2023 SSMP Summary Report
The 2023 SSMP Summary Report provides a detailed narrative for each of the updated sections of the SSMP and the next steps to reduce the number of sewer overflows in the system.
Section 2. Organization:
In the City of Beverly Hills, the Public Works Department manages the sewer collection system and implements the elements of the SSMP. The City organization has changed since 2017 including at the City Manager Office level and the Legally Responsible Official (LRO) or authorized representative in the Public Works Department. The update includes names and contact information and staff members responsible to implement the SSMP and the chain of communications when reporting an SSO to various local and state agencies.
The 2023 SSMP identifies the Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Programs Manager as the designated LRO and the Utilities General Manager serving as an alternate LRO. The LRO’s are responsible for certifying SSO’s reported to the State and Regional Water Quality Control Boards and contacting Los Angeles County of Department of Public Health (LACDPH) and Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) when spills greater than 1000 gallons are directly or partially discharged to the waters of the United States (rivers, streams and beaches).
Managing SSOs starts with establishing a public reporting system. The City of Beverly Hills has had an established and effective system for many years. The City has a 24-hour phone numbers to report SSOs. These can be reported to Public Works Department Customer Service operations during regular business hours at 310-285-2467 and to non-emergency Fire & Police Dispatch at 310-550-4900, after-hours. After receiving the public call, the Wastewater Division responds to calls and the LRO are on stand-by to report any necessary SSO’s to various state and local agencies, if necessary. Figure 1 is the SSO chain of communications.
Figure 1. SSO Response Chain of Communications
CUSTOMER SERVICE
(DURING BUSINESS HOURS)
DRAINAGE
MAINTENANCE CREW
RESPONDS
ON-CALL DRAINAGE
MAINTENANCE CREW
RESPONDS
No Yes
After hours, Police
Dispatch contacts OnCall Wastewater Staff
POLICE DEPARTMENT
DISPATCH CENTER
(AFTER BUSINESS HOURS)
SSO OBSERVER
DRAINAGE
MAINTENANCE CREW
COMPLETES INTERNAL
FORMS
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
& SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS
MANAGER
SSO NOTIFICATION AND
REPORTING TO
APPROPRIATE AGENCIES
ENVIRONMENTAL
COMPLIANCE &
SUSTAINABILITY
PROGRAMS MANAGER
FOLLOWS UP WITH SPILL
AS NECESSARY
IS THIS A
REPORTABLE
SSO?
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE &
SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS
MANAGER
------------------------·r~------------------------------------------- l
•
\V
r
Section 4. Operations and Maintenance Program:
Operations and maintenance (O&M) activities and programs are critical to ensuring the effectiveness and longevity of a healthy sanitary sewer collection system. The City of Beverly Hills has an effective O&M Program that consists of the following:
1. Collection System Maps
2. Preventive Operation and Maintenance
3. Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) inspection
4. Rehabilitation and replacement of sewers that are in poor condition These four elements allows the City to operate and maintain the system in the most efficient and effective manner. These elements were updated in the 2023 SSMP.
Collection System Maps:
The City’s entire collection system is broken down into 21 “Districts” for ease of understanding and equally dividing the wastewater staff’s responsibilities to complete maintenance of seven (7) “Districts” annually.
In the 2017 SSMP, the City of Beverly Hills began utilizing the Graphical Information System (GIS) to manage the sewer system. This system replaced the 1959 hard copy atlas used by operators. The 2023 SSMP includes an updated GIS map of the system that includes recently upgraded sewer pipes (lined pipes). This GIS map was updated in 2021.
Preventive Operation and Maintenance:
This section of the SSMP describes the routine preventive operations and maintenance activities of the City of Beverly Hills. This section includes description of maintenance equipment, maintenance schedule, maintenance metrics and system equipment.
