereby necessitating the reconnection of private side sewers to the public sewer. • (Ord.253§ 1(Exh.A(part)),2008) • 9.10.050-Standards for construction and testing of side sewers. • Side sewers shall be constructed and maintained in conformance with applicable standards and regulations set forth in standard specifications,this code and such other statutes and regulations as may apply at the time of construction or repair.The property owner shall obtain a District permit for such side sewer construction or repair, and the side sewer shall be subject to inspection and testing to ensure that proper materials and methods were used for the construction or repair and that the resulting side sewer is leak-free.Side sewers that fail the leakage test shall be repaired or replaced at property owner's expense so as to pass the leakage test. • (Ord.253§1(Exh.A(part)),2008) THERE ARE MANY LATERAL PROGRAM CONCEPTS • Option A: Maintain current code (private sewer lateral at property owner's responsibility) • Option B: Implement ordinance requiring lateral inspection, repair, replacement upon: • sale of property, and/or • major renovation, and/or • change in water meter size • Option C: Provide lateral rebate program • Option D: Take ownership or maintain lower lateral • Option E: Take ownership or maintain upper&lower lateral • Option F: Offer lateral insurance program via third party • Option G: Offer lateral loan program • Option H: Conduct a pilot replacement program in higher 1/1 area • Option I: Maintain existing code but consider including lateral replacement unit bid price in renovation projects for optional customer participation L 3 10/13/16 DOES THE BOARD WANT TO AMEND ITS EXISTING POLICY ON PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS? • Maintain existing District Code regarding ownership and maintenance of private sewer laterals? or • Develop new approach and policy on private sewer laterals? 1. QUESTIONS? 4 10/13/16 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CCCSD PAST EXPERIENCE WITH LOWER LATERALS • Three past projects: • Martinez Basin 5L, 1990 • Country Gardens/31d Ave., 1991 • Lakewood Sewer Renovation, 1996 • Primary reason was to install two-way cleanouts with backwater overflow prevention devices because laterals were tying into > 10" diameter sewers • No infiltration and inflow (1/1) investigations were performed to assess benefits of replacing laterals • Many locations resulted in herring bone excavations in streets resulting in more extensive street repairs and cost 5 10/13/16 OPTION A: CURRENTLY DISTRICT DOES NOT OWN OR MAINTAIN PRIVATE SEWER LATERALS • Pros • Common approach for enterprise districts • Does not require investing additional resources into lateral maintenance and repair/replacement • District does not own streets or have rights of way for private laterals • District not responsible for lateral repair or reporting sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) that occur on private laterals • Cons • Private laterals are similar age to public sewer mains but property owner's not required to inspect/maintain laterals • Many laterals potentially in poor condition, contributing to some level of wet weather infiltration and inflow challenges OPTION B • Implement ordinance requiring lateral inspection/repair/replacement • Examples: East Bay Regional Private Sewer Lateral Program (EBMUD satellite agencies) and eight other Bay Area Agencies • Pros • Responsibility put on property owner to repair/replace lateral • Cons • Potentially targets only small number of properties per year • Difficult to measure return on investment • Administration challenges as District does not have direct authority over sales/transfers 6 10/13/16 OPTION C • Provide lateral rebate program • Rebate for lower lateral OR entire lateral • Could consider a first-come, first-serve cap on available rebates (varies $1,000-$3,000 per rebate) • Pros • Provides incentive for all private property owners to maintain/repair lateral • Potentially more cost effective than agency-hired contractors • Can set total cost per year as part of capital improvement budget • Cons • May not be enough motivation for property owners to voluntarily participate in rebate program • Difficult to measure return on investment OPTION D • Take ownership and/or maintain lower lateral • Examples: City of Berkeley, City of Alameda, and Sacramento Area Sewer District • Pros • District could develop a prioritized, targeted maintenance/repair program to systematically address inflow and infiltration in the collection system as a whole or target in high 1/1 neighborhoods • District could replace lower laterals as part of renovation projects • Cons • Significant resources needed to maintain/repair laterals • Will not address any issues with upper lateral • Difficult to measure return on investment • Plumbing contractors may object to loss of business 7 10/13/16 OPTION E • Take ownership and/or maintain upper and lower lateral • Pros • District could develop a prioritized, targeted maintenance/repair program to systematically address inflow and infiltration related in the collection system as a whole or target in high 1/1 neighborhoods • Cons • Significant resources needed to maintain/repair laterals • May require District to obtain easements for upper laterals • Difficult to access laterals • Street repair cost would be significant • Difficult to measure return on investment • Plumbing contractors may object to loss of business • Higher upper lateral costs to repair/replace existing property improvements OPTION F • Provide lateral insurance program • Examples: • City of Saint Louis, MO • CCWD has this program for water service lines • Pros • Opportunity for enrolling all residential customers by way of a mandatory District (or third party) funded insurance program • District oversight promotes trust with residents • District does not need to obtain easements • Cons • May require ratepayers endorsement for the service • District may require additional resources to provide oversight • Potential issues if third party does not perform 8 10/13/16 OPTION G • Provide lateral loan program • Repaid through property taxes • Pros • Payment is tied to property taxes (if the property sells, the District will still get repaid by the new owner) • Property owners can pay over several years, reducing the financial burden • Cons • Would require significant outreach