HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.e. Receive update on the most recent meeting of the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (BACWA) Page 1 of 2
Item 4.e.
CENTRAL SAN
August 26, 2019
TO: REAL ESTATE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PLANNING COMMITTEE
FROM: LORI SCHECTEL, ENVIRONMENTALAND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
DIVISION MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: JEAN-MARC PETIT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL
SERVICES
ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
SUBJECT: RECEIVE UPDATE ON THE MOST RECENT MEETING OF THE BAYAREA
CLEAN WATER AGENCIES (BACWA)
• July 18, 2019: Last Joint BACWA/Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) Meeting.
• July 19, 2019: Last Executive Board Meeting.
• July 26-27, 2019: BACWA Pardee Technical Seminar.
• August 16, 2019: Next Executive Board Meeting.
• Nutrients: BACWA agencies will be invoiced soon for all annual fees. The nutrient surcharge has
changed to reflect each agency's share of Total Inorganic Nitrogen Loads. The contract
management group for the Nature-Based Solutions Study that's required under the 2nd Nutrients
Watershed Permit held a kickoff meeting on July 16, 2019. Danea Gemmell, from Central San,
participated in this meeting.
Lori Schectel, representing BACWA and Central San, presented at the WE F Nutrient Removal &
Recovery Symposium in Minneapolis, MN on July 24, 2019 during the opening session. Lori
presented, "How Do We Get There? The Bay Area's Journey" along with JB Neethling of HDR and
Sandeep Sathyamoorthy of Black& Veatch. Lori focused on collaboration as the key to practical
nutrient management.
• PFAS Presentation: A presentation on Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)was given by
Tom Bruton, PhD of the Green Science Policy Institute, a small non-governmental organization,
located in Berkeley. The Green Science Policy Institute is trying to reduce the use of chemicals in
consumer products through research, education, and retreats with stakeholders. A brief history was
given on PFAS use in the United States, types of products that contain PFAS, and current state of
regulatory efforts to ban PFAS in products, particularly in fire-fighting foams. A more detailed PFAS
update will be brought to the RE EP committee likely in September.
• Microplastics: There will be symposium on microplastics in October 2019. BACWA will be
participating. More information should be available soon.
August 26, 2019 REEP Committee Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 16 of 19
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• Toxicity: Draft toxicity provisions will be released by the State Water Board on July 26, 2019. Public
staff workshops are scheduled for August 13, 16, and 28, 2019.
The State Water Board workshop is scheduled for October 3, 2019. This public Board workshop is
informational only with no Board action to be taken.
Sensitive species screening for both chronic and acute may be required which may impact funding of
the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) because in the Bay Area the RWQCB has allowed
agencies to opt out of the screening and use those funds to contribute to the RMP under the
RWQCB's alternate monitoring plan.
• Joint Meeting of BACWA and the RWQCB: Continued discussions on Basin Plan Amendments for
chlorine residual and bacterial objectives, nutrients, and toxicity. The RWQCB is developing a white
paper on 401 certifications and climate change (not a focus on NPDES).
Additional Information/Monthly Bulletins: https:Hbacwa.org/bacwa-bulletins/
Strategic Plan re-In
GOAL TWO: Strive to Meet Regulatory Requirements
Strategy 1 - Strive to achieve 100%permit compliance in air, water, land, and other regulations
August 26, 2019 REEP Committee Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 17 of 19