HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-12-2021 Legislative Committee Meeting Complete Agenda Packet
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND ATTENDANCE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS
On March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency in California as
a result of the threat of COVID-19. On March 12, 2020 and March 18, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-25-20 and Executive Order N-29-20, which temporarily suspend portions of the Brown Act which addresses the conduct of public meetings. On June 11, 2021, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-08-21, which continues the suspension of portions of the Brown Act which addresses the conduct of
public meetings through September 30, 2021. The General Manager and the Chairman of the Board of Directors have determined that due to the size of the Orange County Sanitation District’s Board of Directors (25), and the health and safety of the members, the Board of Directors will be participating in meetings
of the Board telephonically and via Internet accessibility. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Your participation is always welcome. The Legislative and Public Affairs Committee meeting will be available to the public online at: https://ocsd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
You may submit your comments and questions in writing for the Committee’s consideration in advance of the meeting by using the eComment feature available via the webpage above or sending them to OCSanClerk@ocsd.com with the subject line “PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM # (insert the item number relevant to your comment)” or
“PUBLIC COMMENT NON-AGENDA ITEM”. Submit your written comments by
9:00 a.m. on Monday, July 12, 2021. You may also submit comments and questions for the Committee’s consideration during the meeting by using the eComment feature that will be available via the webpage above
for the duration of the meeting. All public comments will be provided to the Committee and may be read into the record or compiled as part of the record.
Thank you.
July 1, 2021
NOTICE OF MEETING
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
Monday, July 12, 2021 – 3:00 P.M.
ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Due to the spread of COVID-19, the Orange County Sanitation District will
be holding all upcoming Board and Committee meetings by
teleconferencing and Internet accessibility. This meeting will be available
to the public online at:
https://ocsd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
A special meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee of the
Orange County Sanitation District will be held in the manner indicated herein
on Monday, July 12, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING DATES
BOARD MEETING DATES
Monday 07/12/21 3:00 p.m. 07/28/21
AUGUST – DARK 08/25/21
Monday 09/13/21 4:30 p.m. 09/22/21
OCTOBER – DARK 10/27/21
Monday 11/08/21 4:30 p.m. 11/17/21 *
DECEMBER – DARK 12/15/21 *
JANUARY – DARK 01/26/22
Monday 02/07/22 4:30 p.m. 02/23/22
Monday 03/14/22 4:30 p.m. 03/23/22
Monday 04/11/22 4:00 p.m. 04/27/22
Monday 05/09/22 4:30 p.m. 05/25/22
JUNE – DARK 06/22/22
* Meeting will be held on the third Wednesday of the month
ROLL CALL LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: July 12, 2021 Time: 3:00 p.m. Adjourn: COMMITTEE MEMBERS (7) Jesus J. Silva, Chair
Marshall Goodman, Vice-Chair
Kim Carr, Member-At-Large
Anthony Kuo, Member-At-Large
Andrew Nguyen, Member-At-Large
John Withers, Board Chair Chad Wanke, Board Vice-Chair
OTHERS
Brad Hogin, General Counsel
STAFF
Jim Herberg, General Manager
Rob Thompson, Assistant General Manager Lorenzo Tyner, Assistant General Manager
Celia Chandler, Director of Human Resources
Kathy Millea, Director of Engineering Lan Wiborg, Director of Environmental Services
Kelly Lore, Clerk of the Board
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT Effective 2/9/2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Complete Roster AGENCY/CITIES
ACTIVE DIRECTOR
ALTERNATE DIRECTOR
Anaheim
Stephen Faessel
Jose Diaz Brea Glenn Parker Steven Vargas Buena Park Art Brown Connor Traut Cypress Stacy Berry Anne Hertz Fountain Valley Patrick Harper Glenn Grandis Fullerton Jesus J. Silva Nick Dunlap Garden Grove Steve Jones John O’Neill Huntington Beach Kim Carr Dan Kalmick Irvine Anthony Kuo Farrah N. Khan
La Habra Rose Espinoza Jose Medrano La Palma Marshall Goodman Nitesh Patel Los Alamitos Mark A. Chirco Ron Bates Newport Beach Brad Avery Joy Brenner Orange Kim Nichols Chip Monaco Placentia Chad Wanke Ward Smith Santa Ana Johnathan Ryan Hernandez Nelida Mendoza Seal Beach Sandra Massa-Lavitt Schelly Sustarsic Stanton David Shawver Carol Warren Tustin Ryan Gallagher Austin Lumbard Villa Park Chad Zimmerman Robert Collacott Sanitary/Water Districts
Costa Mesa Sanitary District
Bob Ooten
Art Perry Midway City Sanitary District Andrew Nguyen Sergio Contreras Irvine Ranch Water District John Withers
Douglas Reinhart
Yorba Linda Water District Brooke Jones Phil Hawkins County Areas
Board of Supervisors Doug Chaffee Donald P. Wagner
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Special Meeting Agenda
Monday, July 12, 2021 - 3:00 PM
Board Room
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
AGENDA POSTING: In accordance with the requirements of California Government Code Section 54954.2, this
agenda has been posted outside the main gate of the Sanitation District’s Administration Building located
at 10844 Ellis Avenue, Fountain Valley, California, and on the Sanitation District’s website at www.ocsd.com
not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting date and time above. All public records relating to each agenda
item, including any public records distributed less than 72 hours prior to the meeting to all, or a majority
of the Board of Directors, are available for public inspection in the office of the Clerk of the Board.
AGENDA DESCRIPTION: The agenda provides a brief general description of each item of business to
be considered or discussed. The recommended action does not indicate what action will be taken. The Board
of Directors may take any action which is deemed appropriate.
MEETING AUDIO: An audio recording of this meeting is available within 24 hours after adjournment of
the meeting. Please contact the Clerk of the Board's office at (714) 593-7433 to request the audio file.
NOTICE TO DIRECTORS: To place items on the agenda for a Committee or Board Meeting, the item must
be submitted in writing to the Clerk of the Board: Kelly A. Lore, MMC, (714) 593-7433 / klore@ocsan.gov at least
14 days before the meeting.
FOR ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA, BOARD MEMBERS MAY CONTACT STAFF AT:
General Manager: Jim Herberg, jherberg@ocsan.gov / (714) 593-7300
Asst. General Manager: Lorenzo Tyner, ltyner@ocsan.gov / (714) 593-7550
Asst. General Manager: Rob Thompson, rthompson@ocsan.gov / (714) 593-7310
Director of Human Resources: Celia Chandler, cchandler@ocsan.gov / (714) 593-7202
Director of Engineering: Kathy Millea, kmillea@ocsan.gov / (714) 593-7365
Director of Environmental Services: Lan Wiborg, lwiborg@ocsan.gov / (714) 593-7450
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Special Meeting Agenda Monday, July 12, 2021
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM:
Clerk of the Board
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Your participation is always welcome. The Legislative and Public Affairs Committee meeting will be available to
the public online at: https://ocsd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
You may submit your comments and questions in writing for the Legislative and Public AffairsCommittee’s
consideration in advance of the meeting by using the eComment feature available via the webpage above or
sending them to OCSanClerk@ocsd.com with the subject line “PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM # (insert the item
number relevant to your comment)” or “PUBLIC COMMENT NON-AGENDA ITEM”. Submit your written
comments by 9:00 a.m. on July 12, 2021.
You may also submit comments and questions for the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee’s consideration
during the meeting by using the eComment feature that will be available via the webpage above for the duration of
the meeting. All public comments will be provided to the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee and may be
read into the record or compiled as part of the record.
REPORTS:
The Committee Chairperson and the General Manager may present verbal reports on miscellaneous matters of
general interest to the Directors. These reports are for information only and require no action by the Directors.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Consent Calendar Items are considered to be routine and will be enacted, by the Committee, after one motion,
without discussion. Any items withdrawn from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion will be considered in
the regular order of business.
1.2021-1725APPROVAL OF MINUTES
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs
Committee held May 10, 2021.
Originator:Kelly Lore
Agenda Report
05-10-2021 LaPA Committee Minutes
Attachments:
Page 1 of 3
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Special Meeting Agenda Monday, July 12, 2021
NON-CONSENT:
2.2021-1617PUBLIC AFFAIRS STRATEGIC PLAN YEAR END REPORT
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Public Affairs Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-22
Year End Update.
Originator:Jim Herberg
Agenda Report
PAO Strategic Plan FY 2020-21 and 2021-22
Communications Audit Executive Summary, February 2020
Public Affairs Portfolio FY20-21
Presentation - PAO Year End Report
Attachments:
3.2021-1618CONSTRUCTION OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Construction Outreach Communications Review and Audit 2021.
Originator:Jim Herberg
Agenda Report
Construction Outreach Communications Review and Audit
2021
Public Affairs Strategic Plan FY 2020-21 and 2021-22
Attachments:
4.2021-1737PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTHS OF MAY AND JUNE
2021
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Public Affairs Update for the months of May and June 2021.
Originator:Jim Herberg
Agenda Report
Outreach and Media Summary Report - May & June 2021
Presentation - PAO July Update
Attachments:
5.2021-1734LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTHS OF JUNE/JULY
2021
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Legislative Affairs Update for the months of June/July 2021.
Page 2 of 3
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Special Meeting Agenda Monday, July 12, 2021
Originator:Jim Herberg
Agenda Report
Federal Legislative Update - ENS Resources
Federal Legislative Matrix - ENS Resources
State Legislative Update - Townsend Public Affairs
State Legislative Matrix - Townsend Public Affairs
Grant Tracker 2021-2022
Attachments:
INFORMATION ITEMS:
6.2021-1726STRATEGIC PLAN ORGANIZATIONAL ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH
POLICY
RECOMMENDATION:
Information Only.
Originator:Jim Herberg
Agenda Report
Organizational Advocacy and Outreach Policy Paper 2021
Strategic Plan November 2019
Attachments:
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
CLOSED SESSION:
None.
OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF
ANY:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS INITIATED ITEMS FOR A FUTURE MEETING:
At this time Directors may request staff to place an item on a future agenda.
ADJOURNMENT:
Adjourn the Committee meeting until the Regular Meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs
Committee on September 13, 2021 at 4:30 p.m.
Page 3 of 3
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
Agenda Report
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
File #:2021-1725 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:1.
FROM:James D. Herberg, General Manager
Originator: Kelly A. Lore, Clerk of the Board
SUBJECT:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee held May 10,
2021.
BACKGROUND
In accordance with the Board of Directors Rules of Procedure,an accurate record of each meeting
will be provided to the Directors for subsequent approval at the following meeting.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
·Resolution No. OC SAN 21-04
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s)may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov)with the complete agenda
package:
·Minutes of the LaPA Committee meeting held May 10, 2021
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 1 of 1
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Orange County Sanitation District
Minutes for the
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Monday, May 10, 2021
4:30 PM
Board Room
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
CALL TO ORDER
A regular meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee was called to order by
Committee Chair Jesus J. Silva on Monday, May 10, 2021 at 4:31 p.m. in the Administration
Building of the Orange County Sanitation District. Chair Silva stated that the meeting was
being held telephonically and via audio/video teleconferencing in accordance with the
Governor's Executive Order No. N-29-20, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19).
Chair Silva led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM:
Roll call was taken and a quorum was declared present, as follows:
PRESENT:Jesus Silva, Marshall Goodman, Kim Carr, Anthony Kuo, Andrew
Nguyen, David Shawver and John Withers
ABSENT:None
STAFF PRESENT: Kelly Lore, Clerk of the Board, and Josh Martinez were present in the
Board Room. Jim Herberg, General Manager; Rob Thompson, Assistant General Manager;
Lorenzo Tyner, Assistant General Manager; Celia Chandler, Director of Human Resources;
Lan Wiborg, Director of Environmental Services; Jennifer Cabral; Mortimer Caparas; Tanya
Chong; Daisy Covarrubias; Brian Engeln; Tina Knapp; Kelly Newell; and Thomas Vu were in
attendance telephonically.
OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Hogin, General Counsel; Eric Sapirstein, ENS Resources; Eric
O’Donnell, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA); and Cori Takkinen, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA)
were in attendance telephonically.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
REPORTS:
None.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
1.APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2021-1599
Originator: Kelly Lore
Page 1 of 4
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Minutes May 10, 2021
MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO:
Approve Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Legislative and Public Affairs Committee
held April 12, 2021.
AYES:Jesus Silva, Marshall Goodman, Kim Carr, Anthony Kuo, Andrew
Nguyen, David Shawver and John Withers
NOES:None
ABSENT:None
ABSTENTIONS:None
NON-CONSENT:
Board Vice-Chair Withers departed the meeting at 5:01 p.m., during Item No. 2.
2.LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2021 2021-1608
Originator: Jim Herberg
Eric O’Donnell, TPA, provided a PowerPoint presentation that included a Legislative
Calendar and an overview of current bills: AB 59, AB 339, AB 622, AB 802, and AB
1434.
Eric Sapirstein, ENS Resources, provided a PowerPoint presentation and a brief
overview of current issues including: Infrastructure: S.914 (89-2) and American Jobs
Plan; Appropriations: Budget request, House and Senate Hearings, and funding levels;
PFAS Regulations; and Nominations confirmed. He also stated that a virtual meeting
is scheduled with Congresswoman Michelle Steel this week.
In response to Chair Silva's request as to the percentage of disadvantaged
communities in the Orange County, Administration Manager Jennifer Cabral stated that
OC San's service area is considered 18% disadvantaged for purposes of
Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Involvement Program grant funding applications.
Sr. Public Affairs Specialist Rebecca Long announced that a large wipes manufacturer,
Kimberly-Clark, has agreed to meet flushability specifications as part of a settlement
agreement in a class action lawsuit in South Carolina and mark their products as "do
not flush".
MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Recommend to the Board of
Directors to:
Receive and file the Legislative Affairs Update for the month of April 2021.
AYES:Jesus Silva, Marshall Goodman, Kim Carr, Anthony Kuo, Andrew
Nguyen and David Shawver
NOES:None
Page 2 of 4
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Minutes May 10, 2021
ABSENT:John Withers
ABSTENTIONS:None
Chair Silva stated that Item No. 4 would be heard prior to Item No. 3 at the request of staff.
4.OPPOSE ASSEMBLY BILL 1434 (FRIEDMAN) 2021-1621
Originator: Jim Herberg
MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO:
Oppose Assembly Bill 1434 - Urban Water Use Objectives: Indoor Residential Water
Use (Friedman).
AYES:Jesus Silva, Marshall Goodman, Kim Carr, Anthony Kuo, Andrew
Nguyen and David Shawver
NOES:None
ABSENT:John Withers
ABSTENTIONS:None
3.PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2021 2021-1615
Originator: Jim Herberg
Daisy Covarrubias, Principal Public Affairs Specialist, provided a PowerPoint
presentation recapping activity over the recent month.
MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Recommend to the Board of
Directors to:
Receive and file the Public Affairs Update for the month of April 2021.
AYES:Jesus Silva, Marshall Goodman, Kim Carr, Anthony Kuo, Andrew
Nguyen and David Shawver
NOES:None
ABSENT:John Withers
ABSTENTIONS:None
INFORMATION ITEMS:
None.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
None.
CLOSED SESSION:
None.
Page 3 of 4
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Minutes May 10, 2021
OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF
ANY:
None.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS INITIATED ITEMS FOR A FUTURE MEETING:
None.
ADJOURNMENT:
Chair Silva stated that the Committee is dark in the month of June.
Chair Silva declared the meeting adjourned at 5:24 p.m. to the next regular meeting to be
held on Monday, July 12, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
Submitted by:
________________________
Kelly A. Lore, MMC
Clerk of the Board
Page 4 of 4
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
Agenda Report
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
File #:2021-1617 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:2.
FROM:James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
PUBLIC AFFAIRS STRATEGIC PLAN YEAR END REPORT
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Public Affairs Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-22 Year End
Update.
BACKGROUND
The Orange County Sanitation District’s (OC San)Public Affairs Office (PAO)is responsible for
creating,organizing,and disseminating all internal and external communication.The primary
objective of the Public Affairs team is to deliver messages that are accurate,transparent,and
designed to foster trust and confidence.Results from the Communications Audit presented in March
2020 were used in the development of the PAO Strategic Plan.The audit helped clarify the path
moving forward and identify opportunities for the PAO to explore.An integrated Public Affairs
Strategic Plan is essential to effectively manage the variety of audiences served.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
·Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
·Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators,stakeholders,and
neighboring communities
·Make it easy for people to understand OC San’s roles and value to the community
·Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
PROBLEM
There are various initiatives and messages that the PAO must share with internal and external
stakeholders for continued operation and efficiency of OC San.The messaging must be consistent,
concise, and thoroughly planned to be efficient and effective.
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File #:2021-1617 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:2.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
The current Public Affairs Strategic Plan includes goals,objectives,strategies,and tactics to execute
the various messages and efforts set forth by OC San.The Plan is in place for two years with annual
updates provided to the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
February 2021 -Received and filed the Public Affairs Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2022
Midyear Update.
July 2020 - Approved the Public Affairs Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2022.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Staff will provide a Year End PAO presentation. A few highlights to note include:
·Launched a virtual tour program with 36 tours reaching almost 1300 participants.
·Participated in 30 speaking engagements reaching over 1800 people.
·Over 750 social media posts across four platforms.
·Over 800 internal communication pieces
o The San Box - employee intranet site
o The Pipeline - employee newsletter
o 3 Things to Know Email - weekly email
o Digester - monthly communication piece
·Over 100 website posts.
·Over 40 construction notices distributed reaching approximately 50,000 people.
·Neighborhood Newsletter expanded to Plant No.1 residents reaching an additional 1450
neighbors.
·Featured in 22 news publications including the OC Register Water Insert.
·Rebranded agency from OCSD to OC San including new logo,website address,and social
media handles.
·Developed and distributed four Member Agency Outreach Toolkits.
·Implemented monthly Board Member talking points to support AB1234 reporting.
·Hosted a virtual State of the District with over 140 guests.
·Hosted 11 Federal and State virtual Advocacy Visits.
·Submitted one Community Projects request and received 24 letters of support.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
All items included in the Public Affairs Strategic Plan FY 2020-2022 are budgeted in the FY 2020-
2022 budget.
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File #:2021-1617 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:2.
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s)may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov)with the complete agenda
package:
·Public Affairs Strategic Plan FY 2020-21 and 2021-22
·Communications Audit Report Executive Summary, February 2020
·Public Affairs Portfolio FY 2020-21
·Presentation
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Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-2022
STRATEGICPLAN
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
1
Introduction
The Orange County Sanitation District’s (OCSD) Public Affairs Office (PAO) is responsible for
creating, organizing, and disseminating all internal and external communication. The primary
objective of our Public Affairs team is to deliver messages that are accurate, transparent, and
designed to foster public trust and confidence. An integrated Public Affairs Strategic Plan is
essential to deal effectively with the variety of audiences we serve.
The Public Affairs staff provides services and tools and implements programs to meet the
communication needs of several audiences for OCSD. This includes planning and implementing
media relations; website and intranet site content; construction outreach; elected officials, and
government relations; internal communications, education, and outreach; and graphic
development.
The Public Affairs Office has created a Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020 - 2022. This Plan is
developed based upon the principles of OCSD’s Mission of protecting public health and the
environment and will support the implementation of OCSD’s Strategic Plan. This Plan offers a
vision to unify our communication efforts and focus resources to achieve the greatest impact
and greatest results.
This plan was created amidst the COVID-19 pandemic thus resulting in modifications to the
goals and objectives. Much of what is planned and created by this group is based on external
factors and therefore outside of our control. The Public Affairs Office will follow the guidance
set forth by Management and the Board of Directors to carry out OCSD’s messaging and
support our member agencies.
Background Information
The Orange County Sanitation District represents 20 cities, 4 special districts and a portion of
the unincorporated County of Orange. This area represents a community of 2.6 million people
with approximately 550,000 customer accounts.
Unlike most public agencies where there is direct contact with customers, at the Orange County
Sanitation District, billing occurs through the County of Orange property tax bills. Therefore, the
Sanitation District, must work through other means to communicate with the public and the
rate payers.
We have a 25-member Board of Directors, and over 600 employees within six departments with
various goals and objectives. While these groups work independently on a variety of projects,
the goal of the Public Affairs Office is to provide support and messaging that is consistent
throughout the agency so that we are one voice, representing the same overall goals, and
portraying the same brand.
2
While there are many challenges with serving such a large and diverse customer base, there are
also great opportunities working through the strategies laid out in this Plan.
Public Affairs Team
The division is staffed with six full-time employees and overseen by the Manager.
Jennifer Cabral, Administration Manager
Daisy Covarrubias, Principal Public Affairs Specialist
Rebecca Long, Senior Public Affairs Specialist
Kelly Newell, Public Affairs Specialist
Belen Carrillo, Public Affairs Specialist
Gregg Deterding, Graphics Designer
Cheryl Scott, Administrative Assistant
Each of these staff members carry out specific functions to meet the communication goals and
objectives laid out in this Plan.
Situation Analysis
• There is a global pandemic occurring which has shifted the way we operate and perform
our mission of protecting public health and the environment. As we learn to navigate
the recovery phase and move into new social distancing norms, our communication
efforts will be modified accordingly to meet the needs of the agency, community, and
workforce.
• Due to COVID-19, close to 50 percent of staff is working remotely. The uncertainty of
the pandemic creates unknown future work conditions for staff. These circumstances
impact the ability and method of communicating and reaching employees, thus
alternative communication techniques must be explored and implemented.
• OCSD is in the third year of a five-year rate program, with a scheduled 1.2 percent
increase in fees to take effect July 1. Due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 the rate
increase for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 will be delayed with no significant financial impacts to
OCSD operations.
• There could potentially be a significant turnover of board members in 2020. Succession
management and onboarding for the board members is critical for the success of this
agency.
3
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, OCSD has sustained its operational, planning, and
preparation efforts to ensure there is no lapse in service today or in the future. As an
essential service, OCSD has continued to execute the Capital Improvement Program
(CIP) to keep the regional projects on schedule that are enhancing our entire service
area. In Fiscal Year 2020-2021 OCSD is on track to bid and issue $500 million of
construction contracts for over 35 projects.
Mission
The Public Affairs Office is committed to communicating information about OCSD in a timely,
accurate and accessible way to the employees, the Board of Directors, our member agencies,
the public, and the news media.
• We are committed to open, honest, clear, and respectful two-way communication with
our audiences.
• We are dedicated to informing others about how OCSD serves the public and protects
the environment.
• We are committed to outstanding customer service by responding to requests quickly
and efficiently.
• We are dedicated to teamwork and collaboration as well as being creative and taking
the initiative to be out in front of issues.
Audiences
This Public Affairs Plan focuses largely on four primary audiences.
• Internal
o Board of Directors
o Executive Management Team
o Employees
o Retirees
• The Public
o Ratepayers
o Member Agencies
o Residents, Businesses, Commuters Impacted by OCSD Construction
o OCSD Neighbors in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach
o Schools and Students
o Tour Groups
4
• Industry
o Water/Wastewater Agencies
o Trade Organizations
o Trade Media
• Influential Public
o Local, State, and Federal Elected Officials
o Environmental Groups
o Local Media
Agency Key Messages
• OCSD is committed to protecting public health and the environment by providing
effective wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling.
• OCSD is more than a wastewater treatment facility, we are a resource recovery facility
making use of all our byproducts.
• OCSD is dedicated to exceeding wastewater quality standards used for resource
recovery.
• OCSD is committed to proper planning to ensure that the public’s money is wisely spent.
• OCSD’s assets are monitored and evaluated regularly to ensure top performance and
timely replacement.
• OCSD values communicating our mission and strategies with those we serve and all
other stakeholders.
• OCSD will provide reliable, responsive, and affordable services in line with our customer
needs and expectations is a top priority for OCSD.
• OCSD focuses on creating the best possible workforce where safety, productivity,
customer service, and training are a top priority.
• OCSD has worked very hard to create an integrated planning environment which begins
with the expectations of its Board of Directors and flows down to the work product of
each employee. We have worked hard to assure our staff members are communicating
and providing transparent services to each other in support of the plan.
5
• OCSD has developed an integrated Planning/Asset Management system that allows for
intentional, thoughtful decision making to maintain current operations while adding
resilience and meeting new challenges.
• OCSD has an organizational structure with informal relationships between employees
that allow for collaboration toward common goals.
Public Affairs’ Goals for Fiscal Year 2020/21 and 2021/22
1. Optimize communication with our internal audience including those operating in the
field with limited time to access online communication.
2. Continue to build OCSD’s reputation as infrastructure leaders in the wastewater and
resource recovery industry.
3. Cultivate relationships with traditional and social media journalists and influencers to
promote OCSD’s programs and initiatives.
4. Enhance OCSD’s image and branding by utilizing proper messaging in external
communication pieces such as OCSD’s website, presentation, digital media, and
advertising. Maintain a positive experience and image for our visitors.
5. Identify and implement avenues for education and outreach within OCSD’s service area
to further promote OCSD as a resource recovery agency, promote OCSD’s mission and
promote career opportunities within the wastewater industry.
6. Develop and implement outreach programs that will engage the communities affected
by OCSD construction projects.
7. Participate in proactive engagement in legislative advocacy efforts that could impact
OCSD and the wastewater industry.
8. Monitor, track, and apply for grants available and that make business sense to OCSD.
9. Ensure that local elected officials, member agencies, stakeholders, and OCSD Board
Members are actively engaged in the work of OCSD.
10. Ensure the Public Affairs Office serves as the primary spokesperson for OCSD during
normal business and crisis scenarios and facilitates the dissemination of information.
11. Ensure the General Manager and Assistant General Managers are supported with
information necessary to communicate to the varied OCSD audiences.
To achieve these goals, the Public Affairs Office presents the following strategies and tactics,
along with the primary staff assigned to that area. While individual staff members are the key
contacts for each of the goals, the team works collectively and collaboratively, reflecting our
core values. Our staff recognizes the key role we play at OCSD, not only communicating
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information, but also teaching and consulting others and serving as a resource to our Board of
Directors, employees, the wastewater industry, and our member agencies.
As we navigate through the pandemic recovery efforts, the team will follow this plan, and make
necessary modifications to effectively communicate OCSD’s strategic direction. Flexibility is
implemented into this plan to deal with the dynamic situation we are all in.
Public Affairs Strategies and Tactics
1. Category: Employee Communications
Program Manager: Rebecca Long,
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Belen Carrillo, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Optimize communication with our internal audience including those operating in
the field with limited time to access online communication.
Objective (measure): Create employee engagement by utilizing the identified communication
methods to share agency wide messages. Increase the availability of employee
communications by five percent based on previous plan’s goals.
Strategy (why): We value open and honest communication with our employees. PAO is
committed to various efforts aimed at keeping OCSD employees informed about important
topics, increasing the overall quality of communications to our employees while tying the
business aspects of the agency with the human-interest side.
Tactics (how):
• Keep information on MyOCSD homepage current, relevant, and useful for OCSD
employees by working with the various Departments to gather information that should
be shared.
• On a regular basis, staff will continue to support various departments with their
communication and outreach needs.
• PAO will produce six Pipeline newsletters per year with a goal of circulation by the third
week of the publication month.
• PAO will track Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) points for all participating employees
and coordinate the VIP appreciation celebration.
• Create employee recognition and celebratory events throughout the year that comply
with new social distancing guidelines, may include small in-person gatherings and virtual
events. To include but not limited to the Annual Holiday Lunch, the Harvest Festival, and
VIP Celebration, etc.
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• Continue with the Honor Walk program which acknowledges retired staff and past
Board Members for their contribution to OCSD. The recognition event will be hosted
every other year starting in 2021.
• Write and coordinate the 3 Things to Know email blast to be distributed to all staff each
Monday.
• Produce monthly Digester bulletin.
• Coordinate and produce two Town Hall meetings (live and/or pre-recorded) to keep
employees informed and engaged.
• Host organizational awareness lunch-n-learns monthly to keep staff informed about
agency programs and initiatives.
• Research and identify an agency-wide digital message system to provide messages in
staff areas across both plants and the Mt. Langley office space. Implementation to occur
in Fiscal Year 2021-2022.
2. Category: Industry Experts
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Establish and solidify OCSD’s reputation as infrastructure leaders in the
wastewater and resource recovery industry.
Objective (measurable): Increase participation in strategic organizations through conferences,
networking activities and awards by five percent.
Strategy (why): To build positive public perception and confidence among our various
audiences.
Tactics (how):
• Encourage participation and presentation in conferences.
• Encourage and support award application submittals.
• Publicize and coordinate award acceptance logistics.
• Track all awards won by OCSD by keeping a master list.
• Track and promote staff abstract’s and publications.
3. Category: Media Relations
Program Managers: Daisy Covarrubias and Rebecca Long
Program Coordinators: Kelly Newell, Belen Carrillo, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
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Goal (what): Cultivate relationships with traditional and social media journalists and
influencers.
Objective (measurement): Increase media coverage with positive stories about OCSD.
Strategy (why): While a presence in the community is important to putting a face on our
agency, media (traditional and social) is equally important with a broader reach and a more
direct line of communication.
Tactics (how):
• Annually update media list to stay current and fresh.
• Develop a press kit to be online and interactive.
• Build a calendar of news release topics of interest to the public and stakeholders.
• Invite media for a facility tour (virtual or small group).
• Develop media strategies for important events, decisions, or actions.
e.g. CIP Campaign (see details in Category 6: Capital and Maintenance Outreach)
• Conduct media training for Board leadership, EMT and key staff members.
• Generate weekly (3-5 times) social media posts about the good things happening at
OCSD with focus on OCSD’s accomplishments and mission.
• Continue with social media campaigns #OCSDatWork, #What2Flush, and those currently
supporting ongoing efforts.
4. Category: Agency Branding and Messaging
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinators/Support: Gregg Deterding, Kelly Newell, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Enhance OCSD’s image and branding by utilizing proper messaging in external
communication pieces such as OCSD’s website, presentations, digital media and advertising,
which includes maintaining a positive experience for OCSD visitors.
Objective (measure): Launch a rebranding campaign for a new logo and a modified name over
the next two fiscal years. Update collateral material, signage, website, social media accounts,
and promotional material as appropriate and as it is used. Include in messaging that OCSD’s
official name remains Orange County Sanitation District. Maintain the lobby(s) current and
informative with relevant information, i.e. displays, awards case, etc.
Strategy (why): A cohesive voice, message, look, and feel are critical to the public perception
that an organization holds with its community. A positive and pleasant in-person experience
reinforces OCSD’s culture and Core Values as well as showcasing OCSD as industry leaders, and
a well-run organization, leaving behind the stigma of typical government agencies.
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Tactics (how):
• Update and maintain the corporate identity manual to provide guidance on use of the
logo, name, use of fonts, and graphics.
• Keep website current with informative news stories posted weekly.
• Provide presentations, consultation, and advice on the branding and image of OCSD.
• Develop new key messages focused on new branding logo and name.
• Develop new collateral materials around the key messages.
• Incorporate OCSD’s messaging and branding into all external presentations.
• Explore advertising options to inform public of agency efforts and role in economic
development.
• Fulfill all requests for graphics, photos, and logos.
• Conduct second phase of community poll to determine name recognition and reach.
• Develop an online community newsletter for digital distribution within our service area
to increase awareness of OCSD, our programs, and initiatives.
• Develop a branding plan for the new Headquarters Building.
• Maintain the lobby wall in the Administration Building at Plant No. 1 and the Operations
Center at Plant No. 2 with OCSD’s current branding and messaging.
• Rotate flags on light poles along Street Parkway on a biennial basis.
• Keep the award display cabinet up to date by rotating awards.
• Keep the retiree display in the Administration Building hallway up to date. On an annual
basis collect the names of the retirees and update the display board.
• Maintain and coordinate the installation of Honor Walk bricks on a biennial basis.
• Display collateral material in a neatly and organized manner displayed with current and
relevant information.
5. Category: Educational Outreach
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinators/Support: Kelly Newell, Belen Carrillo, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Identify and implement avenues for education and outreach within OCSD’s service
area to promote OCSD’s mission and vision.
Objective (measurement): Create and identify new educational opportunities including virtual
events and webinars to promote and educate the community on OCSD’s work and the essential service provided.
Strategies (why): To further promote OCSD as a resource recovery agency, promote OCSD’s
mission and promote career opportunities within the wastewater industry.
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Tactics (how):
• Execute the Inside the Outdoors contract for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 to continue OCSD’s
educational program including the Sewer Science program to 500 students within
Orange County and introduce them to OCSD’s pilot virtual tour program.
• Implement virtual tour program in lieu of physical tours of the plant which are
temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. An estimated 1,000 participants will take part
in the virtual tour program per year.
• Evaluate the participation of community events due to COVID-19 restrictions. Once
events are rescheduled within OCSD’s service area, participation will be evaluated to
determine safety for staff, and overall impact and reach.
• Continue to encourage and promote the Volunteer Incentive Program to have a pool of
staff that volunteer for events and speaking engagements that OCSD participates in.
• Expand OCSD’s speaker’s bureau to provide a wider set of speakers available.
• Create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest – work with local colleges and high
schools in our service area to create a promotional PSA for OCSD on a biennial basis.
Obtain a minimum of 20 individual and/or group entries.
• Implement a Wastewater 101 Academy for our ratepayers, fellow agencies, and
influential public to showcase OCSD operations and initiatives. Host a minimum of four
(4) sessions per cycle.
• Research and obtain a Mobile Educational Unit utilize at public events that helps
generate greater understanding of the wastewater process and OCSD’s messaging.
6. Category: Capital and Maintenance Outreach
Program Managers: Daisy Covarrubias and Tanya Chong from Engineering,
Program Coordinators/Support: Belen Carrillo, Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Develop and implement outreach programs that will engage the communities
affected by OCSD construction projects.
Objective (measurement): Develop, implement, and provide outreach support for over 20
capital projects scheduled to break ground in fiscal years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 within 12
cities.
Strategy (why): Form a positive presence in the community prior to the start of construction
projects or maintenance activities that is personal and proactive. Provide impacted community
with information ahead of construction activities. Inform them of the benefits and need for the
project to gain support and understanding of the necessary construction.
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Tactics (how):
• Proactively offer briefings and community meetings to impacted neighborhoods, civic
groups, businesses, schools, churches, and other institutions within the project area on
an as needed basis.
• Launch CIP Campaign to highlight the efforts of the program and the financial
contributions to the local economy.
• Explore the option of placing advertising pieces in communities/areas impacted by
construction.
• Respond to inquiries within a 24-hour period.
• Provide project description and notifications to impacted residents at least two weeks
before construction begins.
• Update collateral materials, fact sheets and website with current construction
information on an as needed basis.
• Maintain ongoing communications with city staff and Board Members on current and
upcoming construction outreach projects in affected cities.
• Maintain ongoing communications with impacted residents within the project area
through collateral material (e.g., flyers, door hangers, emails, text alerts, social media
posts, etc.).
• Measure customer satisfaction through a construction outreach survey to be distributed
at the close of construction programs.
7. Category: Legislative Affairs
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Proactive engagement in legislative advocacy efforts that could impact OCSD and
the wastewater industry.
Objective (measure): Continue positive relationships with local, state, and federal officials
through facility tours, meetings, and bill tracking as stated in the Legislative Plan.
Strategy (why): Legislative advocacy is an important aspect of our business. Having
relationships and being actively involved, providing input and OCSD’s perspective on potential
legislature can and does directly affect OCSD and our business.
The Public Affairs Office is responsible for executing the Board approved Legislative Plan, which
is updated on an annual basis. In addition, staff is responsible for tracking state and federal
legislation, managing the Sanitation District’s legislative advocates, and seeking appropriations
and grants.
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Tactics (how):
• Develop and implement Annual Legislative Plan in the second quarter of each fiscal
year.
• Track bills and maintain a priority list of key legislation.
• Provide regular updates to the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee on state and
federal matters.
• Host legislative tours.
• Engage in Advocacy Days in Sacramento and Washington DC twice a year.
• Take positions on bills that could affect OCSD or the industry.
• Work with industry organizations on state and federal issues to ensure OCSD’s positions
are communicated.
• Partner with industry organizations to co-host virtual events and activities.
• Manage the legislative advocates’ contracts and facilitate regular communication
between lobbyists, staff, and the Board of Directors.
8. Category: Grants Coordination
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Monitor, track, and apply for grants available to OCSD.
Objective (measure): Apply and obtain grants for qualified OCSD projects and programs.
Strategy (why): Outside funding is important in moving OCSD projects and programs forward.
With ongoing attention to government spending, it is vital for OCSD to apply for and secure
grants to offset costs when available.
Tactics (how):
• Apply for two grants a year based on availability.
• Develop Grant Policy during fiscal year 2020-2021.
• Research grant opportunities and report out to the Legislative and Public Affairs
Committee.
• Seek appropriations and grants and provide support to other divisions seeking grant
funding.
• Secure letters of support.
• Publicize grant awards received.
• Create and measure outcomes.
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9. Category: Local Government Affairs
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinators/Support: All PAO staff
Goal (what): Ensure that local elected officials, member agencies, stakeholders, and OCSD
Board Members are actively engaged in the work of OCSD.
Objective (measure): Provide at least two communication tools per month.
Strategy (why): Keeping OCSD’s influential public engaged in OCSD’s projects and
accomplishments are critical to the support and success of our agency.
Tactics (how):
• Provide Board of Director’s with speaking points following every OCSD board meeting
that can be used when reporting back to their respective councils and community
groups.
• Facilitate an orientation for new Board members.
• Develop and keep a current list of monthly informational presentations.
• Maintain an informational presentation video library for the Board of Directors on key
agency topics.
• Provide regular reports to the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee.
• Develop OCSD’s Annual Report.
• Publish a Five Minutes Per Month, each month.
• Coordinate presentations to each member agency.
• Participate in government affairs committees.
• Invite new council members within OCSD’s service area to take a tour of OCSD.
• Create and distribute quarterly outreach tool kits for member agency PIOs to help them
easily share and disseminate information about OCSD.
• Host a “State of the District” event for influential leaders throughout the infrastructure
and water/wastewater industry, including virtual option.
10. Category: Crisis Management
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinators/Support: All PAO Staff
Goal: Ensure the Public Affairs Office serves as the primary spokesperson for OCSD during
normal business and crisis scenarios and facilitates the dissemination of information.
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Objective: Ensure that the PIOs in the PAO can respond in a crisis. Provide a crisis
communication training course every two years by an outside consultant and an annual
refresher course by staff.
Strategy: It is imperative during a crisis that OCSD be proactive and provide clear and effective
messaging to employees, public, and the media.
Tactics (how):
• Maintain an updated crisis communication plan including regular briefings with staff to
identify possible issues and responses.
• Maintain and update PAO’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).
• Work with Risk and Safety Management on Public Affair’s role in an emergency,
including our role via the Integrated Emergency Response Plan.
• Ensure proper procedures are in place for Board, employees, and public notification.
• Maintain updated contact lists for resource, member, and partnering agencies to
coordinate and assist during crisis.
• Develop protocols on everyday PAO tasks to facilitate the operations of the group in a
time of crisis.
11. Category: General Manager Support
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinators/Support: All PAO Staff
Goal: Ensure the General Manager and Assistant General Managers are supported with
information necessary to communicate to the varied OCSD audiences.
Objective: Develop monthly communication pieces on behalf of the General Manager. Ensure
General Manager (or designee) is participating and involved in promoting OCSD’s initiatives.
Strategy: Collaborate with the General Manager to prepare communication and messaging that
reflects the mission and vision of OCSD.
Tactics (how):
• Assist the General Manager and the Assistant General Managers with keeping the Board
Members informed and up to date with OCSD activities.
• Assist in the development of the General Manager’s Monthly Report.
• Develop talking points for Board and Committee meetings.
• Develop material and speaking points for presentations and speaking engagements.
• Support the development of the OCSD Strategic Plan.
• Assist in the development of the General Managers Annual Work Plan.
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•Manage Ask the GM questions submitted.
•Coordinate and support VIP tours guided by General Manager and Assistant General
Managers.
Closing Comments
This plan is a broad outline of the Public Affairs Office program. As new issues arise, new
functions and duties will evolve as well. The role of the Public Affairs Office is to stay ahead of
issues, be responsive and flexible to meet the needs of the agency. We will adjust our program
accordingly.
