HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05082007 - C.27 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - Contra
FROM: JOHN CULLEN, noii
; Costa
County Administrator
County
DATE: May 8, 2007
SUBJECT: SUPPORT POSITION on AB 1664 (Strickland)— State bond funds:
public water systems or publicly owned treatment works
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
SUPPORT Assembly Bill 1664 (Strickland), legislation that would require the state to give preference
when allocating state water or water treatment bond funds to a project proposed by an applicant that
is required to increase its sewer or water rates by more than 100% to comply with an enforcement
order for its system or works, as recommended by the Director of Public Works.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If AB 1664 passes, the Treatment Plant Upgrade project for Contra Costa County Sanitation District
Number 5 could be given preference in the allocation of state bond funds.
BACKGROUND:
Under existing law, various general obligation bond acts have been approved by the voters to provide
funds to improve or construct public water systems or publicly owned treatment works. AB 1664, for
the purpose of allocating those state bond funds, would require the state to give preference to a
project proposed by an applicant that is required to increase its sewer or water rates by more than
100% to comply with an enforcement order with regard to that system or works.
In Contra Costa County, there exists a project that fits these requirements and would, therefore, be
eligible for state bond funds.
The County Public Works Department operates a sanitary district within the unincorporated county
known as Port Costa. In 2002 Public Works received a notice of violation from the State Regional
Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) for the effluent discharged from the treatment facility into the
Carquinez Straits of the San Francisco Bay. Since that time, the Department has taken a series of
steps to mitigate this violation and improve the collection and treatment system for the sanitary
district.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COM TT E
----APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE (S):
ACTION OF BOOD N J APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED HER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT
COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON MINUTES OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
_ UNANIMOUS(ABSENT )
AYES: Z$J 1r, NOES:
ABSENT: ABSTAIN:
Contact:
L.DeLaney 5-1097
Cc: ATTESTED
H.Ballenger, Public Works JOHN CU N,CLERK OF THE BOARD OFSUPERVISORS
B.Balbas,Public Works
C.Christian,via CAO's Office
BY: DEPUTY
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AB 1664—State water bond funds, p.2
May 8, 2007
The residents of this community are below the median income within the San Francisco bay area, yet
they agreed to an almost three fold increase in their annual sewer assessment to help fund the
necessary repairs (from $396 per year to $1,105 per year).
Public Works has completed design of the proposed treatment facility improvements only to find that
the construction costs far exceed original estimates. These extraordinarily high costs are in large part
due to the extremely difficult site which the treatment facility is located. There are multiple conflicts
with the Union Pacific Railroad, utility lines, steep narrow access roads, and limited area in which to
work.
Public Works has entered into a $550;000 loan to pay for a portion of the proposed improvements,
however the balance of approximately $500,000 for construction and design is unfunded at this time.
The Department believes it is not feasible to ask the residents of this small community to raise their
assessments further, as they are now paying over the average rate for sewer assessments in the
area. Public Works is diligently reviewing all of our remaining options to determine the best course of
action.
AB 1664 may be exactly what this community needs to assist the County in continuing to provide
sanitary sewer service to the 86 parcels located here. Therefore it is strongly endorsed.
ADDENDUM
May 8, 2007 C.27 SUPPORT for Assembly Bill 1664 (Strickland
Supervisor Piepho voted no this item. She commented for the record that AB 1664 appears to give
preference to agencies and/or special districts who have not come into compliance with the State Safe
Drinking Water Act; to elevate them ahead of other agencies who have, and therefore reflected that
compliance in their customers' rates.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE-200]—o8 REGULAR SESSION
ASSEMBLY BILL No. 1664
Introduced by Assembly Member Strickland
February 23, 2007
An act to add Section 112.5 to the Water Code,relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1664, as introduced, Strickland. State bond funds: public water
systems or publicly owned treatment works.
Under existing law, various general obligation bond acts have been
approved by the voters to provide funds to improve or construct public
water systems or publicly owned treatment works.
This bill, for the purpose of allocating state bond funds, and to the
extent permitted by law, would requirethe state to give preference to
a project proposed by an applicant that is required to increase its sewer
or water rates by more than 100%to comply with an enforcement order
with regard to that system or works.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 112.5 is added to the Water Code, to
2 read:
3 112.5. For the purpose of allocating state bond funds available
4 for the improvement or construction of a public water system or
5 a publicly owned treatment works,to the extent permitted by law,
6 the state shall give preference to a project proposed by an applicant
7 that is required to increase its sewer or water rates, as applicable,
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AB 1664 —2-
1
2-1 by more than 100 percent to comply with an enforcement order
2 with regard to that system or works.
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