HomeMy WebLinkAbout05. BACWA UpdateKey Topics
North Bay Selenium (Se) TMDL
State Toxicity Plan
RMP Microplastics Strategy
BACWA Update
REEP October 25, 2016
Summary
• EPA approval August 2016
• 1/permit term evaluate Se loads over the previous permit term to
demonstrate Toads are consistent with wasteload allocation
• 17.4 kg/year (assigned based on data generated and protective)
• Impact to District: can meet TMDL; potential for WQBEL in the future
• Test of Significant Toxicity (TST) (chronic toxicity testing)
• Draft policy out for review to Regional Boards
• Potential adoption early 2017
• Would require use of statistical method to determine chronic toxicity;
pass/fail test
• Currently 1/quarter; TST 1/month
• Currently outsource to lab; TST potentially in-house
• Likely full dilution (1:44) given for meeting limits
• Potential Impact to District: to be determined; draft has yet to be
circulated to the public; no issues currently with chronic toxicity; potential
for acute toxicity testing requirements to drop out
• SFEI Draft Strategy:
- How much microplastic pollution is in the Bay?
- What are the health risks to humans and wildlife?
- Sources, pathways, loadings to the Bay?
- Are concentrations increasing or decreasing in the Bay?
- Which management actions would be effective in reducing microplastics
pollution?
- Define microplastics
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5.
Key Topics
Nutrient Watershed Permit 2nd Annual
Report
Nutrient Watershed Permit
Optimization & Upgrade Study
Science and Monitoring Program
Funding Gaps
Summary
- Develop methods for analysis (Bay, stormwater, wastewater, tissue, and
sediment)
- How to remove?
- Treatment Plants: filtration system at plant?
- Commercial and Residential: mandate installation of filters on washing
machines?
• Submitted October 2016
• Covers all 37 BACWA member agencies
• Suisun Bay: 16% load reduction total nitrogen in the last year (continued
reduction unlikely due to Delta Diablo load/power plant issue)
• HDR/Brown & Caldwell effort:
- Site visits to all 37 plants
- Conceptual approach to meet different levels of nutrient reductions at
each plant; highly individualized
- Drafts for 17/37 plants completed; 3 waves, completed the first 2
- Optimization: levels 2 & 3 for nutrient reduction
- Optimization: potentially 10 yr planning horizon
- Levels 2 & 3: could be as long as 30 year horizon or more for level 3
• Science Plan of Nutrient Management Strategy
- Nutrient studies, monitoring, and modeling efforts
- Managed by SFEI
- Exploring increases from BACWA members. SFEI needs approximately
$2.3 M. BACWA funds $880K annually now.
• Regional Monitoring Program (RMP)
- Studies and monitoring for Microplastics, Se, CECs
- New sources for funding: SEPs and AMP
- Managed by SFEI
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Key Topics Summary
Bay Area Regional Reliability (BARR)
• Principals: 8 partner water agencies
• BACWA has representative (non -principal)
• To improve water supply reliability cooperatively
• Leverage existing facilities
• Complete the Drought Contingency Plan by Fall 2017
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