Appendix
A. Highlights of Performance Results from Fiscal Years 2018/2019 -2019/2020
B. Public Affairs Portfolio Fiscal Year 2019/2020
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Appendix A: Highlights of Performance Results from
FY 2018/2019 and 2019/2020
• Over 75 construction outreach pieces distributed regarding specific CIP projects
reaching over 155,0000 people
• 800 internal communications publications: 3 Things to know email, Digester, Pipeline
and MyOCSD
• 11 internal events
• 18 published news releases
• Over 30 articles mentioning and/or focusing on OCSD
• 1,350 Social Media posts reaching over 400,000 people
• 85 Website posts
• 17 Community Events reaching nearly 12,000 people
• 54 Speaking Engagements (8 career days)
• 283 Tours reaching approximately 4,534 guests
• 1,700 students reached via Sewer Science Program
• 22 Agency Awards Received
• 2 State of the District events reaching 215 guests
• 2 grants were successfully applied for and received totaling $42,000 for Headquarters
Project and Tour Signage
• 40 legislative bills monitored and tracked
• 4 Federal Position letters and 12 State Position letters issued
• Governor agreed with 2 of our bills/positions:
o SB 212: Jackson. Solid waste: pharmaceutical and sharps waste stewardship.
o SB 1440: Hueso. Energy: biomethane: biomethane procurement
New Tactics Introduced
• Member Agency Outreach Toolkit
• Board Member Speaking Points
• Virtual Town Hall
• Orange County Polling
• Communications Audit
• Paid Advertisement – OC Register Water Insert
• Regional Outreach Program (CIP)
• Tour signage
Public Affairs Division10844 Ellis AvenueFountain Valley, CA 92708
Communications Audit Report
Executive Summary
February 2020
Submitted by Ryder Todd Smith
Jon Barilone
Bria Balliet
Karen Villaseñor
2
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT – COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
Executive Summary
The Orange County Sanitation District engaged Tripepi Smith to objectively review OCSD’s
internal and external Communications tactics prior to forming the Public Affairs Strategic Plan
for FY 2020-2022. Tripepi Smith made these determinations through a combination of
methods, such as: interviewing key stakeholders, weighing OCSD’s practices against local
government communication best practices, and quantitative data analysis of message Reach
and Engagement.
Compared to other California public agencies Tripepi Smith has assessed, the Orange County
Sanitation District has one of the most centralized and organized Communications processes. A
single team, with defined roles, produces and/or approves all internal and external
communication content. OCSD also has clear policies that outline expectations for staff when it
comes to producing communication content and interacting with both internal and external
audiences. The OCSD Brand/Style Guide is a particularly advanced best practice.
Tripepi Smith’s recommendations generally center on:
• Technical optimizations for the District’s website and social media sites;
• Expanding the reach of external communications and targeting public agency audience;
• Producing more engaging content for external audiences;
• Consistently measuring content reach and engagement to inform future strategy.
Overall, OCSD’s internal communication efforts are solid in terms of quantity, quality and
readership. A key question for OCSD’s leadership to consider now is: how much do you want
to ‘publicize’ the District’s services and programs through external communication efforts?
There appears to be tension between wanting to remain ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and
producing more modern, innovative content that will engage various stakeholders in OCSD’s
service area.
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ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT – COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
Communications Observations
General
• OCSD splits its communications efforts between its internal audiences (employees,
Board of Directors, executive management team) and external audiences (ratepayers,
elected officials, community leaders, etc.).
• Several Public Affairs Office (PAO) staff centrally control execution of all internal and
external communications. Anecdotally speaking, staff feels they allocate equal time to
internal and external communications.
• Staff does not archive all external or internal communications in a single, central
location, though the MyOCSD SharePoint intranet houses many internal pieces.
• Tripepi Smith perceived a gap in effective communications from Plant No. 1 to Plant
No. 2. Some Plant No. 2 employees expressed they do not feel they receive the same
communication level as employees at Plant No. 1. Part of the difference is due to Plant
2 employees’ ability to check their work computers as often as office-based employees
at Plant 1.
o OCSD is constructing a new headquarters across the street from the current
Administration Building. This could exacerbate the perceived issue of lack of
communication between operations and management staff.
• In the world of social media, public agencies have to compete for attention with the
world’s largest brands. The PAO would like to focus on producing more content
(especially video) that is fun and inventive to capture external audiences better.
Strategy & Policy
• OCSD had an established Public Affairs Strategic Plan from July 2016 to June 2018 but
did not produce a plan for 2018-2020. Staff intends to develop the next Strategic Plan
for July 2020 to June 2022.
• OCSD directs the majority of external communications toward elected officials and
specific neighborhood groups that are close to CIP projects. As of this writing, there is
no emphasis or strategy on how to consistently reach all 2.6 million residents in OCSD’s
service area.
o As a result, OCSD does not advertise on any social media platforms, regularly
write Press Releases, or pitch stories to local media.
• OCSD has three communications-related policies: the OCSD Policies and Procedures
Unified Communications Policy, the OCSD Social Media Policy, and the OCSD
Personnel Policies Wireless/Electronic Communications (WEC) Policy.
• OCSD has a Brand/Style Guide, which is a best practice for public agencies. The PAO
ensures all branding is consistent on all OCSD collateral.
Website (ocsd.com)
• OCSD has an external-facing website at ocsd.com. Granicus hosts the website, which
operates on the Vision Content Management System.
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ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT – COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
• OCSD does not have an established Website Governance Policy that dictates who is
responsible for what content and technical features of the site. However, all staff who
have Editing privileges understand that the PAO must approve all content.
• The website has an SSL certificate, which is a best practice. It does not have an
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice.
• The IT Department has installed Google Analytics on the site, but staff does not
regularly view these analytics for reporting or strategic planning purposes.
Social Media
• Public Affairs Specialist Kelly Newell is OCSD’s primary social media manager.
• Graphics Designer Gregg Deterding and OCSD interns assist with developing photo
and video content for social media.
• OCSD’s LinkedIn Page has the largest audience of all OCSD social media platforms
(2,578 Followers), but the Page is not active.
• Staff provides a brief social media report to the Legislative & Public Affairs Committee
every month. Data includes number of posts, reach and impressions for each platform.
• Anecdotally speaking, few OCSD employees like/follow or engage with OCSD on social
media. There is an untapped opportunity for staff to share content with their friends and
family that highlights OCSD’s mission, vision and values.
Media/Press
• OCSD’s Unified Communications Policy spells out that all media inquiries should flow
to/through the Public Affairs Office; employees know and follow this directive.
• OCSD does not regularly write Press Releases or pitch stories to local media.
• OCSD has a media list with contact information for several media outlets including
radio, television, print and Vietnamese/Spanish outlets. Interns maintain and update this
list, though the frequency is unclear.
• OCSD uses Meltwater to monitor media mentions. Administration Manager Jennifer
Cabral receives all reports.
Direct Communications
• OCSD uses Constant Contact for email marketing (Five Minutes Per Month, and a
Biosolids Newsletter). As of this writing, there are 2,139 subscribers for Five Minutes Per
Month while the Biosolids Newsletter purposely has under 500 subscribers.
• OCSD does not email all internal publications directly to employees. 3 Things to Know
is currently the only publication PAO delivers to all employee inboxes. Others may
route through supervisors/managers or be on display at OCSD facilities.
• OCSD prints many internal communication pieces onsite, such as Digester,
SafetyGrams, Safe Bulletins, and Pipeline.
• Employees receive emergency notifications via email, office phones and OCSD-issued
mobile phones through the Send Word Now system.
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ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT – COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
Summarized Recommendations
NOTE: Tripepi Smith offers specific Action Items for each of these Recommendations in the full
version of the Communications Audit Report.
1 – Establish Relationships with Public Information Officers in Orange County
City and county public information officers (PIOs) are responsible for providing information to a
city’s and/or county’s constituents. PIOs typically have established processes for effectively
communicating with their constituents. Considering OCSD’s external audience includes
approximately 2.6 million Orange County residents, OCSD would benefit substantially from
forming relationships with PIOs in Orange County who could assist in disseminating OCSD
information to their shared audience.
2 - Leverage Additional Communications Platforms
OCSD’s LinkedIn Page has the largest audience (2,578 Followers) of all OCSD-managed social
media accounts, but the Page is not currently active. Additionally, 659 LinkedIn Users list
OCSD as their employer. OCSD should consider leveraging LinkedIn in their social media
strategy. Additionally, OCSD should take advantage of digital screens/signage throughout the
OCSD facilities to reach staff and visitors to campus.
3 – Consistently Analyze Available Metrics
OCSD should consider regularly analyzing and reporting on available website and social media
data. Staff currently provides a social media metrics report to the Legislative & Public Affairs
Committee but could expand this report. By consistently analyzing OCSD’s website and social
media data, OCSD staff can gather insights to use in improving its communications efforts.
4 – Increase Video Content
Across all digital platforms, video tends to be the most engaging content. OCSD should
consider increasing production of video content that resonates with its audiences and helps
disseminate information in an eye-catching way.
5 – Improve the ocsd.com Website
Search engine optimization on ocsd.com can help OCSD better reach its audience through the
ocsd.com website. There are also multiple Vision Content Management System features to
enable to improve website administration and user experience. OCSD should consider
completing the steps below to improve the website.
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ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT – COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
6 – Optimize Internal Communications
The Public Affairs Office creates several internal communications pieces to keep employees
updated. OCSD should consider combining, rescheduling and updating content on certain
communications to ensure they reach employees effectively and efficiently.
7 – Improve Communications with Field Level Employees
The Public Affairs Office’s internal communications pieces may not always reach field level
employees as consistently as they reach office staff.
8 – Optimize External Communications
The Public Affairs Office has several opportunities to enhance its external communications
strategy. However, these recommendations operate under the assumption that OCSD is
comfortable with drawing more attention to itself, its services, its infrastructure, and its staff.
9 – Take Inventory of Communications Collateral
Old communications collateral may spread outdated information about OCSD. The Public
Affairs Office should consider taking inventory of all internal and external collateral to ensure all
communications are up to date.
Conclusion
Compared to other California public agencies Tripepi Smith has assessed, the Orange County
Sanitation District has one of the most centralized and organized Communications processes. A
single team, with defined roles, produces and/or approves all internal and external
communication content. OCSD also has clear policies that outline expectations for staff when it
comes to producing communication content and interacting with both internal and external
audiences. The OCSD Brand/Style Guide is a particularly advanced best practice.
Overall, OCSD’s internal communication efforts are solid in terms of quantity, quality and
readership. A key question for OCSD’s leadership to consider now is: how much do you want
to ‘publicize’ the District’s services and programs through external communication efforts?
There appears to be tension between wanting to remain ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and
producing more modern, innovative content that will engage various stakeholders in OCSD’s
service area.
Thank you again for this opportunity to provide the Orange County Sanitation District with an
objective third-party assessment of its communication efforts. Should you wish to further
engage Tripepi Smith to execute on recommendations in this report, we are ready to assist.
Public AffairsPortfolio
Fiscal Year 2020-2021
3
Jennifer Cabral
Administration Manager
Meet The Team
Kelly Newell
Public Affairs Specialist
Daisy Covarrubias
Principal Public Affairs Specialist
Rebecca Long
Senior Public Affairs Specialist
Gregg Deterding
Graphics Designer
Belen Carrillo
Public Affairs Specialist
Cheryl Scott
Administrative Assistant
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Outreach 5
Special Events 19
Internal Projects 24
Branding 42
Reports 55
Other 67
Table of
CONTENTS
5
OUTREACH
6
OUTREACHPSA Contest
Wastewater has the word waste in it, but at Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) we have made wastewater a resource. Now we want you to showcase
that in a video. Be Creative! Put your Tik Tok, YouTube, and social media skills to good use, take our attached Fact Sheet and create a 15-59 second video that highlights the role of wastewater treatment.
A RESOURCE NOT A WASTE
WHO CAN ENTER:Students in grades 6-12 attending school within the OC San service area are eligible to enter.
FOR QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Email forinformation@ocsan.gov or message us through any of our social media channels @OCSanDistrict.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT VIDEO: April 30, 2021
Get some ideas and check us out on YouTube http://youtube.com/user/2OCSD
Visit OCSan.gov for contest guidelines.
PRIZES AWARDED:3 winning videos will each receive — $500
1 Instagram Viewer’s Choice Award — $2501 Facebook Viewer’s Choice Award — $250
Winners will be notified in June 2021 and will be posted to our Social Media pages and website.
03/2021
JUST THE VIDEO FACTS:
01/2021
1. The Orange County Sanitation District, or OC San for short, is a public agency that provides wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling services for approximately 2.6 million people in central and northwest Orange County.
2. The OC San collections system operates on a gravity ow basis. Most of the ow entering the system is moved by gravity force rather than pumps. In areas where ow is not able to enter the system by gravity, OC San has installed pump stations to assist with lifting the wastewater ow. In total there are 15 pump stations installed throughout the OC San service area. These pump stations are mostly located in areas with lower elevation. The pumps help lift the wastewater to a higher elevation so it can ow by gravity to one of our treatment plants.
3. Ever wondered how long it takes your wastewater to get to its nal destination? It takes wastewater anywhere between 10-12 hours to reach OC San’s treatment facilities in Fountain Valley or Huntington Beach from the most northern cities in the service area. Wastewater travels at about 2.5 to 5 miles per hour. When it arrives, the wastewater is put through OC San’s treatment process and is either sent to the Groundwater Replenishment System for water recycling or released into the ocean.
4. OC San makes biosolids which are the highly treated, safe, nutrient rich, organic material derived from the wastewater treatment
process. They are used to grow non-food crops such as hay. This is just one way that OC San is a Resource Recovery agency.
5. FOG — Fats, oil and grease may cause blockages, similar to clogged arteries, that could lead to sewage spills. FOG is a mixture from various cooking ingredients that should never go down your sink or pipes, these items can be butter and margarine, lard, meat fat, dairy products, food scraps, and baked goods. FOG should be collected and mixed with solid material such as coee grounds and tossed in the trash.
6. When poured down the drain, fats, oils, and grease better known as FOG, can build up over time in your pipes and OC San's regional sewer pipes. It can cause signicant problems to OC San’s sewer collection system, wastewater treatment plant, and your home. Some of the problems FOG can cause are sewer line blockages which can lead to spills in your community that cause environmental and public health hazards.
7. How to minimize fats, oil, and grease discharge. Can the FOG. Collect fats, oil, and grease in a disposable container like a metal can and mix it with absorbent trash such as coee grounds, paper towels, or kitty litter. The best way to manage FOG is to keep it out of the sewer system!
8. What eects can ushing pharmaceuticals cause? Studies show that hormones found in pharmaceuticals may cause abnormalities in
the reproductive cycles of sh. Let’s all join OC San and dispose of pharmaceuticals properly by crushing them, mixing them with dirt or coee grounds, and throwing them in the trash.
9. How to safely dispose of medications in the trash: Destroy the pills by wetting, crushing, and breaking them, then mix them in with coee grounds, kitty litter, or any other trash. Then throw it away in the trash.
10. OC San regularly monitors the marine life, sediment quality, and water quality within 38 square miles of ocean (an area the size of Santa Ana) o the Orange County coastline. The ocean monitoring program conrms the marine life and public are safe from any possible eects from the release of the treated wastewater. This is one of the many ways that OC San’s mission of protecting public health and the environment is met.
OC SanService Area(area enlarged)
OrangeCounty57
55
22
405
91
241
133
261
73
405
1
IRVINE
ANAHEIM
ORANGE
SANTAANA
FULLERTON
BREA
TUSTIN
YORBALINDA
HUNTINGTONBEACH
COSTAMESA
GARDENGROVE
SEALBEACH
BUENAPARK
NEWPORTBEACH
LAHABRA
WESTMINSTER
CYPRESS
PLACENTIA
FOUNTAINVALLEY
STANTONLOSALAMITOS
VILLAPARK
LAPALMA
PacificOcean
PlantNo. 2
PlantNo. 1
Video Contest Guidelines
Participants are to create an original video
that includes a fact from the Orange County
Sanitation District (OC San) Fact Sheet.
*Prizes:
Three winning videos will receive — $500 each
One Instagram Viewer’s Choice Award $250
One Facebook Viewer’s Choice Award $250
Who May Enter
Students in grades 6-12 attending a high school within the OC San service area. Entries can be a group or individual effort. Individuals and groups can submit more than one video but only one video can be submitted per fact. Students may not receive
more than one winning prize.
If you are unsure if you are within the
OC San service area, email forinformation@ocsan.gov for verification.
Deadline to submit video: April 30, 2021
A Resource Not a Waste
Flyer
Video Instruction Sheet
7
Alert
OUTREACHConstruction
Follow us @OCSanDistrict
May 2021
City of Newport Beach Nightwork on
Jamboree Road and
Back Bay Drive
May 25 – 26, 2021
12 a.m. - 6 a.m.
Dates and times are subject to change due to operational factors or inclement weather.
What is the work? Scheduled maintenance involves cleaning out hardened debris from the regional sewer pipes to help prevent further debris accumulation and extend its useful life and help minimize the risk of spills.
Where is this work taking place? Jamboree Road near Back Bay Drive in the City of Newport Beach.
What to expect? Traffic control will be set up to access the pipe through existing manholes. At least one southbound lane will be closed during the cleaning. Noise can be expected from the water jetting equipment used to clean the inside of the pipeline.
Who is OC San? The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) is the regional sewer provider for 2.6 million people in Orange County. OC San provides wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal services.
Approximate Work Area
Hyatt Regency
Questions?
Construction Hotline
714.378.2965
ConstructionHotline@ocsan.gov
www.ocsan.gov
*If it is urgent and work is taking
place, please call the OC San’s Control Center at 714.593.7025.
8
Construction Alerts
OUTREACHConstruction
OC San Construction Projects
Water Treatment Upgrades
As part of our rehabilitation efforts, this project will replace four existing primary clarifiers. The new primary clarifiers will have flat covers instead of the dome shape and will allow for much needed improvements including enhanced odor control which reaffirms our commitment to our neighbors and relocation of clarifiers off of any known existing fault lines.
The clarifiers are the first step in the Primary Treatment process where solids settle and then are removed as part of the wastewater process, removing 80 percent of solids in the water. From there, the water proceeds to the secondary stage of treatment.
Current clarifiers were constructed in the 1960s and have reached the end of its lifecycle.
Project construction will also include new sludge pump stations, odor control system, power building, and associated piping.
Project construction to begin in the summer of 2021.
Project requires an investment of $129 million for construction.
www.ocsan.gov
Twitter: @OCSanDistrict
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OCSanDistrictPhone: 714.962.2411
10844 Ellis Ave., Fountain Valley, CA 9270803/2021
OC San Construction Projects
Interim Food Waste Receiving Facility Meeting the Needs of our Community
As regional partners helping to meet the state’s new regulation of reducing organic material entering landfills by 75 percent in 2025, the Interim Food Waste Receiving Facility will support OC San member cities to divert food waste by receiving and storing pre-processed food waste so it can be fed to digesters for processing.
The project located at our Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach will provide support to fulfill the State of California regulations to reduce organics going to the landfill.
Enhances OC San’s collaborative partnership with the County of Orange, cities, community waste haulers, and other local agencies to find ways to beneficially reuse food waste and help surrounding communities reach mandated diversion requirements.
Decreases amount of greenhouse gases produced and emitted by increasing clean energy supplies.
The system will generate additional digester gas which will increase energy supplies on-site. The project helps OC San move towards its goal of becoming 100 percent energy self sufficient.
Project construction to begin in the summer of 2021.
Project requires an investment of $3.15 million for construction.
www.ocsan.gov
Twitter: @OCSanDistrict
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OCSanDistrictPhone: 714.962.2411
10844 Ellis Ave., Fountain Valley, CA 9270803/2021
OC San Construction Projects
Maintaining System Reliability Through Rehabilitation
The project will build a new Headworks facilities in order to rehabilitate and replace aging infrastructure at OC San’s Plant No. 1 in Fountain Valley. The goal of this project is to strengthen the reliability of the infrastructure, increase the lifespan of critical assets and improve plant-wide operations and services.
Headworks is part of the Preliminary Process, removing organics, sanitary products and other large materials before wastewater can be treated for reuse.
This project will increase efficiency, reduce possible odors and enhance reliability enabling OC San to continue with efficient wastewater treatment.
Improves electrical reliability providing for fewer power disruptions, increased safety and reduces the possibility of loss of service.
Project construction to begin in the summer of 2021.
Project requires an investment of $222.3 million for construction.
www.ocsan.gov
Twitter: @OCSanDistrictFacebook: www.facebook.com/OCSanDistrict
Phone: 714.962.2411
10844 Ellis Ave., Fountain Valley, CA 9270803/2021
9
Notice
OUTREACHConstruction
1
Interim Food Waste Receiving Facility at Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach
The facility will allow OC San’s member cities to divert food waste by receiving and storing food waste in digesters for processing. The system will generate additional digester gas which will increase energy supplies on-site.
The facility would (would or will?) help OC San’s member cities to meet State of California’s mandates to limit the volume of organic waste that can be delivered to landfills.
Enhances OC San’s collaborative partnership with the County of Orange, community waste haulers, and other local agencies to find ways to beneficially reuse food waste and help
surrounding communities reach mandated diversion requirements.
Decreases amount of greenhouse gases produced and emitted by increasing clean energy supplies.
Project construction to begin in the summer of 2021.
Project requires an investment of $2.66 million for construction. Headworks Rehabilitation at Plant No. 1 in Fountain Valley The project will rehabilitate and build new facilities at OC San's Plant No. 1 to increase the lifecycles
of critical assets, improve services of Plant’s wider operations and fulfill service goals.
Supports OC San’s responsibilities to receive and treat community waste? water supplies through improving treatment equipment and technologies.
The facility is the first step in the treatment process, removing organics, sanitary products and other large materials before wastewater can be treated for reuse.
Improves electrical resiliency and expands back-up power diversity to ensure fewer power disruptions and uninterrupted services, maintaining OC San’s public health and
environmental safety responsibilities.
Project construction to begin in the summer of 2021.
Project requires an investment of $292.2 million for construction.
Primary Clarifiers Replacement at Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach
This project will replace four existing primary clarifiers. The first step in the Primary Treatment process is settling the solids in clarifiers. The solids are removed from the clarifiers and wastewater proceeds to the secondary stage of treatment.
Current clarifiers were constructed in the 1960s and have reached the end of its lifecycle.
Project construction will also include new sludge pump stations, odor control system, power building, and associated piping.
Project construction to begin in the summer of 2021.
Project requires an investment of $129 million for construction.
www.ocsan.gov
Twitter: @OCSanDistrict
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OCSanDistrict
Phone: 714-962-2411
OC San 2021 Project
10844 Ellis Ave. Fountain Valley, CA 92708
10
GWRS Post Card
OUTREACHConstruction
CONCRETE POUR FOR TANKS
E Q U A L I Z A T I O N T A N K S
As part of the Groundwater
Replenishment System (GWRS)
Final Expansion, two large
equalization tanks are being
constructed at Orange County
Sanitation District’s (OCSD)
Huntington Beach plant. The tanks
will hold a combined 6 million
gallons of water and be 30 feet
high.
Over the next 6-9 months there
will be weekly concrete pours to
form the two tanks. Approximately
50 trucks per week will enter off of
Brookhurst Street.
GWRS is the world’s largest water
purification system for indirect potable
reuse. The result is high quality water
that meets or exceeds all state and
federal drinking water standards. The
project is a collaboration between OCSD
and Orange County Water District.
The final phase of the project is under
construction and expected to be
completed in 2023. Further details are
available on the website. Please visit
frequently and sign-up for alerts.
Construction Hotline: 714.378.2965
Email: ConstructionHotline@ocsd.com
Website: www.OCSD.com/GWRS
Orange County Sanitation District
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
10/2020
11
OUTREACHConstruction
Closure of westbound Virginia Ave. at
State College Blvd. is necessary as
crews prepare the area for street
restoration. Local traffic will need to
use adjacent streets to access State
College Blvd. Please use detour shown
in map.
As noted in previous alerts, over the next few weeks northbound State College Blvd. lanes will be reduced to one lane and bus stops will need be re-located between Wagner Ave. and Lincoln Ave. Please check www.OCTA.net for current bus route information.
Taking alternate routes is highly
encouraged.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sign up to receive text alerts and e-notifications at www.ocsan.gov/StateCollege.
DETOUR CONSTRUCTION ALERT
Virginia Avenue Detour at State College Blvd.
WHAT: Street Restoration Road Closure
WHERE: Virginia Ave. at State College Blvd.
WHEN: Intermittent over the next three weeks (April to early May 2021) *
Work Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closure will only be in place during work hours.
(*) Dates and times are subject to change due to operational factors or inclement weather.
4/20/2021
Notice Template
12
Postcard
OUTREACHConstruction
Learn more about theBay Bridge Pump Station
Newport Beach Residents
Existing Pump Statio
n
(See reverse for additional information)
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708-7018
www.ocsan.gov
04/2021
The Orange County Sanitation District Bay Bridge Pump Station was originally constructed in 1966. It is located on Coast Highway between the Bay Bridge and Bayside Drive in the City of Newport Beach.
Bay Bridge Pump Station
Visit the website for more information about upcoming
maintenance activities in the Bay Bridge Pump Station area
to ensure the safe collection, transportation and recycling of Newport Beach’s wastewater while protecting the public health, the Bay and the environment.
Contact the Construction Hotline 714.378.2965 or ConstructionHotline@ocsan.gov if you have any questions.
Connect with us @OCSanDistrict
Use your smartphone to scan or snap a
picture of this QR code and go directly to www.ocsan.gov/BayBridge to learn more.
13
Postcard
OUTREACHConstruction
(See reverse for additional information)
ATTENTION WESTMINSTER RESIDENTS
Westminster Blvd. Sewer Project
Westminster Blvd. & Bolsa Chica Rd. Intersection
CONTINUOUS WEEKEND WORK STARTING FEB 19
10844 Ellis AvenueFountain Valley, CA 92708-7018www.ocsan.gov
Westminster Blvd. Sewer Project
Sewer construction across the Westminster Blvd. and
Bolsa Chica Rd. intersection
Friday, Feb. 19 at 9 p.m. — Monday, Feb. 22 at 6 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m. — Monday, Mar. 1 at 6 a.m.
Some activities may be loud.
Dates and times subject to change due to operational factors and
inclement weather.
There will be traffic lane closures and turn restrictions.
Connect with us @OCSanDistrict
Use your smartphone to scan this QR code and go directly to
www.ocsan.gov/Westminster for
more information about this project
and upcoming work.
Questions? Construction Hotline 714.378.2965 or ConstructionHotline@ocsd.com.
14
Plant No. 1Neighborhood Newsletter
OUTREACHConstruction
theneighborhoodconnection
Spring 2021
published by the orange county sanitation district
OC San is a resource recovery facility
responsible for safely collecting, treating,
recycling, and disposing of wastewater
generated by 2.6 million people in central
and northern Orange County. We have two
treatment plants — Plant No. 1 in Fountain
Valley and Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach,
15 offsite pump stations, and 386 miles of
sewers that must be maintained and operated
on a daily basis. Being a resource recovery
facility means that we convert sewage into
useful products, principally water, energy, and
agricultural fertilizer.
In an effort to meet our mission to protect
public health and the environment we must
continuously invest in our infrastructure. Our
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) was
developed to do just that. Over the years the
program has evolved based on the need,
and our current 10-year CIP is focusing on
refurbishing and replacing our infrastructure
and maximizing resource recovery. OC San
plans to invest over $2.7 billion in our
infrastructure over the next 10 years.
This Orange County Sanitation
District (OC San) publication
is to keep you, our neighbors,
informed of our activities. This
newsletter will be published
quarterly and will be filled with
construction updates, sewer tips,
and items of interest. See the
“Keep the Newsletters Coming”
section on the backside to see
how you can continue to receive
this free newsletter.
We are in your neighborhood
Resource Recovery
15
Plant No. 2 Neighborhood Newsletter
OUTREACHConstruction
theneighborhoodconnection
{Vol. 1, No. 10} Summer 2020
published by the orange county sanitation district
Over the next several years,
Orange County Sanitation
District’s (OCSD) Capital
Improvement Program is
focusing on infrastructure and
resource recovery. This OCSD
publication is to keep you, our
neighbors, informed about
construction activities at our
Huntington Beach treatment
facility (Plant No. 2).
Over the summer, a crane hoisted a Remotely Operated Vehicle
(ROV) and lowered it into a 72-foot high surge tower. From there the
ROV started its journey down a five-mile pipeline to inspect it. This
pipeline is part of OCSD’s Ocean Outfall System. Treated wastewater
is pumped through the ocean outfall pipeline, beginning above ground
at Plant No. 2 and extending off the coast of Huntington Beach where
it reaches depths of 200 feet below the ocean surface. The 10-foot
(120-inch) diameter ocean outfall began operation in the 1970’s.
Equipped with sensors, the ROV collected video and sonar images
down the pipeline, making it the first time the interior of the pipe could
be safely inspected. Prior to this, inspecting the inside of the pipe was
not feasible as sending divers inside the pipe was too dangerous. The
data collected is part of a current study to assess the pipeline. The
sonar data collected will be used to build a 3D model of the pipe that
will be used for future capital improvement projects.
The inspection of the ocean outfall is expected to be completed
by end of the year. The last mile of the pipe has 4-inch portholes
every 25 feet to evenly disperse the treated water into the ocean.
Maintenance is taking place to scrape off barnacles that can clog the
outlet ports. Divers will be sent
down to the bottom of the ocean for
“hands-on” inspection. A 3D scan
of the outside of the pipe will be
combined with the internal
3D model for a detailed and
complete model of the pipe.
Look, up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s an…ROV?
16
OUTREACHSocial Media/Videos
17
OUTREACHSocial Media/Videos
18
OUTREACHEmployment
Orange County Sanitation District
MANAGER OFENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY AND OCEAN MONITORING
Recruitment Announcement
Mailer
19
SPECIAL
EVENTS
20
SPECIAL EVENTSState of the District
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
Friday, October 30, 2020
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
State of theDistrict
Join our General Manager and Board Chairman for our annual State of the District. During this virtual event, you will hear about our accomplishments throughout the year and highlights of our planned projects. The State of the District will showcase where we see ourselves going and exciting advances.
This year’s event will host a special presentation from Congressman Lou Correa.
An optional virtual tour of our Fountain Valley Plant will take place immediately following the event.
For more information or questions, email us at forinformation@ocsd.com
VIRTUAL EVENT
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
Friday, October 30, 20209 a.m. - 10 a.m.
State of theDistrict
Call Meeting to OrderBoard Chairman, David Shawver
Welcome and Pledge of AllegianceBoard Chairman, David Shawver
Orange County Sanitation District General Overview State of the District PresentationGeneral Manager, Jim Herberg
Adjourn Meeting Chair, David Shawver
Virtual Facility tour immediately following program
VIRTUAL PROGRAM
Program
Invitation
21
Prepared by Board Services
What is a Virtual Tour?
According to Wikipedia: A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location, usually
composed of a sequence of videos or still images. It may also use other multimedia
elements such as sound effects, music, narration, and text.
How do you Create a Virtual Tour?
A Virtual Tour can be done using a variety of platforms from a live or recorded video, to a
GIS software, to something as simple as PowerPoint. We did ours on a GIS platform and attendees logged on live via Microsoft O365. However, you can use other platforms based
on your organizations preference, knowledge, and comfortability. The attendees log on via
a direct link they received during the registration process. Once they were logged on for the
tour, they were greeted by our Assistant General Manager as their tour guide. .
Why a Virtual Tour?
With the Governor’s Stay Home Orders and the requirements to social distance we have
had to find new ways to do our daily work, activities, and our outreach. We knew we wanted
to continue telling our story through the very interactive and lasting efforts of our tour
program, so without the physical tour as an option, the next best solution was to offer the experience virtually with a personal touch.
What to know before organizing a Virtual Tour? Before you develop your virtual tour decide on which platform you want to use for example,
would you want to use PowerPoint and broadcast it via Zoom or maybe Microsoft O365, or
live video. For this, it is recommended to work with your IT department and utilize the system
that is most suitable for your network taking into cybersecurity considerations along with
bandwidth concerns and using a system that you are most comfortable with and have the
most experience with. Additionally, run multiple tests over and over and over. You would be
surprised at the number of bugs you run into especially if your presentation is large or has a lot of videos embedded.
How do you market your tour? For us, that was the easiest part. We sent invites out to our email list and to our past tour
attendees, OCSD contacts, community members and industry professionals. In total, we
had about 100 attendees over the span of two consecutive tours. People interested in taking
the tour signed up on our OCSD.com website. During the registration process, attendees
provided their contact information which we can add to our email contact database.
Additionally, all interested parties received a reminder email a couple of days before the live
Virtual Tour with the login information.
10844 Ellis Avenue, Fountain Valley, California 92708 | 714.962.241108/2020
Orange County Sanitation District
Virtual Tour Tips and Tricks
CASA Conference Flyer
SPECIAL EVENTSState of the District
22
SPECIAL EVENTSAssociation of California Cities - Orange CountyMedia Training
ACCOC Public Policy AcademyMedia Relations 101
Presented by:
Rebecca Long
Senior Public
Affairs Specialist
February 12, 2021
Presentation
23
SPECIAL EVENTSAnaheim Kiwanis Club
Kiwanis Club of Greater Anaheim OC San: Your Regional Sewer Provider
Presented by:
Daisy Covarrubias,
Pr. Public Affairs Spec.
Presentation
24
INTERNAL
PROJECTS
25
Monthly Bulletin
Please be sure to obtain supervisor approval for all events and presentations during work hours.
digesterdigesterthethe
AUGUST 2020
Phishing websites have a lifecycle of about 15 hours.
To reduce the chances of being detected and blocked, scammers are constantly creating new phishing sites and deactivating old ones.On average, phishing sites are live for only 15 hours. By the time someone reports a malicious site and the organization has updated its security measures and warned employees not to click the link, the fraudster is already well on their way to their next scam.So, what can you do? Do not click on any suspicious emails and report the email by clicking on the Phish Alert button on your Outlook toolbar.
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
Drum Roll… The Results Are In.
Heal the Bay just released its 2019-2020 beach report card and Orange County beaches are some of the best in the state.
Heal the Bay monitors over 500 beaches along the 840 miles of coast, 95 percent of the Orange County beaches received above average grades during dry-season months which is when beaches are used the most.
Orange County had the most beaches on the Honor Roll with 20, which is double what it had last year. This is a clear indicator that our collection, treatment, monitoring efforts and our dry weather urban runoff diversion program are protecting ocean water quality. Want to learn more? Visit www.healthebay.org.
Did you know
School Tips for the Fall
With the COVID-19 virus still in full effect — this year’s back to school time might look a little different for everyone.
Remember to set your children up for success whether it is online or in the classroom by doing these few simple things:
• Have a dedicated space for them to do schoolwork (kitchen table, bedroom, office or desk).
• Create a schedule which will mimic school (have a set time for academics, play, lunch, snack, music and art).
Whether your children are learning online, or at school, make sure your child’s mental health and wellbeing are looked after. They are struggling just as much as you are during this trying time.
Due to COVID-19, employees will have additional flexibility to make any necessary changes to their 2020 medical, dental, vision and/or Healthcare Flexible Spending Account enrollments during a Special Enrollment Window held from August 3-17. Watch MyOCSD for more details and instructions for logging your changes in WORKTERRA.
Special Benefits Enrollment Window
You took the survey and we are working on incorporating your comments and results into the program. You chose the winning logo and we love it too! So, what’s left? On the survey there were some questions that were asked regarding OCSD “U”, past programs and what our plans are now? To view the questions and the answers, check out MyOCSD.
Employee Bi-MonthlyNewsletter
YOUR SOURCE FOR OCSD NEWS AND INFORMATION
JULY/AUGUST2020
SummerEDITION
INTERNAL PROJECTSEmployee Communications
26
Employee Event - VIP Luncheon
INTERNAL PROJECTSEmployee Communications
Web Banner
27
INTERNAL PROJECTSEmployee Communications
OCTOBER 1-15, 2020
BENEFITS
OPEN
ENROLLMENT
OCTOBER 1-15, 2020OPEN ENROLLMENT is your once-a-year opportunity to review the benefits available to you and your family through the Orange County Sanitation District’s group benefit plans and to make any necessary changes for the upcoming benefit plan year.
BENEFITS OPEN ENROLLMENT
Post Card
Banner
28
Certificate
I amEssential
Chris Cervellone
In recognition of your commitment to
community outreach and education by participating in the
Volunteer Incentive Program
July 2019 - June 2020
____________________________________
James D. Herberg, General Manager
INTERNAL PROJECTSEmployee Event - VIP Virtual Ceremony
Giveaway
29
Staff Appreciation Giveaway
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Executive
Management Team, please accept this token of our
appreciation for all that you’ve done this year.
Even though we can’t be together physically,
we are together in spirit.
We wish you a wonderful holiday season with
your loved ones and please stay safe.
Happ Holidays
fro OC Sa
Dave ShawverBoard Chairman Jim HerbergGeneral Manager
Staff HolidayCard
INTERNAL PROJECTSHoliday Celebration
30
Face Mask
Web Site Banner
INTERNAL PROJECTSCOVID-19 Communications
Key Chain
31
MaximumOccupancy
COVID RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE
6
Break Room Signage
INTERNAL PROJECTSCOVID-19 Communications
32
INTERNAL PROJECTSCOVID-19 Communications
Manual
OC SanReturn toOffice Guide
33
Handout
ASSET DEFINITION FLOW DIAGRAM
Does the candidate perform a substantial role in
the collection, treatment, or effluent process?YES
Is the candidate required to provide
levels of service?YES
Does the candidate require preventive or
predictive maintenance?YES
Does the candidate have a maintenance orother information tracking need?YES
NO
NO
NO
ASSET
INTERNAL PROJECTSEngineering
34
GUIDE TOBUSINESS
Board of Directors’
2021
Board Member Book
March 2021 Heart of Treatment Plant Moves into Construction The Headworks Project, OC San’s largest construction contract to date at $222,330,000 was awarded this month. This project is rehabilitating the point of entry for nearly 120 million gallons of wastewater that enters Plant No. 1 in Fountain Valley. Headworks will be rehabilitated while keeping the facility operational 24/7 which poses added complexities and risk. The construction Notice to Proceed is scheduled for April 2021 and is expected to take 6½ years to complete. A Resource Not a Waste Video Contest – Now Open for Middle and High Schoolers As environmental stewards, our goal is to educate the younger generations on the impacts and contributions of our actions. Our goal is to help our community understand the value of wastewater, and to do so we are launching a video contest among middle and high school students in our service area to spread the message that wastewater is a valuable resource. Contest information can be found at www.ocsan.gov/video. Headquarters Update The Headquarters Project invitation for bid advertised to pre-qualified contractors on January 29 with bid opening scheduled for April 27. A construction contract will be awarded to the lowest and responsive pre-qualified bidder at the May Steering and Board meetings and the construction Notice to Proceed is still on schedule for June 2021. Additionally, to ensure a dedicated team through the completion of the project a Request for Proposal was issued for third party construction management services. A contract to the selected firm will be awarded at the April Board meeting.
OC San Sewer Construction Project Updates Seal Beach and Westminster Specific - Construction progress on the Westminster Blvd. Sewer Project
continues. Major work is currently taking place in the City of Westminster at the Bolsa Chica Channel, the intersection of Bolsa Chica Road and Westminster Blvd., and along Westminster Blvd. at University Street.
With significant portions of construction in the streets of City of Seal Beach completed, the project will be accelerating the restoration and final paving as much of the roadway next month. Construction is still on scheduled to be completed by fall 2022. Contact OC San’s community liaison at 714-378-2965 or
ConstructionHotline@ocsan.gov for more information about the project.
Anaheim and Fullerton Specific - The State College Sewer Project continues. Laterals are being connected to the newly installed sewer and street restoration is underway in Anaheim. In Fullerton, the previously installed sewer constructed under Phase A is being connected with the newly installed sewer of Phase B.
Also, in Fullerton, manholes within Craig Regional Park are being accessed to inject chemical grout into the pipe to stop the groundwater infiltration. Construction is slated to be completed by summer 2021.
Questions can be directed to the Community Liaison at 657-208-7900 or at ConstructionHotline@ocsan.gov.
Board Member Talking Points
INTERNAL PROJECTSBoard Member Outreach
35
Dear Ann,
We would like to express our sincerest appreciation for your service and dedication to OC San. Our agency would not be what it is today without your contributions. You should take great pride in your role in protecting the public’s health and the environment over the past 16 years. Although we cannot get together to thank you in person, we wanted to make sure to let you know how much you are appreciated and to congratulate you on your retirement.
We wish you the best of luck and good health in all your future endeavors! Sincerely,
_________________________ _________________________
David John ShawverBoard Chairman James D. Herberg General Manager
INTERNAL PROJECTSEmployee Recognition
Retirement Poster
Thank You Card
36
Web Banner ⸺ Health Fair
W i n n e r s a r eWinners a r eAnd t h eAnd t h e Don’t they look happy? That’s because they are.