The 2017 SSMP describes the City was in the process of implementing the Infor system. Infor was fully implemented in 2018 and have been instrumental in properly managing the sewer collection system. Implementing Infor has provided the following benefits:
1. Efficient maintenance schedule and work order system
2. Maintenance record keeping
3. Asset assessment system
Infor automates scheduling and tracking of work activities. Revisions to scheduled work orders can be done efficiently in Infor. Annual cleaning metrics and pipe debris ratings are completed in the Infor system which allows the supervisor to properly manage work. For example, Infor was able to provide a report detailing that the operations averaged 1.2 million lineal feet of sewers cleaned annually. This performance exceeds the annual goal of 941,000 lineal feet. The pipe debris rating in Infor allows operations to adjust “hot-spot” areas in Beverly Hills. These hot-spot areas are now maintained in a 30/60/90 day frequency.
In addition to Infor, operations continue to use and operate Smart Cover Monitoring System.
The monitoring system is a web-based smart technology that provides real-time remote sewer overflow monitoring via reliable satellite communications system. The system notifies staff of potential sewer overflows and address them prior to occurring. In 2017, ten (10) units were installed throughout the City that have been identified to be susceptible to sewer overflows
based on institutional knowledge and engineering/design issues. The units have been instrumental in alerting operations of potential overflows especially during a wet-weather season where storm infiltration generally occurs. Since 2017, three (3) additional units were purchased and serve as temporary monitoring locations for potential problematic areas. Overall, the Smart Cover System is one of the best recent investments in the sewer collection system.
In terms of maintenance equipment, there’s one update in the 2023 SSMP. The purchase of new CCTV camera equipment. The purchase was necessary as the old equipment was starting to deteriorate and no available replacements were available for the camera and vehicle equipment. The new CCTV camera has been deployed and has been critical in meeting the twenty (20) mile per year goal of the CCTV program.
Closed Circuit TV Inspection (CCTV)
Another critical element of the Operations and Management Program is the CCTV inspection.
By 2017, the CCTV program has approximately inspected 84 miles (approximately 84% of the system) of the sewer system. Since then, the entire sewer system has been inspected. Moving forward, the goal of the program is to inspect 20-miles annually and completing the system assessment every five-years. The program will be prioritizing inspections based on the following:
1. Lines that have shown the highest debris during maintenance
2. Lines that have not been assessed in the last five years
3. Easement inspections
4. Lines that have been lined in the last five years to see if there’s any deterioration
5. Lines that have been replaced or repaired in the last ten years Data gathered in the CCTV program creates new “hot-spot” assets and builds a list for the next rehabilitation and replacement projects.
Rehabilitation and replacement of sewers that are in poor condition The regulations require agencies to develop a rehabilitation and replacement program that would identify and prioritize system deficiencies and implement short-term and long-term rehabilitation actions to address each deficiency.
This program is initiated by the results of the CCTV and preventive maintenance programs. As previously mentioned, the results are compiled and are addressed as necessary and/or though CIP projects. For larger issues, the City develops a CIP project to resolve system deficiencies.
Funding is a critical part of this program. The City allocated sufficient funds in the CIP program to make repairs as necessary and as planned. Table 1 summarizes the CIP through FY27/28.
Table 1. Capital Improvement Program, Sanitary Sewer, FY 2022/23 through 2027/2028 Project
Fiscal Year
22/23
Estimated
Carryovers
23/24 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 5-Year
Total
Sewer System
Repairs $18,258,451 $1,807,900 $1,865,000 $1,500,00 $2,500,00 $2,500,00 $28,461,351 Hyperion Plant -
Capital Component $4,940,326 $2,436,850 $2,478,825 $2,646,610 $2,896,505 $3,000,000 $18,399,116 Public Works Asset
Management
System
$159,029 $12,500 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $211,529 Total $23,357,806 $4,257,250 $4,353,825 $4,156,610 $5,406,505 $5,614,817 $47,518,489 Funds that support the sanitary sewer portion of the Capital Improvement Program come from the City’s Wastewater Enterprise Fund (Fund 84). The sewer fund is an enterprise fund by which reserves are generated from connection fees and monthly user fees based on the current rate structure.
Section 8.8 is the Completed and Future Projects section of the SSMP. The CIP funds will be used to complete future projects ranging from system repairs to sewer capacity relief projects that were identified in the 2010 Sewer System Master Plan and the 2020 Integrated Water Resources Master Plan (IWRMP).
