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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOCSD 98-09RESOLUTION NO.OCSD 98-9 DECLARING A POLICY PERTAINING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT FOR PRESERVING ORANGE COUNTY’S COASTAL OCEAN WATERS A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT,DECLARING A POLICY PERTAINING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT FOR PRESERVING ORANGE COUNTY’S COASTAL OCEAN WATERS WHEREAS,the Orange County Sanitation District provides for sewage collection,treatment,and disposal for over two million citizens in 23 cities and unincorporated areas which comprise the metropolitan portion of Orange County;and, WHEREAS,in order to provide such wastewater-sewerage services for the residential,commercial,and industrial communities in central and northern Orange County,and to achieve the goal of protecting public health and the marine environment off Orange County’s coastline,the Orange County Sanitation District has constructed and operates wastewater treatment facilities,administered by a professional management team and staff of licensed and certified personnel;currently collecting, treating,and safely disposing of more than 240 million gallons of wastewater per day, five miles off-shore,at a depth of 200 feet through an ocean outfall with a multi-port 6,000 foot diffuser;and, WHEREAS,the District’s wastewater collection,treatment,and disposal operations are conducted in accordance with conditions established by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”)Permit issued jointly by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board,Santa Ana Region,pursuant to the California Ocean Plan as adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board;and the United States Environmental Protection Agency,pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act;and, WHEREAS,the District’s construction and operational activities are also conducted in accordance with air pollution control requirements and land disposal requirements administered and enforced by federal and state regulatory agencies;and, 2090-100 648461 1 WHEREAS,the District’s NPDES Permit issued in 1985 and renewed in 1998,is in accordance with the provisions of Section 301(h)of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,which provides that a high quality,but less than full secondary treated effluent,may be discharged because the Orange County Sanitation District has consistently demonstrated its ability to meet the stringent standards and strict requirements established by federal and state regulatory agencies based upon considerable scientific and technical data;and, WHEREAS,the Congress of the United States has strengthened and reconfirmed in its 1987 Amendment to the Federal Clean Water Act,the Section 301(h) provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act;and, WHEREAS,to assure that the public health and marine environment off Orange County’s coast is being properly protected,a firm of independent oceanographers and scientists conducts an extensive marine monitoring program,the results and scientific analysis of which are submitted to the state and federal regulatory agencies annually in a comprehensive and detailed report;and, WHEREAS,the District,in addition to the heretofore mentioned marine monitoring program sponsored in total by the District,continues to conduct other in- plant and special ocean monitoring and research studies for improved and cost- effective treatment,operation,and disposal methods;and, WHEREAS,to further assure protection of the public health and the marine environment off Orange County’s coastline,the District has adopted a uniform industrial source control ordinance implementing strict regulations and an enforcement program for controlling and reducing industrial waste discharges which has resulted in limiting and significantly reducing the toxic material discharged into the sewerage system to protect the treatment processes and the public health and the marine environment off Orange County’s coastline;and, WHEREAS,in order to insure environmental excellence into the future,the District has in effect a multi-million dollar planned construction,joint treatment,and disposal works program to satisfy anticipated regulatory requirements,increased population needs,additional treatment requirements,conservation,energy and other resource savings considerations,odor control improvements,and air and water quality protection needs;and, WHEREAS,the District has historically been committed to sound,cost-effective, total environmental management based on supportable scientific data and site-specific conditions. 2090-100 2 NOW,THEREFORE,the Board of Directors of Orange County Sanitation District, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE,ORDER AND DETERMINE: Section 1 That the commitment to protect the public health and the marine environment off Orange County’s coastline,pursuant to a policy of cost-effective total environmental management and standards based upon supportable scientific data and site-specific conditions,is hereby reaffirmed. Section 2 That the commitment to sound,total environmental management must and shall include a careful weighing of the relative merits of all alternatives and trade-offs,including but not limited to,technical and scientific findings of environmental effects,economic considerations,energy,and other resource allocations,sludge management and disposal,land use requirements,and relative benefits and cost- effectiveness of incremental advancements to treatment levels and standards. Section 3 That an on-going commitment is hereby made to scientific research and development,including analysis of public health and safety and environmental questions,and the submittal of technical data from the District’s research and monitoring programs to regulatory agencies,in the belief that it is wise to invest funds for research to provide valid information upon which to develop responsible,long-term waste management programs for the future. Section 4 That an on-going commitment is hereby made to the policy of preparing and periodically updating long-range master plans for construction of facilities and operations improvements for the optimum treatment level to protect the public health,water,land,and air quality,and other necessary resources to insure the District’s ability to operate and maintain existing and future facilities to comply with all the requirements of the District’s NPDES Permit. Section 5 That planning for the future will include appropriate legislative, regulatory,and public activities to adequately address the issues and the community’s best interests and assure that the District continues its responsible program of balanced and scientifically-based total environmental management. Section 6 That the District’s programs and NPDES Permit procedures are acknowledged as dynamic and on-going,and the District will continue to evaluate and assess all alternatives when deciding on such programs and procedures,and that appropriate public notification and input will be obtained prior to the final decision by the Board of Directors. 2090-100 ~a~1 3 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a Special Meeting held July 1,1998. ATTES)~: Board Secr~ry 2090-100 6484Q.1 4