That could be you next time!
Aaron ArceDivision 830 Sid DownerDivision 830
Andy DaSilvaDivision 760
Tyler RamirezDivision 250
Lorenzo GonzalezDivision 830
Not Pictured:
Stephen Markus Division 830
Jan Gramley Division 870
Shaine Pires Division 880
Web Banner ⸺ Core Award Winners
INTERNAL PROJECTSHuman Resources
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StudentInternship
VocationalInternship
Partnerships
EmployeeDevelopment
Recruitmentand Selection
OCSD U
TALENT PIPELINE
PowerPoint Slide Graphic
INTERNAL PROJECTSHuman Resources
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INTERNAL PROJECTSHuman Resources
Sandy
OC San U Logo
OC San U Mascot “Sandy”
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Name Badges and Parking Hangers
INTERNAL PROJECTSRisk Management
Board Member
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Employee Contractor
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INTERNAL PROJECTSOther
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ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT (OC San), Geographical Information Systems, Information Technology — Disclaimer: This map is intended for graphical representation only. No level of accuracy is claimed for the base mapping shown hereon and graphics should not be used to obtain coordinate values, bearings or distances. Sources: OC San, Rand McNally (Thomas Bros), ESRI (topo basemap)
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0 10 20 30 405Miles
OC San Biosolids are Hauled 280 Miles to Yuma, Arizona
What you flush or wash down your sink canend up in Biosolids. You can help protect theenvironment. Find out more
High Quality Biosolids Start at Home
OC San closely monitors the day-to-day handling and operations of its biosolids contractors. Trucks hold approximately 25 tons of biosolids each and are inspected daily to ensure they are safe.Truck drivers undergo continual training. Also, the biosolids land application sites are regularly visited and must adhere to strict regulations.
www.ocsan.gov
Schedule Effective Feb 2021Revised: 3/16/21
During OC San’s wastewater treatment process, solids are filtered and settled out. The solids are treated to reduce bacteria and odor. Treated solids are called Biosolids. OC San strives to find ways to recycle this nutrient-rich, mud-like organic material. Every week, OC San ships between 40-60 truckloads of Biosolids to Tule Ranch to be used as soil amendment and fertilizer for animal feed crops.Did youknow?By returning carbon-rich biosolids to the soil, we “capture” the same amount of carbon dioxide that 9,500 acres of trees would remove from the atmosphere! That is equal to removing the truck emissions from burning 1.3 million gallons of gasoline.
OC San TreatmentOC San TreatmentPlant No. 2Plant No. 2in Huntington Beach
TuleTuleRanchRanch
Poster
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Brochure
Environmental Protection Agency Graphic
Contact OC San’s Control Center to inform them that the Collections staff arrived at the site.
Step 1
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Whom To Call
Have the following information ready for the Control Center Operator:
• Your name and position
• Your direct phone number
• Time and date that the spill was visually noticed
• Spill Location i) Physical address if known and city ii) Cross-Streets or Reference Landmarks
• Location of the flowing sewage such as manhole, cleanout, etc.
• Is sewage flowing into or toward a storm drain?
Required Information
Additional information, if known:• Cause of spill? Roots, grease, construction, etc.
• Initial volume of spill?
Small (<1,000 gallons), medium (1,000 to 10,000 gallons), large (10,000 or greater gallons)
• Spill start time and date if known
Documentation
Details
Call OC San’s Control Center at 714.593.7025
Draw a rough sketch of wet area. Take pictures of:
• Origin of spill
• Storm drains and catch basins impacted by spill
• Path of spill (show wet and/or dry areas)
Communicate
Remain on-site until OC San’s Collections staff arrives and coordinates a response.
Follow up
Step 2
SewageSpill
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
06/2021
ResponseandNotificationProcedures
INTERNAL PROJECTSOperations and Maintenance
OCSDPlant No. 1
Reclaimable Treatment Train
Non-Reclaimable Treatment Train
EffluentJunction Box
OCWD EQTank & Pumps GWRS
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Ocean Outfall Booster Station
Discharge Point 001
Reclaimed Water (Non-Potable)
Reclaimed Water (Indirect-Potable)
EFF-001 (Normal)
EFF-002 (Maintenance)
EFF-002 (Emergency)
OCSD Plant No. 2
Recycle Flow
Backwash
INF-001
PlantInfluent
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Backwash
RO BrineWastes
Exist 66-inch interplant line
EFF-002 (Emergency)
Discharge Point 002
Discharge Point 003
SARIInfluent
OverflowWeirBox
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BRANDING
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BRANDINGCorporate Identity
Corporate Identity Standards
Manual
Updated March 2021
Identity Standards
OC San Logo
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BRANDINGCorporate Identity
10844 Ellis Avenue, Fountain ValleyCA 92708-7018 • www.ocsan.gov
714.593.7119 (office)
714.478.5763 (cell)
dcovarrubias@ocsan.gov (email)
Daisy Covarrubias
Principal Public Affairs SpecialistLetterhead
Business Card
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BRANDINGCorporate Identity
TEAMS Generic Background
TEAMS State of the District Background
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BRANDINGCorporate Identity
Tour Bus Branding
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BRANDINGCorporate Identity
S E W ER
Manhole Sewer Lid Designs
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Vehicle Signage
BRANDINGVehicle Graphics
Nerissa Signage
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BRANDINGSignage
Reception Desk Graphic
OC San Door Graphics
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BRANDINGSignage
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Website Home Page
JOHN WITHERSChairman of the BoardOrange County Sanitation DistrictIrvine Ranch Water District
JAMES D. HERBERGGeneral ManagerOrange County Sanitation District
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Anaheim, Stephen Faessel • Brea, Glenn Parker • Buena Park, Art Brown • Cypress, Stacy Berry
Fountain Valley, Patrick Harper • Fullerton, Jesus J. Silva • Garden Grove, Steve Jones
Huntington Beach, Kim Carr • Irvine, Anthony Kuo • La Habra, Rose Espinoza • La Palma, Marshall Goodman
Los Alamitos, Mark Chirco • Newport Beach, Brad Avery • Orange, Kim Nichols • Placentia, Chad Wanke
Santa Ana, Johnathan Ryan Hernandez • Seal Beach, Sandra Massa-Lavitt • Stanton, David Shawver
Tustin, Ryan Gallagher • Villa Park, Chad Zimmerman • Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Robert Ooten
Midway City Sanitary District, Andrew Nguyen • Irvine Ranch Water District, John Withers
Yorba Linda Water District, Brooke Jones • Orange County Board of Supervisors, Doug Chaffee
PAO 06/2021
Plant No. 2 Poster
BRANDINGSignage
52
Masthead Designs
3 things to knowOC SAN
3
OC SAN
OC SAN
BRANDINGEmployee Communication
53
BRANDINGCommunications
AGENDA
Welcome toOrange CountySanitation District
Plant No. 1 Electronic Signage
Memo Template
54
388 miles of sewers
480 square miles189million gallons per day2.6 million population20cities, 4 special districts
15 pump stations2treatment plants
Our Service Area
Our
Facilities
Reclamation Plant No. 1Fountain Valley Treatment Plant No. 2Huntington Beach
BRANDINGCommunications
PowerPoint Design
55
REPORTS
56
Annual Report Design
REPORTS
57
BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENTCOMPLIANCE REPORT
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
EPA 40 CFR Part 503
Year 2020
Plant No. 1 truck loading and centrifuge facilities with trickling filter clarifiers in the foreground.
Biosolids Report Cover Design
REPORTS
58
Budget Update Design
Orange County Sanitation District, California
FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022
BUDGETUPDATE
REPORTS
59
CIP Annual Report Design
Capital Improvement Program
Orange County Sanitation District
Fiscal Year 2019/20
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORTS
60
Orange County, California
Orange County Sanitation DistrictFirst Quarter Financial Report
for the period ended September 30, 2020
Financial Report Cover Design
REPORTS
61
Orange County Sanitation DistrictComprehensive AnnualFinancial Report
for the year ended June 30, 2020 Orange County, California
Financial Report Cover Design
REPORTS
62
Financial Report Cover Design
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTMid-Year Financial Report
for the period ended December 31, 2020
Orange County, California
REPORTS
63
Orange County Sanitation District, California
2020 Asset Management Plan
Asset Management Plan Cover Design
REPORTS
64
Financial Report Cover Design
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTThird Quarter Financial Report
for the period ended March 31, 2021
Orange County, California
REPORTS
65
Investment Policy Report Cover Design
INVESTMENT POLICY
Calendar Year 2021
Adopted December 16, 2020
REPORTS
66
Resource Protection Annual Report Cover Design
Orange CountySanitation District
RESOURCE PROTECTION DIVISION
Annual Report
PRETREATMENT PROGRAM
2019-20
REPORTS
67
OTHERLogo Concepts for California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA)
CASA
WATERENERGY
CASA
Water EnergyCalifornia
CASA
WATERENERGY
CASA
Water EnergyCalifornia
CASA Logo Design
Public Affairs Office10844 Ellis Avenue | Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Website: www.ocsan.gov | Social Media: @ OCSanDistrict
06/21
7/1/2021
1
Public Affairs Year End Report
2020‐2021
Presented by:
Jennifer Cabral,
Administration
Manager
Legislative and
Public Affairs
Committee
July 12, 2021
Public Affairs Office
2
1
2
7/1/2021
2
Jennifer Cabral, Administration Manager
•Daisy Covarrubias, Principal Public Affairs Specialist
•Rebecca Long, Senior Public Affairs Specialist
•Kelly Newell, Public Affairs Specialist
•Belen Carrillo, Public Affairs Specialist
•Gregg Deterding, Graphic Designer
•Cheryl Scott, Administrative Assistant
Extension of Our Team
•Tanya Chong, Principal Staff Analyst (Engineering)
•Jennifer Wein, Staff Analyst (Engineering)
•VIPs
Public Affairs Staff
3
PAO Strategic Plan
4
3
4
7/1/2021
3
PAO Strategic Plan
806 communication
pieces
30 speaking
engagements
10 awards
4 press releases
22 articles
755 social media
posts
OC Register Water
Insert
OC San logo –cont.
55 website post
P1 Newsletter
36 tours
Inside the
Outdoors –virtual
Year End Update
5
PAO Strategic Plan
6
5
6
7/1/2021
4
PAO Strategic Plan
40 Printed
Notifications
46 website
updates
7 Presentations
Outreach Audit
56 Leg. Bills
13 Federal Letter
4 State Letters
24 Letters of Support
Received
Monitoring
Year End Update
7
COVID Response 12 GM Reports
GM Work Plan
Strategic Plan Update
SOTD – 140 guests
(virtual)
Annual Report
4 Outreach Toolkits
12 Board Member
Speaking Points
8
Headquarters Building Branding
Annual Report
State of the District
Updated Video Library
Community Newsletter
City Council Members Tour
Media Training
Grant Policy
Heritage Museum
Up Next
7
8
7/1/2021
5
For more information
Visit us at: OCSan.gov
Follow us: @OCSanDistrict
Also on…
9
9
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
Agenda Report
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
File #:2021-1618 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:3.
FROM:James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
CONSTRUCTION OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT REPORT
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Construction Outreach Communications Review and Audit 2021.
BACKGROUND
As outlined in the Public Affairs Strategic Plan,one of the goals is to develop and implement outreach
programs that will engage the communities affected by the Orange County Sanitation District’s (OC
San)Capital Improvement Program (CIP)construction projects.To properly assess the effectiveness
of the current program,an audit was conducted that consisted of internal and external surveys and
interviews as well as a thorough review of outreach material and the communication process.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
·Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
·Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
·Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators,stakeholders,and
neighboring communities
PROBLEM
OC San’s Construction Outreach Program has been in place for many years.Over time,programs
can become stagnant and lose their effectiveness.Periodic assessments are necessary to
determine the relevance and value of the programs and be able to make appropriate changes.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Conduct a thorough review and audit of OC San's construction outreach communications,with the
goal of identifying the program’s strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats.Specifically,
identify how well OC San communicates when relaying information regarding capital improvement
projects and prepare to enhance communications for future projects.
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 1 of 2
powered by Legistar™
File #:2021-1618 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:3.
TIMING CONCERNS
Several CIP projects are scheduled to commence in the next few months,having the assessment
completed prior to the start of construction will allow changes and modifications,if necessary,to be
made before outreach efforts begin.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
OC San’s CIP is a critical component of the agency’s operations and communicating the benefits and
necessity of the improvement programs is imperative to the success of each project and the program
as a whole.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
July 2020 - Approval of the Public Affairs Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2022.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A Consultant was hired to conduct the audit which consisted of material review and evaluation,
internal and external interviews, a comparative review, and recommendations.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
All items included are in the FY 2020-2022 Budget.
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s)may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov)with the complete agenda
package:
·Construction Outreach Communications Review and Audit 2021
·Public Affairs Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-22
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 2 of 2
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Dear Ms. Covarrubias:
The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) has continuously fulfilled its mission to protect
public health by spearheading notable sewer treatment service projects throughout Orange
County. As OC San continues to lead large-scale projects, it is important to the public and to
the OC San Construction Outreach Team that the district is transparent and proactive with
communications regarding pending and ongoing impacts and benefits resulting from OC San's
Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
As the team at the helm of both internal and external communications, OC San’s Outreach Team
connects OC San and the public. Ensuring that your team has the resources, tools and insight to
inform OC San's audiences is essential to the agency's ongoing success.
To assist your office in gauging the effectiveness of your current community outreach
communications and to assess any areas for growth, Communications LAB embarked on an
audit of OC San's communications and construction outreach program in February 2021. Our
intensive assessment consisted of three tasks: 1) an audit of OC San's existing communications
materials, outreach program and tactics, 2) internal ascertainments (surveys and interviews with
OC San's internal stakeholders) and 3) external ascertainments (surveys and interviews with OC
San city partners, residents and business owners). We also analyzed public agencies with service
areas or missions comparable to OC San.
How well is OC San currently communicating with its ratepayers and city partners? How satisfied
are stakeholders with OC San's outreach efforts during construction impacting their homes or
businesses? What communication methods are most effective when communicating with
stakeholders? These are some of the stakeholder perceptions we sought to understand.
Given the scope of the data collected, this report is divided into eight sections: Section 1:
Purpose of the Audit and Assessments, Section 2: Methodology, Section 3: Communications
Audit, Section 4: Internal Ascertainments, Section 5: Community Ascertainments, Section 6:
Comparative Review, Section 7: SWOT Analysis and Section 8: Key Recommendations. It is our
goal to work with OC San's Construction Outreach Team to further strengthen OC San's
community outreach efforts and optimize your agency's success.
Sincerely,
CEO, COMMUNICATIONS LAB
2
Section 1: Purpose of Audit & Assessments
With 25 capital projects with a total
construction value of more than
$550 million during the 2020-21
Fiscal Year alone, OC San’s
Construction Outreach Team is
working diligently to deliver
proactive, thorough and transparent
communications.
Despite OC San's readiness, in 2020,
the COVID-19 pandemic brought
about new communications
challenges that effectively
eliminated in-person interactions
for more than 12 months, leading
organizations like OC San and its
partners to "think outside the box."
Through these challenges, OC San’s
Construction Outreach Team
continued to have the unique responsibility of communicating project benefits and impacts to
the public.
In the face of new shifts in communication and given many projects on OC San's docket, the
Construction Outreach Team felt the timing was right to conduct a thorough review and audit of
OC San's construction outreach communications, with the goal of identifying the office's
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Specifically, we sought to understand how well OC San communicates when relaying
information regarding its capital improvement projects. In this way, this forward-looking team
can prepare their office and enhance communications for future projects.
3
Section 2: Methodology & Assessment Techniques
Task 1: Audit: Let's Look Back
There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to community outreach. Each agency is as unique as its
audience. To understand and effectively assess OC San's construction outreach communications,
we began our engagement by taking a "snapshot" of OC San's past and current outreach
efforts.
As part of our approach, we requested information and content from past outreach efforts. This
included collateral materials, electronic communications and tactical plans. OC San staff
presented us with more than 30 communications materials, including flyers, PowerPoint
presentations, notices, fact sheets, project maps, community surveys, postcards, brochures and
newsletters. Communications LAB staff then analyzed each communication material presented.
Among the metrics considered were
platforms, tools, appropriate use for the
targeted audiences, messaging,
image/visual consistency, feedback loops
and whether the communication material
aligned with the outreach team’s stated
community outreach goals. We also
evaluated OC San's social media channels
(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and
YouTube) to ensure that the platforms are
effective and that messaging is consistent
across platforms. Audit findings were
recorded and will be explored further in
our Audit Findings-Marketing
Materials/Branding section (pg.16).
Task 2: Internal Ascertainments: What do OC San's Internal
Stakeholders Think?
Before we delved into public opinions, we wanted first to understand how OC San's internal
stakeholders view the construction outreach communications program. As the stakeholders with
the most intimate knowledge of the program, it was necessary to gauge the feelings and
opinions of this critical stakeholder pool before we looked outward. This internal assessment
4
consisted of surveys and interviews. Understanding the sensitivities that may come from
expressing honest views about one's place of work, the survey and interviews were conducted
with the understanding that individuals would not be named within the report, thereby
encouraging honest feedback.
Internal Survey Process: Working in conjunction with OC San's Construction Outreach Team,
we quickly realized that there would be a need to design two internal surveys: Internal Survey I
for a broad audience of internal stakeholders with varying degrees of knowledge regarding the
construction outreach communications program and Internal Survey II, which included all of
the questions posed in Survey I with three additional questions intended for staff who are part
of the community outreach team. The extended survey questions specifically sought to measure
workload and capacity.
Internal Survey Questions: Internal Survey I consisted of 16 questions, while Internal Survey
II consisted of 19 questions. Below are the questions posed:
1. How many years have you worked with OC San?
2. What is your affiliation with OC San?
3. How are you involved with OC San's community/customer communications?
4. In your opinion, what should be OC San's number-one goal as it seeks to inform
community stakeholders of project benefits/impacts?
5. Construction Information: What do you think is OC San's best community
outreach tool to relay construction information to the community?
6. Public Meetings: What do you think is OC San's best outreach tool to inform the
community of public meetings?
7. Emergency Communications: What do you think is OC San's best community
outreach tool to reach people in case of an emergency?
8. OC San's top community outreach strength is (select from the options provided)
9. Are there any areas where OC San's community outreach program can
improve/grow?
10. If you answered YES or I am not sure to question 9, in what areas can OC San's
community outreach program improve?
11. How could OC San reach a broader audience when conducting community
outreach efforts, especially now that COVID-19 has restricted in-person outreach?
Are there any tactics or strategies that you think OC San is not currently engaging
in that would be more efficient?
12. What three words describe your working relationship with OC San's community
outreach representatives/liaisons?
13. Do you feel you are given sufficient opportunities to provide input regarding the
messages that are related to the community by the community outreach team?
5
14. What is the number-one complaint/a common complaint you hear from the
community regarding OC San capital improvement projects? Anything outreach
related? If this question does not apply to you, please write N/A in the box.
15. On a scale of 1-5 (5 being completely agree, 1 being completely disagree) rate
your agreement with the following statements regarding the role of OC San's
community outreach representatives/liaisons.
16. Is there anything else you would like us to know regarding OC San's current
outreach program?
Internal Survey II included the additional three questions:
1. If applicable to your OC San job responsibilities, on average, how many hours per
week do you spend working on general OC San communications specific for
outreach purposes (employees, community, board of directors) and or in
preparation for messages going out to the same audiences?
2. If applicable, what OC San communications task takes the most of your time?
3. If applicable to your OC San job responsibilities, at this time, do you have any
bandwidth/capacity to accommodate additional communications responsibilities?
Copies of the surveys are available in Appendix A (Internal Survey I) and Appendix B
(Internal Survey II).
Internal Survey Distribution Overview:
Audience: With the guidance of OC San staff, we identified a pool of 175 stakeholders to
take Internal Survey I and seven stakeholders to take Internal Survey II.
Platform: The survey was hosted on SurveyMonkey, a trusted and user-friendly
platform that allows for in-depth data analysis.
Distribution Method: Both surveys were delivered to internal stakeholders via a
Constant Contact email. The email explained the purpose of the survey and directed
stakeholders to the SurveyMonkey link with their corresponding survey. A copy of the
email shared with stakeholders is available as Appendix C (Email Blast)
Survey Window: Both surveys were distributed simultaneously on March 31, 2021. The
survey window remained open for a period of 21 days through April 20, 2021. During
this time, we sent three email reminders to encourage stakeholders to submit their
feedback.
Responses: At the conclusion of the internal survey window, we received 65 responses,
60 responses for Internal Survey I and five responses for Internal Survey II.
Internal Interview Process: Building off the survey, we collaborated with the OC San staff to
identify key stakeholders—such as board members, engineers, project managers, outreach
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consultants and an assistant general manager— they felt would give meaningful, in-depth
feedback on how they perceive the OC San's construction outreach communications.
From March 8 to May 14, 2021, our team conducted six stakeholder interviews, which lasted on
average 30 minutes, via Zoom. During this time, we sent four reminders to stakeholders inviting
them to participate. Considering the varied experience of this diverse stakeholder pool, internal
stakeholders were asked questions depending on their stakeholder category; the questions are
included below and categorized by stakeholder group:
Internal Interview Questions:
All interviewees answered the following questions:
1. In your opinion, what is the number-one goal of OC San's community outreach
program?
2. Of the following, what do you think is OC San's most efficient community outreach tool?
i. Emails
ii. Text Messages
iii. Website
iv. Mailed Flyers/Notices/Newsletters
v. In-Person Presentations
vi. Social Media
3. What would you say OC San does well with regards to community outreach?
4. Are there any areas where OC San's community outreach program can improve/grow?
5. How could OC San reach a broader audience when conducting community outreach
efforts, especially now that COVID-19 has restricted in-person outreach? Are there any
tactics or strategies that you think they're not currently engaging in that would be more
efficient?
For board members only:
6. Do you feel the updates you receive regarding OC San's Community outreach efforts are
adequate in keeping you informed of what's happening in the community?
7. What are your overall expectations of OC San's Community Outreach program?
For staff and contractors/consultants only:
8. What three words describe your working relationship with OC San's Community outreach
representatives/liaisons?
9. Do you feel you are given sufficient opportunities to provide input regarding the
messages that are related to the community by the community outreach team?
a. Follow up: In your assessment, are there any opportunities for increased
collaboration with the community outreach team?
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10. (If applicable) What is the number-one complaint/a common complaint you hear from
the community regarding OC San capital improvement projects? Anything outreach
related?
11. On a scale of 1-5 (5 being completely agree, 1 being completely disagree) rate your
agreement with the following statements:
a. "OC San's Community Outreach representatives/liaisons play a critical role in the
success of OC San's construction projects."
b. "I view OC San's Community Outreach representatives/liaisons as partners whom
I can work with to enhance my project's performance."
c. "I understand that constant communication with OC San's Community Outreach
representatives/liaisons regarding a project's status is key in the delivery of a
successful project.
For staff with first-hand knowledge, oversight of the program (Contractor &
Agency Staff in oversight role)
12. (If applicable) On average, how many hours per week do you spend working on regular
OC San communications vs. project-based communications?
i. Follow up: What communications task takes the most of your time?
13. (If applicable) At this time, do you have any bandwidth to accommodate additional
communications responsibilities?
Task 3: External Ascertainments: What do OC San's ratepayers
and partners think?
The next critical step in our process was to gauge the
opinions and experiences of external stakeholders—
specifically ratepayers (residents and business owners)
and city partners—who can provide first-hand accounts
of their experience with OC San's construction outreach
program. For these external ascertainment assessments,
we conducted a similar two-pronged approach modeled
after the internal assessment process. We designed a
communications survey through the online platform
Survey Monkey and interview questions for the pool of
stakeholders identified.
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Community Survey Process: Shifting our focus to external stakeholders, we worked with OC
San staff to draft a community communications survey. The survey was intended to understand
how effective OC San is when communicating project benefits/impacts to ratepayers impacted
by sewer construction projects. The survey needed to be clear in what it sought to achieve and
directed stakeholders to focus solely on their experience with OC San construction outreach
communications, not with construction-related impacts such as noise levels, traffic restrictions,
access limitations, etc. Construction-related impacts, while a priority, fell out of the scope of this
assessment. To encourage honest opinions, we did not collect any names as part of this survey,
but we offered stakeholders the opportunity to provide their home or business addresses.
Community Survey Questions: The community survey consisted of 12 questions:
1. Is your address a business or residence?
2. Would you like to provide us with your address?
3. Which major OC San construction project has impacted your home/business?
a. State College Sewer Construction (Anaheim/Fullerton)
b. Westminster Blvd. Sewer Project (Seal Beach/Westminster)
c. Fountain Valley Plant (Ellis/Euclid Avenue)
d. Huntington Beach Plant (Brookhurst Street)
e. Headquarters Complex (Fountain Valley)
f. Not sure
4. Please indicate the level to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:
a. I was notified before the project near my home/business began.
b. I was informed of how the project would impact me (for example, noise,
vibration, traffic, restricted turns into my track, etc.).
c. Once the project began, I knew the anticipated project schedule and/or project
duration.
d. As the project was underway, I knew how to contact OC San with questions or
concerns.
5. Did you have any contact with OC San staff during the project construction?
6. If you answered "yes" to question 5 above, please rate your level of satisfaction with
the interaction(s) you had with OC San staff. (5 stars=very satisfied, 1 star=very
dissatisfied)
7. Was there anything about the project that you wished you had known more about?
Please type your response below.
8. OC San used the following methods of communication to reach out to residents
affected by major construction projects. Please rate your level of satisfaction with the
quality of the information you received or note that you did not receive/notice the
form of outreach.
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9. Overall, what was your level of satisfaction with OC San's efforts to keep you
informed during the project that impacted your home/business?
10. In the future, what is the best way for OC San to inform you of the benefits/impacts
of construction projects? (You may mark more than one option)
11. OC San engages community members and partner agencies (cities, districts, etc.) well
before a construction project begins, often years in advance. Please share your level
of familiarity with the following communications outreach efforts.
12. Is there anything else you would like us to know regarding OC San's communications
outreach?
A copy of the survey is available in Appendix D (Community Survey).
Community Survey Distribution:
Audience: With the guidance of OC San
staff, we determined that this survey would
be intended for the community at large and
would be made available to any member of
the public who accessed the survey link.
Platform: The survey was hosted on
SurveyMonkey, a trusted and user-friendly
platform that allows for in-depth data
analysis.
Distribution Method: After discussing the
distribution plan with OC San staff, we
determined that the survey should be
distributed via OC San's Facebook page and
a text message to stakeholders on OC San’s
distribution list. This would allow
community stakeholders who have some
level of engagement with OC San and its
projects to participate in the survey.
Survey Window: The community survey
was distributed on April 26, 2021. The
survey window remained open for a period of 14 days through May 10, 2021. At the
conclusion of the survey window, we received 24 responses from throughout OC San’s
service area.
Community Interview Process: The last component of our community assessment was a series
of interviews with ratepayers (residents and business owners) impacted by OC San projects and
city partners in Anaheim, Seal Beach and Westminster. From April 29 to May 14, 2021, our team
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conducted seven stakeholder interviews, which lasted on average 20 minutes, via Zoom. During
this time, we sent two reminders to stakeholders inviting them to participate. Given the different
experiences of residents compared to city partners, we developed two sets of questions catered
to the stakeholder's experience. Again, when soliciting this public input, we made it clear that
our assessment focused solely on construction outreach communications, not construction-
related impacts.
Community Interview Questions:
Residents & Businesses
1. When the project began, were you aware that the Orange County Sanitation District
(OC San) was the agency leading the construction of the project near your
home/business?
2. OC San begins engaging stakeholders who will be impacted by projects years before
the start of construction. Were you aware of or did you attend any of OC San's public
meetings on the construction project near your home/business?
3. In your opinion, do you feel you were adequately notified before the project near
your home/business began? What would be the appropriate time for advanced
notification?
4. Did you understand how the project would impact you directly? (For example, were
you informed of lane reductions, turn restrictions, vibrations, bus stop closures, night work,
etc.)
5. Once the project began, did you know what was the anticipated project
schedule/how long the project was scheduled to last?
6. Do you feel OC San kept you informed of new potential project impacts that arose
during construction?
7. Are you aware that OC San has a 24/7 construction hotline for questions or concerns
regarding construction?
8. How satisfied were you with your level of interaction with OC San's community
liaison?
9. Did you feel that the information you received regarding the project was easy to
understand—not enough/too much information?
a. Did you feel the content gave you enough background information on the
project?
b. What information would you have liked to receive that you didn't get?
10. OC San uses many different methods of communication (mailed notices, door
hangers, construction signs, social media, text messages, construction web pages, in-person
presentations) to reach out to residents affected by major construction projects. What
form of outreach did you receive?
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11. What is the best way for OC San to contact you to share information regarding
project benefits/impacts? (example: mailed notices, door hangers, construction signs,
social media, text messages, construction web pages, in-person presentations)
12. Are you aware that OC San coordinates with cities to mitigate potential construction
impacts to the community?
13. Overall, what was your level of satisfaction with OC San's outreach during the
construction impacting your home or business? Any areas for improvement?
City Staff:
1. What department do you work for?
a. What is your current involvement with OC San's outreach team?
2. In your opinion, which city departments/offices/groups should the OC San
community outreach team coordinate with in regard to community outreach?
3. Do you feel you were informed of new project updates in a timely manner?
4. (If applicable) What was the most common complaint you heard from the community
regarding the OC San capital improvement project impacting your city? Anything
outreach related
5. How can we reduce the number of calls going to your agency? How can OC San better
support you?
6. Was there anything about OC San's Community Outreach approach you wish you had
known more about? Anything OC San could have done better?
7. What would you say OC San does well with regards to community outreach?
8. Based on your interactions/communications with OC San, what do you think is the
number-one goal of OC San's Community Outreach program?
9. How could OC San reach a broader audience when conducting community outreach
efforts, especially now that COVID-19 has restricted in-person outreach? Are there any
tactics or strategies that you think they're not currently engaging in that would be more
efficient? For example, many public agencies have begun hosting virtual interactive town
halls where residents can tune in to learn about a project and ask questions in real time. Is
there anything you've seen that would make a great addition?
10. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
With the methods and framework of our assessments in place, we move on to discussing the
findings of our audit and assessments.
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Section 3: Communications Audit
Background
Since 1954, OC San has protected public health and the environment by providing effective
wastewater collection, treatment and recycling. To achieve this mission, OC San leads many
projects of varying duration, value and impact. In the last year and a half alone, OC San has
invested $500 million in wastewater infrastructure throughout Orange County.
To meet the ever-growing communication demands of OC San, the agency maintains a Public
Affairs Office located in the General Manager's Office. The Public Affairs Office is responsible
for OC San's media relations, internal and external communications, community relations, public
education and outreach, social media, website, special events, agency branding, collateral
materials, graphic design and crisis communications.
The office's goal is to develop and manage a total communications program in accordance with
OC San's Core Values and Strategic Plan. Communications LAB began our audit by first
understanding the composition and role of the Public Affairs Office, which leads community
communications.
The Capital Improvement Project (CIP) construction outreach program is a collaborative effort
between OC San’s Public Affairs Office and Engineering Administration staff. The CIP Outreach
Program organizational structure is composed of one manager, two program leads and six
support staff.
Staffing Overview
NAME TITLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Jennifer Cabral Administration Manager ● Oversight of CIP Outreach Program.
● Coordination of communications with the
Executive Management Team, Assistant
General Managers, General Managers and
Board of Directors.
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Daisy Covarrubias
Tanya Chong
Principal Public Affairs
Specialist
Principal Staff Analyst
(Engineering)
Co-manage program including:
● Outreach plans
● Collateral materials
● Website development
● Social media
● Stakeholder engagement
● Coordinate with cities
● Complaint management,
● Day-to-day oversight of project activities,
etc.
Belen Carrillo Public Affairs Specialist ● Video creation
● Notification development
● Stakeholder identification
● Distribute information
● Social Media coordination
Kelly Newell Public Affairs Specialist ● Notification development
● Stakeholder identification
● Distribute information
Jennifer Wein Engineering Staff Analyst
(Engineering)
● Notification development
● Stakeholder identification
● Distribute information
Gregg Deterding Graphic Designer ● Graphic design
Cheryl Scott Administrative Assistant ● Clerical support
● Invoicing
● Assist with distribution and miscellaneous
tasks.
Rebecca Long Senior Public Affairs
Specialist
● Legislative relations/outreach
● NOTE: Staff is not typically involved in
construction outreach except for crises or
emergencies.
Outreach Support
OC San's Construction Outreach Team receives additional outreach support via sub-consultants
provided by the project’s design consultant (i.e. State College Sewer Construction Program).
They do not have a direct contractor/consultant relationship with OC San.
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CATEGORY TITLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Contractor Community Outreach
Representative/Liaison
● Represent OC San
● Serve as the face of the community and the organization
● Develop and implement community outreach plan,
● Work in tandem with the technical team and contractors.
● Serve as reference for questions and updates about the project.
● Provide information to the public.
● Provide quick responses and resolutions to community
concerns to keep the project moving forward.
Current Projects
At the time of this assessment, the Construction Outreach Team reported working on
communications for the following construction projects.
❏ Four collections projects
❏ State College Sewer Construction
(Anaheim)
❏ Westminster Blvd. Sewer Project
(Westminster)
❏ Los Alamitos Trunk Sewer (Los Alamitos)
❏ Bay Bridge Pump Station (Newport
Beach)
❏ Plant No. 1 (P1) Fountain Valley Headquarters
❏ Headquarters Complex Site Preparation
❏ Perimeter Security Project
❏ Overall P1 activity
❏ Plant No. 2 (P2) Huntington Beach
❏ GWRS
❏ Primary Clarifiers
❏ Food Waste
❏ Overall P2 activity
Total reported: nine defined projects in addition to
the overall activity at Plants No. 1 and 2 and small
projects throughout OC San’s service area. Especially
noteworthy are the four collections projects that have
increased impact on the community. Two of these
collections’ projects are active construction projects while the other two are in the pre-
construction phase which also requires coordination and outreach.
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Future Projects
To understand the Construction Outreach Team’s future workload, we asked them to share a list
of upcoming projects. A full list of projects planned is available in Appendix E (OC San
Construction Advertising Schedule).
Listed below are projects occurring over the next three to four years, which are expected to
require more effort according to staff. Collections projects are of special importance to the team
because they are within the community. Projects at Plant No. 1 and Plant No. 2 are of note
because of their size, duration, and visibility or impact to neighbors. It is important to note that
pre-construction outreach efforts begin well before construction begins, thereby expanding the
outreach team’s workload far beyond what is listed below.
❏ Collections:
❏ Orange-Western Sewer Rehab (Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress) –Start Year:
2021
❏ Los Alamitos Trunk Sewer (Los Alamitos, Seal Beach) - Start Year: 2021
❏ Gisler - Red Hill Interceptor Rehabilitation (Irvine, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa)
- Start Year: 2022
❏ Bay Bridge Pump Station and Force Main (Newport Beach) - Start Year:
2023
❏ Seal Beach Pump Station (Seal Beach) – Start Year: 2023
❏ Cypress Trunk Sewer east/west – Cypress, Los Alamitos, La Palma -2023
❏ Taft Improvements (Orange) – Start Year: 2024
❏ Plant No. 1:
❏ Headworks Rehabilitation - Start Year: 2021
❏ Headquarters - Start Year: 2021
❏ Perimeter improvements - Start Year: 2021
❏ Plant No. 2:
❏ Ongoing GWRS activity
❏ Food waste
❏ Digester Rehab - Start Year: 2026
❏ Clarifiers Replacement - Start Year: 2021
Total reported: 14 defined projects in addition to the overall activity at Plants No. 1 and 2 and
small projects throughout OC San’s service area. Especially noteworthy are the seven
collections systems projects, which will require extensive outreach efforts. In 2023 alone,
OC San will have projects in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Irvine, Newport Beach, Seal Beach,
Cypress, Los Alamitos and La Palma.
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Audit Findings
During our internal communications audit conducted in February 2021, we assessed OC San's
existing communications materials, strategies, tactics, media tools, messaging, frequency of the
message, platforms, image/visual consistency and metrics used for measuring results. From the
beginning of the audit, it was evident that OC San had a strong construction outreach program.
Community Outreach Plan
When asked to share their community outreach plan, OC San presented an outreach outline in a
document in draft form, available as Appendix F (Community Outreach Plan). The document
detailed goals, the role of the community outreach representative/liaison, factors considered to
determine outreach strategy, collateral material types, information to include in notices,
distribution boundaries, notice schedules, methods of distribution, meeting types and other
ways to keep stakeholders informed.
The communications plan was analyzed by our team, which includes staff with decades of
experience in community outreach and public noticing. We compared the plan to the outreach
plans of similar public agencies we have worked with and determined the plan has clear goals, is
thorough and considers the uniqueness of each project and the community impact. We
recommend the Construction Outreach Team formalize the adoption of this outreach plan so
that all staff within the team recognize it as the guide for all outreach efforts.
● Construction 24/7 Hotline
In addition to the outreach plan, the office reported having a 24/7 Construction Hotline
available in English and Spanish. Feedback received through the hotline is tracked by
month and project. We reviewed the logs for the Westminster Sewer Project
Construction Hotline for March 2020-February 2021 and the State College Sewer
Construction log for December 2020. The records showed that the bulk of the
community's concerns are related to construction impacts including debris, noise levels,
detours and vibrations.
● In-Language Communications: Understanding that it serves a diverse community, OC
San reported translating materials into Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese based
on the demographics of the impacted area.
● Media Relations: When questioned about outreach to local media outlets, OC San
reported it does not typically inform the media of outreach projects. OC San mainly
responds reactively to media inquiries.
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Marketing Materials/Branding
When asked to share outreach materials shared with stakeholders, OC San presented more than
30 collateral pieces. Each piece was analyzed to assess its effectiveness considering the
following: communication platform, communication tools, target audience, visual consistency,
messaging, the availability of a feedback loop and whether the piece was appropriate for the
targeted audience. The full audit review is available in Appendix G (Audit Materials). Overall,
the materials presented were deemed to be effective in both messaging and visual consistency.
We also evaluated each piece to determine whether it aligned with the stated goals of the
outreach team as memorialized in the draft outreach plan. All pieces followed a clear theme of
orange and blue (colors found in OC San's logo) and were written using clear, user-friendly
terminology.
During this analysis, we found some instances where a project name differed from one piece to
the next. It’s important to ensure that project names are the same across communications to
avoid any confusion. Some communications utilized font colors and backgrounds that may be
difficult to read, especially for older residents. We also discovered that while OC San has a Corp
ID Standards Manual that serves as the style guide for the agency, it does not cover social
media postings. Incorporating social media postings into the manual will help further establish
OC San's internal and external position and will be explored further in this report.
Social Media
Following the evaluation of OC San's marketing
materials, we evaluated OC San's social media
channels to ensure alignment in messaging. We
reviewed the following platforms: Facebook
(@OCSanDistrict), Instagram (@OCSanDistrict),
Twitter (@OCSanDistrict), and YouTube (@2OCSD).
Overall, we found good use of social media,
informative and engaging posts, with relevant
content. There is also a consistent use of blue and
orange colors and good use of dedicated hashtags
(example: #ocsdstatecollege). OC San reported not
using the paid features to promote its posts (boosts,
ads). In our evaluation of social media graphics, we
found that fonts and images vary significantly by
post. For example, see the two Facebook posts
below:
Although social media posts should be unique, it is
important to have some degree of visual consistency
so that stakeholders who follow OC San's social
media channels can recognize the communications
as being those of the district.
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Section 4: Internal Ascertainments
Survey Takeaways
The internal survey gave stakeholders numerous opportunities to share their personal opinions,
feelings and observations. A full copy of the internal survey responses is available in Appendix
H (Internal Survey I Responses) and Appendix I (Internal Survey II Responses). Because the
questions for both internal surveys were the same, except for three supplemental questions
asked of staff who are part of the outreach team, we aggregated the data of the questions that
were the same for both groups.
From these 65 responses, we collected several key takeaways.
There was a virtual tie regarding what respondents see as the outreach team’s top strength:
❏ 37% of respondents believe OC San's top community outreach strength is
informing the public prior to the start of construction to minimize surprises and
complaints, while 32% felt OC San's top community outreach strength is
demonstrating respect, concern and good faith by quickly responding to address
issues and providing reasonable solutions to concerns or complaints.
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❏ When asked about OC San's goals as it seeks to inform the community, there was a
pattern in the goals identified. Transparency, increased understanding of project
benefits/impacts, advance notifications, proactive communications and informing
residents of the value of OC San projects were the most common goals stated.