Section 6. Overflow Emergency Response Plan
This section of the SSMP is intended to provide an overview of the City’s sanitary sewer system Overflow Emergency Response Plan. The City’s SSO response procedures has been developed to meet the requirements of the state regulations and provide a standardized course of action for the wastewater division to follow in the event of an SSO. The general course of action during an SSO event are:
1. Notification
2. Secure the Area
3. Control the cause of the sewer overflow
4. Cleanup the sewer overflow spill
5. Spill documentation
6. Post spill investigation
7. Regulatory reporting
This section was updated to reflect the recently updated SSO categories in the WDR. The 2017 SSMP had three (3) SSO categories per the WDR. The 2023 SSMP has four (4) categories.
The recently adopted regulation added Category 4 identifying any spills less than 50-gallons of untreated or partially SSO will be reported to the State. Partial SSO means that a portion of the
spill was not recovered from the storm drain or waters of the US. Below is Table 2 summarizing the recent regulations.
Table 2: SSO Reporting Categories
SSO
Type or Description Agencies to be
Notified
Type of Notification and Timeframe
Category Timeframe Written Report/*Online Database
1 Any volume of untreated or
partially treated SSO:
- Reach surface water
and/or drainage channel
tributary to surface water
- Discharge to a storm
drain and not fully captured
and returned to the
sanitary sewer system or
not captured and disposed
of properly. Any volume not
recovered from storm drain
is considered to have
reached surface water.
OES (> 1,000
gallons)
As soon as possible, but no
later than 2 hours after
becoming aware of the spill.
Call and obtain control number.
Los Angeles
County Department
of Public Health
(LACDPH)
Within 15 minutes after
becoming aware of the spill. Call and obtain operator number.
Los Angeles
County Flood
Control District
(only if entered into
storm drain)
As soon as possible, but no
later than 1 hour after
becoming aware of the spill.
NA
LACDPH (>
50,000)
As soon as possible, but no
later than 2 hours after
becoming aware of the spill.
Conduct Water Quality Sampling within
48 hours of initial spill.
CIWQS Online Database – Upload
water quality results.
SSO Technical Report – Submit report
within 45 calendar days on conclusion of
SSO in which 50,000 gallons or greater
are spilled to surface water.
RWQCB (Region 4)
As soon as possible, but no
later than 2 hours after
becoming aware of the spill.
Certify that the notification has been
made ASAP, but no later than 24 hours
after becoming aware of the spill.
CIWQS Online Database
SWRCB
As soon as we become aware
of the SSO, reporting is
possible and can be provided
without substantially impeding
cleanup or other measures.
Initial Report - ASAP but no later than
initial
3 business days after we are made
aware of it.
Final Certified Report – Within 15
calendar days on conclusion of the SSO
response and remediation.
Additional Information – Anytime in
form of an attachment.
2 ≥1,000 gallons of
Untreated or partially
treated SSO:
- Does not reach surface
water, drainage channel or
storm drain unless
discharge to storm drain
system is fully recovered
and disposed of properly.
Los Angeles
County Flood
Control District
(only if entered into
storm drain)
As soon as possible, but no
later than 2 hours after
becoming aware of the spill.
NA
LACDPH Same as above NA
RWQCB (Region 4) Same as above Same as above
SWRCB Same as above Same as above
3 50 gallons and <1,000
gallons of Untreated or
partially treated SSO:
- Does not reach surface
water, drainage channel or
storm drain unless
discharge to storm drain
system is fully recovered
and disposed of properly.
Not applicable Not applicable
CIWQS Online Database – Within 30
days after the end of the calendar month
in which the SSO occurred.
Submit Amended Spill reports within 90
calendar days after the Certified Spill
Report Due
4 <50 gallons of Untreated or
partially treated SSO:
- Does not reach surface
water, drainage channel or
storm drain unless
discharge to storm drain
system is fully recovered
and disposed of properly.
Not applicable Not applicable
CIWQS Online Database – Within 30
days after the end of the calendar month
in which the SSO occurred
Upload and certify a report, in an
acceptable digital format, of all Category
4 spills to CIWQS, by February 1st after
the end of the calendar year in which the
spills occur.