to explain program • May affect property sales if seen as a lien on property PRIVATE LATERAL PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS • Most agencies that take responsibility of laterals are required to take action due to EPA consent decree • Comparing sewer versus lateral renovation/replacement rates over the last 5 years for CCCSD: • Sewer renovation rate= 0.37% per year • Customers lateral replacement rate = 0.35% per year • Options D and E require significant District funding • Difficult to accurately estimate the full cost of implementation • Difficult to predict the 1/1 benefits of ownership 9 10/13/16 PRIVATE LATERAL PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS • Need to consider overall public benefit • Public relations is critical for any program • Difficult to predict 1/1 reduction • Pilot studies/projects could be considered - requires pre- and post- flow monitoring to measure 1/1 reduction 1, OPTION H: PILOT PROGRAM CASE STUDY - VALLEJO • 1/1 studies will have site-specific results • Difficult to predict 1/1 reduction and calculate benefit/cost • Lateral replacement can be costly compared to storage projects or capacity improvements • Anecdotal reports of -30% reduction in 1/1 • Theoretical Calculation - apply Vallejo 1/1 study results to CCCSD Wet Weather Capacity Expansion Required: • 27 mgd WWTP Expansion ($13M-$23M) versus $54M-$190M of lateral replacement (equivalent to 10,000-30,000 laterals) • Every 1/1 study and collection system will generate unique results and benefits C 1. 10 10/13/16 OPTION I: MAINTAIN EXISTING DISTRICT CODE • Maintain current approach that District does not own laterals (current language in District Code) • Continue coordination with customers during construction projects who want to engage their own contractor to coincide with capital project work • New: Consider including lateral replacement unit bid price in renovation projects for optional customer participation 1' EBMUD PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL PROGRAM • East Bay Regional Private Sewer Lateral (PSL)Program • Affects EBMUD satellite cities: Alameda, Albany, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont, Kensington, EI Cerrito, and Richmond Annex 1 11 10/13/16 EBMUD PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL PROGRAM • PSL Program Ordinance • All property owners must obtain a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD as proof their sewer laterals are free of leaks when: • buying/selling property • remodels >= $100,000 • water meter size increase or decrease EBMUD PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL PROGRAM • PSL Responsibilities • Piedmont , Emeryville, Stege Sanitary District, and Oakland • Property owner responsible for entire lateral, including connection to sewer main • Albany and Alameda Property owners only responsible for upper lateral • Per Consent Decree, cities must replace lower laterals when replacing sewer mains 12 10/13/16 EBMUD PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL PROGRAM • Special Requirements/Exemptions • Time extension — up to 6 months (for property sale only and requires $4,500 to be deposited with EBMUD) • Exemption —some types of title transfers qualify for exemptions, as well as laterals that have been completely replaced within 10-25 years of the start date of the program HOA Properties—where HOA is responsible for laterals maintenance, have until July 2021 to comply • Properties with >1000 ft of laterals must develop a Condition Assessment Plan and Corrective Action Plan BACWA SURVEY — LATERAL ORDINANCE Is your agency a wastewater treatment plant, collection system,or both? Wastewater treatment plant only 2 ,4% Collection system only 10 37�b Both wastewater treatment plant and collection system 15 55.r,,t 13 10/13/16 BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE Does your agency have an ordinance or other formal policy in effect that clearly defines ownership and responsibility for lateral maintenance,repair,and replacement? yes 25 92.6% no 0 0% not yet,but in the process of developing one 2 7.4% 1 BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE What portion of the lateral is owned by and the responsibility of your agency? &I, rw No portion,all owned by homeowner 14 51.901, From the main to the property line 4 14.8% From the main to the curb 1 3.7% From the main to the house foundation 0 011/0 Other 8 29.6% 14 10/13/16 BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE Does your agency have an ordinance(s) or other formal policy in effect that requires a property owner to inspect his/her existing private sewer lateral(s)? Yes 13 48,1% No 14 51.9% BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE >ewer lateral? Sae crcrxa Cb[pe I N inuremC 50 'S Sale of PrDp ty 3 ftert106M�hortie a other prgxrty mpwemmt 9 Ghage m water met&* 3 .. Regairyrern�`yutu aac+KY as the�zzJt d an$,^>Q,rehab:'.tatim,rc Wrer szue a podem 5 ' Othcv 12 1 15 10/13/16 BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE What type of inspection or testing method is required? ra Pmssum Rest... Rotspec,ed Oahe a z 4 e TV 7 438% Pressure test(water or air) 9 56.3% Not specified 1 6.3% Other 2 12.5% BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE If your agency has an ordinances)or formal policy in effect that requires repair or replacement of the private sewer lateral. how much time is allotted to repair/replacement? Am ,q1F No time period is specified 4 26% 6 months 5 31.3% 1 year 0 0% Other 7 438% 16 10/13/16 BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE Does your agency have a formal policy or practice for replacing lower laterals when they rehabilitate the main or perform street rehabilitation? Pte, Yes 9 33 30% No 18 66 70/c r y BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE If your agency replaces lower laterals per the previous question. how much of the lateral is replaced? Spot repairs 0 To the cleanout 4 9-°-, Other 6 17 10/13/16 BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE What kind of incentive program for lateral replacement does your agency have? None Grants Loans Lateral insur... Other G 5 /0 15 None 21 77.8% Grants 4 14.8% Loans 2 7.4% Lateral Insurance Program 0 0% Other 1 3.7% BACWA SURVEY - LATERAL ORDINANCE Does your agency have a private sewer lateral education or outreach program? �- Yes 11 40.7°�n No 16 593% t' _1 yy 1 18