Effective Communications Platforms
❏ Construction Information: 52% of respondents believe 'Mailed Flyers/Notices and
Newsletters' are the top outreach tool to relay construction information to the
community.
❏ Public Meeting Information: 59% of respondents believe 'Mailed
Flyers/Notices/Newsletters' are the top outreach tool to relay public meeting information
to the community.
❏ Emergency Communications: 51% of respondents believe "Text Messages" are the top
outreach tool to reach people in case of an emergency, followed by "Social Media,"
which was selected by 19% of respondents.
Areas for Improvement
Internal Survey I
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Internal Survey II
❏ 68% of combined respondents were "not sure" when asked if there were any areas
where OC San's community outreach program could improve/grow.
❏ Among those stakeholders who had a recommendation for improvement, more virtual
outreach options was selected as the top recommendation, followed by increased
partnerships with community organizations and improved internal communications
between OC San team members.
Reaching Broader Audiences
❏ When asked how OC San could reach broader audiences, especially following the
COVID-19 pandemic, respondents mentioned social media more than any other
outreach method, followed by emails and OC San's website.
Views Regarding the Construction Outreach Team
❏ Staff who are not part of the Construction Outreach Team used overwhelmingly positive
adjectives to describe their working relationship with the outreach team/liaisons; among
the most mentioned descriptors were “good,” “collaborative” and “helpful.”
❏ Among the outreach team, respondents used words like “teamwork/collaborative,”
“strong” and “transparent” to define the working relationship within their team.
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Opportunities for Input
● 60% of OC San staff who are not part of the Construction Outreach Team reported
feeling they are given sufficient opportunities to provide input regarding the messages
relayed to the community by the outreach team. (See chart below)
Perceived Value of Outreach Team
❏ OC Staff who are not part of the Construction Outreach Team understand the value of
the team’s efforts.
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❏ 86% of respondents completely agree or agree that outreach representatives
play a critical role in OC San's success of OC San's Construction Projects.
❏ 85% completely agree or agree that OC San's outreach representatives/liaisons
are partners who enhance the performance of OC San projects.
❏ 86% completely agree or agree that regular communication with OC San's
outreach representatives/liaisons regarding a project's status is important in the
delivery of a successful project.
Top Complaint:
❏ The number-one complaint heard from the community regarding OC San capital
improvement projects is “noise and traffic.” Neither complaint is outreach related.
Interview Takeaways
❏ Internal stakeholders interviewed had an overwhelmingly positive opinion of OC San's
outreach efforts and team.
❏ Comparatively, interviewees who have worked with other agencies believed OC San
stands out for the quality of their outreach.
❏ When asked about the perceived number-one goal of OC San's efforts, interviewees
believe OC San's goal is to be proactive, inform residents about impacts and who to
contact; OC San should also take ownership of its projects - owning the communication
channels with community stakeholders.
❏ Best Communications Methods: While there was no consensus on which outreach tool
is most efficient, social media, mailers (especially for older residents), emails and text
messages were the most mentioned.
❏ A few interviewees felt that the website might not be the ideal method to
communicate information.
❏ What does OC San do well with regard to community outreach?
❏ Responsiveness - OC San staff are responsive to resident concerns and requests
and conduct communications in a personalized manner.
❏ Prioritizing public impacts - When choosing between contractor preference or
community impacts, OC San focuses on resolving public impacts, which can at
times result in redesigns, something which engineers understand.
❏ Interviewees believe OC San can reach a broader audience through webinars, social
media, flyers, emails and text messages.
❏ Interviewees describe their relationship with OC San as “responsive,” “productive,”
“easy,” “successful,” “positive,” “proactive,” “professional” and “caring.”
❏ The top complaints received are not outreach related and focus on construction,
from the length of the project to traffic and businesses concerned about access.
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❏When asked to rate the role that OC San's outreach representatives play on a scale
of 1-5, all interviewees gave staff a rating of 5, meaning they “completely agree” that
the outreach team plays a crucial role.
Areas for improvement identified by internal stakeholders:
❏Streamline In-Person Community updates: A board member identified the
opportunity to streamline in-person presentations by focusing more on
information that residents may be interested in (ex. project impacts). The
stakeholder felt that at times, in-person presentations can get "too into the
weeds" with staff providing too many technical details.
❏Content Package: Board member did not recall receiving any direct information
from OC San in their capacity as a council member in one of the cities impacted y
one of OC San's most recent construction projects.
❏Contractors are reportedly not following agreed-upon plans.
❏Expand Partnerships with Community Partners by using existing websites of
community partners to share impacts to the community (cities, schools, Angels-
notify residents via their website).
Notes from the interviews with internal stakeholders are available as Appendix J (Internal
Interview Notes)
Section 5: Community Ascertainment
Survey Takeaways
We shifted the second portion of our assessment outward to gauge the opinions of community
stakeholders. As with the internal ascertainments, we worked with OC San's community outreach
team to identify external stakeholders who could provide insight into the program. We began
our external assessment with a community survey. A copy of the complete survey responses is
available in Appendix L (Community Survey Responses).
From these 24 community responses, we collected several key takeaways.
❏54% were impacted by the State College Sewer Construction, 38% were impacted by the
Westminster Blvd. Sewer Project and 4% were impacted by the Huntington Beach
Complex project.
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❏ 79% completely agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement "I was notified before
the project near my home of business began." The remainder of the respondents "neither
agree nor disagree." None disagreed with the statement.
❏ 79% completely agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement "I was informed of
how the project would impact me."
❏ 83% completely agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement "Once the project
began, I knew the anticipated project schedule and/or project duration."
❏ 75% completely agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement "As the project was
underway, I knew how to contact OC San with questions or concerns." 13% somewhat or
completely disagreed with the statement. (See chart below)
❏ The average satisfaction rating from residents who interacted with OC San staff was 3.3
out of 5 stars. (See star rating below)
NOTE: in our experience, most residents who interact with an agency during a
construction project tend to report problems/concerns that may impact their perceived
satisfaction.
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❏ Noise, project duration and vibration are some of the topics on which residents would
like more information.
Effective Communications Platforms
❏ 43% of residents reported not noticing OC San's social media posts. Of those who
noticed, only 33% reported being somewhat or very satisfied with the quality of social
media communications.
❏ 44% of residents reported not seeing OC San's in-person presentations. Of those who
reported noticing in-person presentations, only 39% reported being somewhat or very
satisfied with the quality of the information.
❏ 86% of residents reported being somewhat or very satisfied with text messages.
❏ 70% of residents reported being somewhat or very satisfied with the construction web
pages.
❏ 71% of residents reported being somewhat or very satisfied with the quality of
information of the emails. (See chart below for details)
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❏ Overall, 83% of residents reported being very or somewhat satisfied with OC San's
efforts to keep them informed during the project that impacted their homes/businesses.
(See chart below for details)
❏ Residents identified text messages as the top platform to learn of project
benefit/impacts. (See chart below)
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❏ 52% of residents reported not being aware that OC San has a 24-hour construction
hotline.
❏ 50% of residents knew that OC San coordinates with city partners to mitigate impacts to
the community and that the agency hosts public meetings to review impacts before a
project begins. (See chart on next page for details)
Interview Takeaways
External interviewees included staff from city agencies who partner with OC San in Anaheim,
Seal Beach and Westminster, as well as residents and business owners in the areas above. These
three cities have been impacted by some of OC San’s recent construction projects.
City Partners Interview Takeaways:
❏ City partners have a favorable view of OC San's outreach team and trust that staff
handles city and resident inquiries promptly.
❏ City partners believe OC San has a strong outreach program when compared to
other agency partners (County of Orange, Caltrans).
❏ City partners believe OC San does a good job coordinating with construction services
in the respective cities through project status meetings.
❏ The most common complaint received is once again not outreach related but rather
regarding the duration of the project, traffic and business impacts.
❏ City partners would like to see better construction management as contractors are
reportedly not following agreed-upon plans (for example: beginning new segments
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without first finishing construction of segments already underway or changing
construction schedules). This can impact the ability to notify the affected
area/neighborhood.
❏ While there is a recognition that there are issues with the contractors and
subcontractors, OC San's outreach team receives high marks.
❏ The outreach team is identified as OC San's "shining star."
❏ City partners believe current methods of communication are effective.
❏ Partners believe the number-one goal of OC San's community outreach program is
keeping people informed.
❏ Text messages and online platforms were highlighted as effective platforms.
Areas for improvement identified by City Partners:
❏ Construction Signs:
❏ Use more changeable message signs.
❏ Use more updated project maps (assuming the schedule is followed).
❏ Consider posting more "big boards" so that those who drive through
construction areas recognize the project as being an OC San
improvement and can have access to contact information (phone number
and website).
❏ PIO Communications: Build relationships with city public information officers
who can push out notifications via city platforms.
❏ Streamline In-Person Community Updates: When conducting in-person
presentations, engineers may over-explain things. City partners would like to see
a focus on community impacts, mitigation efforts and resources for affected
residents.
❏ Contractor/Subcontractor Relationships: There are reported disagreements
between city partners and OC San regarding project specifications and
restrictions on contractors.
Business and Resident Interview Takeaways
❏ Residents interviewed had an awareness of OC San's role in the project that impacted
their homes/businesses.
❏ Residents felt they were informed in a timely manner of the project and impacts and
gave OC San's outreach team and community liaison high marks for
communications responsiveness.
❏ Emails were identified as a great method of communication.
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Areas for improvement identified by residents/business owners:
❏ Vibration Notifications: Residents reported unexpectedly high levels of
vibration. They would have liked to understand more about this particular impact
before construction began.
❏ Coordination with Cities: Residents reported that construction projects were
conducted back-to-back, causing extended construction periods in their
neighborhood.
❏ Updates: A business owner interviewed would have liked to receive more
regular updates; the interviewee was not aware of the availability of website sign-
ups for project updates.
❏ Damages (not outreach related): One interviewee reported property damage
allegedly caused by construction, specifically vibration, and is seeking
compensation for the repairs. As of now, the interviewee reported this matter has
not been resolved in his favor.
❏ A second community member reported similar property damage, but in
that case, the contractor has reportedly agreed to repair the damages.
Both residents were impacted by the State College Sewer Construction
project.
NOTE: In both instances it is important to note that damages reported to OC San are
forwarded to the contractor for follow up and handling as required by the contract. As the
construction contractor is required by contract to indemnify OC San, the district does not
determine if claims are approved or denied.
Notes from the interviews with external stakeholders are available in Appendix K (External
Stakeholder Interview Notes).
Construction Outreach Team Capacity Assessment
As OC San looks towards the future and takes on more large-scale projects that impact the
community directly, having a robust construction outreach program is as important as having
the right sized team. With this in mind, we sought to understand the workload of the current
team executing outreach tasks, as well as identify what tasks take the most time and what
additional capacity (if any) is available.
For this assessment, we asked staff who are part of the Construction Outreach Team six
supplemental questions:
1. Please describe your role (job duties) within the OC San Public Affairs Office.
2. Which of your job responsibilities takes the most of your time?
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3. At this time, do you have any bandwidth/capacity to accommodate additional
communications responsibilities?
4. Is there any job duty with which you would like assistance/outside support?
5. Are there any additional resources that you need to be successful in your current role?
6. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Assessment Takeaways
❏ Three staff who execute outreach tasks reported having no additional capacity.
❏ One staff member would like outside support generating social media content. Upon
request, Communications LAB can provide information on how some Orange County
public agencies receive external social media support.
❏ We recommend OC San explore staffing support options to meet the future needs of the
Construction Outreach Team, especially as three members reported having no additional
capacity and there are projects in the next three to four years that will generate a
significant workload. Section 6 reviews how other public agencies with missions and
outreach programs comparable to OC San structure their public outreach divisions. This
information may be helpful as OC San’s looks to strengthen its staffing.
A copy of the supplemental survey responses summarized above can also be found as
Appendix N: Supplemental Survey-Outreach Staff
Section 6: Comparative Review
After completing our internal and external assessments, we wanted to understand how OC San's
construction outreach program measures up to comparable public agencies. We compared and
contrasted each agency to the efforts of OC San to understand if there were any strategies,
tools, or tactics that may be appropriate for OC San to pursue. The agencies reviewed were:
● Los Angeles Sanitation District (LASAN-City of Los Angeles)
● Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD)
● Orange County Water District (OCWD)
● Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)
Our review consisted of assessing project websites, notices, flyers, community meeting videos,
methods of sending notifications and social media accounts/platforms. A full copy of this review
is available in Appendix M (Agency Comparison).
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Review Takeaways
❏ Overall, OC San's outreach program is similar in scope and quality to that of the
agencies analyzed.
❏ OC San's "construction program projects" page is under the "residents" tab, which
requires some extra navigation. OCTA and LASAN have project tabs available on their
main page, which makes locating the information easier.
❏ To register for text messages, OC San requires residents to visit the project website;
OCTA simplifies the enrollment process by allowing residents to register by texting a
number provided on outreach materials (example: Text SouthOCInfo at 67076)
❏ OCTA and LACSD post virtual community meetings and construction updates on
their websites/social media where residents can view them at any time to learn about a
project.
❏ LASAN and LACSD use the platform NextDoor to share updates with residents.
❏ LASAN features a "community collaboration section" on their project pages, which
details their outreach and mitigation efforts.
❏ LACSD’s in-person construction update presentations include neighborhood
councils, breakfast clubs, rotary clubs, chambers of commerce and neighborhood
association updates. This information is subsequently published on project pages.
❏ OC San's Facebook presence is almost the same as OCWD and LACSD. LASAN has 13K
followers and OCTA has 6K followers.
❏ OCTA and LACSD create project-specific social media pages to keep residents informed.
❏ LACSD posts construction update videos and updates in Spanish on their project web
pages.
❏ OCTA partners with Waze.com to provide navigation updates, construction alerts and
detour information through project areas.
❏ LACSD provides a “request a presentation” option on their project pages to request
presentations before a group/organization.
Agency Staffing Comparison
In addition to evaluating communications, we collected staffing information from the public
information sections at LASAN, LACSD, OCWD and OCTA. Our goal is to provide OC San with an
overview on how agencies with comparable outreach programs and missions are staffed.
Los Angeles County Sanitation District (LACSD)
LACSD’s Public Information Section is within the Facilities Planning Department and is
composed of 11 staff:
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LACSD’s PIO reported that they have recently filled the Graphic Artist Specialist vacancy.
One of the two graphic artists may get promoted to the Graphics Production Coordinator
position (a lead position) but they reported they will try to get by with two graphics specialists.
They are also seeking to fill the intermediate typist clerk position once they return to the office.
The typist clerk position fields calls and manages tour logistics.
Los Angeles Sanitation District (LASAN)
LASAN’s Public Affairs Office has a unique composition. LASAN’s Public Affairs Office is funded
by LASAN but serves the entire Department of Public Works, Los Angeles City Council Board
Offices and Bureaus. The office is currently staffed by eight members:
● One Public Information Director (PID)
● 1 Graphics Supervisor
● 1 Graphics Designer
● 3 three Principle PR Reps
● 1 PR Specialist
● 1 Part time temporary admin
According to LASAN’s PID, the current staffing composition of their department is below their
desired levels. As background, six years ago, the department had 12 positions and one
consultant:
● 3 Public Information Officers
● 3 Graphic Designers
● 3 Principal PR Reps
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● 3 PR Specialists
● 1 Full Time Admin/Consultant
Orange County Water District (OCWD)
OCWD’s Public Affairs Office is within the General Manager’s Office and has an existing staff of
eight composed of:
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)
OCTA’s Community Relations Unit is composed of 10 staff and three interns:
● Department Manager
● Section Manager III
● Four Principal Community Relations Specialist
● Senior Community Relations Specialist
● Three Community Relations Specialist
● Three Interns
Contractor Work Parameters
As part of this assessment, OC San staff asked our team to poll external agencies on how they
decided to seek outside contract support. We identified the following scenarios:
● Project-based support- when an agency needs targeted support for a project to
enhance its capacity, it is often more cost efficient to hire a contractor for a limited
period than to hire a new staff member.
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● Specialty services - agencies often utilize contractors to assist with work in specialty
areas such as video production, graphic design and social media management.
Section 7: SWOT Analysis
Upon completion of the internal, community and capacity assessments, our next step in the
process was to conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization to identify its strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats as it relates to OC San's Construction Outreach.
The SWOT analysis is available in Appendix O: SWOT Analysis
Section 8: Key Recommendations and Look Ahead
Key Recommendations
❏ Adopt OC San Outreach Plan
OC San's Construction Outreach Team presented a thorough and effective outreach plan
in draft format. If not already adopted as the official outreach plan, the team should
formalize the adoption of this plan so that all staff uses it as their outreach guide. The
plan should be evaluated and updated accordingly as new communications platforms
and needs arise.
❏ Virtual Outreach Options
Time and again, OC San stakeholders expressed an interest in expanded virtual outreach
options, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. While stay-at-home orders have
been lifted and some regular activities have resumed, the pandemic set a standard for
virtual information availability that will not soon disappear. With this in mind, we
recommend that OC San consider the following virtual outreach options, which would
make information available to a wider audience.
❏ Virtual community meetings/workshops- OC San can use the same information
presented at community meetings and archive the content on the social media
channels and website. This will allow residents who cannot attend in-person
meetings to meet the project managers and receive information in a more
personalized manner. These programs can be live or pre-recorded presentations.
❏ Simplify Text Message Registration
Text messages were overwhelmingly selected by 88% of community respondents as the
top communication platform to receive information on project impacts. They also had a
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high satisfaction rating among those who reported receiving these communications. OC
San already provides a mechanism for residents to register for project updates, but this
requires a visit to the OC San website. Agencies like OCTA offer residents the option to
register for a project update via text message by texting a number rather than visiting
the website. This mechanism simplifies the enrollment process. The text message
enrollment information can be included in OC San’s existing collateral pieces.
❏ Incorporate Social Media into OC San Corp ID Standards Manual
During our internal analysis, we discovered some inconsistencies in the graphics and
fonts used in OC San's social media communications. We found that while OC San has a
Corp ID Standards Manual that serves as the style guide for the agency, it does not cover
social media postings. Social media channels are, in our assessment, one of the top
communication platforms. As such, social media guidelines should be incorporated into
OC San’s Corp ID Standards Manual as soon as possible to ensure that communications
follow a consistent style and build upon OC San's digital footprint.
❏ Set Budget for Social Media Advertising to Expand Reach
To increase the visibility of OC San's social media posts (which 43% of community
stakeholders reported not noticing), we recommend that the agency consider allocating
a budget to take advantage of the basic advertising features available on Facebook and
Instagram. Organic reach on Facebook and Instagram is low across the board, meaning
that a post may only reach a small portion of the intended audience. With projects of
large-scale impact ongoing and on the horizon, OC San can easily boost posts or run ads
that target areas geographically. Beyond ensuring that ratepayers see information on
social media, some platforms, like Facebook, allow targeting of audiences who have
recently visited or traveled through an area; this feature would allow OC San to target
commuters traveling through impacted areas, thereby expanding OC San’s reach. In the
same manner that a budget is allocated for mailed notices, we recommend that a budget
should be set to inform stakeholders on digital platforms.
❏ Improve In-Person Presentations
To address the concerns raised by some stakeholders regarding too much detail in OC
San's in-person presentations and the low satisfaction reported among those who
reported seeing the presentations, we recommend that community presentations are
more focused, zeroing in on community impacts and reducing construction-focused
portions led by engineers. These presentations would also be a good opportunity to tout
OC San's ongoing efforts to mitigate impacts on residents and business owners. This
would help increase awareness among residents, 50% of whom reported not knowing
that OC San coordinates with city partners to mitigate impacts to the community and
that the agency hosts public meetings to review impacts before a project begins.
❏ Highlight OC San Efforts to Mitigate Project Impacts
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Focusing on the 50% of stakeholders who reported not knowing that OC San
coordinates with city partners to mitigate impacts and hosts public meetings before a
project begins, we believe there is an opportunity to increase awareness by showcasing
OC San’s robust mitigation efforts on existing project pages. LASAN devotes a section on
its project page to highlight its efforts to mitigate impacts to the community, from signs
inviting patrons to visit businesses to information booths. The message is clear when one
visits the project page: LASAN works with the community. OC San can easily implement
this recommendation showcasing its robust mitigation efforts on project pages and
social media channels.
❏ Develop Monthly Content Packages for Stakeholders
Various stakeholders spoke of the importance of OC San distributing information
through community partners. Many community agencies have existing communications
channels like newsletters and social media channels to share OC San news. We
recommend developing a monthly content package with timely updates that can be
shared with city council members, public information officers and community partners,
especially in areas impacted by large construction projects.
❏ Establish Clear Communications Expectations with Contractors
The biggest threat the Construction Outreach Team faces is, unfortunately, one out of its
control. Time and again, we heard stakeholders speak of contractors not following
agreed-upon plans. It is imperative that at the onset and throughout these projects, OC
San delineates expectations for contractors. The Construction Outreach Team is only as
effective as the information it receives. If a contractor does not inform OC San of
changes in the project construction schedule, this impacts the team’s ability to inform
residents promptly, which can, in the long run, erode trust.
❏ Evaluate Public Affairs Office Staffing/External Support
In the next three to four years, OC San will embark on at least six collections projects of
significant impact to the community in a wide geographic area. This does not include
projects at Plants No.1 and No.2, which will also require community outreach. An
evaluation of the capacity of the outreach team revealed that three staff members do not
have additional bandwidth to take on new responsibilities and one of them would like
support generating social media content. At this time, it may be warranted for OC San to
assess the staffing structure of the outreach team, specifically the responsibilities
assigned to the three staff who reported they are at capacity. Three staff in the outreach
team reported they have additional bandwidth, so there may be room to reassign
responsibilities to these team members. OC San may also explore outside
support/contractor options to strengthen the team’s capacity. Communications LAB can
present options as to how some public agencies receive external support.
Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-2022
STRATEGICPLAN
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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Introduction
The Orange County Sanitation District’s (OCSD) Public Affairs Office (PAO) is responsible for
creating, organizing, and disseminating all internal and external communication. The primary
objective of our Public Affairs team is to deliver messages that are accurate, transparent, and
designed to foster public trust and confidence. An integrated Public Affairs Strategic Plan is
essential to deal effectively with the variety of audiences we serve.
The Public Affairs staff provides services and tools and implements programs to meet the
communication needs of several audiences for OCSD. This includes planning and implementing
media relations; website and intranet site content; construction outreach; elected officials, and
government relations; internal communications, education, and outreach; and graphic
development.
The Public Affairs Office has created a Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020 - 2022. This Plan is
developed based upon the principles of OCSD’s Mission of protecting public health and the
environment and will support the implementation of OCSD’s Strategic Plan. This Plan offers a
vision to unify our communication efforts and focus resources to achieve the greatest impact
and greatest results.
This plan was created amidst the COVID-19 pandemic thus resulting in modifications to the
goals and objectives. Much of what is planned and created by this group is based on external
factors and therefore outside of our control. The Public Affairs Office will follow the guidance
set forth by Management and the Board of Directors to carry out OCSD’s messaging and
support our member agencies.
Background Information
The Orange County Sanitation District represents 20 cities, 4 special districts and a portion of
the unincorporated County of Orange. This area represents a community of 2.6 million people
with approximately 550,000 customer accounts.
Unlike most public agencies where there is direct contact with customers, at the Orange County
Sanitation District, billing occurs through the County of Orange property tax bills. Therefore, the
Sanitation District, must work through other means to communicate with the public and the
rate payers.
We have a 25-member Board of Directors, and over 600 employees within six departments with
various goals and objectives. While these groups work independently on a variety of projects,
the goal of the Public Affairs Office is to provide support and messaging that is consistent
throughout the agency so that we are one voice, representing the same overall goals, and
portraying the same brand.
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While there are many challenges with serving such a large and diverse customer base, there are
also great opportunities working through the strategies laid out in this Plan.
Public Affairs Team
The division is staffed with six full-time employees and overseen by the Manager.
Jennifer Cabral, Administration Manager
Daisy Covarrubias, Principal Public Affairs Specialist
Rebecca Long, Senior Public Affairs Specialist
Kelly Newell, Public Affairs Specialist
Belen Carrillo, Public Affairs Specialist
Gregg Deterding, Graphics Designer
Cheryl Scott, Administrative Assistant
Each of these staff members carry out specific functions to meet the communication goals and
objectives laid out in this Plan.
Situation Analysis
• There is a global pandemic occurring which has shifted the way we operate and perform
our mission of protecting public health and the environment. As we learn to navigate
the recovery phase and move into new social distancing norms, our communication
efforts will be modified accordingly to meet the needs of the agency, community, and
workforce.
• Due to COVID-19, close to 50 percent of staff is working remotely. The uncertainty of
the pandemic creates unknown future work conditions for staff. These circumstances
impact the ability and method of communicating and reaching employees, thus
alternative communication techniques must be explored and implemented.
• OCSD is in the third year of a five-year rate program, with a scheduled 1.2 percent
increase in fees to take effect July 1. Due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 the rate
increase for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 will be delayed with no significant financial impacts to
OCSD operations.
• There could potentially be a significant turnover of board members in 2020. Succession
management and onboarding for the board members is critical for the success of this
agency.
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• During the COVID-19 pandemic, OCSD has sustained its operational, planning, and
preparation efforts to ensure there is no lapse in service today or in the future. As an
essential service, OCSD has continued to execute the Capital Improvement Program
(CIP) to keep the regional projects on schedule that are enhancing our entire service
area. In Fiscal Year 2020-2021 OCSD is on track to bid and issue $500 million of
construction contracts for over 35 projects.
Mission
The Public Affairs Office is committed to communicating information about OCSD in a timely,
accurate and accessible way to the employees, the Board of Directors, our member agencies,
the public, and the news media.
• We are committed to open, honest, clear, and respectful two-way communication with
our audiences.
• We are dedicated to informing others about how OCSD serves the public and protects
the environment.
• We are committed to outstanding customer service by responding to requests quickly
and efficiently.
• We are dedicated to teamwork and collaboration as well as being creative and taking
the initiative to be out in front of issues.
Audiences
This Public Affairs Plan focuses largely on four primary audiences.
• Internal
o Board of Directors
o Executive Management Team
o Employees
o Retirees
• The Public
o Ratepayers
o Member Agencies
o Residents, Businesses, Commuters Impacted by OCSD Construction
o OCSD Neighbors in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach
o Schools and Students
o Tour Groups
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• Industry
o Water/Wastewater Agencies
o Trade Organizations
o Trade Media
• Influential Public
o Local, State, and Federal Elected Officials
o Environmental Groups
o Local Media
Agency Key Messages
• OCSD is committed to protecting public health and the environment by providing
effective wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling.
• OCSD is more than a wastewater treatment facility, we are a resource recovery facility
making use of all our byproducts.
• OCSD is dedicated to exceeding wastewater quality standards used for resource
recovery.
• OCSD is committed to proper planning to ensure that the public’s money is wisely spent.
• OCSD’s assets are monitored and evaluated regularly to ensure top performance and
timely replacement.
• OCSD values communicating our mission and strategies with those we serve and all
other stakeholders.
• OCSD will provide reliable, responsive, and affordable services in line with our customer
needs and expectations is a top priority for OCSD.
• OCSD focuses on creating the best possible workforce where safety, productivity,
customer service, and training are a top priority.
• OCSD has worked very hard to create an integrated planning environment which begins
with the expectations of its Board of Directors and flows down to the work product of
each employee. We have worked hard to assure our staff members are communicating
and providing transparent services to each other in support of the plan.
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• OCSD has developed an integrated Planning/Asset Management system that allows for
intentional, thoughtful decision making to maintain current operations while adding
resilience and meeting new challenges.
• OCSD has an organizational structure with informal relationships between employees
that allow for collaboration toward common goals.
Public Affairs’ Goals for Fiscal Year 2020/21 and 2021/22
1. Optimize communication with our internal audience including those operating in the
field with limited time to access online communication.
2. Continue to build OCSD’s reputation as infrastructure leaders in the wastewater and
resource recovery industry.
3. Cultivate relationships with traditional and social media journalists and influencers to
promote OCSD’s programs and initiatives.
4. Enhance OCSD’s image and branding by utilizing proper messaging in external
communication pieces such as OCSD’s website, presentation, digital media, and
advertising. Maintain a positive experience and image for our visitors.
5. Identify and implement avenues for education and outreach within OCSD’s service area
to further promote OCSD as a resource recovery agency, promote OCSD’s mission and
promote career opportunities within the wastewater industry.
6. Develop and implement outreach programs that will engage the communities affected
by OCSD construction projects.
7. Participate in proactive engagement in legislative advocacy efforts that could impact
OCSD and the wastewater industry.
8. Monitor, track, and apply for grants available and that make business sense to OCSD.
9. Ensure that local elected officials, member agencies, stakeholders, and OCSD Board
Members are actively engaged in the work of OCSD.
10. Ensure the Public Affairs Office serves as the primary spokesperson for OCSD during
normal business and crisis scenarios and facilitates the dissemination of information.
11. Ensure the General Manager and Assistant General Managers are supported with
information necessary to communicate to the varied OCSD audiences.
To achieve these goals, the Public Affairs Office presents the following strategies and tactics,
along with the primary staff assigned to that area. While individual staff members are the key
contacts for each of the goals, the team works collectively and collaboratively, reflecting our
core values. Our staff recognizes the key role we play at OCSD, not only communicating
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information, but also teaching and consulting others and serving as a resource to our Board of
Directors, employees, the wastewater industry, and our member agencies.
As we navigate through the pandemic recovery efforts, the team will follow this plan, and make
necessary modifications to effectively communicate OCSD’s strategic direction. Flexibility is
implemented into this plan to deal with the dynamic situation we are all in.
Public Affairs Strategies and Tactics
1. Category: Employee Communications
Program Manager: Rebecca Long,
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Belen Carrillo, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Optimize communication with our internal audience including those operating in
the field with limited time to access online communication.
Objective (measure): Create employee engagement by utilizing the identified communication
methods to share agency wide messages. Increase the availability of employee
communications by five percent based on previous plan’s goals.
Strategy (why): We value open and honest communication with our employees. PAO is
committed to various efforts aimed at keeping OCSD employees informed about important
topics, increasing the overall quality of communications to our employees while tying the
business aspects of the agency with the human-interest side.
Tactics (how):
• Keep information on MyOCSD homepage current, relevant, and useful for OCSD
employees by working with the various Departments to gather information that should
be shared.
• On a regular basis, staff will continue to support various departments with their
communication and outreach needs.
• PAO will produce six Pipeline newsletters per year with a goal of circulation by the third
week of the publication month.
• PAO will track Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) points for all participating employees
and coordinate the VIP appreciation celebration.
• Create employee recognition and celebratory events throughout the year that comply
with new social distancing guidelines, may include small in-person gatherings and virtual
events. To include but not limited to the Annual Holiday Lunch, the Harvest Festival, and
VIP Celebration, etc.
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• Continue with the Honor Walk program which acknowledges retired staff and past
Board Members for their contribution to OCSD. The recognition event will be hosted
every other year starting in 2021.
• Write and coordinate the 3 Things to Know email blast to be distributed to all staff each
Monday.
• Produce monthly Digester bulletin.
• Coordinate and produce two Town Hall meetings (live and/or pre-recorded) to keep
employees informed and engaged.
• Host organizational awareness lunch-n-learns monthly to keep staff informed about
agency programs and initiatives.
• Research and identify an agency-wide digital message system to provide messages in
staff areas across both plants and the Mt. Langley office space. Implementation to occur
in Fiscal Year 2021-2022.
2. Category: Industry Experts
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Establish and solidify OCSD’s reputation as infrastructure leaders in the
wastewater and resource recovery industry.
Objective (measurable): Increase participation in strategic organizations through conferences,
networking activities and awards by five percent.
Strategy (why): To build positive public perception and confidence among our various
audiences.
Tactics (how):
• Encourage participation and presentation in conferences.
• Encourage and support award application submittals.
• Publicize and coordinate award acceptance logistics.
• Track all awards won by OCSD by keeping a master list.
• Track and promote staff abstract’s and publications.
3. Category: Media Relations
Program Managers: Daisy Covarrubias and Rebecca Long
Program Coordinators: Kelly Newell, Belen Carrillo, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
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Goal (what): Cultivate relationships with traditional and social media journalists and
influencers.
Objective (measurement): Increase media coverage with positive stories about OCSD.
Strategy (why): While a presence in the community is important to putting a face on our
agency, media (traditional and social) is equally important with a broader reach and a more
direct line of communication.
Tactics (how):
• Annually update media list to stay current and fresh.
• Develop a press kit to be online and interactive.
• Build a calendar of news release topics of interest to the public and stakeholders.
• Invite media for a facility tour (virtual or small group).
• Develop media strategies for important events, decisions, or actions.
e.g. CIP Campaign (see details in Category 6: Capital and Maintenance Outreach)
• Conduct media training for Board leadership, EMT and key staff members.
• Generate weekly (3-5 times) social media posts about the good things happening at
OCSD with focus on OCSD’s accomplishments and mission.
• Continue with social media campaigns #OCSDatWork, #What2Flush, and those currently
supporting ongoing efforts.
4. Category: Agency Branding and Messaging
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinators/Support: Gregg Deterding, Kelly Newell, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Enhance OCSD’s image and branding by utilizing proper messaging in external
communication pieces such as OCSD’s website, presentations, digital media and advertising,
which includes maintaining a positive experience for OCSD visitors.
Objective (measure): Launch a rebranding campaign for a new logo and a modified name over
the next two fiscal years. Update collateral material, signage, website, social media accounts,
and promotional material as appropriate and as it is used. Include in messaging that OCSD’s
official name remains Orange County Sanitation District. Maintain the lobby(s) current and
informative with relevant information, i.e. displays, awards case, etc.
Strategy (why): A cohesive voice, message, look, and feel are critical to the public perception
that an organization holds with its community. A positive and pleasant in-person experience
reinforces OCSD’s culture and Core Values as well as showcasing OCSD as industry leaders, and
a well-run organization, leaving behind the stigma of typical government agencies.
9
Tactics (how):
• Update and maintain the corporate identity manual to provide guidance on use of the
logo, name, use of fonts, and graphics.
• Keep website current with informative news stories posted weekly.
• Provide presentations, consultation, and advice on the branding and image of OCSD.
• Develop new key messages focused on new branding logo and name.
• Develop new collateral materials around the key messages.
• Incorporate OCSD’s messaging and branding into all external presentations.
• Explore advertising options to inform public of agency efforts and role in economic
development.
• Fulfill all requests for graphics, photos, and logos.
• Conduct second phase of community poll to determine name recognition and reach.
• Develop an online community newsletter for digital distribution within our service area
to increase awareness of OCSD, our programs, and initiatives.
• Develop a branding plan for the new Headquarters Building.
• Maintain the lobby wall in the Administration Building at Plant No. 1 and the Operations
Center at Plant No. 2 with OCSD’s current branding and messaging.
• Rotate flags on light poles along Street Parkway on a biennial basis.
• Keep the award display cabinet up to date by rotating awards.
• Keep the retiree display in the Administration Building hallway up to date. On an annual
basis collect the names of the retirees and update the display board.
• Maintain and coordinate the installation of Honor Walk bricks on a biennial basis.
• Display collateral material in a neatly and organized manner displayed with current and
relevant information.
5. Category: Educational Outreach
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinators/Support: Kelly Newell, Belen Carrillo, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Identify and implement avenues for education and outreach within OCSD’s service
area to promote OCSD’s mission and vision.
Objective (measurement): Create and identify new educational opportunities including virtual
events and webinars to promote and educate the community on OCSD’s work and the essential service provided.
Strategies (why): To further promote OCSD as a resource recovery agency, promote OCSD’s
mission and promote career opportunities within the wastewater industry.
10
Tactics (how):
• Execute the Inside the Outdoors contract for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 to continue OCSD’s
educational program including the Sewer Science program to 500 students within
Orange County and introduce them to OCSD’s pilot virtual tour program.
• Implement virtual tour program in lieu of physical tours of the plant which are
temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. An estimated 1,000 participants will take part
in the virtual tour program per year.
• Evaluate the participation of community events due to COVID-19 restrictions. Once
events are rescheduled within OCSD’s service area, participation will be evaluated to
determine safety for staff, and overall impact and reach.
• Continue to encourage and promote the Volunteer Incentive Program to have a pool of
staff that volunteer for events and speaking engagements that OCSD participates in.
• Expand OCSD’s speaker’s bureau to provide a wider set of speakers available.
• Create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest – work with local colleges and high
schools in our service area to create a promotional PSA for OCSD on a biennial basis.
Obtain a minimum of 20 individual and/or group entries.
• Implement a Wastewater 101 Academy for our ratepayers, fellow agencies, and
influential public to showcase OCSD operations and initiatives. Host a minimum of four
(4) sessions per cycle.
• Research and obtain a Mobile Educational Unit utilize at public events that helps
generate greater understanding of the wastewater process and OCSD’s messaging.
6. Category: Capital and Maintenance Outreach
Program Managers: Daisy Covarrubias and Tanya Chong from Engineering,
Program Coordinators/Support: Belen Carrillo, Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Develop and implement outreach programs that will engage the communities
affected by OCSD construction projects.
Objective (measurement): Develop, implement, and provide outreach support for over 20
capital projects scheduled to break ground in fiscal years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 within 12
cities.
Strategy (why): Form a positive presence in the community prior to the start of construction
projects or maintenance activities that is personal and proactive. Provide impacted community
with information ahead of construction activities. Inform them of the benefits and need for the
project to gain support and understanding of the necessary construction.
11
Tactics (how):
• Proactively offer briefings and community meetings to impacted neighborhoods, civic
groups, businesses, schools, churches, and other institutions within the project area on
an as needed basis.
• Launch CIP Campaign to highlight the efforts of the program and the financial
contributions to the local economy.
• Explore the option of placing advertising pieces in communities/areas impacted by
construction.
• Respond to inquiries within a 24-hour period.
• Provide project description and notifications to impacted residents at least two weeks
before construction begins.
• Update collateral materials, fact sheets and website with current construction
information on an as needed basis.
• Maintain ongoing communications with city staff and Board Members on current and
upcoming construction outreach projects in affected cities.
• Maintain ongoing communications with impacted residents within the project area
through collateral material (e.g., flyers, door hangers, emails, text alerts, social media
posts, etc.).
• Measure customer satisfaction through a construction outreach survey to be distributed
at the close of construction programs.
7. Category: Legislative Affairs
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Proactive engagement in legislative advocacy efforts that could impact OCSD and
the wastewater industry.
Objective (measure): Continue positive relationships with local, state, and federal officials
through facility tours, meetings, and bill tracking as stated in the Legislative Plan.
Strategy (why): Legislative advocacy is an important aspect of our business. Having
relationships and being actively involved, providing input and OCSD’s perspective on potential
legislature can and does directly affect OCSD and our business.
The Public Affairs Office is responsible for executing the Board approved Legislative Plan, which
is updated on an annual basis. In addition, staff is responsible for tracking state and federal
legislation, managing the Sanitation District’s legislative advocates, and seeking appropriations
and grants.
12
Tactics (how):
• Develop and implement Annual Legislative Plan in the second quarter of each fiscal
year.
• Track bills and maintain a priority list of key legislation.
• Provide regular updates to the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee on state and
federal matters.
• Host legislative tours.
• Engage in Advocacy Days in Sacramento and Washington DC twice a year.
• Take positions on bills that could affect OCSD or the industry.
• Work with industry organizations on state and federal issues to ensure OCSD’s positions
are communicated.
• Partner with industry organizations to co-host virtual events and activities.
• Manage the legislative advocates’ contracts and facilitate regular communication
between lobbyists, staff, and the Board of Directors.
8. Category: Grants Coordination
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinator/Support: Kelly Newell, Gregg Deterding, and Cheryl Scott
Goal (what): Monitor, track, and apply for grants available to OCSD.
Objective (measure): Apply and obtain grants for qualified OCSD projects and programs.
Strategy (why): Outside funding is important in moving OCSD projects and programs forward.
With ongoing attention to government spending, it is vital for OCSD to apply for and secure
grants to offset costs when available.
Tactics (how):
• Apply for two grants a year based on availability.
• Develop Grant Policy during fiscal year 2020-2021.
• Research grant opportunities and report out to the Legislative and Public Affairs
Committee.
• Seek appropriations and grants and provide support to other divisions seeking grant
funding.
• Secure letters of support.
• Publicize grant awards received.
• Create and measure outcomes.
13
9. Category: Local Government Affairs
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinators/Support: All PAO staff
Goal (what): Ensure that local elected officials, member agencies, stakeholders, and OCSD
Board Members are actively engaged in the work of OCSD.