PLSD
Private lateral sewage
discharge (PLSD) caused
by blockages or other
problems within a
LACDPH Same as above NA
privately-owned lateral RWQCB (Region 4) Same as above Same as above SWRCB (optional) NA NA
NA No SSO in a calendar
month SWRCB NA
CIWQS Online Database – Certified
within 30 days after the end of the
calendar month, certified statement that
no SSO occurred.
NA Collection System
Questionnaire SWRCB
CIWQS Online Database - Update and
certify every 12 months.
Section 7. Sewer Pipe Blockage Program
This section of the SSMP describes the sewer pipe blockage control program for all known sources of fats, oils and grease (FOG), rags, roots and debris that can cause sewer overflows.
The recently adopted regulations identifies FOG as the primary source of sewer overflows. FOG is not the primary cause of SSO in Beverly Hills because FOG sources are managed well through pre-treatment and aggressive maintenance schedules in FOG areas. Roots, roots from lateral and debris are the major causes of sewer overflows in the city. Section 9 of the SSMP detailed those causes.
To address the common issues, Section 7 describes the City’s effective public and direct outreach program to address roots from laterals and debris issues in the system. The public outreach program includes messaging through the Backbone newsletter and updated brochures and direct notices given to private properties who have roots and debris issues.
In addition, expanding the CCTV inspection to look into the lateral connections has also improved the pipe blockage program. This added work helped the City identify poor lateral connection conditions and directly notifying property owners to address their issues. Notification includes recommending annual cleaning maintenance (hydrojetting and snaking) work. In some instances, the City is recommending to replace their lateral connections. These extra services have been critical to reducing sewer overflows and also minimizing potential property damages.
Section 8. System Evaluation, Capacity Assurance and Capital Improvement This section outlines the City’s programs and activities that evaluate the systems integrity and to provide adequate hydraulic capacity in the system.
To comply with this requirement, the City recently completed a system wide CCTV inspection in the last ten years and hydraulic modeling. Hydraulic modeling was performed in both the 2010 Sewer System Master Plan and 2020 Integrated Water Resources Master Plan (IWMP).
These assessments resulted in Table 3 with the recently completed projects from 2018 to 2022.
Table 3. Completed City Sewer Project
Contractor Date Estimated
Qty Unit Description Total Amount
Southwest
Pipeline
September
2019 –
August
2021
102,000 Linear Ft Structural Lining of sewer
main
$5,254,211.32
121,000 Linear Ft Cleaning and CCTV
inspection
150,000 Linear Ft CCTV inspection
85 Manhole
Sewer Manhole
Rehabilitation (Structural
lining, bottom remodel)
170 (21
Locations) Linear Ft Sewer line point repairs
8 Manhole
Adjust manholes to
grade with new ring and
covers
1 Manhole New manhole installation
Mike Prlich
and Sons
February
2020 to
Present
14,000 Linear Ft
Cleaning, Heavy
Cleaning, and CCTV
inspection
$1,345,825.57
246 Linear Ft Sewer line point repairs
275 Linear Ft
Sewer main – segment
replacement (manhole to
manhole)
24 Manhole
Adjust manholes to
grade with new ring and
covers
35 Linear Ft
Sectional Structural
Lining of Sewer Line
(point repair)
936 Linear Ft Structural Lining of sewer
main
389 Linear Ft Lining Drains w/in Easement
The next set of major projects addressing system capacity includes the Gregory Way Trunkline Expansion and the Roxbury Park Realignment projects. The Gregory Way Trunkline Expansion project was one of the recommendations in the 2010 Sewer System Master Plan which intended to address the approximately 50% capacity of the trunkline. Standard sewer pipe capacity should not be more than 50% of the pipe diameter. The project will entail design and construction to split the flow starting from Gregory and Crescent Drive all the way east to City limits before connecting to the City of Los Angeles. The project will be a multi-year project that will involve design, construction phasing and coordination with the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County Sanitation District where the trunkline flows eventually to their facilities.
