City Council Agenda Report
TO: Mayor McCord and Members of the City Council
FROM: Ken Irwin, City Manager
BY: Mike Willett, Public Works Director
MEETING DATE: May 3, 2022
ITEM NO: 7.1
SUBJECT: Presentation Regarding City of Patterson and Crows Landing Community Services District Wastewater Consolidation Program
RECOMMENDATION
Direct staff to proceed with formal consolidation and bring back the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Council approval.
BACKGROUND
Per Senate Bill 1215 adopted on September 30, 2018, authorizes the Regional Board to order the provision of sewer service by a special district, city, or county to a disadvantaged community, as defined, under specified circumstances. This Senate Bill provides authorizing authority to the regional board to require a special district, city, or county to provide sewer service, and impose a state-mandated local program. The bill also requires the regional board to take certain actions before ordering the provision of sewer service that are similar to those required for the consolidation or extension of water systems. The bill authorizes the state board to develop and adopt policy, through the adoption of a policy handbook, and provides a process by which members of disadvantaged communities may petition the regional board for consideration of provision of sewer service. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies for certain costs mandated by the state.
Currently, the Crows Landing Community Service District (CLCSD) is located in the Stanislaus County unincorporated area, less than six (6) miles southeast of the City of Patterson and was established on September 23, 1996. Crows Landing is considered a “Severely Disadvantage Community” with median annual household income <60% statewide MHI (about $25,000) a current population of about 355 residents. The district currently does not have the ability to provide sewer service to its community and all properties are currently on a septic tank system.
The consolidation would require Crows Landing and the City of Patterson to be physically connected by a sewer trunk line, provide treatment of sewer flow, provide maintenance of trunk line and pump station, manholes and collection system, and provide management of CLCSD sewer system.
This effort involves various stakeholders which include:
― Crows Landing Community Service District (CLCSD)
― Self Help Enterprises (SHE)
― Regional Water Quality Control Board, Division of Financial Assistance (DFA) ― Stanislaus County - Crows Landing Industrial Business Park (CLIBP)
ANALYSIS
During the past few months, the city has been in discussions with the Regional Board regarding the consolidation program that would provide Crows Landing sewer service to 138 customers.
The Regional Board would provide state funding for all the necessary improvements at the City’s Water Quality Control Facility (WQCF) to accommodate the additional sewer flow which is estimated at 30,000 gallons per day.
The main goals of this consolidation would be to reduce nitrate impacts to drinking water (septic tanks contribute to high nitrates to groundwater) and to incentive sewer service connections. The benefits for CLCSD would be increased property values, reliable wastewater system as they currently experience problems related to inadequate septic tanks, and adequate sewer service at a reasonable cost.
The city currently has an existing MOU to provide sewer service to the future Crows Landing Industrial Business Park. With adding Crows Landing Community Service District, provides economy of scale since it will be one sewer trunk line to service both. The County supports this consolidation and will participate in the trunk line project.
The next steps in this process include stakeholder negotiations, consensus to move project forward, CLCSD submits application to Regional Water Board for funding. If no consensus is reached by all stakeholders involved, the Regional Board can order mandatory consolidation.
If the City Council considers the consolidation to move forward, staff would bring back a formal consolidation agreement through a formal MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), including physical connection and managerial.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is available funding from the State Water Board Division of Financial Assistance to help fund this program. Funding sources available include Principal forgiveness, grants, and SRF loan program. All funding available is categorized by planning, design, and construction.
The costs of construction of all improvements needed for this program, would be estimated through the construction documents/plans.
Attachments: Map
Power Point Presentation