Objective (measure): Provide at least two communication tools per month.
Strategy (why): Keeping OCSD’s influential public engaged in OCSD’s projects and
accomplishments are critical to the support and success of our agency.
Tactics (how):
• Provide Board of Director’s with speaking points following every OCSD board meeting
that can be used when reporting back to their respective councils and community
groups.
• Facilitate an orientation for new Board members.
• Develop and keep a current list of monthly informational presentations.
• Maintain an informational presentation video library for the Board of Directors on key
agency topics.
• Provide regular reports to the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee.
• Develop OCSD’s Annual Report.
• Publish a Five Minutes Per Month, each month.
• Coordinate presentations to each member agency.
• Participate in government affairs committees.
• Invite new council members within OCSD’s service area to take a tour of OCSD.
• Create and distribute quarterly outreach tool kits for member agency PIOs to help them
easily share and disseminate information about OCSD.
• Host a “State of the District” event for influential leaders throughout the infrastructure
and water/wastewater industry, including virtual option.
10. Category: Crisis Management
Program Manager: Rebecca Long
Program Coordinators/Support: All PAO Staff
Goal: Ensure the Public Affairs Office serves as the primary spokesperson for OCSD during
normal business and crisis scenarios and facilitates the dissemination of information.
14
Objective: Ensure that the PIOs in the PAO can respond in a crisis. Provide a crisis
communication training course every two years by an outside consultant and an annual
refresher course by staff.
Strategy: It is imperative during a crisis that OCSD be proactive and provide clear and effective
messaging to employees, public, and the media.
Tactics (how):
• Maintain an updated crisis communication plan including regular briefings with staff to
identify possible issues and responses.
• Maintain and update PAO’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).
• Work with Risk and Safety Management on Public Affair’s role in an emergency,
including our role via the Integrated Emergency Response Plan.
• Ensure proper procedures are in place for Board, employees, and public notification.
• Maintain updated contact lists for resource, member, and partnering agencies to
coordinate and assist during crisis.
• Develop protocols on everyday PAO tasks to facilitate the operations of the group in a
time of crisis.
11. Category: General Manager Support
Program Manager: Daisy Covarrubias
Program Coordinators/Support: All PAO Staff
Goal: Ensure the General Manager and Assistant General Managers are supported with
information necessary to communicate to the varied OCSD audiences.
Objective: Develop monthly communication pieces on behalf of the General Manager. Ensure
General Manager (or designee) is participating and involved in promoting OCSD’s initiatives.
Strategy: Collaborate with the General Manager to prepare communication and messaging that
reflects the mission and vision of OCSD.
Tactics (how):
• Assist the General Manager and the Assistant General Managers with keeping the Board
Members informed and up to date with OCSD activities.
• Assist in the development of the General Manager’s Monthly Report.
• Develop talking points for Board and Committee meetings.
• Develop material and speaking points for presentations and speaking engagements.
• Support the development of the OCSD Strategic Plan.
• Assist in the development of the General Managers Annual Work Plan.
15
•Manage Ask the GM questions submitted.
•Coordinate and support VIP tours guided by General Manager and Assistant General
Managers.
Closing Comments
This plan is a broad outline of the Public Affairs Office program. As new issues arise, new
functions and duties will evolve as well. The role of the Public Affairs Office is to stay ahead of
issues, be responsive and flexible to meet the needs of the agency. We will adjust our program
accordingly.
Appendix
A. Highlights of Performance Results from Fiscal Years 2018/2019 -2019/2020
B. Public Affairs Portfolio Fiscal Year 2019/2020
16
Appendix A: Highlights of Performance Results from
FY 2018/2019 and 2019/2020
• Over 75 construction outreach pieces distributed regarding specific CIP projects
reaching over 155,0000 people
• 800 internal communications publications: 3 Things to know email, Digester, Pipeline
and MyOCSD
• 11 internal events
• 18 published news releases
• Over 30 articles mentioning and/or focusing on OCSD
• 1,350 Social Media posts reaching over 400,000 people
• 85 Website posts
• 17 Community Events reaching nearly 12,000 people
• 54 Speaking Engagements (8 career days)
• 283 Tours reaching approximately 4,534 guests
• 1,700 students reached via Sewer Science Program
• 22 Agency Awards Received
• 2 State of the District events reaching 215 guests
• 2 grants were successfully applied for and received totaling $42,000 for Headquarters
Project and Tour Signage
• 40 legislative bills monitored and tracked
• 4 Federal Position letters and 12 State Position letters issued
• Governor agreed with 2 of our bills/positions:
o SB 212: Jackson. Solid waste: pharmaceutical and sharps waste stewardship.
o SB 1440: Hueso. Energy: biomethane: biomethane procurement
New Tactics Introduced
• Member Agency Outreach Toolkit
• Board Member Speaking Points
• Virtual Town Hall
• Orange County Polling
• Communications Audit
• Paid Advertisement – OC Register Water Insert
• Regional Outreach Program (CIP)
• Tour signage
Public Affairs Division10844 Ellis AvenueFountain Valley, CA 92708
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
Agenda Report
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
File #:2021-1737 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:4.
FROM:James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTHS OF MAY AND JUNE 2021
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Public Affairs Update for the months of May and June 2021.
BACKGROUND
Staff will provide an update on recent public affairs activities.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
·Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
·Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
·Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators,stakeholders,and
neighboring communities
·Listen to and seriously consider community input on environmental concerns
PROBLEM
The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San)is well-recognized within the water/wastewater
industry;however,within our service area there is limited knowledge by our customers of the
important work we do to protect public health and the environment.In general,the customers we
serve do not realize that when they improperly dispose of waste into the sanitation system,it can
negatively affect our sewer lines,our treatment plants,and the quality of water we supply to the
Groundwater Replenishment System.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
By providing tours,community outreach,education,and general communication via OC San’s
website,social media outlets,and direct mailings,we can educate the community,local agencies,
and businesses on our messaging such as the What2Flush program,energy production,water
recycling,biosolids,and our source control program.This,in turn,helps improve the quality of
wastewater that is recycled or released to the ocean.
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 1 of 3
powered by Legistar™
File #:2021-1737 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:4.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
If we do not educate the community,local agencies,and area businesses about OC San,we may not
have the support necessary to deliver our mission.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTHS OF MAY AND JUNE 2021
Celebrated Public Works Week
During the month of May,OC San celebrated Public Works Week acknowledging the various
departments throughout the agency and the hard work done to provide an essential service.This
year’s theme was Stronger Together,although physically distanced,OC San staff remained together
throughout the year and supportive of one another.
Plant No. 2 Newsletter
As part of the ongoing outreach efforts to keep Plant No.2 neighbors informed and engaged,another
issue of the Neighborhood Connection Newsletter was distributed in the Spring.Over 1,400
residents in Huntington Beach,Costa Mesa,and Newport Beach receive this publication.The
newsletter includes updates on the ongoing construction of the new primary clarifiers,the Orange
County Water District’s GWRS project,the new odor control facility,and the new power distribution
center. The current and previous issues are available on our website at www.ocsan.gov/plant2.
Construction Outreach
The Anaheim and Westminster communities continue to receive information regarding the
infrastructure improvements of the Westminster Blvd.and the State College Sewer Construction
projects.Notifications,website updates,email alerts,text alerts,and social media posts are all part
of the outreach effort to inform and educate the public of the necessity and benefits of OC San's
Capital Improvement Program.
Presentations
During the months of May and June,staff presented at Corona Del Mar High School and at the
California Water Environmental Association Conference on Predictive Maintenance Program.
AWARDS
Budget Presentation Award
OC San has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government
Finance Officers Association for the current fiscal period.This award is the highest form of
recognition in governmental budgeting.This is the 27th consecutive year OC San has received the
award.
Platinum Peak Performance Award
This is OC San’s 4th year receiving this award issued by the National Association of Clean Water
Agencies (NACWA).It recognizes member agencies for achieving 100%water discharge permit
compliance over a consecutive five-year period.
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 2 of 3
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File #:2021-1737 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:4.
ATTACHMENTS
The following attachment(s)may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov)with the complete agenda
package:
·Outreach and Media Summary Report - May and June 2021
·Presentation
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 3 of 3
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Outreach and Media
Summary
May-June 2021
O C SAN P u b l i c A f f a i r s O f f i c e
Outreach Report May and June 2021
Date Tours Attendees Tour Guide
05/18/2021 OC San/ OCWD Joint Tour 72 Jim Herberg/ Mike
Marcus
05/19/2021 UCI 5 Andrew Brown
05/28/2021 Public Tour 9 Mike Zedek
Date Speaking Engagements/Events Attendees Presenter
06/2/2021 Corona Del Mar High School 23 Dickie Fernandez
06/10/2021 CWEA Presentation 100 Adam Newsom
Project Area Construction Outreach Notifications # of People
Reached
Website Posts and
Text Alerts
Anaheim 1 printed notice 9500 4 website posts / 4 text alerts
Newport Beach 1 printed notification 23
Huntington Beach Newsletter 1500
Westminster 4 website posts / 3 text alerts
External
Communications Distribution # of People
Reached
5 Minutes PerMonth 2 434
Board Member
Talking Points 2 50
Website Posts 14 posts 171 views
Facebook 51 posts 5,000
Twitter 24 tweets 8,000
Instagram 51 posts 5.4k likes
LinkedIn 5 posts 39 people
Table of Contents
OUTREACH REPORT…………………………………………………………PAGE 1
FACEBOOK POSTINGS ……………………………………………...............PAGE 2
TWITTER POSTINGS …………………………………………………………PAGE 10
INSTAGRAM POSTINGS………………………………………………………PAGE 12
LINKEDIN POSTINGS………………………………………………………....PAGE 16
NEWS ARTICLES……………………………………………………………………………. PAGE 19
Facebook Posts
May-June 2021
Graphs of Page Likes, Post Reach and Total Views for May-June 2021
Twitter Posts
May-June 2021
Instagram Posts
May- June 2021
LinkedIn Posts
May- June 2021
Article Date Resource Link
A nasty pandemic problem: More flushed wipes are
clogging pipes, sending sewage into homes 23-Apr-21 Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/traffican
dcommuting/flushable-wipes-clogging-
sewers/2021/04/23/5e8bbc82-a2c9-11eb-a774-
7b47ceb36ee8_story.html
Bay Bridge Pump Station Update 3-May-21 Newport Beach Independent
https://www.newportbeachindy.com/newport-
beach-city-manager-week-in-review-for-may-1/
OC beaches closed by sewage spills in 2020 among fewest
seen in 33 years 6-May-21 OC Register
https://www.ocregister.com/2021/05/06/oc-
beaches-closed-by-sewage-spills-in-2020-among-
fewest-seen-in-33-
years/?utm_email=A454C573F43894F1152715F6
21&g2i_eui=l8ZHYW4a%2fBw8O3YhgUl3Joes79w
Orange County Water District's PFA's Pilot project
recognized as exemplary program by Association of
California Water Agencies 14-May-21 Press Release
https://www.ocwd.com/media/9778/ocwd-
receives-acwa-clair-hill-award-for-pfas-pilot-
program.pdf
Newport Beach Wastewater Pump Station Set for
Eventual Replacement 18-May-21 Epoch News
https://www.theepochtimes.com/newport-beach-
wastewater-pump-station-set-for-eventual-
replacement_3820605.html
CapLinked Announces New Government Clients 25-May-21 Press Release
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-
release/2021/05/25/2235436/0/en/CapLinked-
Announces-New-Government-Clients.html
Battle lines drawn in fight over region’s water czar 8-Jun-21 OC Register
Battle over Southern California water czar is clash
between old vision and new, observers say –
Orange County Register (ocregister.com)
7/1/2021
1
Public Affairs Update May and June 2021
Presented by:
Daisy Covarrubias,
Pr. Public Affairs Spec.
Legislative and
Public Affairs
Committee
July 12, 2021
• Member Agency Outreach Toolkit
• Public Works Week
• Plant No. 2 Newsletter
• Construction Outreach Audit
• Tour Bus branding
• 5 minutes per month
•Awards
What We Did
Tours
3 tours / 86 guests
2 speaking engagements
Social Media
Twitter:
24 tweets / 8k impressions
Facebook:
51 posts / 5k reach
Instagram:
51 posts / 5.4k likes
LinkedIn:
5 posts/ 39 likes 2
1
2
7/1/2021
2
What We Are Doing
3
• Construction Outreach
• Los Alamitos Sewer
• Orange-Western Sewer
• Westminster Blvd. Sewer
• Headquarters Project
• P1 Perimeter Wall
• Inside the Outdoors
• Updated Factsheets
• P1/P2 Newsletters
This award is the highest form of recognition in
governmental budgeting, representing the dedication
to preparing comprehensive annual financial reports.
Awards
4
Recognizes OC San achieving 100 percent water
discharge permit compliance over a consecutive
five-year period.
Celebrates OC San’s commitment to sustainable, successful programs that exemplify the attributes of an effectively managed utility.
3
4
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
Agenda Report
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
File #:2021-1734 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:5.
FROM:James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTHS OF JUNE/JULY 2021
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
Receive and file the Legislative Affairs Update for the months of June/July 2021.
BACKGROUND
The Orange County Sanitation District’s (OC San)legislative affairs program includes advocating OC
San’s legislative interests;sponsoring legislation (where appropriate);and seeking Local,State,and
Federal funding for projects and programs.Staff will provide an update on recent legislative and
grant activities.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
·Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
·Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
·Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators,stakeholders,and
neighboring communities
PROBLEM
Without a strong advocacy program,elected officials may not be aware of OC San’s mission,
programs, and projects and how they could be impacted by proposed legislation.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Continue to work with Local,State,and Federal officials to advocate OC San’s legislative interests.
Help to create/monitor legislation and grants that would benefit OC San,the wastewater industry,and
the community as a whole.To assist in our relationship building activities,we will continue to reach
out to our elected officials providing facility tours,one-on-one meetings,and trips to Washington D.C.
and Sacramento.
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 1 of 2
powered by Legistar™
File #:2021-1734 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:5.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
If we do not work with Local,State,and Federal elected officials,legislation could be passed that
negatively affects OC San and the wastewater industry as a whole.Additionally,a lack of
engagement may result in missed funding opportunities.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
·The Senate confirmed by a vote of 55-43 the nomination of Radhika Fox to be the Assistant
Administrator for the Office of Water at the US Environmental Protection Agency.OC San is in
support of this position and as such sent a letter of support on May 12,2021.Fox will oversee a
host of programs in this role including the treatment and regulation of PFAS.
·Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order which provides timelines and end dates on
various existing executive orders.Of note,Executive Order N-29-20,which provides flexibility to
state and local agencies and boards to conduct their business through virtual public meetings
during COVID-19, will be effective through September 30, 2021
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s)may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov)with the complete agenda
package:
·Federal Update - ENS Resources
·Federal Legislative Matrix - ENS Resources
·State Update - Townsend Public Affairs
·State Legislative Matrix - Townsend Public Affairs
·Grant Matrix
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 2 of 2
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Page 1
TO: Rebecca Long
FROM: Eric Sapirstein
DATE: June 21, 2021
SUBJECT: Washington Update
Following the collapse of White House discussions on infrastructure, a bipartisan
group of twenty Senators announced an agreement on a framework to fund
traditional infrastructure. However, it continues to be uncertain if enough votes
exist in the Senate to move such an agreement that would be significantly less than
the approach in the American Jobs Plan. At the same time, the House continued its
march toward a July 4th deadline to vote on an infrastructure package. The House
and Senate are continuing to develop fiscal year (FY) 2022 spending bills
irrespective of the larger infrastructure effort with a dubious goal of finalizing
spending by the October 1, 2021 deadline when the fiscal year 2022 begins.
The following summarizes the past month’s activities in Washington.
Infrastructure Negotiations Falter as House Prepares for July 4 Deadline on
Infrastructure Policy
Despite hopes that discussions between the White House and Senate Republicans
would find common ground on infrastructure funding levels and taxes, the collapse
of these discussions makes an ongoing bipartisan Senators’ effort to develop a
compromise the last best hope for an agreement. Absent success, it would appear
highly likely that reconciliation will be the mechanism to move a bill through the
Senate. Senate committees are drafting legislative language to fund infrastructure
under a reconciliation measure, indicating that efforts to ensure passage by any
means are taking shape.
In the House, passage of clean water, water recycling, clean energy, and drinking
water authorizations have been developed with committee consideration completed
for the most part.
Page 2
For OC San, the key provisions of note in these bills (H.R. 1915, H.R. 3404, and H.R.
1848): $40 billion for clean water state revolving loan fund (SRF), smart water
technology adoption grants, workforce development grants, ratepayer assistance
grants, grants to support correction of sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) and
combined sewer overflows (CSO) needs, and water recycling grants assistance. Of
special note, funding would be authorized to support clean water agencies develop
and implement Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) related pretreatment
programs.
It is highly anticipated that these various water infrastructure bills will be combined
into a larger infrastructure package and acted upon by the full House by July 4.
As noted earlier, the Senate approved its version of water infrastructure assistance
(S. 914). This bill would be more limited in its funding levels compared with the
House approach. S. 914 would provide $16 billion for each of the clean water and
drinking water SRFs and $50 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
Act (WIFIA) program assistance. Water recycling assistance would be authorized
through U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), but at a much lower level
compared to the House approach.
Water Scarcity in the West Focus of House Hearing; OC San Lauded for Its Work
on GWRS
The House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and
Wildlife, convened a hearing to review the challenges of the persistent drought and
the value of alternative water supply projects to address the ongoing western states’
drought conditions. The hearing can be viewed at:
https://naturalresources.house.gov/hearings/remote-wow-oversight-hearing_may-
25-2021
During the hearing, testimony from Orange County Water District’s (OCWD) General
Manager noted that with the support OC San the Groundwater Replenishment
System had proven to be vital to maintaining water supply for the region. In
response to the testimony, Representatives Lowenthal and Levin each praised the
foresight of OC San and OCWD to invest in technologies that support sustainable
water supplies. In addition to these comments, Representative Lowenthal also
highlighted his commitment to find solutions to plastic pollution and noted that the
issue of nonflushable wipes disposal into clean water systems is a problem that he
intends to address.
Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations
The long-awaited FY 2022 budget request from the Administration was released on
May 28. The transmittal of the $6 trillion budget request to Congress has allowed
the formal budget writing process to begin. Based upon the proposed request and
comments from senior Committee on Appropriations members in both the House
and Senate, it seems highly likely that robust funding for core water quality
programs will be maintained in fiscal year 2022. This includes funding of beach
water quality monitoring, SRF, WIFIA and water recycling programs. Additionally, it
Page 3
should be noted that this funding activity could be increased dramatically should the
infrastructure bill be enacted. By example, funding of the clean water SRF program
is sought at $1.8 billion. However, if the House clean water infrastructure provisions
were to be enacted, annual spending would increase by $6.2 billion to $8 billion.
Administration Appointments
The Senate confirmed by a vote of 55-43 the nomination of Radhika Fox to be the
Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water at USEPA. Fox will oversee a host of
water quality programs in this role. This will involve addressing the vexing
challenge of PFAS treatment and the regulation of PFAS discharges into clean water
agencies. If Congress approves the USEPA grants program known as the Alternative
Water Sources Act as part of an overall infrastructure program, Fox will also have
management of this program that could support OC San’s funding needs.
The president also notified the Senate that he intends to nominate Camille Touton to
become the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). Touton who
has worked for the key House clean water and water recycling committees is
anticipated to make support of sustainable water supply project assistance, like
water recycling, a priority once she is confirmed by the Senate and is sworn into
office.
Tanya Trujillo to be Assistant Secretary of Water and Science for the Department of
the Interior. The hearing revealed bipartisan support for the nomination. Trujillo
once confirmed by the Senate will assume management of Interior programs
impacting water supply and natural resources programs, including those programs
under the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The President also announced his intention
to nominate Mike Connor to become the Assistant Secretary for Civil Works at the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Connor is expected to be confirmed by the
Senate. Connor, who served as USBR Commissioner and then Deputy Secretary of
the Department of the Interior, is expected to focus on ways to improve
coordination between USACE and USBR to improve water supply reliability.
Title
PFAS Action Act of 2021
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Apr 19, 2021, 4:54 PM
Addresses the public health and environmental risks posed by PFAS
contamination, including addressing, monitoring, and treating for PFAS
contamination in water supplies. Includes directive for USEPA to
designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, also
known as Superfund law, within one year after enactment of the bill and
within five years determine whether to designate all PFAS substances as
hazardous under CERCLA. Also includes other regulatory measures to
detect, monitor, and treat for PFAS in water supplies.
Introduction Date: 2021-04-13
Federal Legislative Report - June 2021
Last Updated: June 21, 2021
Bills by Issue
Priority: High (11)
Bill Number
HR 2467
Last Action
Subcommittee Consideration And Mark Up
Session Held 2021 06 16
Status
In House
Position
Monitor
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 4:37 PM
This is a reintroduction of the bill Dingell tried to advance last year (H.R. 535), which OC SAN monitored closely due to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) designation for PFAS. H.R. 2467 includes the same CERCLA designation
provision that directs U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to designate PFOA and PFOS within 1 year of enactment of the bill and
determine whether to designate all Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) substances as hazardous under CERCLA within 5 years of
enactment of the bill. The bill would also do the following if enacted into law: • Direct USEPA to review and determine whether to establish
effluent and pretreatment standards for PFAS substances under the Clean Water Act and provide grants assistance to publicly owned treatment
works for implementation of developed standards. Grants program would be authorized at $200 million for each of the fiscal years 2022 through
2026. Individual awarded grants are not to exceed $100 thousand. • Establish a national primary drinking water regulation standard for PFOA and
PFOS within two years that protects public health, including the health of vulnerable subpopulations. • Establish a PFAS infrastructure grants
program for affected community water systems authorized at $125 million for each of the fiscal years 2022-2023 and $100 million for each fiscal
years 2024-2026. • Require that EPA to place discharge limits on industrial releases of PFAS and provides $200 million annually for wastewater
treatment. #OCSAN
Title
Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021
Description
Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021 This bill
creates, reauthorizes, and revises several grant programs for
infrastructure to treat water pollution, such as wastewater or
stormwater. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and
revises the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, which
provides communities low-cost financing for water quality
infrastructure projects. It also reauthorizes through FY2026 grants
for * programs to control water pollution; * pilot projects related to
watershed management of wastewater discharges (e.g., sewer
overflows or stormwater discharges) during wet weather; *
alternative water source projects, including projects to reclaim
stormwater; or * measures to manage, reduce, treat or recapture
stormwater, such as sewer overflows. In addition, the
Environmental Protection Agency must award grants to owners of
publicly owned treatment works (i.e., sewage treatment plants) for
the treatment of contaminants of emerging concern, such as
perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to
as PFAS. These substances are man-made and may have adverse
human health effects. A variety of products contain the
compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 3:52 PM
Bipartisan legislation would authorize $50 billion in direct infrastructure
investment over the next five years to address America’s crumbling
wastewater infrastructure and local water quality challenges. It would
also significantly increase the amount of Federal assistance made
available to States and communities through the successful Clean Water
State Revolving Fund (SRF) program.
Introduction Date: 2021-03-16
Bill Number
HR 1915
Last Action
Ordered To Be Reported Amended By The
Yeas And Nays 42 25 2021 06 10
Status
In House
Position
Support
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 4:29 PM
H.R. 1915 is a comprehensive package that would deliver substantial investment opportunities in the clean water sector. Specifically, the bill
would authorize the following: - Authorizes $40 billion over 5 years for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) - Authorizes $500 million
for each of the fiscal years 2022-2026 for state water management programs - Authorizes $200 million for each of the fiscal years 2022-2026 for a
new grants program to POTW owners to be used for implementing pretreatment standard or effluent limitation developed by U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) for the introduction of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into treatment works, or discharge of PFAS -
Authorizes $200 million for each of the fiscal years 2022-2026 to support efforts to assess future risks and vulnerabilities of publicly owned
treatment works (POTWs) to manmade or natural disasters, including extreme weather events, drought, and sea level rise, and efforts to carryout
planning, design, or construction of projects to increase resiliency of POTWs - Authorizes $200 million for each of the fiscal years 2022-2026 to
support pilot projects addressing alternative water sources, including treating wastewater (including stormwater) for groundwater recharge,
potable reuse, or other purposes - Authorizes $500 million for a new Smart Wastewater Infrastructure Technology Grant Program to assist
municipalities in the planning, designing, or constructing of projects at POTWs that include intelligent sewage or stormwater collection systems
and nnovative and alternative combined storm and sanitary sewer projects that rely upon real-time data acquisition to support predictive aquifer
recharge through reuse and stormwater management capabilities - Establishment of a Water Reuse Interagency Working Group to develop and
coordinate actions, tools, and resources that encourage water reuse nationally - Incorporates “corrosion-prevention activities” for eligible projects
under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, as practicable #OCSAN
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Apr 19, 2021, 3:51 PM
CASA Supports #OCSAN
Title
Made in America Act of 2021
Description
Made in America Act of 2021 This bill requires that materials used
in carrying out federal infrastructure aid programs are made in the
United States. The term produced in the United States means, in
the case of * iron or steel products, that all manufacturing
processes for the iron or steel product, from the initial melting
stage through the application of coatings, occurred in the United
States; * manufactured products, that the product was
manufactured in the United States and that the cost of the
components of the manufactured product that are mined,
produced, or manufactured in the United States is greater than
50% of the total cost of all components of the manufactured
product; and * construction materials, that all manufacturing
processes for the construction material occurred in the United
States. The Department of Commerce must (1) issue uniform
standards that define the term all manufacturing processes for
purposes of this bill, and (2) take into consideration and seek to
maximize the jobs benefited or created in the production of the
construction material. The bill requires that all steel, iron,
manufactured products, non-ferrous metals, plastic, concrete and
aggregates, glass (including optical glass), lumber, and drywall used
in these programs be produced in the United States. Includes
within infrastructure addressed by this bill federal-aid highways,
railroads, public transportation, civil aviation, drinking water, and
stormwater.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Apr 19, 2021, 4:44 PM
Bill strengthens Buy American provisions for tax-payer funded
infrastructure projects by requiring federal funding programs to require
Buy America provisions for construction materials.
Introduction Date: 2021-04-13
Bill Number
HR 2468
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On
Commodity Exchanges Energy And Credit 2021
06 07
Status
In House
Position
Monitor
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Apr 19, 2021, 4:41 PM
H.R. 2468 identifies federal infrastructure funding programs that do not currently subject projects to Buy America standards and would ensure
that these programs require that building materials used in the "taxpayer-funded projects" are produced domestically. This includes iron and
steel materials. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Commerce to certify construction materials are made in America and the manufacturing
processes support American jobs. #OCSAN
Title
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency to develop effluent limitations guidelines and standards
and water quality criteria for PFAS under the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act, to provide Federal grants to publicly owned
treatment works to implement such guidelines and standards, and
for other purposes.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 2:38 PM
Require the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop
effluent limitations guidelines and standards and water quality criteria
for PFAS under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and authorize
$200 million in Federal grants to publicly owned treatment works to
implement such guidelines and standards.
Introduction Date: 2021-05-28
Title
A bill to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency to develop effluent limitations guidelines and standards
and water quality criteria for PFAS under the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act, to provide Federal grants to publicly owned
treatment works to implement such guidelines and standards, and
for other purposes.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 2:59 PM
Companion bill to H.R. 3622. The bill would require the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop effluent limitations
guidelines and standards and water quality criteria for PFAS under the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act and provide Federal grants to
publicly owned treatment works to implement such guidelines and
standards.
Introduction Date: 2021-05-27
Bill Number
HR 3622
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On Water
Resources And Environment 2021 06 01
Status
In House
Position
Monitor
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 2:37 PM
The bill would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop effluent limitations guidelines and standards and water
quality criteria for PFAS under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and provide Federal grants to publicly owned treatment works to
implement such guidelines and standards. The purpose of the legislation is to stop manufacturers and industries that use or make PFAS
discharge the chemicals into the nation’s waterways and provide financial assistance to POTWs for treatment costs associated with the new limits
and standards. Similar provisions were included in the H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act of 2021, that was introduced earlier this year. Specifically,
the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act would do the following: • Require USEPA to develop water quality criteria under the Clean Water Act for
all measurable PFAS chemicals within two years of bill’s enactment and develop effluent limitations guidelines and standards for all measurable
PFAS chemicals within four years, including establishing pretreatment standards to prevent introduction of PFAS into POTWs and stopping PFAS
at the source prior to contaminating municipal water systems. • Identifies nine priority industry categories of industries that USEPA must establish
standards for. • Authorizes $200 million in grants per year through fiscal years 2022-2026 to assist POTWs with implementation of developed
limitations and standards. #OCSAN
Bill Number
S 1907
Last Action
Read Twice And Referred To The Committee
On Environment And Public Works 2021 05 27
Status
In Senate
Position
Monitor
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 2:58 PM
Companion bill to H.R. 3622. The bill would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop effluent limitations guidelines
and standards and water quality criteria for PFAS under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and provide Federal grants to publicly owned
treatment works to implement such guidelines and standards. The purpose of the legislation is to stop manufacturers and industries that use or
make PFAS discharge the chemicals into the nation’s waterways and provide financial assistance to POTWs for treatment costs associated with
the new limits and standards. Similar provisions were included in the H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act of 2021, that was introduced earlier this year.
Specifically, the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act would do the following: • Require USEPA to develop water quality criteria under the Clean
Water Act for all measurable PFAS chemicals within two years of bill’s enactment and develop effluent limitations guidelines and standards for all
measurable PFAS chemicals within four years, including establishing pretreatment standards to prevent introduction of PFAS into POTWs and
stopping PFAS at the source prior to contaminating municipal water systems. • Identifies nine priority industry categories of industries that USEPA
must establish standards for. • Authorizes $200 million in grants per year through fiscal years 2022-2026 to assist POTWs with implementation of
developed limitations and standards. #OCSAN
Title
To provide drought preparedness and improved water supply
reliability to the Nation.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 2:44 PM
The FUTURE Western Water Act is a comprehensive package that aims to
address western water infrastructure and drought response needs,
including: infrastructure development, improved technology and data,
water job training and education, and ecosystem protection and
restoration.
Introduction Date: 2021-05-20
Bill Number
HR 3404
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On Water
Resources And Environment 2021 05 21
Status
In House
Position
Support
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 3:49 PM
The FUTURE Western Water Act is a comprehensive package that aims to address western water infrastructure and drought response needs.
Among the provisions, the legislation includes provisions from Representative Grace Napolitano's Water Recycling Investment and Improvement
Act (H.R. 1015), which increases the authorization level for the Title XVI program to $500 million from the current $50 million. CASA supports H.R.
1015. The bill's the four major policy components. - Infrastructure Development: authorizes $750 million for sustainable, multi-benefit water
storage projects, authorizes $500 million for water recycling and reuse projects, authorizes $260 million for innovative water desalination
projects, and establishes process to authorize new major water storage projects owned or supported by USDOI, modeled after the USACE WRDA
authorization process for water projects - Improved Technology and Data: invests in water data and technology to improve water management
and reducing energy and water waste - types of investments include expanded water technology "X-Prize" to support new stream gages and the
development and deployment of emerging technologies to help manage and improve water supply availability - Water Job Training and
Education: Federal support for water education activities, collaborative water management efforts and training, and professional development
support for water sector workforce - Ecosystem Protection and Restoration: includes measures to reverse fish and wildlife species decline, eligible
measures include new voluntary incentives for farmers to provide waterbird habitats, expanded watershed health project funding, support
wildlife refuges, multi-benefit water storage projects that provide benefits for water supply and wildlife, and improved drought planning efforts to
protect biodiversity #OCSAN
Title
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021
Description
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 This bill
reauthorizes through FY2026 or establishes a variety of programs
for water infrastructure. Specifically, it supports programs to
provide safe drinking water or treat wastewater, such as sewer
overflows or stormwater. For example, the bill reauthorizes and
revises the clean water state revolving fund (SRF) and the drinking
water SRF.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 4:29 PM
A comprehensive bill that contains Senate clean water and drinking
water provisions that were dropped out of Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA) 2020 during conference negotiations. S. 914
would invest more than $35 billion in water resource development
projects across the country, of which, more than 40% can be directly
used to benefit small, disadvantaged, rural, and tribal communities
through additional subsidization from the State Revolving Loan Funds or
direct grant programs.
Introduction Date: 2021-03-23
Bill Number
S 914
Last Action
By Senator Carper From Committee On
Environment And Public Works Filed Written
Report Report No 117 20 2021 05 10
Status
In House
Position
Monitor
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Apr 19, 2021, 3:50 PM
A comprehensive bill, containing clean water and drinking water policy provisions that failed to be included in last year's WRDA 2020 bill. S. 914
was reported out of the Committee on Environment and Public Works on a bipartisan vote of 20-0. The bill now goes to the Senate floor to be
considered by the full Senate. Below are the key clean water provisions. • SRF reauthorized at $14 billion and provides that 10% of assistance
reserved for grants and other subsidies to reduce costs. • Wastewater efficiency grant program authorized at $100 million to support waste to
energy projects. • Alternative Water Source Act reauthorized providing $125 million to support grants to develop reclamation projects generally
under $3 million. • Sewer Overflow and storm water grants program reauthorized at $280 million to address CSO and other overflows. 25% set
aside for rural or financially distressed communities. • Resiliency and sustainability grants assistance provided to support utilities address climate
and cyber impacts. $125million authorized. • Small system assistance to improve efficiency of small systems (10,000 or less) authorized. No
funding level identified. • Workforce development grants program reauthorized at $5 million. • Water Data Sharing program authorized to provide
grants to encourage data sharing related to impaired coastal watersheds, water system with high levels of pollution and other circumstances
leading to water quality impacts. Multi-state consortia authorized to enhance sharing of data, technologies, and protocols. $65 million in grants
authorized to support state and consortia efforts. • WIFIA reauthorized at $50 million per year. Renews the authority of small systems to bundle
projects for WIFIA assistance to meet floor for financing assistance. • Study required on the state of small and disadvantaged communities’
historical distribution of funding assistance and ways to improve assistance to such communities. • The Water Reuse Interagency Working Group
is created to advance water reuse throughout the country with a focus on federal agencies’ mission and ways to create opportunities for reuse. •
Advanced Clean Water Technologies Study directed to ascertain existing and future technologies that could improve the operations of treatment
works. #OCSAN
Title
Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 3:07 PM
Would reduce plastic production, increase recycling, and protect
frontline and fenceline communities from the burden of toxic emissions
from plastic waste by changing the incentives of the industry. The bill
shifts the burden of cleanup to the corporations that produced the
plastics so they have financial motivation to end the burning and
dumping; strengthening environmental justice protections; eliminating
waste export loopholes; and extending across the nation existing laws
that have been proven to work on the state and local level, among other
steps.
Introduction Date: 2021-03-26
Bill Number
HR 2238
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On Water
Resources And Environment 2021 03 29
Status
In House
Position
Support
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 3:53 PM
The bill contains an expanded section on establishing a “Do Not Flush” labeling requirement for non-flushable single-use wet wipes. The labeling
section, that complements CASA's California state bill, would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to establish regulations to
require covered manufacturers, as defined by the bill, to print clear and visible “Do Not Flush” labeling notice on product packaging. Eligible
labeling protocol mirrors the protocols outlined in the state bill. As with the state bill, the “Do Not Flush” symbol is defined by the INDA and
EDANA Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products (Edition 4; May 2018). BFFPPA also includes two provisions
addressing pollution caused by microfibers from textiles and general microplastics through the water waste stream. The bill would establish a
new grants program to support projects that reduce microfiber pollution through either improving industry and manufacturing best practices to
reduce the generation of textile-based microfiber pollution or improve the filtration technology for textile-based microfiber pollution in washing
machines and at wastewater treatment plants. The bill does not define an authorization amount for the program. The legislation would also
create a separate USEPA pilot program to study the efficacy and cost effectiveness of tools, technologies, and techniques used to remove and
prevent the release of microplastics into the environment. Under the program, studies will be conducted to test natural and green infrastructure,
and mechanical removal systems and filtration technologies. The bill identifies eligible locations to carry out testing studies to include wastewater
treatment facilities, stormwater systems, and drinking water systems. The bill does not define an authorization amount for this new pilot
program. #OCSAN
Title
Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 10, 2021, 3:06 PM
Would reduce plastic production, increase recycling, and protect
frontline and fenceline communities from the burden of toxic emissions
from plastic waste by changing the incentives of the industry. The bill
shifts the burden of cleanup to the corporations that produced the
plastics so they have financial motivation to end the burning and
dumping; strengthening environmental justice protections; eliminating
waste export loopholes; and extending across the nation existing laws
that have been proven to work on the state and local level, among other
steps.
Introduction Date: 2021-03-25
Title
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act with respect to
permitting terms, and for other purposes.
Description
This bill revises the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) program. Under the program, the Environmental
Protection Agency issues permits to discharge pollutants into
waters of the United States. The bill extends the maximum term for
NPDES permits issued to states or municipalities from 5 to 10
years.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 9:20 PM
Extends the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit to up to, but not exceeding, 10 years from the current 5 years, for
a municipality.
Introduction Date: 2021-03-12
Bill Number
S 984
Last Action
Read Twice And Referred To The Committee
On Finance 2021 03 25
Status
In Senate
Position
Support
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 3:48 PM
The bill contains an expanded section on establishing a “Do Not Flush” labeling requirement for non-flushable single-use wet wipes. The labeling
section, that complements CASA's California state bill, would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to establish regulations to
require covered manufacturers, as defined by the bill, to print clear and visible “Do Not Flush” labeling notice on product packaging. Eligible
labeling protocol mirrors the protocols outlined in the state bill. As with the state bill, the “Do Not Flush” symbol is defined by the INDA and
EDANA Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products (Edition 4; May 2018). BFFPPA also includes two provisions
addressing pollution caused by microfibers from textiles and general microplastics through the water waste stream. The bill would establish a
new grants program to support projects that reduce microfiber pollution through either improving industry and manufacturing best practices to
reduce the generation of textile-based microfiber pollution or improve the filtration technology for textile-based microfiber pollution in washing
machines and at wastewater treatment plants. The bill does not define an authorization amount for the program. The legislation would also
create a separate USEPA pilot program to study the efficacy and cost effectiveness of tools, technologies, and techniques used to remove and
prevent the release of microplastics into the environment. Under the program, studies will be conducted to test natural and green infrastructure,
and mechanical removal systems and filtration technologies. The bill identifies eligible locations to carry out testing studies to include wastewater
treatment facilities, stormwater systems, and drinking water systems. The bill does not define an authorization amount for this new pilot
program. #OCSAN
Bill Number
HR 1881
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On Water
Resources And Environment 2021 03 15
Status
In House
Position
Monitor
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 9:24 PM
H.R. 1881 would allow for the term of National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued to a State or municipality to not to
exceed 10 years, from the current 5 years. For all other permitees, the NPDES permit would remain at the current 5 year term limit. #OCSAN
Title
Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act
Description
Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act This bill makes
permanent, and otherwise revises, the Bureau of
Reclamation's grant program for the funding of water recycling and
reuse projects. Specifically, the bill removes priority under the
program for projects in areas that, in the preceding four-year
period, have been (1) identified as experiencing severe, extreme, or
exceptional drought; or (2) designated as a disaster area by a state.
Additionally, the bill increases through FY2025 the authorization of
appropriations for the program and otherwise revises provisions
related to program funding.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Feb 16, 2021, 3:28 PM
Increases the authorization level for the Title XVI Program to $500
million from the current $50 million and makes it a permanent program.
The bill strikes requirement that projects must be in drought or disaster
areas and strikes the requirement that the projects need to be
designated in an appropriations legislation.
Introduction Date: 2021-02-11
Bill Number
HR 1015
Last Action
Introduced In House 2021 02 11
Status
In House
Position
Support
Priority
High
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 3:50 PM
H.R. 1015 would increase the authorization level for the Title XVI Program to $500 million from the current $50 million, and make it a permanent
program. The program is set to expire this year if Congress does not reauthorize it. The bill would also strikes the requirement that projects must
be in drought or disaster area, strikes the requirement that the projects need to be designated in an appropriations legislation, and increases the
limitation on the federal share of individual Title XVI projects from the current $20 million in October 1996 prices to $30 million in January 2019
prices (does not change the 25% federal cost share). H.R. 1015 is a reintroduction of a bill (H.R. 1162) Napolitano introduced in the 116th
Congress. Provisions incorporated into Rep. Huffman's FUTURE Act (H.R. 3404). CASA supports. #OCSAN CASA Supports #OCSAN
Priority: Medium (1)
Title
Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of
2021
Description
Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of
2021 This bill increases funding for water infrastructure, including
funding for several programs related to controlling water pollution
or protecting drinking water. Specifically, it establishes a Water
Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Trust Fund. The
fund may be used for specified grant programs. The bill increases
the corporate income tax rate to 24.5% to provide revenues for the
fund. In addition, the bill revises requirements concerning the
clean water state revolving fund (SRF) and the drinking water SRF. It
also creates or reauthorizes several grant programs for water
infrastructure.