The Roxbury Park Realignment Project will be initiated to address a sewer line that surcharges regularly during wet weather events. This line flows to Los Angeles so coordination with the LA Sanitation Bureau is necessary for this project.
Budget for the sewer capacity projects were not included in the SSMP to protect the City’s interest when competitive bidding is released.
In addition to sewer capacity projects, the City will continue its ongoing Sewer Rehabilitation and Easement Inspection project. The project will address sewer upgrades resulting from CCTV inspections.
Section 9. Monitoring Measurements and Plan Modification This section of the SSMP outlines the process that the City will follow to evaluate the effectiveness of the SSMP and to identify updates necessary to meet the goals of the SSMP.
The number of SSOs is the primary metric of evaluating the effectiveness of the SSMP.
Table 4 and Figures 1 and 2 show the number and causes of SSOs in the last ten years.
Table 4. Sanitary Sewer Overflows from 2013-2022
YEAR
# OF
SSO’S
SSO CAUSE
AVERAGE
VOLUME
CONTAINED
VOLUME SPILLED
DISCHARGED TO
SURFACE WATER
AVERAGE
VOLUME
SPILLED
DIRECTLY INDIRECTLY
2013 8
3 – Roots
1 – Roots from lateral
1 - Grease
3 - Debris
106 0 8 1,221
2014 4
3 - Roots
1 - Grease 817 0 3 2,050
2015 7
3 - Roots
2 – Roots from lateral
2 - Debris
46 0 7 531
2016 14
10 - Roots
1 – Roots from lateral
3 - Debris
1,051 0 14 1,504
2017 8
3 - Roots
4 – Roots from lateral
1 - Debris
1,109 0 8 2,206
2018 8
2 – Roots
1 – Roots from lateral
1 - Grease
3 – Debris
1 - Other
974 0 8 52931
2019 3 3 – Debris from 1723 0 3 1723
DD
1 – The spill volume of 2018 was caused by potable water pipe break which caused dirt and debris to enter the sewer system and cause a sewer system overflow. Because it was water main break, the City could not recover the mix of potable water and SSO discharge to the catch basin.
Figure 1. Total Number of SSOs from 2013-2022
lateral
2020 1 1 - Roots 1080 0 1 1080
2021 4
1 - Roots
1 – Debris
2 – Debris from
lateral
615 0 4 616
2022 1
1 - Roots
155 0 1 155
0 2
4 6
8 10
12 14
16 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total No. of SSOs
I I • I .
Figure 2. SSO and Causes
In the last 10 years, Beverly Hills has had a total of fifty-eight (58) overflows. Forty-one (41) occurred between 2013 to 2017 and seventeen (17) occurred between 2018 to 2022. Roots, debris and roots from laterals are the major causes of sewer overflows. There’s been a significant decrease in sewer overflow in the last five years. This is attributed to maintenance improvements, including the implementation of Infor, installation of the Smart Covers, extensive public education to perform private lateral maintenance, CCTV inspection and repairing and rehabilitating the infrastructure.
Consequently, the operation and system improvements have also reduced the number of Category 1 SSO in the same time span. Figure 3 summarizes those findings.
Figure 3. SSO by Spill Category
0 1
2 3
4 5
6 7
8 9
10 11
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 No. of SSO Year
SSOs and Causes
Roots Roots from Lateral Grease Debris Debris from Laterals Other* I. I I I I I
• • • • • •
SSO by Spill Category
9 8
7 VI
E 6 (l/
~ 5
I
'o 4 I ci 3
II z
2 II 1.
1 I 0 I I
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Year
CATl CAT2 CAT3
Based on the SSO data, the City of Beverly Hills is going in a positive trajectory by reducing the number of sewer overflows by implementing an effective maintenance program, public and direct outreach program and investment in the sewer system.
NEXT STEPS
The 2023 SSMP Update provides the next steps for the City to reduce the number of SSO’s in the system. The Public Works Department will be implementing the recommendations in the SSMP including system capacity improvement projects, replacing, and repairing problem areas and continually improving the public outreach program to address private lateral issues.