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 9:43 PM
The Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability (WATER) Act
of 2021 is a comprehensive solution that creates a WATER Trust Fund,
which dedicates nearly $35 billion towards water infrastructure
improvements across the United States.
Introduction Date: 2021-02-25
Bill Number
HR 1352
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On
Conservation And Forestry 2021 04 05
Status
In House
Position
Monitor
Priority
Medium
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 9:45 PM
Legislation has support from over 540 national, state, and local organizations. The legislation is a reintroduction from last Congress. #OCSAN
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Jun 21, 2021, 4:31 PM
H.R. 1352 would provide the following support for water infrastructure: provides $34.85 billion a year to drinking water and wastewater
improvements; creates a water trust fund; creates up to nearly 1 million jobs across the economy and protect American workers; prioritizes
disadvantaged communities with grants and additional support; expands funding for technical assistance to small, rural, and indigenous
communities; funds projects to address water contamination from PFAS; requires USEPA to study water affordability, shutoffs, discrimination,
and civil rights violations by water providers; upgrades household wells and septic systems; helps homeowners replace lead service lines; and
provides more than $1 billion a year to update water infrastructure in public schools. #OCSAN
Priority: None (1)
Title
CLEAN Future Act
Bill Summary: Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 8:54 PM
H.R. 1512 is a comprehensive legislative package with the goal of
achieving net zero greenhouse gas pollution, combating the climate
crisis, putting Americans back to work,and rebuilding our economy. It
includes limited drinking water provisions, including establishing PFAS
grants program for affected community water systems, authorized at
$500 million. The legislation also includes an extensive environmental
justice title that supports the policy directives from the Administration
that 40% of all future federal funding be delivered to disadvantage and
environmental justice communities.
Introduction Date: 2021-03-02
Bill Number
HR 1512
Last Action
Referred To The Subcommittee On Highways
And Transit 2021 03 03
Status
In House
Position
None
Priority
None
Organizational Notes
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 8:57 PM
Establishes a new grants program under USEPA to aid affected community water systems that are impacted by PFAS contamination with the
capitol costs associated with implementing remediation technologies. Priority funding will be provided to disadvantage communities. Grants
program to be authorized at $500 million for each of the fiscal years 2022-2031. #OCSAN
Last edited by Sarah Sapirstein at Mar 22, 2021, 5:50 PM
Establishes a grant program to award grants to eligible States to receive grants to construct large-scale composting or anaerobic digestion food
waste-to-energy projects. For a State to be eligible it must have a plan to limit quantity of food waste that could be disposed of in a landfill,
provide USEPA a written commitment that the State has read and agrees to comply with the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Environmental
Protection Agency, and written end-product recycling plan that provides for the beneficial use of the material resulting from any anaerobic
digestion food waste-to-energy operation with respect to which the loan or grant is made. Grants may not be used for an anaerobic digester that
solely uses manure as undigested biomass. Grants program authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through
2031. #OCSAN
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M E M O R A N D U M
To: Orange County Sanitation District
From: Townsend Public Affairs
Date: June 21, 2021
Subject: Monthly Legislative Report
State Budget Update On June 14, the Legislature passed AB 128 which meets the constitutional deadline of passing a budget by June 15. The bill has been sent to the Governor for consideration but does not reflect
a budget compromise. Legislative leadership is still negotiating with the Governor’s Office on the provisions that will be included in the final budget.
Legislative leadership will continue to negotiate with the Governor’s Office in order to reach a final budget deal. Once that deal is reached in the coming weeks, a series of budget trailer bills will be amended into print. Those trailer bills will then make any necessary amendments to AB 128,
as well as implement any policies contained in the final budget agreement. These budget trailer bills will need to be in print for 72 hours before they can be voted on by the Legislature. Once a final budget deal has been reached, and the budget trailer bills have been approved by the Legislature, then the budget trailer bills, along with the budget bill, will be sent to the Governor for his consideration. At this point, it is unclear exactly how long it will take for the
Legislature/Administration to reach a budget deal and finalize all of the trailer bills. State Legislature As it relates to legislation, bills have begun being scheduled for policy committee hearings in their second house (ie: Senate Bills in Assembly Policy Committees/ Assembly Bills in Senate Policy Committees). If a bill was heard in two policy committees in its house of origin, then it will likely be heard in the two counterpart committees in the second house.
Regular bills have until July 14 to be heard in all policy committees they are referred to in their second house. The Legislature will then go on summer recess for one month between July 16
and August 16, and upon return will begin the appropriations (fiscal) committee process for most bills that have not already gone through that committee.
As June 15 marked the reopening of California’s economy, the State Capitol has also reopened to the general public with a capacity of 500 people at a time, not including Legislators, Administration officials, or Capitol Staff. Rules committees of both the State Senate and Assembly
plan to continue to assess increasing the capacity to a total of 1,000 members of the public as soon as June 21.
Page 2
Individual legislative offices will have the ability to decide whether they would like to take in-person meetings or if they will continue with remote meetings for the time being. If they choose the latter,
signage must be posted on their Capitol office door indicating so. COVID-19 Updates
• Reopening of California Economy: On June 15, the restrictions that have been in place over the past year were eliminated, including:
o Physical distancing
o Capacity limits
o County tier systems
o Masks in almost all settings for vaccinated Californians
• Workplace Masking Regulations and Social Distancing: The Governor is expected to issue an executive order codifying the state’s new COVID-19 workplace safety rule to let
workers not wear masks at work and also ending social distancing. Those not vaccinated will still have to wear masks when working indoors or in vehicles.
o The purpose of the Executive Order is so the new regs can go into effect immediately instead of June 28 due to administrative processes.
• Novavax Vaccine Trial: Novavax’s coronavirus vaccine candidate showed strong efficacy against disease in a large trial that signals a new option is nearing for a global
community still desperate for protection against the virus and its variants. The shot was 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% effective at preventing moderate and severe symptoms, the U.S. firm said in a statement Monday.
• CDC on School Reopening: The CDC’s new guidance for campus reopening says
colleges and universities can host full capacity in-person learning without masks or physical distancing if all of their students, faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Governor’s Executive Order – Public Meetings Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order which provides timelines and end dates on various existing executive orders. Of note, Executive Order N-29-20, which provides flexibility to state and local agencies and boards to conduct their business through virtual public meetings during COVID-19, will be effective through September 30 of this year.
LAO Local Government Fiscal Report
On May 12, the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) issued a report entitled: “An Initial Look at Effects
of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Local Government Fiscal Condition”. The report analyzes various
impacts of the pandemic on local governments’ fiscal condition over the last year. While the report admits that not all effects are yet known and the variance between local governments can be wide,
the report makes initial assessments and recommendations on how the State can mitigate the financial impact to cities.
Page 3
While the pandemic has resulted in unprecedented economic impacts to local governments, the
report found that property tax revenue, one of local governments’ most significant sources of
revenue, has remained relatively stable. Sales and use tax, as well as transit occupancy tax (TOT) revenues have been more directly impacted, as have local government finances. These revenue changes have also come at a time when the pandemic has increased the costs of local
governments to provide essential services to residents. While the state and federal governments have issued flexible relief dollars to local governments,
there have been significant differences in which local governments received their funding. The report states that some local governments have received sizable relief funding, particularly in comparison to their losses and overall annual budgets, and some have received less or none of the funding authorized in state and federal law. Lastly, the LAO recommends that the Legislature not spend all of its federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars at once, but rather wait until the impact of the pandemic is more fully understood. Then, should the Legislature decide to assist local governments with a portion of
California’s ARPA funds, it should do so in a targeted way that considers whether the local government has experienced:
• Significant reduction in sales tax revenue
• Significant reduction in TOT revenue
• Significant reduction in user fee revenue
• Lower levels of federal relief funding The report notes that the state has until December 31, 2024 to spend its ARPA allocation and
recommends taking a measured, thoughtful, and slower approach to allocating its funds. Priority Legislation
The below bills have been identified by TPA and OC San staff as priority bills that would have an impact on OC San.
AB 339 (Lee) – State and local government: open meetings. (OC San Oppose Unless
Amended) AB 339 would have required local public agencies to provide the following services: 1. Closed captioning services for live streamed meetings 2. Translation of the agenda packet and call-in instructions into languages spoken by at
least 5% of the jurisdiction’s population 3. In-person translation services (for public comments and other needs) for languages
spoken by at least 5% of the jurisdiction’s population
AB 339 was recently amended to remove the above provisions and instead narrow the scope to only require large cities and counties (over 250,000 in population) to include an opportunity for
members of the public to attend via a telephonic option or an internet-based service option. This includes the ability to provide public comment both in person and remotely via a telephonic or an internet-based service option.
Status: AB 339 has been referred to the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.
Page 4
AB 377 (Rivas) – Water quality: impaired waters (OC San Watch)
AB 377 has recently been significantly amended. The bill now requires the State Water Board and Regional Boards to evaluate impaired state surface waters using the most current integrated report, and report to the Legislature a plan to bring all water segments into attainment by January
1, 2050. AB 377 also creates the Waterway Recovery Account in the Waste Discharge Permit Fund. Authorizes funds within the Waterway Recovery Account to be available for the State Water Board to expend, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to bring impaired water segments
into attainment. Requires an enforcement action taken pursuant to this bill to result in sufficient penalties, conditions, and orders to ensure the person subject to the enforcement action is no longer causing or contributing to the exceedance in a surface water quality standard in a surface water of the state. Status: AB 377 is a two-year bill and will not be moving forward in 2021.
AB 818 (Bloom) - Solid waste: premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes (OC San Supports)
Would require certain premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes manufactured on or after July
1, 2022, to be labeled clearly and conspicuously with the phrase “Do Not Flush” and a related symbol. The bill would prohibit a covered entity from making a representation about the flushable attributes, benefits, performance, or efficacy of those premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes. The bill would establish enforcement provisions, including authorizing a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 per day, up to a maximum of $100,000 per violation, to be imposed on a covered entity who violates those provisions.
Status: AB 818 is a reintroduction of previous CASA sponsored legislation. AB 818 has passed the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
AB 1500 (E. Garcia) // SB 45 (Portantino) – Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought
Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2022 (OC San Watch)
AB 1500 and SB 45 would have established a general obligation bond that would appear on the November 2022 ballot. These bond bills would provide funding for a wide variety of natural resources and climate resilient projects including wildfire prevention, safe drinking water and water quality, protecting fish, wildlife, and agriculture from climate risks, and protecting coastal resources.
This proposal and conversations around a climate focused bond were put on hold in 2020 largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the framework of Governor Newsom’s Budget includes record surpluses and federal influxes of pandemic relief dollars.
Page 5
The Governor and the Legislature both agree that direct water funding through the Budget in 2021 is critical, especially as California continues to experience one of the driest periods on record.
This agreement, which is still being negotiated, would preclude the need for a general obligation bond this year
Status: AB 1500 and SB 45 have both been held in their respective Rules Committees and are currently not expected to move forward this year.
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
AB 59 Gabriel [D]This bill would increase, for fees and service charges and for fees for
specified public facilities, the time for mailing the notice of the time and
place of the meeting to at least 45 days before the meeting. This bill would
also require that all fees collected in excess of the cost of the service
provided be refunded to the ratepayer. This bill would also change the
statute of limitations for protests filed for disputes of rates, potentially
allowing rate disputes to be filed months or years after adoption.
Two-Year Bill Oppose Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - Oppose
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Oppose
ACWA - Oppose
AB 322 Salas [D]Current law requires the Energy Commission, in administering moneys in
the Electric Program Investment Charge Fund for research, development,
and demonstration programs, to develop and implement the EPIC program
for the purpose of awarding funds to projects that may lead to technological
advancement and breakthroughs to overcome barriers that prevent the
achievement of the state’s statutory energy goals and that may result in a
portfolio of projects that are strategically focused and sufficiently narrow to
make advancement on the most significant technological challenges.
Current law, until January 1, 2023, requires the Energy Commission to
expend certain percentages of the moneys appropriated from the fund for
technology demonstration and deployment at sites that benefit certain
communities. This bill would require the Energy Commission to allocate not
less than 20% of the funds appropriated for the EPIC program to bioenergy
projects for biomass conversion, as specified.
Currently in the Senate
Energy, Utilities, and
Commications
Committee
Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Biosolids and
Biogas - Support
streamlined legislation,
regulations and policies that
encourage the procurement
of biogas, biosolids, and
compost.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Support
CSDA - NYC
ACWA - Favor
AB 339 Lee [D]Would, until December 31, 2023, require all open and public meetings of a
city council or a county board of supervisors that governs a jurisdiction
containing least 250,000 people to include an opportunity for members of
the public to attend via a telephonic option or an internet-based service
option. The bill would require all open and public meetings to include an in-
person public comment opportunity, except in specified circumstances
during a declared state or local emergency. The bill would require all
meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed
legislation in person and remotely via a telephonic or an internet-based
service option, as provided.
Currently in the Senate
Governance and Finance
Committee and the
Senate Judiciary
Committee
Oppose
Unless
Amended
Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - Oppose
LOCC - Oppose
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Oppose
ACWA - Oppose
Proposed Legislation 2021-2022
High Priority
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
AB 361 Rivas [D]Would authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying
with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act
when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting for the purpose
of declaring or ratifying a local emergency, during a declared state of
emergency or local emergency, as those terms are defined, when state or
local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote
social distancing, and during a declared local emergency provided the
legislative body determines, by majority vote, that meeting in person would
present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees.
Referred to the Senate
Governance and Finance
Committee and the
Senate Judiciary
Committee
Support Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Sponsor
ACWA - Favor
AB 377 Rivas [D]Would require, by January 1, 2023, the State Water Resources Control
Board and regional boards to prioritize enforcement of all water quality
standard violations that are causing or contributing to an exceedance of a
water quality standard in a surface water of the state. The bill would require
the state board and regional boards, by January 1, 2025, to evaluate
impaired state surface waters and report to the Legislature a plan to bring
all water segments into attainment by January 1, 2050. The bill would
require the state board and regional boards to update the report with a
progress summary to the Legislature every 5 years. The bill would create
the Waterway Recovery Account in the Waste Discharge Permit Fund and
would make moneys in the Waterway Recovery Account available for the
state board to expend, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to bring
impaired water segments into attainment in accordance with the plan.
Two-Year Bill Watch Guiding Principles: Oppose
redundant regulatory and
legislative requirements that
cause undue constraints on
efficient operations.
ACC-OC - Oppose
LOCC - Oppose
CASA - Oppose
CSDA - Oppose
ACWA - Concerns
AB 564 Gonzalez [D]Would establish the Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act and would
provide that it is the policy of the state that all state agencies, boards, and
commissions shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the biodiversity
conservation purposes and goals of certain executive orders. The bill would
require all state agencies, boards, and commissions to consider and
prioritize the protection of biodiversity in carrying out their statutory
mandates. The bill would require strategies related to the goal of the state
to conserve at least 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030 to
be made available to the public and provided to certain legislative
committees by no later than June 30, 2022.
Two-Year Bill Watch Guiding Principles: Oppose
redundant regulatory and
legislative requirements that
cause undue constraints on
efficient operations.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
AB 602 Grayson [D]Current law requires a city, county, or special district that has an internet
website to make available on its internet website certain information, as
applicable, including its current schedule of fees and exactions.This bill,
among other things, would require, on and after January 1, 2022, a city,
county, or special district that conducts an impact fee nexus study to follow
specific standards and practices, including, but not limited to, (1) that prior
to the adoption of an associated development fee, an impact fee nexus
study be adopted, (2) that the study identify the existing level of service for
each public facility, identify the proposed new level of service, and include
an explanation of why the new level of service is necessary, and (3) if the
study is adopted after July 1, 2022, either calculate a fee levied or imposed
on a housing development project proportionately to the square footage of
the proposed units, or make specified findings explaining why square
footage is not an appropriate metric to calculate the fees.
Currently in the Senate
Governance and Finance
Committee and the
Senate Housing
Committee
Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
AB 622 Friedman [D]Current law, to protect public health and water quality, regulates a broad
range of consumer products and processes, including water softeners,
water treatment devices, and backflow prevention devices, among
others.This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2024, that all
washing machines sold as new in California contain a microfiber filtration
system with a mesh size of 100 microns or smaller.
Two-Year Bill Support State Priorities: Support
legislation or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics and chemicals
of emerging concern in any
product that is disposed of
through the sewer system.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - NYC
ACWA - NYC
AB 652 Friedman [D]Would, on and after July 1, 2023, prohibit a person, including a
manufacturer, from selling or distributing in commerce in this state any
new, not previously owned, juvenile product, as defined, that contains
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at a detectable level
above an unspecified amount. The bill would establish requirements for
manufacturers when replacing PFAS in juvenile products.
Currently in the Senate
Environmental Quality
Committee
Watch State Priorities: Monitor
state legislation as well as
State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB)
regulatory activity related to
PFAS.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - NYC
ACWA - NYC
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
AB 703 Rubio [D]Current law, by Executive Order N-29-20, suspends the Ralph M. Brown
Act’s requirements for teleconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic,
provided that notice requirements are met, the ability of the public to
observe and comment is preserved, as specified, and that a local agency
permitting teleconferencing have a procedure for receiving and swiftly
resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with
disabilities, as specified. This bill would remove the requirements of the act
particular to teleconferencing and allow for teleconferencing subject to
existing provisions regarding the posting of notice of an agenda and the
ability of the public to observe the meeting and provide public comment.
The bill would require that, in each instance in which notice of the time of
the teleconferenced meeting is otherwise given or the agenda for the
meeting is otherwise posted, the local agency also give notice of the means
by which members of the public may observe the meeting and offer public
comment and that the legislative body have and implement a procedure for
receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for
individuals with disabilities, consistent with the federal Americans with
Disabilities Act, as provided.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - Support
AB 802 Bloom [D]Would require the Water Resources Control Board to identify the best
available control technology for filtering microfibers from an industrial,
institutional, or commercial laundry facility on or before an unspecified date,
and would require the state board to consult with owners and operators of
laundry facilities on the types of filtration systems currently in use and with
universities, scientific organizations, and experts on plastic pollution in
identifying the best available control technology. The bill would also require,
on or before an unspecified date, any entity that operates an industrial,
institutional, or commercial laundry facility to adopt the use of the best
available control technology to capture microfibers that are shed during
washing.
Two-Year Bill Watch State Priorities: Support
legislation or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics and chemicals
of emerging concern in any
product that is disposed of
through the sewer system.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - NYC
ACWA - Favor
AB 818 Bloom [D]Would require, except as provided, certain premoistened nonwoven
disposable wipes manufactured on or after July 1, 2022, to be labeled
clearly and conspicuously with the phrase “Do Not Flush” and a related
symbol, as specified. The bill would prohibit a covered entity, as defined,
from making a representation about the flushable attributes, benefits,
performance, or efficacy of those premoistened nonwoven disposable
wipes, as provided. The bill would establish enforcement provisions,
including authorizing a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 per day, up to a
maximum of $100,000 per violation, to be imposed on a covered entity who
violates those provisions.
Currently in the Senate
Judiciary Committee
Support Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Source Control -
Support legislation that
regulates the disposal of
flushable wipes.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Support
CASA - Sponsor
CSDA - Support
ACWA - Support
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
AB 1001 C. Garcia [D]Would require the California Environmental Protection Agency, on or before
May 1, 2022, to publish, maintain, and update a list of overburdened
communities, as defined. The bill would, on or after July 1, 2022, require a
permitting agency to take certain actions for an application for a new
environmental permit, as defined, or the renewal of an environmental
permit for a facility located in an overburdened community. The bill would
require a permit applicant to prepare an environmental justice impact
statement, to conduct a public hearing in the overburdened community, and
to transmit the environmental justice impact statement to the permitting
agency.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Air Quality -
Support measures that
maintain and enhance local
decision-making authority,
where appropriate, in the
development and
implementation of air quality
attainment strategies.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Concerns
CSDA - NYC
ACWA - NYC
AB 1200 Ting [D]Would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2023, any person from distributing,
selling, or offering for sale in the state any food packaging that contains
intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS,
as defined. The bill would require a manufacturer to use the least toxic
alternative when replacing PFAS chemicals. The bill would define “food
packaging,” in part, to mean a nondurable package, packaging component,
or food service ware that is comprised, in substantial part, of paper,
paperboard, or other materials originally derived from plant fibers.
Currently in the Senate
Health Committee
Watch State Priorities: Monitor
state legislation as well as
State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB)
regulatory activity related to
PFAS.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Support
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
AB 1271 Ting [D]Current law, beginning January 1, 2021, imposes a penalty for violation of
specified surplus land provisions after a local agency receives the
notification from the Department of Housing and Community Development
and a penalty for subsequent violations. Current law authorizes specified
entities or persons to bring an action against a local agency to enforce the
provisions related to surplus land and allows a local agency 60 days to cure
or correct an alleged violation before the action may be brought, except as
specified. This bill would provide that these surplus land provisions do not
preclude a local agency that purchases surplus land from a disposing
agency from reconveying the surplus land to a nonprofit or for-profit
housing developer for development of low- and moderate-income housing
as authorized under other provisions of law.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Oppose
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
AB 1296 Kamlager [D]Curent law establishes the South Coast Air Quality Management District as
the district with the responsibility for controlling air pollution from sources
other than vehicular sources in the South Coast Air Basin. Current law
establishes a district board consisting of 13 members to govern the south
coast district. Current law requires one member of the district board to be
appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one member to be
appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. This bill would increase the
number of members of the district board of the south coast district to 15
members by adding 2 environmental justice appointees, one appointed by
the Senate Committee on Rules and one appointed by the Speaker of the
Assembly.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Air Quality -
Support measures that
maintain and enhance local
decision-making authority,
where appropriate, in the
development and
implementation of air quality
attainment strategies.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
AB 1434 Friedman [D]Would establish, beginning January 1, 2023, until January 1, 2025, the
standard for indoor residential water use as 48 gallons per capita daily. The
bill would establish, beginning January 1, 2025, the standard as 44 gallons
per capita daily and, beginning January 1, 2030, 40 gallons per capita daily.
The bill would eliminate the requirement that the department, in
coordination with the state board, conduct necessary studies and
investigations and jointly recommend to the Legislature a standard for
indoor residential water use.
Two-Year Bill Oppose Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Water Quality and
Supply - Support legislation
and regulation that promote
improved water use
efficiency through state
assistance in evaluating and
implementing new programs
and technologies and
increasing public awareness
of water use efficiency.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - No
Position
ACWA - Oppose
AB 1500 E. Garcia [D]Would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought
Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce
Development Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by the voters, would
authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $6,700,000,000 pursuant
to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe
drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection,
extreme heat mitigation, and workforce development programs.
Currently in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Unlikely to move forward
this year
Watch Guiding Principles: Seek
funds for OCSD projects
through grants,
appropriations, or other
means.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Support if
Amended
ACWA - Support if
Amended
SB 45 Portantino [D]Would enact the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought
Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by
the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of
$5,510,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to
finance projects for a wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, drought
preparation, and flood protection program. Includes $100 million.
Currently in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Unlikely to move forward
this year
Watch Guiding Principles: Seek
funds for OCSD projects
through grants,
appropriations, or other
means.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Support if
Amended
ACWA - Support if
Amended
SB 54 Allen [D]Would establish the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act, which
would prohibit producers of single-use, disposable packaging or single-use,
disposable food service ware products from offering for sale, selling,
distributing, or importing in or into the state such packaging or products that
are manufactured on or after January 1, 2032, unless they are recyclable or
compostable.
Two-Year Bill Watch State Priorities: Support
legislation or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics in any product
that is disposed of through
the sewer system.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
SB 95 Skinner Would provide for COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for covered
employees, as defined, who are unable to work or telework due to certain
reasons related to COVID-19, including that the employee has been
advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related
to COVID-19. The bill would entitle a covered employee to 80 hours of
COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave if that employee either works full
time or was scheduled to work, on average, at least 40 hours per week for
the employer in the 2 weeks preceding the date the covered employee took
COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave. The bill would provide a different
calculation for supplemental paid sick leave for a covered employee who is
a firefighter subject to certain work schedule requirements and for a
covered employee working fewer or variable hours, as specified.
Signed into law Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Oppose
ACWA - NYC
SB 230 Portantino [D]Would require the State Water Resources Control Board to establish,
maintain, and direct an ongoing, dedicated program called the Constituents
of Emerging Concern Program to assess the state of information and
recommend areas for further study on, among other things, the occurrence
of constituents of emerging concern (CEC) in drinking water sources and
treated drinking water. The bill would require the state board to convene, by
an unspecified date, the Science Advisory Panel to review and provide
recommendations to the state board on CEC for further action, among
other duties. The bill would require the state board to provide an annual
report to the Legislature on the ongoing work conducted by the panel.
Two-Year Bill Watch State Priorities: Monitor
state legislation as well as
State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB)
regulatory activity related to
PFAS.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Support
ACWA - Favor
SB 273 Hertzberg [D]Would authorize a municipal wastewater agency, as defined, to enter into
agreements with entities responsible for stormwater management for the
purpose of managing stormwater and dry weather runoff, to acquire,
construct, expand, operate, maintain, and provide facilities for specified
purposes relating to managing stormwater and dry weather runoff, and to
levy taxes, fees, and charges consistent with the municipal wastewater
agency’s existing authority in order to fund projects undertaken pursuant to
the bill. The bill would require the exercise of any new authority granted
under the bill to comply with the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government
Reorganization Act of 2000. The bill would require a municipal wastewater
agency that enters into or amends one of these agreements after January
1, 2022, to file a copy of the agreement or amendment with the local
agency formation commission in each county where any part of the
municipal wastewater agency’s territory is located, but would exempt those
agreements and amendments from local agency formation commission
approval except as required by the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local
Government Reorganization Act of 2000.
Currently in the Assembly
Environmental Safety
and Toxic Materials
Committee
Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Co-
sponsor
CSDA - Support
ACWA - Favor
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
SB 274 Wieckowski [D]The Ralph M. Brown Act requires meetings of the legislative body of a local
agency to be open and public and also requires regular and special
meetings of the legislative body to be held within the boundaries of the
territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, with specified
exceptions. Current law authorizes a person to request that a copy of an
agenda, or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet, of
any meeting of a legislative body be mailed to that person. This bill would
require a local agency with an internet website, or its designee, to email a
copy of, or website link to, the agenda or a copy of all the documents
constituting the agenda packet if the person requests that the items be
delivered by email. If a local agency determines it to be technologically
infeasible to send a copy of the documents or a link to a website that
contains the documents by email or by other electronic means, the bill
would require the legislative body or its designee to send by mail a copy of
the agenda or a website link to the agenda and to mail a copy of all other
documents constituting the agenda packet, as specified.
Currently in the Assembly
Local Government
Committee
Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - Favor
SB 323 Caballero [D]Current law prohibits a local agency from imposing fees for specified
purposes, including fees for water or sewer connections, as defined, that
exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the
fee is charged, unless voter approval is obtained. Current law provides that
a local agency levying a new a water or sewer connection fee or increasing
a fee must do so by ordinance or resolution. Current law requires, for
specified fees, including water or sewer connection fees, any judicial action
or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul an ordinance,
resolution, or motion adopting a new fee or service charge or modifying an
existing fee or service charge to be commenced within 120 days of the
effective date of the ordinance, resolution, or motion according to specified
procedures for validation proceedings. This bill would apply the same
judicial action procedure and timelines, as stated above, to ordinances,
resolutions, or motions adopting, modifying, or amending water or sewer
service fees or charges adopted after January 1, 2022, except as provided.
Currently in the Assembly
Judiciary Committee
Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Support
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Support
ACWA - Sponsor
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
SB 342 Gonzalez [D]Current law establishes the South Coast Air Quality Management District
vested with the authority to regulate air emissions from stationary sources
located in the South Coast Air Basin and establishes a district board,
consisting of 13 members. This bill would add 2 members to the district
board, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of
the Assembly. The bill would require the 2 additional members to reside in
and work directly with communities in the South Coast Air Basin that are
disproportionately burdened by and vulnerable to high levels of pollution
and issues of environmental justice.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Air Quality -
Monitor SCAQMD’s
development of regulations
and guidelines associated
with AB 617 in the following
areas: (1) implementation of
best available retrofit control
technology (BARCT)
requirements for existing
stationary sources; (2)
deployment of air monitoring
systems in selected
communities; and (3)
implementation of emissions
reduction plans in selected
communities.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - Watch
SB 351 Caballero [D]Current law establishes the State Water Resources Control Board for the
purposes of providing for the orderly and efficient administration of the
water resources of the state. This bill, the Water Innovation Act of 2021,
would create the Office of Water Innovation at the California Water
Commission for the furtherance of new technologies and other innovative
approaches in the water sector. The bill would require the office, by
December 31, 2023, to take specified measures to advance innovation in
the water sector. The bill would make findings and declarations regarding
the need for water innovation.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Biosolids and
Biogas - Support
streamlined legislation,
regulations and policies that
encourage the procurement
of biogas, biosolids, and
compost.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
CSDA - Support
ACWA - Favor
SB 695 Ochoa Bogh [R]Would prohibit a local agency from imposing a housing impact requirement
adopted by the local agency on a housing development project, as defined,
unless specified requirements are satisfied by the local agency, including
that the local agency prepare and adopt a nexus study, as specified. The
bill, for purposes of these provisions, defines “housing impact requirement”
as a fee imposed under the Mitigation Fee Act, dedications of parkland or in-
lieu fees imposed under the Quimby Act, or a construction excise tax.This
bill would require a local agency to adopt a nexus study that is used to
demonstrate compliance with these provisions, subject to specified public
participation requirements.This bill would prohibit a housing impact
requirement from exceeding the amount necessary to maintain the existing
level of service identified in the nexus study for the type of capital facility for
which the housing impact requirement is imposed.
Two-Year Bill Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Oppose
CSDA - Watch
ACWA - NYC
OC San
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OC SAN
POSITION LEGISLATIVE PLAN OTHER
POSITIONS
SB 791 Cortese [D]Would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, establish the California
Surplus Land Unit within the Department of Housing and Community
Development with the primary purpose of facilitating the development and
construction of residential housing on local surplus property, as defined. In
this regard, the bill would authorize the unit to, among other things, facilitate
agreements between housing developers and local agencies that seek to
dispose of surplus land; provide advice, technical assistance, and
consultative and technical service to local agencies with surplus land and
developers that seek to develop housing on the surplus land; and
collaborate with specified state agencies to assist housing developers and
local agencies with obtaining grants, loans, tax credits, credit
enhancements, and other types of financing that facilitate the construction
of housing on surplus land.
Currently in the Assembly
Housing and Community
Development Committee
and the Assembly Local
Government Committee
Watch Legislative and Regulatory
Policies: Special Districts -
Oppose further state
regulations that adversely
impact special district
financing, operations, and
administration.
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Oppose
CSDA - No
Position
ACWA - NYC
Legend:ACC-OC - Association of California Cities, Orange County
LOCC - League of California Cities
NYC - Not Yet Considered
CASA - California Association of Sanitation Agencies
ACWA - Association of California Water Agencies
CSDA - California Special Districts Association
OC San's Grant and Loan Funding Tracker 2021-2022
Name of Grant/Loan Synopsis of Grant/Loan Amount of Grant/Loan Amount
Applying for Applying Y/N Project/Program Reason Match Deadline Category Rcvd Grant/
Financing Y/N
Organics Grant Program (CalRecycle)
The Organics Grant Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide
program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the
environment - particularly in disadvantaged and/or low-income communities. The Cap-
and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean
technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate
Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public
transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable
agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are
made in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
TBD if FY 2021 Grant Applications will be
available TBD TBD
Food-Waste Co-Digestion facility
at Plant No.2 in Huntington
Beach to accept up to 150 wet
tons per day (wtpd) of pre-
processed source separated
organics.
We will review the possible funding
opportunity to determine if it is a fit for
the Sanitation District.
TBD TBD Energy/Recycling No
Zero-Emission Freight and Marine
Program Solicitation California Air
Resources Board/Volkswagen
Environmental Mitigation Trust
The Zero-Emission Freight and Marine Program Solicitation (ZEFM) Program will fund
projects that accomplish one or more of the following:
• Scrap and replace heavy-lift forklifts, port cargo handling equipment, airport ground
support equipment, or marine engine in ferry, tugboats and towboats with new,
commercially available, zero-emission technologies, or
• Install shore power systems for oceangoing vessel at port terminals.
Up to $423 million NA No Forklift Replacement We did not meet the requirements of
the grant.Yes 6/16/2021 Environment No
CalOES Grant- Community Power
Resiliency Allocation to Special
Districts Program
The purpose of the Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Special Districts
Program is to support California special districts with additional preparedness
measures in response to power outage events. Of the $50 million overall appropriation
for Community Power Resiliency funding, $20 million has been reserved for special
district needs.
$300,000 $300,000 No Portable Generators We did not meet the requirements of
the grant.NA 10/30/2020 Renewable energy No
Integrated Regional Water
Management (IRWM) Grant Program
The Proposition 1 IRWM Grant Program, administered by DWR, provides funding for
projects that help meet the long term water needs of the state, including:
Assisting water infrastructure systems adapt to climate change;
Providing incentives throughout each watershed to collaborate in managing the
region's water resources and setting regional priorities for water infrastructure
TBD NA No NA
TPA and OCSD are monitoring the
grant program development from the
Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority
(SAWPA). Currently, Round 2 has yet
to be announced. TPA and OCSD will
continue to watch this. OC IRWM
expected to receive $7.5 million total, in
2022.
50%NA. Will return in
2021/2022 for Round 2 Water No
The Water Infrastructure Improvements
Act (WIIN)
The Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects funding opportunity allows for
sponsors of water reclamation and reuse projects that are congressionally authorized
or are eligible under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act to request cost-shared funding for
planning, design and/or construction of those Projects. Water reclamation and reuse
projects provide improved efficiency, flexibility during water shortages and diversifies
the water supply.
Reclamation is making up to $20 million
available for those projects authorized under the
WIIN Act.
$20 million Pending FOA Final Expansion of GWRS
Headworks (P2-122)
The Sanitation District developed a
proposal for last year that could be
used as a basis for a new submittal.
$20mm or 25% of
project costs
whichever is less.
6/28/2019 Water/ Infrastructure Pending FOA
STATE
FEDERAL
Updated 6/22/2021
OC San's Grant and Loan Funding Tracker 2021-2022
Name of Grant/Loan Synopsis of Grant/Loan Amount of Grant/Loan Amount
Applying for Applying Y/N Project/Program Reason Match Deadline Category Rcvd Grant/
Financing Y/N
Department of Health and Human
Services
Department of Health and Human Services is in the process of allocating
approximately $116 million to the state to provide agencies with assistance to cover
arrearages.
$116 million TBD TBD COVID - 19 Funding We will apply if this grant comes to
fruition and if we meet the eligibility TBD TBD COVID-19 TBD
FEMA Funding
The President’s Memo changed the federal reimbursement amount for previously
approved projects from the beginning of the disaster to January 20, 2021. It did not
change the eligibility. All work eligible under FEMA’s existing COVID-19 policies,
including increasing medical capacity, non-congregate sheltering, and emergency
feeding distribution will be reimbursed at 100 percent federal share. For projects that
have already been approved, FEMA will amend the existing awards to adjust the
federal funding amounts. No action will be required by the applicants.
TBD $260,000 (at this
time)Yes COVID - 19 Funding We are working with the local agency
CAL OES on the funding eligibility.N/A TBD Infrastructure TBD
WaterSMART Grants: Small-Scale
Water Efficiency Projects
Purpose: To support projects that conserve and use water more efficiently; mitigate
conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other
benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States.
Total Funding Available: $3 million NA No-not qualified Project Request - Planning Study
Plant and Reclaimed Water
They do not fund studies within the
parameters of the grant.
Cost-Share: 50% or
more of total project
costs.
3/15/2021 Water/ Infrastructure No
Stormwater and CSO Grant Program In addition, the President’s directive allows FEMA to expand the activities eligible for
reimbursement for work conducted after Jan. 21, 2021 and until Sept. 30, 2021. Funding cost-share is not identified in the law TBD TBD. We will monitor for possible
funding opportunities/A TBD FY 2020 - $28 million Yes Anticipate by July 2020 Water/ Infrastructure
USEPA published
allocation formula
with deadline for
public comments
9/3/2020. Expect
formal allocation to
State within next two
months.
The Department of Energy (DOE),
USBR and USEPA
The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency is likely to continue to be funded by Congress to
support such efforts as biogas, biosolids and green energy.
Through the WaterSmart program, USBR will
issue solicitations for innovative approaches to
managing water and water treatment through
technology and processes for FY 2020 - $60
million
TBD TBD. We will monitor for possible
funding opportunities
Project Funding Opportunity:
Energy production to reduce
costs of recycled water through
innovative technologies.
Innovative water monitoring
technology that can produce
efficient real time monitoring and
data analysis, Biogas
Management and Use
Improvements.
We will review the possible funding
opportunity to determine if it is a fit for
the Sanitation District.
N/A TBD Energy/Water/Infrastructure TBD
Updated 6/22/2021
OC San's Grant and Loan Funding Tracker 2021-2022
Name of Grant/Loan Synopsis of Grant/Loan Amount of Grant/Loan Amount
Applying for Applying Y/N Project/Program Reason Match Deadline Category Rcvd Grant/
Financing Y/N
USEPA Climate Resiliency TBD TBD TBD
Anticipate that USEPA will issue
FOA's to promote studies and
plans to address resiliency
needs and strategies
We will review the possible funding
opportunity to determine if it is a fit for
the Sanitation District.
Unclear TBD Climate TBD
Community Partnering Program Grant Metropolitan Water District
The primary focus of the Community Partnering
Program (CPP) is sponsorship of water
conservation and water-use efficiency programs
and activities. Applications must be submitted
30 days prior to the start date of the event or
program.
Requests for a maximum $2,000 award will be
reviewed year-round and funds are awarded
throughout the year. Funds are limited,
however, and may be depleted prior to the
ending of this fiscal year (June 30).
$2,000 Yes For Plant No. 1 Signage Applied Match ongoing Education Yes
Mass Timber Competition CalGovOps
The California Government Operations Agency
(GovOps) will award $500,000 in grants as part
of the statewide California Mass Timber
Building Competition. Grants will be awarded to
selected proponent teams presenting viable and
repeatable mass timber solutions for
commercial and multi-family projects in
California. The competition is being hosted by
GovOps and administered by WoodWorks –
Wood Products Council.
$40,000 Yes Headquarters Building Applied No 03/18/19 Environment Yes
Other
Updated 6/22/2021
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
Agenda Report
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
File #:2021-1726 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:6.
FROM:James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
STRATEGIC PLAN ORGANIZATIONAL ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH POLICY
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Information Only.
BACKGROUND
The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San)is updating its Strategic Plan.The Strategic Plan is
a policy level roadmap which defines the future desired state of the agency and lays out initiatives to
move toward that desired state.The Strategic Plan is intended to be a living document that is
adjusted to meet new needs or regulations faced by OC San.
There are currently 14 individual policy areas which comprise the overall Strategic Plan.The policy
statements were developed by the Executive Management Team based on input provided by Board
Members and staff.The Board’s input and direction is critical in developing and updating the
Strategic Plan.
In order to create a cohesive and comprehensive Strategic Plan,a new policy topic has been
proposed that will focus on keeping our stakeholders informed and garnering support for the OC San
services provided.The Board leadership has requested that this policy paper be developed in
conjunction with the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee.
Based on the feedback received from the Steering Committee,staff intends to finalize the draft policy
paper and include it in the draft Strategic Plan that will be presented to the Board of Directors in
August with formal adoption by the Board in November of this year.The adopted Strategic Plan will
be the basis of Fiscal Year 2022-23 and 2023-24 budget development.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
·Maintain and adhere to appropriate internal planning documents: Strategic Plan
·Sustain 1, 5, 20-year planning horizons
·Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 1 of 2
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File #:2021-1726 Agenda Date:7/12/2021 Agenda Item No:6.
PROBLEM
The current Strategic Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors in November 2019 and is currently
in effect.The strategic planning process is intended to be reviewed every two years to make
necessary adjustments due to new issues of concern for OC San.During the review and update
process it was noted than an outreach component should be added to properly capture all of OC
San’s important areas.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Add an additional policy topic to the Strategic Plan to cover OC San’s organizational advocacy and
outreach efforts which are an integral part of OC San’s success.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
May 2021 - Board of Directors Strategic Plan Recap.
April 2021 - Special Board of Directors Meeting, Strategic Plan Workshop No. 3.
March 2021 - Special Board of Directors Meeting, Strategic Plan Workshop No. 2.
February 2021 - Special Board of Directors Meeting, Strategic Plan Workshop No. 1.
January 2021 - Steering Committee reviewed the Strategic Plan development outline.
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s)may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov)with the complete agenda
package:
·OC San Organizational Advocacy and Outreach Policy - Draft
·OC San Strategic Plan November 2019
Orange County Sanitation District Printed on 7/1/2021Page 2 of 2
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Organizational Advocacy & Outreach 1
Orange County Sanitation District Organizational Advocacy and Outreach Policy Paper
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) will create and disseminate information
to our stakeholders with an end goal to educate, inform, and garner support for the services provided thus allowing us to operate in a more efficient and effective manner. OC San will deliver messages that are accurate, transparent, and designed to foster public trust and confidence. Additionally, legislative oversight will ensure OC San’s
interests are protected. Background: OC San provides regional sewer service for 2.6 million people living, working, and commuting in central and northwest Orange County. The various stakeholders include
over 600 employees, 50 local elected officials appointed to our Board of Directors, regulators, policy makers, and the public. It is critical for OC San to have a multi-pronged outreach program to reach the intended audiences and to gain support for OC San’s mission.
OC San provides services and tools to effectively communicate about the various programs that help achieve its mission. This includes:
Student Educational Outreach:
Promoting and educating the youth within our service area on OC San’s work and
the essential service provided. Reaching out to students allows for our future
generations to be aware of the environmental impact we each make and what we
can accomplish working together. This knowledge will help our future generations
to take action and make positive changes. It also introduces them to an industry
they may be unaware of as a career choice. We do this through programs such as
Inside the Outdoors which goes directly into classrooms to teach the wastewater
treatment process; school-based plant tours that give them an inside view into a
treatment plan and how the system works; events such as the Youth
Environmental Summit (YES) which provides an opportunity to reach thousands
of local children in a short amount of time with clear and direct messaging; and
contest such as the Public Service Announcement which is an incentive for
students to get involved in developing messages for environmental issues.
Infrastructure Outreach:
OC San has $11 billion in infrastructure that must be maintained, replaced, and
enhanced to continue providing the essential service of protecting public health
and the environment. Forming a positive presence in the community prior to the
Organizational Advocacy & Outreach 2
start of construction projects or maintenance activities is imperative to build trust,
understanding, and support for the necessary construction. This is done through
an extensive outreach program that develops and implements communication
tools to engage the communities affected by OC San construction projects such
as a Community Liaison, dedicated construction webpage, collateral material, etc.
Over the next fiscal year about two dozen projects will be in construction with
various degree of public impacts.
Employee Engagement:
Open and honest communication with our employees creates a positive and
trusting environment thus resulting in a more engaged workforce and
ambassadors for our agency. OC San creates employee engagement by utilizing
various communication methods to share agency wide messages. With over 600
employees with various backgrounds, work hours, and access to online a diverse
toolkit of communication pieces allows messages to be delivered to staff. This
includes The San Box (intranet), Pipeline Newsletter, Digester (messaging piece),
Three Things to Know email, etc.
Brand Recognition:
As an industry leader OC San must ensure its brand and image are portrayed
accurately and positively. A cohesive voice, message, look, and feel are critical to
the public perception we have, and the trust granted to us by the community we
serve and the stakeholders we work with. To build and maintain a positive image,
we engage in general outreach efforts such as general plant tours; community
newsletters; a Speakers Bureau Program which allows us to go into the community
and meat with various groups to inform them of who we are and what we do; an
informative and educational website, an active social media presence; and the
development of program such as Wastewater 101 Academy to provide for our
ratepayers, fellow agencies, and influential public to showcase OC San operations
and initiatives.
OC San also recognizes the need for an active local, state, and federal legislative and regulatory advocacy program to ensure that the interests of the rate payers and the Board of Directors are protected and supported. Towards that end, the legislative and regulatory
team actively engages, pursues, and monitors activities in California and Washington,
D.C. and takes appropriate action in support of or opposition to legislative and regulatory initiatives. Current Situation:
OC San is an industry leader involved in innovative and significant programs. However,
it is most often seen as a silent utility due to its seamless operation. It is not until the
Organizational Advocacy & Outreach 3
unexpected happens that we are noticed and typically not in a favorable manner. More
often than not, people don’t think twice about their wastewater or where it goes.
In addition, OC San has no direct connection to its rate payers. User fees are paid via
property taxes thus eliminating an opportunity to reach our customers directly. This
ultimately results in a limited understanding of OC San, what we do, and the import
service provided to the community.
To that extend, OC San’s outreach efforts are imperative to inform and educate the public
we serve, including policy makers and regulators.
Policy Statement
OC San will creatively and effectively develop communication tools and tactics to inform and educate our various stakeholders. As a silent utility, is it imperative that OC San build
a bank of trust to garner support and understanding for the multitude of programs that
allow us to continue protecting the environment. OC San’s outreach efforts will be clear and transparent to demonstrate our reliability and thus gain trust and confidence from those we serve, our fellow agencies and organizations in the wastewater world.
This will be supported by legislative and regulatory outreach efforts to ensure the
wastewater industry is able to operate in the best interests of its constituents.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
Initiative: Relaunch the Vendor Outreach Program with a focus on Orange County to
enhance the competitive bidding opportunities for OC San. This effort will increase the
number of vendor and contractors soliciting OC San projects thus expand the pool and
providing a greater variety of partners.
Initiative: Develop an outreach program for member agencies regarding inflow and
infiltration issues emerging within their sewer system. The program will aim to educate,
inform, and improve the situation affecting the local and regional sewer system.
Initiative: Develop an educational display in the Headquarters building to illustrate OC
San’s reuse and recycling efforts in support of the environment and public health. Display
to be revealed when new building is unveiled.
Initiative: Commemorate OC San’s achievement of reusing 100 percent of the
reclaimable flow upon completion of the Groundwater Replenishment System’s Final
Expansion. Celebrate the milestone and acknowledge the accomplishment with staff and
stakeholders.
Initiative: Actively engage, pursue, and monitor activities in California and Washington,
D.C. and take appropriate action in support of or opposition to legislative and regulatory
initiatives affecting OC San and the wastewater industry through Monitoring and Analysis,
Advocacy Days, Position letters and Funding Requests (as deemed suitable).
November 2019
Strategic PlanORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
Table of Contents
Board of Directors 4
Message from the General Manager 5
Executive Summary 6
Mission Statement and Vision Statement 9
Core Values 10
Policy Statements and Initiatives 11
Appendix: Policy Papers 17
3STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Board of Directors
4 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Anaheim Brea Buena Park Cypress Fountain Valley Lucille Kring Glenn Parker Fred Smith Mariellen Yarc Steve Nagel
Fullerton Garden Grove Huntington Beach Irvine La Habra Jesus J. Silva Steve Jones Erik Peterson Christina Shea Tim Shaw
La Palma Los Alamitos Newport Beach Orange Placentia Peter Kim Richard Murphy Brad Avery Mark Murphy Chad Wanke
Santa Ana Seal Beach Stanton Tustin Villa Park Cecilia Iglesias Sandra Massa-Lavitt David Shawver Allan Bernstein Robert Collacott (Chairman)
Costa Mesa Midway City Irvine Ranch Yorba Linda Orange County Sanitation District Sanitary District Water District Water District Board of Supervisors James M. Ferryman Andrew Nguyen John Withers Phil Hawkins Doug Chaffee (Vice-Chairman)
Strategic Plan Message from the GM
The Orange County Sanitation District is celebrating 65 years of service
to the public this year. Over those years the Sanitation District has been
adapting itself to the changing requirements and needs of the communities
it serves. We have moved from an organization exclusively focused on
preservation of public health to a world class resource recovery facility
which protects the public health and the environment in ways our founders
could never imagine.
This on-going evolution is the intentional outcome of a very deliberate
strategic planning process that has been in place at the Sanitation District
from the very beginning. From the “Waste Water Disposal and Reclamation
for the County of Orange” in 1947 to the Master Plans of the 1980s to the
current Strategic Plan, the Sanitation District has always taken the long
view to craft a progressive vision and build the necessary infrastructure
and staffing to deliver world class service.
This forward-thinking vision of the Sanitation District begins with the Board
of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Sanitation District have a long
history of mapping out bold, clear visions for the staff to deliver including
energy recovery facilities, water reclamation facilities and partnerships,
innovative odor control facilities, full secondary treatment levels, urban
runoff beach protection partnerships, and the world’s largest indirect
potable water reuse facility.
I would like to thank the current Board of Directors for continuing the legacy
of leadership in strategic planning and innovation. Your commitment and
leadership drive the Sanitation District to continue to innovate and meet
the challenges facing our region. I look forward to working together to
accomplish all the initiatives in this Strategic Plan.
Sincerely,
James D. Herberg
General Manager
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Strategic Plan Executive Summary
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation
District) is a regional wastewater collection and resource recovery agency utilizing extensive public works assets to deliver its vital public services. The Strategic Plan developed by the Board of Directors and staff defines the strategic initiatives to be pursued by the Sanitation District and provides a basis for long-term financial, capital, and operational planning. In addition, it provides for long-term continuity of vision as Board and staff members change over the many years it takes to deliver public works infrastructure.
The Sanitation District has developed a two-year, four-step management process that creates and maintains vision alignment between the Board
of Directors, the staff, and the public we serve.
Strategic planning is the first step to define the
Sanitation District’s ability to have people and
assets in place to meet its agreed upon mission
as defined by the Board. The second step is
capital and operational planning based on the
adopted strategic plan. The third step is budget development to execute the plan and define the tactical goals to work toward the strategic goals. The final step is execution of the budget plan and tactical goal attainment. These four steps are repeated every two years to maintain alignment and make course corrections based on new Board member input, legal and regulatory changes, and the needs of the communities we serve.
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Strategic PlanDevelopment Budget Development General Manager Work Plan
General Manager Work PlanBudget Update
General Manager Work Plan
General Manager Work PlanBudget UpdateRate Study Prop218
Strategic PlanDevelopment Budget Development
Strategic PlanDevelopment Budget Development
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The Strategic Plan is broken down into four broad
categories with fourteen topic areas that define
our responsibilities and the services we provide.
These areas are:
• Business Principles
o Budget Control and Fiscal Discipline
o Asset Management
o Cybersecurity
o Property Management
• Environmental Stewardship
o Energy Independence
o Climate and Catastrophic Event Resiliency
o Food Waste Treatment
o Water Reuse
o Environmental Water Quality, Stormwater
Management and Urban Runoff
• Wastewater Management
o Chemical Sustainability
o Biosolids Management
o Constituents of Emerging Concern
• Workplace Environment
o Resilient Staffing
o Safety and Physical Security
Each topic was collaboratively developed between
the Board of Directors and staff members. Initial
topic lists were discussed with the Steering
Committee. Initial policy statements and initiatives
were developed which formed the basis for a
survey instrument to the Board of Directors. Based
on the survey input, individual draft topic papers
were presented to the Board of Directors over
three meetings in August and September. The
topic papers were finalized based on the direction
received at these three meetings and are included
in this published plan.
The Strategic Plan policy papers break down each
area. They begin with a policy statement, provide
background, layout the current situation, layout a
future policy statement, and finish with initiatives
to support progress toward the policy goal.
The Strategic Plan presented in this document is
not a radical departure from the current direction,
but rather the well-defined iterative update to
the direction of the Sanitation District. With the
adoption of the Strategic Plan, staff will begin the
effort of updating the Asset Management Plan,
Capital Improvement Plan, and Financial Plan
that are the basis of a two-year budget that will
be adopted by the Board of Directors in June. The
Budget goals and the General Manager’s work
plan are the accountability step that measures
achievable progress toward the strategic initiatives
listed in the Strategic Plan topic papers.
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OUR MISSION
“To protect public health and the environment by providing effective
wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling.”
OUR VISION
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT WILL BE A LEADER IN:
• Providing reliable, responsive and affordable services in line with customer needs and expectations.
• Protecting public health and the environment, utilizing all practical and effective means for wastewater,
energy, and solids resource recovery.
• Continually seeking efficiencies to ensure that the public’s money is wisely spent.
• Communicating our mission and strategies with those we serve and all other stakeholders.
• Partnering with others to benefit our customers, this region, and our industry.
• Creating the best possible workforce in terms of safety, productivity, customer service, and training.
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OUR CORE VALUES
Our Core Values support the Mission and Vision Statements by expressing the values, beliefs, and philosophy that guides our daily actions. They help form the framework of our organization and reinforce our professional work ethic.
Honesty, Trust and Respect
We aspire to the highest degree of integrity, honesty, trust, and respect in our interaction with each
other, our suppliers, our customers, and our community.
Teamwork and Problem Solving We strive to reach OCSD goals through cooperative efforts and collaboration with each other and our constituencies. We work to solve problems in a creative, cost-effective and safe manner, and we acknowledge team and individual efforts.
Leadership and Commitment
We lead by example, acknowledging the value of our resources and using them wisely and safely to
achieve our objectives and goals. We are committed to act in the best interest of our employees, our
organization, and our community.
Learning/Teaching - Talents, Skills and Abilities We continuously develop ourselves, enhancing our talents, skills, and abilities, knowing that only through personal growth and development will we continue to progress as an agency and as individuals.
Recognition/Rewards
We seek to recognize, acknowledge and reward contributions to OCSD by our many talented employees.
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BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
Budget Control and Fiscal Discipline Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will prudently manage the public funds that it collects. It will take a long-
term planning approach to its facilities and rate
setting that provides a stable setting program,
prudent reserves, and pay-as-you-go philosophy
for operating and replacing capital expenses.
Initiatives
• Maintain a rate setting program that keeps the Sanitation District in the lower third of our
comparative agencies.
• Maintain a “Pay as You Go” approach to fund current operating expenditures.
• Maintain a portfolio management approach that focuses on safety, liquidity and performance in that order.
• Continually look for ways to reduce total debt payments without lengthening its term.
• Ensure that no new debt issuances are used to support currently programmed capital expenditures and that all existing debt is paid off by 2044.
Asset Management Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will assess and manage the collection system and treatment plant systems and assets to improve resilience and
reliability while lowering lifecycle costs. This will
be accomplished through adaptive operation,
coordinated maintenance and condition
assessment, and planned capital investment. Staff
will balance maintenance, refurbishment, and
replacement strategies to maximize useful life,
system availability and efficiency.
Initiatives
• Create an annual Asset Management plan
documenting the condition of the collection
system and treatment plants, and upcoming
maintenance or capital projects.
• Coordinate the efforts of operations, collections, mechanical maintenance, electrical maintenance, instrument maintenance and engineering through process teams to assure the Sanitation District’s resources are focused on the high priority work functions.
• Maintain a 20-year forecast of all CIP projects needed to maintain or upgrade the Sanitation District’s nearly $11 billion in assets on a prioritized risk basis to establish rate structures.
Cybersecurity Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District must maintain adequate cybersecurity (information technology security) techniques that protect computer assets, networks, programs, data, and industrial control equipment from unauthorized access or attacks that are aimed for exploitation.
Initiatives
• Conduct various tabletop exercises to determine the organization’s ability to respond to a targeted cyberattack and to improve the quality of the response should an attack occur.
• Evaluate, enhance and monitor network security including activities to protect the usability, reliability, integrity and safety of the network by developing Security Operations Center capabilities that support continuous monitoring and is responsible for the continuous threat protection process.
• Conduct a comprehensive third-party cybersecurity operations assessment (Red Team). A thorough Red Team engagement will expose vulnerabilities and risks regarding:
° Technology — Networks, applications, routers, switches, appliances, etc.
° People — Staff, independent contractors, departments, business partners, etc.
° Physical — Offices, warehouses, substations, data centers, buildings, etc.
The Strategic Plan is broken down into four broad categories with 14 topic areas.
Below are the policy statements and corresponding initiatives to achieve the goals of the plan.
The complete policy papers can be found in the appendix.
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Property Management Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District owns and operates assets
throughout its service area located in property
owned in fee, through easements and in the public
right-of-way. The Sanitation District will identify and protect all of its property rights to assure that its assets are not encumbered or encroached upon so that the facilities may be properly operated, maintained, upgraded, and replaced.
Initiatives
• The Sanitation District will review its property rights to identify encroachments or encumbrances
that restrict operation, maintenance, inspection
or emergency repair access. Staff will work with
identified parties to remove encroachments or
encumbrances.
• Staff will consolidate real estate and property
management activities to maximize its resources
and effectiveness. With the completion of the
property rights and real estate assessments,
the Sanitation District will evaluate the various
resources available and develop an appropriate
resource management plan to assess and
maintain its property assets.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Energy Independence Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will strive to be a net energy
exporter. Electrical, thermal, and methane gas
generation will be maximized. Energy utilization
will be minimized using sound engineering and financial principles.
Initiatives
• Maximize the anaerobic digestion conversion
of organics to methane through receipt of food
waste and operational techniques.
• Investigate and install energy storage and
photovoltaic systems where practical to achieve
energy independence/resilience.
• Continue to support the conversion of
biomethane into electricity and heat for process
use. Improve systems as necessary to comply
with air regulations.
Climate and Catastrophic Event
Resilience Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District aims to design, maintain and
operate valuable wastewater assets that withstand
or adapt to adverse conditions in a reasonable
manner that is both cost-effective and sustainable for present and future generations. These adverse conditions include heavy rains, flooding, sea level rise, earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme heat, wildfires, and electrical grid interruptions.
Initiatives
• Complete an engineering study of the seismic vulnerabilities of the treatment plants. Incorporate necessary upgrades into future capital improvement projects.
• Complete the biannual high flow exercise to assure readiness for a high flow event. Maintain a higher level of readiness October 15 through March 15 and in advance of predicted significant rain events.
• Study the potential impact of tsunami and changing climate conditions including flooding due to high tides and heavy rain events.
Food Waste Treatment Policy
Policy Statement
The State of California limits the volume of organic
waste that may be diverted to landfills. The
Sanitation District will collaborate with the County
of Orange, other local agencies, and waste haulers to find ways to beneficially reuse food waste, a type of organic waste to assist cities in our service area in meeting their diversion requirements while increasing the Sanitation District’s energy production.
Initiatives
• The Sanitation District will accept a preprocessed food waste slurry from contracted waste haulers that will be fed to existing anaerobic digesters. The Sanitation District will charge a tipping fee to offset its costs for capital construction, operations, handling, maintenance, and biosolids disposal.
• Design, build, and operate a food waste receiving station. Create a specification for food waste slurry and contract with solid waste haulers to receive and process food waste.
Water Reuse Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will seek to beneficially
reuse all reclaimable water for potable, industrial,
irrigation, and environmental uses.
Initiatives
• Support the completion of the final phase of
the Groundwater Replenishment System and
maximize reclaimable wastewater availability to
the Orange County Water District.
• Support Green Acres project water production
to provide reclaimed water for industrial and
irrigation uses.
Environmental Water Quality, Stormwater
Management and Urban Runoff Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will partner with storm water
permittees to accept up to ten million gallons per
day of dry weather urban runoff at no charge in
order to improve water quality in streams, rivers, and beaches as long as the constituents within the flow do not adversely impact the Sanitation
13STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
District’s worker safety, treatment processes, reuse
initiatives, or permit compliance. The Sanitation
District facilities are subject to significant flow
increases during wet weather events and are not
capable of accepting stormwater flow volumes.
Initiatives
In accordance with Resolution No. 13-09, the
Sanitation District intends to continue accepting up
to ten million gallons per day of pumped dry weather
urban runoff diversion where existing conveyance
capacity exists, and the constituents of the flow will
not adversely impact the Sanitation District. The
Sanitation District also intends to continue working
with industries, agencies, and other facilities to
offer alternatives to stormwater and runoff disposal
through special purpose discharge permits or
other written authorization in accordance with the
Sanitation District’s Ordinance, where doing so
does not negatively affect the Sanitation District’s
operation or compliance with local, state, and
federal regulations, and wastewater can be held for
evaluation prior to discharge.
Additionally, to act as a regional partner in
resolving issues associated with disposing of and
reusing stormwater, the Sanitation District intends
to work with local jurisdictions to determine the
feasibility of regional wet weather runoff capture,
storage, and use projects.
• Issue dry weather urban runoff connection
permits up to a total of ten million gallons
per day to other service area local agencies to
accept pumped dry weather urban runoff flows
where existing conveyance capacity exists, and
the constituents of the flow will not adversely
impact the Sanitation District.
• Continue working with industries, facilities,
agencies, and local jurisdictions that have
authority over stormwater or surface water
runoff to determine the feasibility of regional
wet weather runoff capture, storage, and use
projects or offer alternatives to stormwater
and runoff disposal through permits or other
written authorization. The Sanitation District
will promote responsible stormwater utilization
and sewer protection, where doing so does
not negatively affect the Sanitation District’s
operation or compliance with local, state, and
federal regulations, and wastewater can be held
for evaluation prior to discharge.
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WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT
Chemical Sustainability Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District has a need to use chemicals
in its treatment process to improve plant
performance, reduce odor and corrosion potential,
and meet its regulatory requirements. These commodity chemicals are provided by outside vendors through the purchasing process. Some of these chemicals are subject to price swings due to market condition changes such as energy cost impacts, raw material cost changes, commercial competition changes, and transportation cost volatility. The Sanitation District will identify chemicals key to its operation, investigate the market risks for those chemicals and devise strategies to mitigate identified risks to availability and pricing.
Initiatives
• Reduce reliance on any particular chemical or vendor and establish flexibility to utilize other chemicals/processes to accomplish the same operational objectives.
• Update the Sanitation District’s Chemical Sustainability Study and incorporate the results in future procurement recommendations.
Biosolids Management Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will remain committed to a
sustainable biosolids program and will beneficially
reuse biosolids in accordance with Resolution No.
OCSD 13-03 and the 2017 Biosolids Master Plan.
Initiatives
• Educate and advocate with the local, state, and
federal agencies to assure biosolids will continue
to be safely and legally used as a soil amendment
and monitor and research the development of
initiatives of constituents of emerging concerns such as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics that may impact biosolids.
• Stay abreast of new technology options to convert organics to energy and other regional biosolids recycling and renewable energy partnerships within Southern California.
• Proceed with mesophilic and thermophilic
biosolids facility at Plant No. 2 to enhance
biosolids quality and marketability while
improving the Sanitation District’s operational
resiliency against seismic events.
Constituents of Emerging Concern Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will partner with other
agencies, associations, and institutions to
support the use of sound science to inform
policy and regulatory decisions on constituents
of emerging concern (CECs) at the federal, state,
and regional levels. Staff will obtain and maintain
current knowledge on CECs under regulatory
consideration, including occurrence, analytical
methods, regulations, and treatment to support
the Sanitation District’s mission.
Initiatives
• The Sanitation District will continue to actively
engage water and wastewater stakeholders to
stay abreast of the scientific progress and any
potential operational and financial impacts
of CECs and provide timely briefings to the
Sanitation District’s Management Team and
Board to facilitate informed decision making.
• The Sanitation District will continue to develop
capacity to detect, quantify, and characterize
CECs throughout the service area and treatment
process in order to promote treatment
effectiveness and the communication of credible
risks.
• The Sanitation District will actively research
laboratory techniques and other scientific
research to understand the real and potential
impact of CECs, like polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), on
the reuse of water and biosolids. The Sanitation
District will use science-based knowledge to
help shape legislation and regulation to protect
the public health and environment.
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WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
Resilient Staffing Policy
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will attract and retain high-
quality talent to support its mission and continue to
be an industry leader. It will safeguard leadership
continuity and support effective performance of the organization by proactively monitoring the changing work environment and requirements to ensure development programs are relevant and build a skilled bench of readily available successors for key leadership and mission-critical positions.
Initiatives
• Maintain and enhance current effective development programs that are in place to provide the direction to identify, develop and select the next generation of prepared, capable and engaged leaders, which include:
° Vocational/Professional Student Internship Programs
° Employee Development Program
° Workforce Vulnerability Assessments
° Talent Readiness Assessments
° Building Leaders and Skills for Tomorrow
(BLAST) Program
° Strengthening Operator Training Programs
• Continue cyclical Classification and Compensation
studies to ensure job classifications accurately
depict the work being performed, to set
compensation levels accordingly, and stay
abreast of market benefit and salary data.
• Prior to the next scheduled Classification &
Compensation study, Human Resources will
work with the Board of Directors and meet and
confer with the unions to review selected survey
agencies based on recognized classification and compensation standards and the job market in which we compete.
Safety and Physical Security
Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will ensure the safety
and security of employees, contractors, and
visitors through standard practices, policies,
and procedures that support a safe and secure environment, provide an appropriate level of security, and safeguard OCSD’s property and physical assets.
Initiatives
Safety
• Complete outstanding safety projects,
improvements, and corrective actions to apply
and obtain Cal/OSHA Voluntary Protection
Program (VPP) status; and continue to foster a culture where employees are accountable for their safety as well as the safety of others.
Emergency Management
• Support facility and countywide emergency
preparedness, response, and recovery efforts
by partnering with entities, such as, the Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County (WEROC), Orange County Sherriff Department, and local fire departments to plan and continue to conduct disaster preparedness training and exercises.
Security
• Continually identify and assess vulnerabilities and implement solutions through the Security Committee and third-party assessments. Prevent/mitigate security breaches using physical security systems such as video monitoring, access control, and armed security patrols.
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Appendix: Policy Papers
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Business Principles
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Budget Control and Fiscal Discipline Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will prudently manage the public funds that it
collects. It will take a long-term planning approach to its facilities and rate setting that provides a stable
setting program, prudent reserves, and pay-as-you-go philosophy for operating and replacing capital
expenses.
Background
The Sanitation District manages nearly $500 million annually. These funds support the Sanitation
District’s operating, capital, and debt expenditures. The Sanitation District focuses its fiscal policy
around three distinct areas: Revenues, Portfolio Management, and Debt Management. These areas are
described in the Budget, Investment Policy, and Debt policy all of which are updated annually.
Current Situation
Revenues
The majority of the Sanitation District’s revenue is generated by user fees and charges. Currently, the
Sanitation District fees are in the lower third of its comparison agencies’.
The Sanitation District’s revenues come from three general areas: Fees and Charges (74%), Property
Taxes (21%) and other smaller revenue sources (5%).
• Fees and Charges: User fees are ongoing fees for services paid by Single Family and Multifamily
customers connected to the sewer system. Also included in this category are Permit Fees (User fees
paid by large industrial and commercial business owners connected to the sewer system and Capital
Facility Capacity Charges (CFCC) (a one-time charge imposed at the time a newly constructed building
or structure is connected to the Sanitation District system). The Sanitation District policy has been to
focus on cost recovery while keeping fees as low as possible.
• Property Taxes: The Sanitation District receives a share of the basic property tax levy proportionate to
what was received in the 1976 to 1978 period less $3.5 million allocated to school districts. These funds
are dedicated to the payment of debt service.
• Other Revenue: Other Revenue includes Interest Earnings, Intra-District Transfers and small revenue
sources.
Portfolio Management
The Sanitation District Investment Policy is governed by three tenets:
• Safety: The safety and preservation of principal is the foremost objective of the investment program.
Investments shall be selected in a manner that seeks to ensure the preservation of capital in the
overall portfolio. This will be accomplished through a program of diversification and maturity
limitations.
• Liquidity: The investment program will be administered in a manner that will ensure that sufficient
funds are available for the Sanitation District to meet its reasonably anticipated operating
expenditure needs.
• Return on Investments: The Sanitation District’s investment portfolio will be structured and
managed with the objective of achieving a rate of return throughout budgetary and economic cycles,
commensurate with legal, safety, and liquidity considerations.
The Sanitation District’s investments are separated into two distinct portfolios, Long-term and Short-
term, with a primary focus on the Long-term portfolio.
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The Long-Term portfolio always focuses on four elements, duration, sector allocation, term structure,
and security selection.
Duration
• Typically, the Sanitation District keeps the duration of a portfolio ‘close’ to the benchmark duration as we feel the benchmark duration is consistent with the risk tolerance of the strategy.
• The investment policy of the Sanitation District stipulates the average duration must not exceed 60 months and be within 80-120% of the benchmark.
• Historically the deviation of the long-term portfolio versus the benchmark is close to 5%. Large deviations in the duration of the portfolio compared to the benchmark are an anomaly.
Sector Allocation
• The Sanitation District takes an active approach to asset allocation, differentiating our holdings versus the benchmark, with typically a modestly higher risk exposure compared to the benchmark.
• Some of the asset classes we find more attractive in the current investing environment include Corporate notes, Asset Backed Securities, and Treasury notes relative to the Agency and Supranational sectors.
• The sector allocation of the portfolio will evolve over time as our outlook for the various eligible investment options changes.
Term Structure
• The Sanitation District manages the term structure of the portfolio by focusing on either a bullet, ladder or barbell structure, relative to the benchmark.
• For most of 2018 the structure was gravitating towards more of a bullet structure in light of the change in the sharp of the yield curve, with short term interest rates moving higher at a greater velocity than longer maturity securities.
• Currently, with the yield curve very flat, we are migrating back towards more of a barbell structure, with new purchases focused at the short and long end of the eligible maturity distribution. We also find the middle to the maturity distribution, near the three-year maturity point, to be the most expensive from an absolute and relative value perspective, further supporting the barbell structure.
Security Selection
Within the Corporate and Asset Backed sector, the Chandler team focuses on adding stability to improve credits to be consistent with the overall investment objective of safety, liquidity, and return.
• As a Corporate holding becomes more seasoned, with a short maturity, it is often utilized as a ‘source of funds’ to facilitate new holdings in the portfolio.
• Typically, Asset Backed securities are held to maturity, but in the event of a liquidity need and/or a deteriorating credit situation we would look to reduce the exposure.
The Sanitation District allocates to the Agency and Supranational asset classes when we find the spread over a like maturity Treasury notes to be attractive.
• Considering the lack of issuance in the Agency sector since the financial crisis, the relative value of the sector has become more challenging.
• The Sanitation District has a core view that the Supranational Asset class should offer a modest spread concession to the Agency sector, and the team is typically active in the sector when the additional spread pick-up is compelling.
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Across all asset classes, the Sanitation District will remove exposure to a security that is faced with a
deteriorating credit situation and/or trading at an irrational valuation where a swap into an alternative
security will be beneficial to the portfolio over a reasonable investment time horizon.
Debt Management
Due to the magnitude of the capital improvement program, the Sanitation District has utilized a combination of user fees, property taxes and debt to meet its total obligations and maintain
generational equity.
It is the Sanitation District’s policy not to issue any new additional debt for any existing obligations. However, the Sanitation District will actively review opportunities to refinance existing debt where
possible provided the new refinancing results in a lower total cost and/or shortens the length of the
obligations.
The primary debt financing mechanism used is Certificates of Participation (COP). COPs are a repayment
obligation based on lease or installment sale agreements. As of July 1, 2019, the total outstanding COP
indebtedness was $973 million with a blended interest rate of 3.05%. It is anticipated that the debt will
be paid off by 2044.
Future Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will effectively manage its revenues and expenses to support all OCSD operating and capital activities while maintaining a fair and reasonable rate structure. The Sanitation District will maintain reserves and available resources to ensure the access to funds as needed and guarantee
payment of all outstanding debt issuances. The Sanitation District will manage its investment by
focusing on safety, liquidity and return on investment, in that order of priority.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Maintain a rate setting program that keeps OCSD in the lower third of our comparative agencies.
• Maintain a “Pay as You Go” approach to fund current operating expenditures.
• Maintain a portfolio management approach that focuses on safety, liquidity and performance in that order.
• Continually look for ways to reduce total debt payments without lengthening its term.
• Ensure that no new debt issuances are used to support the currently programmed capital expenditures and that all existing debt is paid off by 2044.
23STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Asset Management Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will assess and manage the collection system
and treatment plant systems and assets to improve resilience and reliability while lowering lifecycle
costs. This will be accomplished through adaptive operation, coordinated maintenance and condition
assessment, and planned capital investment. Staff will balance maintenance, refurbishment, and replacement strategies to maximize useful life, system availability and efficiency.
Background
The Sanitation District is a regional governmental agency principally chartered to protect the public
health through collection and treatment of wastewater. The governing Board of Directors has defined
this role to include the recovery and utilization of resources from wastewater for the public good as a
part of that mission. The environmental impact mitigation of the human activity of 2.6 million people and the natural drainage of the 471 square miles the Sanitation District serves is our principal concern.
The Sanitation District owns and operates extensive facilities to achieve its mission. The Sanitation
District estimates the replacement value of the civil, mechanical, and electrical assets in its collection system, Plant No 1 in Fountain Valley, and Plant No. 2 in Huntington Beach to be nearly $11 billion. The Sanitation District has been building the piping, pumping, and treatment infrastructure it utilizes for more than sixty-five years. It is necessary to expand, renew, replace, demolish, and rebuild components of the system to deal with wear and tear and meet new challenges.
The early years for the Sanitation District were characterized mostly by capacity expansion to meet the challenges of increased flows as the county grew. The late 1970s to the 2000s were more defined by improved levels of treatment. The last ten years have been focused on increasing the level of resource reuse. One of the key success factors for the Sanitation District has been the ability to upgrade and repurpose its operating facilities to accomplish high levels of treatment and reuse.
Current Situation
The Sanitation District is a highly planned, forward-looking organization. The collection system and each of the treatment plants are broken down into granular functional parts. Each part is well defined and future requirements are estimated. The Sanitation District has a detailed understanding of what is owned, what condition it is in, and how it is capable of performing.
The collection system is made up of independent pipe networks that were installed by the former independent sanitation districts to deliver flow to the joint treatment works. Generally speaking, the natural watershed drainages in the service area are served by major trunk sewer systems. The Sanitation District has worked with member city and agency staff to understand future development plans, flow estimates, and has collected historical inflow and infiltration rates during wet weather events to assure adequate flow carrying capability exists in each trunk sewer system. The Sanitation District also factors in the effects of drought and lower domestic water usage rates to make sure the sewers operate properly at low-flow rates.
The treatment plants are broken down into the discrete process units that make up the whole. Each plant has a headworks unit that brings in flow and does preliminary treatment, a primary treatment unit which does gravity settling, multiple biological secondary treatment systems, solids handling and dewatering, power generation and distribution utilities, water and air system utilities, and an outfall system to release treated water to the ocean. Each plant can treat 320 million gallons per day of wet weather flow, but only 185 million gallons total on average is treated. The Sanitation District must always maintain the ability to treat both the average flow and peak wet weather flow.
The Sanitation District understands that every asset has an expected life. Electrical systems are generally limited by component obsolescence to 20 years of life. Mechanical and coating systems are also generally limited by erosion, corrosion, and wear to 20 years of life. Civil structures and pipes are generally limited to 60 to 80 years of life if maintained on a regular basis.
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With this in mind, the Sanitation District has created a facilities master plan that plans to renew or
replace facilities on this regular basis. Collection system projects are driven by growth projections or
condition findings. Pipes are upsized or renewed based on flow projections, corrosion observation,
coating system failure, or the ability to increase reclamation. The 15 regional pump stations are renewed
on a more frequent basis due to the mechanical wear and tear and electrical component obsolescence
needs, about every 25 years.
The master plan for the treatment plants is much more dynamic. In addition to the electrical,
mechanical, and civil asset considerations, there is also the need to meet new requirements. The new
requirements are driven by regulatory agencies or by the Board of Directors to change a discretionary
level of service. Examples include: capacity demands (more water, more solids), lower discharge
requirements (lower BOD/TSS to the outfall, lower nutrients to the ocean), more water for reclamation,
better energy conversion of solids, and many more. The 2017 Facilities Master Plan took a snapshot in
time looking at the anticipated needs and levels of service to lay out a detailed project plan to morph
the Sanitation District infrastructure over time to meet the expectation. Renewal or replacement
projects with costs and schedules were laid out for each individual unit of the treatment plants to
address capacity, condition, level of service, and anticipated new regulatory drivers.
Future Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will continue to invest in the infrastructure necessary to meet its mission.
The Sanitation District will seek to provide its required level of service at the minimum lifecycle cost
for its collection and treatment systems. The 2017 Master Plan was the snapshot basis of the Capital
Improvement Plan, but the Asset Management Plan is the means to update and modify the Capital
Improvement Plan to meet new requirements and conditions as time goes by.
The Sanitation District will understand in a transparent way: what it owns, the condition of those assets,
the capacity of collections and treatment required, the level of service required by its regulators and
Board of Directors and will anticipate new regulations that may require system improvement. This
understanding will drive coherent operations, targeted maintenance, and capital investment strategies
to assure resilient, lowest lifecycle cost compliance with the requirements.
Operations is committed to optimizing the operation of the systems to extend equipment life and
minimize energy and chemical utilization, while meeting all regulatory and level-of-service requirements.
Maintenance is committed to maintain the installed assets in a ready state for operations. Maintenance
will seek to balance individual component preventive maintenance, repair, and renewal in harmony with
the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP is based on the Master Plan, modified by the annual
Asset Management Plan, and will execute the projects to install, renew, or replace trunk sewers or
treatment plant units on a scheduled basis.
Asset Management at the Sanitation District is the living management of the operation strategies,
maintenance plans, and implementation of the Capital Improvement Plan. The Sanitation District
will find creative ways to maximize asset life or meet new capacity or level of service goals through
operations and maintenance. The Sanitation District will annually reassess its condition, capacity, level
of service, and regulatory conditions to drive operations and maintenance practices and modify the
Capital Improvement Plan projects.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Create an annual Asset Management plan documenting the condition of the collection system and
treatment plants, and upcoming maintenance or capital projects.
• Coordinate the efforts of operations, collections, mechanical maintenance, electrical maintenance,
instrument maintenance and engineering through process teams to assure the Sanitation District’s
resources are focused on the high priority work functions.
• Maintain a 20-year forecast of all CIP projects needed to maintain or upgrade the Sanitation District’s
nearly $11 billion in assets on a prioritized risk basis to establish rate structures.
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Cybersecurity Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) must maintain adequate cybersecurity
(information technology security) techniques that protect computer assets, networks, programs, data,
and industrial control equipment from unauthorized access or attacks that are aimed for exploitation.
Background
Developing an effective, sustainable cybersecurity program is a pressing challenge for organizations
of all sizes. The reasons behind the scope of the challenge are many. Cyber risk continues to grow at
an exponential rate with routine attacks from nation states, criminal elements, hacktivists, and insider
threats. The bottom line is cybercrime pays. The booming cybercrime economy is productizing malware
and making cybercrime as easy as shopping at Amazon. With this easy access to cybercriminal tools
and services, enterprises are experiencing rapid increases in the volume, scale, and sophistication of cyberattacks. Complex and dynamic information security disciplines are subject to continuous changes in the business, technology and threat environments. Many organizations will struggle to implement security programs that support continuous improvements in this challenging environment.
Current Situation
The Sanitation District has evolved over recent years from dedicating less than half of a position
towards cybersecurity, to one position, to currently two full-time positions. The Sanitation District’s cybersecurity portfolio consists of strategic policy management, defense in depth practices, periodic risk assessments, ongoing awareness communication and operational (e.g., security monitoring and incident response, threat and vulnerability management, user provisioning) processes. For example:
• Cybersecurity Awareness and Training Program - The Sanitation District understands that our employees are our best line of defense in protecting and defending our enterprise from attack. We have built a comprehensive security awareness program by focusing on four critical functions: phishing attack simulations and reporting, quarterly education requirements, targeted training for IT developers and SCADA engineers, and pervasive communications utilizing internal communication tools.
• Vulnerability Management — IT staff subscribe to and monitor security advisories and threat bulletins from Microsoft, US-CERT, ICS-CERT, KnowBe4, Cisco, and other vendors to understand and manage new vulnerabilities. All internet accessible servers and applications are scanned weekly for vulnerabilities and remediated as necessary. Microsoft operating system and application patches are deployed monthly while third party updates are deployed weekly. We use a vulnerability platform for continuous assessment of our security and compliance posture.
• Intrusion Detection and Response — We have implemented several security solutions to be able to detect, prevent and respond to malicious network activity. These include firewalls, intrusion prevent systems, web security gateway, and next-generation anti-malware. In addition, we also have user behavior analysis tools to identify insider threats and ransomware activity.
• Privileged Access Management Program — We use a privilege access management solution to remove and manage local administrative rights on workstations/servers to prevent lateral movement. The solution is also used to protect, control, and monitor privileged access across files and systems.
• Backup and Restore Capabilities — IT practices a 3-2-1 backup strategy:
3 – Keep three copies of critical data 2 – Have your data on two types of media 1 – One copy must be offsite and offline
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Restores are performed on at least a weekly basis in response to customer incidents. Disaster Recovery
Testing is performed monthly by selecting a major system and testing restore capabilities of that system
to our secondary treatment facility, as well as our remote site. We sandbox the restores and provide
access to our application subject matter experts to conduct application-specific testing. These tests are
logged and kept for auditing and management purposes.
• Security Incident Response — An incident response plan is an organized approach to handle a
cyberattack. We have developed an incident response plan, playbooks and procedures for various
attacks as well as trained IT security staff. In addition, there are external contacts we can call for
assistance including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and organizations that specialize in
incident response like Mandiant, Cylance, and Microsoft.
• Security Assessments — The purpose of a security assessment is to identify the current security
posture of a system, network, or organization. The assessment provides recommendations to improve
the security posture by mitigating identified risks. Our goal is to do one or two a year. The two most
recently conducted assessments are the Office 365 Security Assessment from Microsoft in April 2019
and the Center for Internet Security Control Gap Assessment in July 2018.
Future Policy Statement
The main objective of our information security program is the establishment of a continuous,
iterative regimen of planning, building, running and governing security capabilities that are derived
from business requirements. Our security program cannot be a static entity. It must be adapted
and continuously refined to keep pace with the ever-changing threat environment and changes in
how the Sanitation District adopts digital business practices. Cybersecurity incidents are inevitable.
Mistakes and/or a lack of preparation in the response can have serious repercussions. The ability of an
organization to respond effectively to a security incident is a direct result of the time spent preparing
for such an eventuality. If you fail to prepare, then you effectively prepare to fail. The Sanitation District
will be prepared. This will be accomplished by the following proposed initiatives.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Conduct various tabletop exercises to determine the organization’s ability to respond to a targeted
cyberattack and to improve the quality of the response, should an attack occur.
• Evaluate, enhance and monitor network security including activities to protect the usability, reliability, integrity and safety of the network by developing Security Operations Center capabilities that support
continuous monitoring and is responsible for the continuous threat protection process.
• Conduct a comprehensive third-party cybersecurity operations assessment (Red Team). A thorough Red Team engagement will expose vulnerabilities and risks regarding:
• Technology — Networks, applications, routers, switches, appliances, etc.
• People — Staff, independent contractors, departments, business partners, etc.
• Physical — Offices, warehouses, substations, data centers, buildings, etc.
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Property Management Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) owns and operates assets throughout its
service area located in property owned in fee, through easements and in the public right-of-way. The
Sanitation District will identify and protect all of its property rights to assure that its assets are not
encumbered or encroached upon so that the facilities may be properly operated, maintained, upgraded, and replaced.
Background
The Sanitation District owns and operates more than $10 billion in assets. A portion of those assets
include buildings, easements, rights of way and other encroachments. OCSD has recently sold and
purchased property to support its efforts. The Sanitation District does not maintain expertise in the real
estate discipline. As these transactions are limited and not core to OCSD, it has been determined that it is more cost effective to augment the Sanitation District resources with contracted specialized real estate services.
Current Situation
The Sanitation District manages its physical property and property rights. Additionally, it manages
landscaping, building maintenance, security and building maintenance. District staff primarily manages
these activities.
Future Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will effectively manage its assets and proactively research and maintain all
encroachments, encumbrances and easements. Many of these activities are not core to OCSD’s mission.
The Sanitation District will maintain sufficient resources using a combination of contracted specialized
real estate and property management services and internal staffing. Although OCSD is not in the
business of managing property as a revenue enhancement or core activity, it does own and operate millions in physical property and property rights.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• The Sanitation District will review its property rights to identify encroachments or encumbrances that
restrict operation, maintenance, inspection or emergency repair access. Staff will work with identified
parties to remove encroachments or encumbrances.
• Staff will consolidate real estate and property management activities to maximize its resources
and effectiveness. With the completion of the property rights and real estate assessments, the
Sanitation District will evaluate the various resources available and develop an appropriate resource
management plan to assess and maintain its property assets
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Environmental Stewardship
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Energy Independence Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will strive to be a net energy exporter.
Electrical, thermal, and methane gas generation will be maximized. Energy utilization will be minimized
using sound engineering and financial principles.
Background
The Sanitation District must balance the impacts of its operation between land, air, and water. For
example, as a water focused utility, the Sanitation District seeks to produce the cleanest water possible
to minimize the impacts of human activity on the ocean, as well as to renew freshwater resources for
further domestic and commercial use. A natural result of cleaning this water is the separation and
concentration of constituent solid and gaseous materials. These solid and gaseous products can impact
land and air. The balance of impact on land, air, and water are shifted by application or creation of energy through chemical, biological, or thermal conversion techniques.
The Sanitation District is also committed to be a good neighbor. As such, significant amounts of energy
are spent capturing and converting odorous air and vapor streams. The Sanitation District has pursued a comprehensive program to cover and seal its liquid and solid processes. Air streams are ducted to large fans which move thousands of cubic feet of foul air per minute through chemical, biological, and activated carbon beds to scrub the air of odorants that are regulated or may be perceived as a nuisance by the community.
The Sanitation District has utilized an anaerobic digestion process that relies on biological conversion of solid organic material to methane and carbon dioxide gas. The methane is converted to electrical and heat energy in power plants for internal use. The Sanitation District’s secondary treatment system is another example of using energy to convert water impacts to air emissions. Approximately 23% of the Sanitation District’s energy usage within the treatment process is devoted to aerating water so biological agents can convert soluble organic material to nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The generation of energy itself creates an impact on the environment in air and thermal emissions.
Current Situation
The potential exists to further shift environmental impacts between land, air, and water through the utilization of energy. The Sanitation District is an environmental steward that seeks to balance and minimize overall impact by efficiently utilizing the energy inputs to its processes and maximizing the harvesting of energy available in the incoming wastewater.
On the energy use side of the ledger, the Sanitation District invests prudently in lifecycle energy efficiency to minimize the use of energy to achieve its mission. Pumping systems to lift water and move material for premium efficiency. Thermal energy is harvested from power production for use in the process and to heat and cool occupied buildings. Aeration compressors and diffusers are selected by overall efficiency. Lighting systems are upgraded over time to more efficient technologies and lighting levels are balanced between safety and security needs versus energy utilization and light pollution concerns. Facility designers and operators make careful choices regarding the utilization of every watt of electricity, BTU of heat, and therm of gas consumed.
On the energy generation side of the ledger, the Sanitation District seeks to maximize the internal creation of energy. The primary source of energy creation is in digester gas, also called biogas, which is mostly methane. Organic solids collected and concentrated in the water treatment processes are converted biologically to biogas composed of 65% methane, 34% carbon dioxide, and other trace constituents. The Sanitation District has been using this technology since the 1950s. Research has been ongoing since that time to maximize the production of digester gas. Some of the areas of research include improved mixing and heating; improved feeding; chemical addition to limit trace pollutant production; introduction of food waste; injection of fats, oils, and grease; and cell lysing.
31STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
The Sanitation District cleans the biogas and converts this biogas into electricity, heat, and exhaust gas.
The exhaust gas is regulated ever more tightly for nitrogen compounds, carbon monoxide, particulates,
and volatile organic compounds which require costly and performance degrading engine control
technologies. This is another example of an air impact/energy trade off. These internal systems of
energy harvesting provide roughly 66% of the Sanitation District’s electrical demand and 92% of the
Sanitation District’s thermal demand in the treatment plants. The Sanitation District can shift the
digester gas between treatment plants via an interplant pipeline and has roughly 8 MW of additional
generation capacity if more gas is produced.
In addition, the Sanitation District is installing electrical battery storage capacity. This system is
primarily in place to lower operating cost by importing electricity for charging during low-cost nighttime
hours and discharging that energy for process use during peak-cost hours. The slight energy loss due to
system inefficiencies is outweighed by the cost savings and benefit to the region by lowering the peak
demand of the Sanitation District by up to five megawatts.
Future Policy Statement
The Sanitation District seeks to be energy independent by self-generating all the electrical and thermal
energy necessary to sustain its operations. This will be accomplished by economically minimizing
its utilization requirements and maximizing energy harvested from the wastewater it receives. The
Sanitation District will also study and use photovoltaic cells in non-process areas where it makes
economic sense. Energy independence will improve the Sanitation District’s environmental impact and
improve its operational reliability and resiliency.
When the Sanitation District has achieved energy independence, it will seek to make excess biogenic or
green energy available to external users via gas sales, power grid exports, or transportation fuels. The
State of California has set goals for renewable energy utilization for electrical production and hydrogen
transportation fuels. The Sanitation District’s biogas is viewed favorably in these industries to meet the
State of California targets. The Sanitation District is working very diligently and creatively to maximize
the production of gas and reduce its own energy needs, but energy independence is the first goal which
has not yet been met.
Staff recommends that innovative research continue to maximize energy harvesting and to minimize
energy inputs first to make the Sanitation District energy independent in the most basic mission of
protecting the public health and the environment. Once this has been achieved, excess energy can be
made available for meeting the State of California’s goals for the electrical grid and transportation fuels.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Maximize the anaerobic digestion conversion of organics to methane through receipt of food waste
and operational techniques.
• Investigate and install energy storage and photovoltaic systems where practical to achieve energy independence/resilience.
• Continue to support the conversion of biomethane into electricity and heat for process use. Improve systems as necessary to comply with air regulations.
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Climate and Catastrophic Event Resilience Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) aims to design, maintain and operate valuable
wastewater assets that withstand or adapt to adverse conditions in a reasonable manner that is both
cost-effective and sustainable for present and future generations. These adverse conditions include
heavy rains, flooding, sea level rise, earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme heat, wildfires, and electrical grid interruptions.
Background
The Sanitation District owns and operates extensive wastewater collection and treatment facilities
valued at nearly $11 billion. The Sanitation District service area faces special challenges because of
the geographic location of its facilities. These challenges include: its position on and near seismic risk
factors, its proximity to the Pacific Coast, adjacency of its treatment facilities to the Santa Ana River, and being served by increasingly fragile energy utilities.
The Sanitation District’s facilities are situated on or near several seismic risk factors. Plant No. 2 is
located directly on top of the Newport-Inglewood fault. Both plants and the collection system are influenced by many adjacent major and minor faults capable of delivering damaging energy. Both of our treatment plants and the majority of our collection system sit on top of silty, alluvial soils that can have the effect of amplifying the earth motion and risk liquefaction during a seismic event. The Sanitation District has invested significantly over the last 50 years to improve the soils, foundations, and structures to mitigate these seismic risks. As geotechnical and structural knowledge and building codes progress, upgrades and facility replacements will be necessary.
Another seismic risk associated with having a treatment plant and several pump stations located on the Pacific Coast, is the risk of tsunami inundation. The Sanitation District has been working with and reviewing the plans of the City of Huntington Beach and the City of Newport Beach to understand and quantify this risk. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has created a new standard, ASCE 7-16, to layout design parameters for lateral forces and inundation zone associated with potential tsunamis.
The Sanitation District understands that climactic factors we face change widely over time. The Sanitation District’s systems must perform in extreme wet weather situations (atmospheric rivers), extreme dry weather conditions (drought), extreme tidal conditions (king tides, rising sea levels), as well as high and low temperature extremes. The Sanitation District generally designs for historical and expected “average conditions” for optimal performance but must also assure operations for extreme weather events.
The Sanitation District serves a critical public health role. Its operations must be reliable 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Electricity, and to a lesser extent natural gas, are necessary for pumping and treatment operations. Both electricity and natural gas supplies have become increasingly vulnerable to interruption. Electricity deliveries are more vulnerable due to wildfire outage criteria, loss of local generation assets, aging infrastructure and extreme weather events. Natural gas supplies are more vulnerable due to the loss of local storage capacity, aging infrastructure, line corrosion, and more stringent regulatory requirements. The Sanitation District has significant capacity to self-supply critical energy requirement for extended periods.
Current Situation
The Sanitation District has spent considerable effort quantifying its seismic, climate, and utility supply risks. Several key studies have been initiated and will be completed in the next two years. The most acute risk factor faced by the Sanitation District is seismic risk. Climate and utility supply risks are more accurately described as chronic risks.
Seismic risk factors include ground shaking, liquefaction, lateral spreading, and fault rupture. Both treatment plants are situated in historic riverbed with poor soil conditions. The collection system
34 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
is vulnerable to failures during seismic events. The state of the art for seismic design has changed
greatly over the Sanitation District’s history and will continue to do so. Many of our critical structures
were designed or installed prior to the great learning that occurred in the earthquakes of the 1990s.
Significant effort has been expended to better characterize the soil conditions under our treatment
plants and pump stations. Projects to refurbish or replace existing unit processes are, or soon will be,
scoped and budgeted to provide enhanced seismic resilience. These measures include soil mixing to
stiffen the soil, various foundation designs and building structure improvements.
Tsunami resilience and flooding protection can go hand in hand. To a great extent, these two risk factors
can be mitigated in the same way. The Tsunami guidelines for inundation in ASCE 7-16 are a reasonable
peer reviewed standard. By complying with this standard for Huntington Beach and Newport Beach,
the Sanitation District will be reasonably prepared for flooding caused by extreme storm events and
conservative sea level rise estimates at Plant No. 2 and pump stations in the City of Newport Beach.
The Sanitation District has also expended significant effort to prepare for the effects of weather
extremes on its operations. Extreme wet weather impacts operations. Inflow and infiltration during
intense storm activity have multiplied average dry weather flow rate by up to three times in recent
years. The Sanitation District has significant wet weather capacity and will continue to maintain a 640
million gallon per day influent and outfall capacity which is roughly 3.5 times our average dry weather
flow. Historically high rains as seen in 1863 and 1938 will push our systems to the limit.
The Sanitation District has also adapted its systems to perform in extreme dry weather. The Sanitation
District in cooperation with OCWD operates the largest potable water reuse system in the world. This is
made possible by replumbing our treatment plants and adding new smaller pump stations to deal with
extreme low outfall flow rates in the morning hours. The Sanitation District also has, and continues to
grow, the ability to shift influent flow between its treatment plants which creates additional resilience
for risk factors.
Finally, on the topic of utility supply, the Sanitation District built redundant supplies for its most
critical needs: electricity, natural gas and water. The Sanitation District has maintained three sources
of electricity supply for more than 25 years. The treatment plants can be supplied with power from
Southern California Edison, the Sanitation District’s Central Generation Plants or on-site diesel
generation systems to maintain basic operation to protect public health. In terms of natural gas, the
Sanitation District has been producing bio-methane through anaerobic digestion since the 1950s with
enough capacity to provide electricity and necessary process heat.
Future Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will continue to build and improve its facilities to meet the seismic, climate and
energy infrastructure risks that it faces with a long-term, planned approach. Acute life-safety risks that
are identified or facilities that are damaged or fail in a catastrophic event will be addressed very quickly.
However, it is not practical to update $11 billion in facilities every time a code is updated, or new
climate change estimate is released. The Sanitation District will stay abreast of code and climate change
estimates as they occur and will implement improvements or replacements to facilities on a long-term
basis in line with its asset management practices. The Sanitation District generally plans to refurbish or
replace its mechanical and electrical assets every 20 to 25 years with an average capital improvement
investment of $250 million per year.
The Sanitation District facilities are designed to meet industry codes. As time goes on and codes are
updated, it is not required to upgrade existing facilities to meet those latest codes unless there is
a mandate to do so, or a risk in not doing so is recognized. The Sanitation District will accept some
incremental risk in having some facilities that are not necessarily compliant with latest building
codes or subject to increased greater risks until a project to rehabilitate or replace these facilities
is developed. All of the Sanitation District’s facilities have a planned life span with two to three
refurbishment cycles. Identified seismic or flooding vulnerabilities may drive a replacement versus
refurbishment decision in the normal capital planning process.
35STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
The Sanitation District will continue to aspire to energy independence which will help mitigate
vulnerabilities to loss of electrical and gas utilities. In addition, the Sanitation District will continue
to maintain third level, diesel generator, electrical supply capability for critical loads. On-site diesel
storage will provide up to three days of power to run the plants. Pump stations diesel generation will be
site specific in its design based on flow risks, hydraulic storage capacity, and site constraints. Either on-
site generation or quickly deployable mobile generators will provide emergency power for up to days at
a time.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Complete an engineering study of the seismic vulnerabilities of the treatment plants. Incorporate
necessary upgrades into future capital improvement projects.
• Complete the biannual high flow exercise to assure readiness for a high flow event. Maintain a higher
level of readiness October 15 through March 15 and in advance of predicted significant rain events.
• Study the potential impact of tsunami and changing climate conditions including flooding due to high tides and heavy rain events.
36 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Food Waste Treatment Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The State of California limits the volume of organic waste that may be diverted to landfills. The Orange
County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will collaborate with the County of Orange, other local
agencies, and waste haulers to find ways to beneficially reuse food waste, a type of organic waste to assist
cities in our service area in meeting their diversion requirements while increasing the Sanitation District’s
energy production.
Background
Whether supplying secondary treated wastewater for the Groundwater Replenishment System, creating
renewable energy in the form of biogas from anaerobic digestion to produce electricity, or benefiting from
the use of biosolids as a soil amendment, the Sanitation District is a resource recovery agency committed
to providing resilient and reliable wastewater treatment service while protecting the public health and the
environment.
In recent years, there has been a significant change in the regulatory landscape in California related to
the diversion of organics such as food, green material, wood, paper, biosolids, digestate, and sludges from
landfills. Currently, much of the state’s diverted organics are being composted or used as alternative daily
cover on landfills. With the phaseout of organics as alternative daily cover, the regulatory shift is creating
an organics market for the wastewater sector to provide a solution to manage organics such as food waste
by way of co-digestion. There is an opportunity for the Sanitation District to produce additional biogas,
reducing the need to purchase electricity from the local utility.
Anaerobic digestion is currently at the nexus of important State of California mandates, namely:
(1) organics diversion from landfills (AB 1826 and SB 1383), and (2) increased renewable energy and fuels
generation (SB 32 and SB 100). The primary alternatives for organics management are anaerobic digestion
and composting — of which anaerobic digestion is the only process offering energy recovery potential.
Over the next few years, California’s cities and counties, along with municipal solid waste haulers,
material recovery facilities, and landfills will need to develop collection, processing, and energy recovery
infrastructure to address new state legislation and goals. Existing wastewater treatment plants such as the
Sanitation District are uniquely positioned to play a role in the new organics marketplace since solid waste
management facilities do not typically have anaerobic digesters, the energy recovery infrastructure in
place, or experience regarding the management of biosolids for beneficial use.
In 2017, the Sanitation District completed a comprehensive Biosolids Master Plan (Plan) that provides a
roadmap and framework for sustainable and cost-effective biosolids management options and future
capital facilities improvement over a 20-year planning horizon. Considering the timeliness of the regulatory
mandates requiring organic diversion from landfills and increased renewable energy, the Plan evaluated
the feasibility of implementing a high strength organic waste receiving program involving the co-digestion
of preprocessed food waste.
While food waste digestion appears to be feasible, the Sanitation District’s existing infrastructure isn’t well
suited for receiving, handling, or digesting green waste. Current digester feed, mixing, heating, dewatering
and truck loading facilities aren’t designed to deal with cellulosic products in green waste. The highly
fibrous material doesn’t readily break down and clogs the various systems optimized for sewage sludge
treatment. In addition, there are legal hurdles specified in the California Health and Safety Code, Section
4700, that must be addressed before the Sanitation District could operate a refuse transfer facility.
Current Situation
Project Viability
The Sanitation District’s Plan concluded that the costs to construct and operate a food waste receiving
facility could be offset by tipping fees charged to food waste processors/haulers and by additional power
37STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
generated from the increased digester gas production. The Plan recommended that the Sanitation
District build an interim food waste receiving station immediately to take advantage of existing
digestion and power generation capacity of approximately 150-250 wet tons per day at Plant No. 2. The
Sanitation District will construct a more permanent facility in the future to coincide with the planned
construction of new digesters at Plant No. 2, allowing an additional capacity to co-digest approximately
500 wet tons per day of food waste. The Sanitation District also has at least 6 MW of installed electrical
generation capacity that can convert the produced digester gas to electricity and heat.
Based on these recommendations, in 2018 the Sanitation District’s Board approved a project (P2-124)
to construct an interim (10-15 years) food waste facility to receive, store, and feed preprocessed food
waste slurry to the digester complex at Plant No. 2 to generate additional digester gas. This project will
be designed to accept approximately 150 wet tons per day of preprocessed food waste and will produce
approximately 15 percent more methane gas for on-site energy production, resulting in a greenhouse
gas reduction of approximately 10,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually which is
equivalent to the annual greenhouse gases generated by approximately 2,000 passenger vehicles. This
is consistent with the Sanitation District’s Energy Independence Policy which is to strive to be energy
independent by minimizing energy utilization and maximizing useful energy recovery from the sewage it
receives. The interim receiving station is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
The final biosolids product currently produced by the Sanitation District is anticipated to be largely
unaffected by the addition of food waste slurry. Pilot testing conducted by the Sanitation District
indicates that there will be increased gas production due to mixing sewage sludge and food waste feed
stock, but the final biosolids product will remain largely unchanged.
A draft Preliminary Design Report was issued in June 2019 for the interim receiving facility which
included a viability evaluation concluding that the project is economically justifiable based on project
costs and anticipated tipping fees. Final Design work has started and among other important items, the
tipping fee and food slurry specifications will be further refined and validated.
There are three large municipal solid waste haulers that have expressed interest in collaborating with
the Sanitation District to provide preprocessed food waste for digestion. Of these, two haulers are
located within the county and one is located outside the county. Another important partner for the
Sanitation District is Orange County Waste and Recycling (OCWR). The Sanitation District has met with
OCWR and they have expressed interest in partnering with the Sanitation District to find local solutions
to meet SB 1383’s organics diversion mandate including in-county biosolids management, composting,
food waste co-digestion, and biogas production.
Future Policy Statement
Food Waste Slurry
The Sanitation District will only accept a preprocessed food waste slurry. We do not have available land
or air permits to handle, sort, and process solid or green wastes. The Sanitation District will work with
other public agencies and waste haulers to develop an industry standard for food waste slurry that
specifies water, organic, metal, plastic, and glass content requirements. A common specification for
slurry will help all parties make investment decisions.
Food Waste Volume
The Sanitation District has identified available capacity within its infrastructure at Plant No. 2 to
accommodate food waste conversion to energy. The processes impacted by food waste conversion are
digestion, gas cleaning, gas compression, generation, process heating, biosolid dewatering and biosolids
loading. These impacted systems have the capacity to accept 150 to 250 wet tons per day for the next
ten years. Beyond ten years, the Sanitation District plans on upgrading its digestion, gas compression,
and gas treatment systems. Based on the lessons learned from the interim system and the development
of the food waste market, the Sanitation District plans to be able to accept up to 500 wet tons per day
when the new digestion, gas compression, and gas treatment systems are completed.
38 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
The Sanitation District believes that the full implementation of the current regulations will create a food
waste slurry market significantly greater than 500 wet tons per day in Southern California.
Tipping Fee Basis
The acceptance of food waste has the opportunity to more fully utilize the system capacity that already exists for the benefit of the Sanitation District’s rate payers.
The Sanitation District staff will develop a base tipping fee rate schedule for Board of Directors’ approval that meets the following criteria:
• Recover all capital costs to construct facilities within five years (this will allow the Sanitation District and waste haulers to properly invest in processing facilities);
• Recover all on-going costs including operating cost, maintenance cost, electricity usage, biosolids dewatering, and reuse costs;
• Food Waste will not be operated “for profit” but rather a cost recovered service with revenues offsetting rates and passed on to OCSD’s rate payers.
Food waste generated and processed within the service area will be charged the base rate and will be prioritized over food waste from outside the service area. This is justified by the fact that the underlying infrastructure of the Sanitation District is already owned by service area rate payers. The Sanitation District contracts with service area waste haulers must provide for a pass-through savings to the Sanitation District rate payers. That means waste haulers may charge for collection and processing of food waste but must disclose to their City or Special District franchise partner the Sanitation District’s tipping fees and negotiate pricing adjustments as necessary with City or Special District franchise partners.
If additional capacity exists, but isn’t utilized by in service area users, then that capacity may be contracted by out of service area users at a premium to help offset the cost of the underlying infrastructure necessary to process the food waste.
The Sanitation District will pursue grant opportunities to the extent possible to reduce the overall capital and operating cost basis for the program to reduce the tipping fee base rate.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• The Sanitation District will accept a preprocessed food waste slurry from contracted waste haulers
that will be fed to existing anaerobic digesters. The Sanitation District will charge a tipping fee to
offset its costs for capital construction, operations, handling, maintenance, and biosolids disposal.
• Design, build, and operate a food waste receiving station. Create a specification for food waste slurry
and contract with solid waste haulers to receive and process food waste.
39STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Water Reuse Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will seek to beneficially reuse all reclaimable
water for potable, industrial, irrigation and environmental uses.
Background
For over 40 years, the Sanitation District and the Orange County Water District (OCWD) have partnered to
beneficially reuse treated wastewater from the Sanitation District. OCWD, which serves roughly the same
service area as the Sanitation District, manages and replenishes the groundwater basin in northern and
central Orange County, ensures water reliability and quality, prevents seawater intrusion, and protects
Orange County’s rights to Santa Ana River water.
Beginning in 1975, the Sanitation District contributed treated wastewater from its Plant No. 1 to OCWD
for the operation of Water Factory 21, which reclaimed the treated wastewater and injected it along
with deep well water into the groundwater basin to prevent seawater intrusion. In the mid-1990s, OCWD
needed to expand Water Factory 21. At the same time, the Sanitation District faced the challenge of
having to build a second ocean outfall pipe to discharge treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. Both agencies collaborated to build an advanced water purification facility to resolve these challenges. This state-of-the-art facility, known as the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), took the place of Water Factory 21, and began operation in 2008. The GWRS treats secondary treated wastewater from the Sanitation District Plant No. 1 to drinking water standards and uses the purified water for both injection and percolation, through injection wells and recharge basins, as source water to replenish the groundwater basin’s drinking water supplies. With approximately 75 percent of the water demand in northern and central Orange County cities coming from the groundwater basin, GWRS supplements existing water supplies by providing a new, reliable, high-quality source of water.
While the original GWRS facility was initially constructed to supply up to 70 million gallons per day (MGD) of purified water, the facility was designed for an ultimate treatment and conveyance capacity of 130 MGD. The original GWRS design intent was to expand the GWRS facility in two phases — an initial and a final expansion of an additional 30 MGD of treatment capacity with each expansion. The GWRS Initial Expansion Project was completed in June 2015 and has been producing up to 100 MGD of purified water for groundwater injection and recharge. The Final Expansion of GWRS is scheduled to be completed in 2023 and will produce the maximum capacity of 130 MGD.
In addition to providing treated wastewater to the GWRS, the Sanitation District also provides treated water to OCWD’s Green Acres Project, which provides recycled water for landscape irrigation at parks, schools, and golf courses; and industrial uses, such as carpet dying; toilet flushing; and power generation cooling.
Current Situation
The GWRS currently produces 100 million gallons per day of purified water — enough water for about 850,000 people. All of the Sanitation District’s Plant No. 1 secondary effluent, between 120-130 MGD, is sent to OCWD for the GWRS and Green Acres Project. However, secondary effluent from the Sanitation District’s Plant No. 2 and other non-reclaimable flows, such as brine from inland desalters and GWRS’s reverse osmosis process, and the Sanitation District’s process sidestreams, continue to be released into the ocean.
In 2016, the Sanitation District and OCWD jointly conducted the Effluent Reuse Study, which evaluated the feasibility of recycling the Sanitation District’s secondary effluent from Plant No. 2 and identified projects required to achieve the final expansion of the GWRS. The GWRS final expansion effort will include implementation of projects to construct new, modified or rehabilitated facilities at Plant No. 2 to separate reclaimable flows from non-reclaimable flows; to equalize, pump, and convey secondary effluent from the Sanitation District’s Plant No. 2 to the GWRS facility; and to treat the additional source water to produce 130 MGD of purified water.
40 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Reverse Osmosis brine generated at the GWRS Initial Expansion is currently discharged into the ocean.
The 2016 Effluent Reuse Study identified alternative brine management strategies such as evaporation
ponds, deep well injection, and engineered wetlands. Evaporation ponds are land intensive and are also
energy intensive when combined with a brine crystallizer to remove solids from highly concentrated
brine system using heat and pressure. While the areas around both the Sanitation District treatment
plants have the appropriate geology for brine injection, there are concerns with contamination of
drinking water aquifers, and seismic risks due to the Newport-Inglewood zones near Plant No. 2. At this
time, it does not appear economically feasible to provide alternative management strategies for the
brine discharge.
In November 2016, the Sanitation District Board of Directors adopted the Second Amended and
Restated Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the Development, Operation and Maintenance of
the Groundwater Replenishment System and Green Acres Project, which committed the agency to
continue supporting the GWRS and the Green Acres Project, and specifically, the final expansion of the
GWRS. The implementation of the final phase of the expansion will be executed by multiple projects,
some executed by the Sanitation District while the others executed by OCWD. Project costs related to
GWRS are funded by OCWD, including $50 million reimbursement to the Sanitation District for its costs
incurred to execute related projects.
By supporting the GWRS Final Expansion, the Sanitation District will be able to recycle all reclaimable
wastewater generated in its service area and treated at its two treatment plants, and OCWD will have
sufficient water to run the GWRS facility to full capacity.
Future Policy Statement
The treated effluent produced from the Sanitation District’s Plant Nos. 1 and 2 is a valuable resource
that can help boost local water resources and reduce dependence on imported water, while reducing
the effluent discharged to the ocean. The Sanitation District will continue to seek opportunities for
beneficial reuse of all reclaimable wastewater collected and treated at its facilities.
The Sanitation District will continue to support the completion of the final expansion of the GWRS in
accordance to the adopted Second Amended and Restated Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the
Development, Operation and Maintenance of the Groundwater Replenishment System and Green Acres
Project. This includes providing secondary effluent as source water for GWRS free of charge; allowing
OCWD to discharge brine via the Sanitation District’s ocean outfall free of charge; leasing approximately
10 acres of land to OCWD at $1 per year for the GWRS Final Expansion project; allowing OCWD to
discharge North and South Basin extraction well flows to the Sanitation District sewers; managing
the design and construction efforts of the Plant No. 2 Headworks Modifications Project and the Plant
Water Pump Station Replacement Project (OCWD will reimburse up to $50 million of project cost);
managing and financing the construction of the Ocean Outfall Low Flow Pump Station at Plant No. 2
and the construction of Plant No. 2 primary and secondary facilities to allow segregation of
non-reclaimable flows.
The Sanitation District will continue to maximize the delivery of secondary effluent available to GWRS
and the Green Acres Project in order to maximize full production of purified recycled water for indirect
potable reuse, and industrial and irrigational uses. The Sanitation District has been operating the Steve
Anderson Lift Station to divert more flows to Plant No. 1. The two agencies regularly communicate and
coordinate the Sanitation District operations and construction projects that may have impacts on GWRS
operation and will continue this collaboration effort.
The Sanitation District has adequate flow to maximize the production of the GWRS through final
expansion. Diversion of additional non-wastewater into the sewer system is unnecessary. Non-
wastewater diversions create high flow risks during wet weather conditions and can introduce
constituents of concern to existing water and biosolid reuse programs.
41STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Support the completion of the final phase of the Groundwater Replenishment System and maximize
reclaimable wastewater availability to the Orange County Water District.
• Support Green Acres project water production to provide reclaimed water for industrial and
irrigation uses.
42 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Environmental Water Quality, Stormwater Management and Urban Runoff Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will partner with storm water permittees to
accept up to ten million gallons per day of dry weather urban runoff at no charge in order to improve water
quality in streams, rivers and beaches as long as the constituents within the flow do not adversely impact
the Sanitation District’s worker safety, treatment processes, reuse initiatives, or permit compliance. The
Sanitation District facilities are subject to significant flow increases during wet weather events and are not
capable of accepting stormwater flow volumes.
Background
The Sanitation District’s wastewater collection system is designed to be wholly separate from the
region’s stormwater systems, also referred to as storm sewers and/or storm drains. The Sanitation
District implements a system-specific Sewer System Management Plan in compliance with the California
Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, Water Quality Order No.
2006-0003-DWQ. In the Sanitation District’s service area, most local sanitary sewer systems are owned
by city municipalities and discharge into the Sanitation District -owned regional sewers. Similarly, many
stormwater systems are also owned and maintained at the local level, referred to as municipal separate
storm sewer systems or MS4. These publicly owned conveyances or a system of conveyances are designed
to collect/convey stormwater, are not combined with sanitary sewers, and not part of the sewage
treatment works. Stormwater runoff is water generated from precipitation events that flows over land or
impervious surfaces including streets, parking lots, and building rooftops — this water does not return to
groundwater basins, because it does not soak into the ground. This runoff accumulates pollutants from
transportation, construction, industrial, and residential sources that can include trash or other solid waste,
chemicals, oil, and other sediments. MS4 stormwater that is not captured for reuse, typically discharges
into regional systems, most notably flood control channels (e.g. the Santa Ana River), that subsequently
flow to the ocean and are regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) that
also regulates the Sanitation District’s discharge to the ocean.
Due to the design and operation of local and regional sanitary sewers, there is not system capacity to
allow ‘wet weather’ stormwater discharges to the sewer. Excessive flows into the sewer beyond its design
capacity can lead to sanitary sewer overflows (also called SSOs), spills, and potential sewage backups. The
Santa Ana River can provide massive storm-flow capacity at approximately 22,000 cubic feet per second
(cfs) of water, and the Delhi Channel at 325 cfs, as compared to the peak wet weather flow for both the
Sanitation District Plant Nos. 1 and 2 combine to less than 1,000 cfs — much of which is utilized for sanitary
sewer service at all times. During ‘dry weather’, stormwater systems collect flow from ‘dry weather urban
runoff’ activities, such as residential or industrial use, irrigation, water released from previous precipitation,
among others. Most sanitary sewer systems are gravity draining, that is, most non-industrial facilities
passively drain to the sewer and do not typically take action to commence discharge of wastewater. As a
result, it’s important that facilities are constructed in such a way that they will not drain active stormwater
or urban runoff flow to the sewer, especially during rain. Additionally, stormwater best management
practices (BMPs) typically dictate that the generation of contaminated stormwater should be mitigated
through proper facility design including berms and grading.
The Sanitation District’s Wastewater Discharge Regulations Ordinance, which sets quality standards and
requirements for facilities discharging to the Sanitation District, includes language to prohibit sewer
users from discharging groundwater, stormwater, surface runoff, or subsurface drainage to the sewer
without written authorization or a permit issued for such a purpose. In addition to the concerns related
to insufficient capacity in the Sanitation District’s sewer collection system, there is a concern that
uncontrolled discharge to the sewer from these types of systems can introduce pollutants that may cause
issues in the Sanitation District’s treatment and reclamation plants, discharge to the ocean, or affect the
agency’s ability to recycle water or reuse biosolids. The Sanitation District’s Ordinance was recently revised
43STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
to clarify these restrictions and include a prohibition on drainage from non-domestic surface and floor
drains to address these types of uncontrolled discharges.
However, given the public health and environmental protection issues that may arise from runoff-
carried pollutants being transferred into the Sanitation District’s coastal beaches and waters, in April
2000 the Sanitation District initiated a permitting program to assist in the economical and practical
control of these pollutants during dry weather conditions.
Following the Sanitation District’s sponsored legislation (AB 1892), the Sanitation District’s charter
was amended to authorize the Board of Directors to adopt Resolution No. 00-04 establishing a dry
season urban runoff policy that allowed local agencies to obtain a Dry Weather Urban Runoff Permit to
discharge to the Sanitation District. Agencies could apply for this permit type where there was not an
economically or practically feasible alternative (i.e. discharge to storm drain, reclamation/reuse, etc.) to
discharging dry weather urban runoff to the sewer, and the discharger met other conditions including
complying with the Sanitation District’s Wastewater Discharge Regulations Ordinance.
In September 2000, the Sanitation District modified the Dry Weather Urban Runoff Policy (Resolution No.
00-22) to cap discharges received to ten million gallons per day (MGD). Furthermore, the policy revision
established the waiving of fees associated with the program until discharges exceeded four MGD, or
until the policy underwent future revisions. There were a number of other modifications to the policy
that added facility and compliance requirements for Dry Weather Urban Runoff permittees.
The Sanitation District Board Resolution No. 01-07, adopted in March 2001, added language to the
policy clarifying conditions in which the Sanitation District would and would not be indemnified against
liability associated with diversion systems. Indemnification is a critical component of Dry Weather Urban
Runoff agreements necessary to address the risks posed to the Sanitation District associated with water
quality, flooding, trash, infrastructure damage, and other concerns. In June 2013, the Sanitation District’s
current policy was established when Resolution No. 13-09 was adopted. This included a revision where
upon reaching a dry weather urban runoff influent rate of nine MGD, the Sanitation District will take
action to reevaluate the policy.
In addition to Dry Weather Urban Runoff Permits, the Sanitation District’s Ordinance allows for
normally prohibited wastes such as groundwater, stormwater, surface runoff, and subsurface drainage
to be discharged to the Sanitation District as authorized through a Special Purpose Discharge Permit
or written authorization from the Sanitation District; only when no alternate method of disposal is
reasonably available or to mitigate an environmental risk or health hazard.
The Dry Weather Urban Runoff and Special Purpose Discharge permit programs are intended to assist
in the protection of public health and the environment by routing contaminated discharges into the
Sanitation District’s treatment and reclamation plants. For example, the toxic amounts of selenium
in the Upper Newport Bay Watershed have resulted in regulatory requirements to remove selenium
loadings from upstream creeks and channels to protect downstream aquatic life. For dry weather urban
runoff discharges, the Sanitation District is able to accommodate certain waste streams that mitigate
these hazards. However, the Sanitation District treatment and reclamation plants also have limitations
on the loading of pollutants that can be discharged to them — particularly because traditional
sewage treatment plants are not designed to remove toxic pollutants, but are designed to remove
the conventional pollutants typically found in wastewater generated from normal sanitary uses. The
Sanitation District’s Ordinance dictates that permitted users, such as Dry Weather Urban Runoff or
Special Purpose Discharge users, must comply with numeric effluent limit standards for toxic pollutants.
Continuing the example from above, discharges must meet a selenium effluent limit of 3.9 milligrams
per liter (mg/L), a derived value based on the compliance standard, the Sanitation District is held
accountable in order to reuse biosolids. In this example, the Sanitation District may choose to issue a
permit to mitigate a public health or environmental concern, but must do so in such a way as to also
address the potential impact on the Sanitation District’s plants and its reuse initiatives — with permit
numeric limits and conditions.
44 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Current Situation
As of June 2019, the Sanitation District maintains 21 active Dry Weather Urban Runoff Permits for diversions owned and operated by the City of Huntington Beach, the City of Newport Beach, OC Public
Works, Irvine Ranch Water District, and a LLC responsible for the areas in and around Pelican Point
community. For the June to December 2018 reporting period, the Sanitation District received an average
of 1.03 MGD from these facilities, well below the current ten MGD policy cap and nine MGD action
threshold. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the Dry Weather Urban Runoff Program has treated
9.4 billion gallons of dry weather urban runoff. The success of this program is captured succinctly in
reviewing the Heal the Bay 2018-2019 Beach Report Card. Heal the Bay is an environmental non-profit
organization focused on coastal water and watershed quality, and reported that 92 percent of beaches
in Orange County received an ‘A’ rating during summer dry weather conditions — some the Sanitation
District -service area beaches made the report card ‘honor roll’ with an A+ rating. It should be noted
that this overall rating is negatively impacted by south Orange County beaches that are not in the
Sanitation District’s service area.
Both the permitted Dry Weather Urban Runoff users and the Sanitation District staff collect samples
from Dry Weather Urban Runoff facilities (during dry season discharge) on a semi-annual basis to
evaluate compliance with pollutant limits establish in the Sanitation District’s Ordinance.
Periodically, the Sanitation District works with other organizations and industries that have intentionally
or unintentionally captured stormwater or runoff on-site and seek guidance on disposing of the water.
The Sanitation District may authorize such a discharge request where: there is adequate capacity,
wastewater meets applicable effluent discharge standards, there is no practical alternative method
of disposal, and the wastewater is captured and held until it can be released to the sewer apart
from a high-capacity or storm event. The Sanitation District can utilize written authorizations, special
conditions on an existing wastewater discharge permit, or a Special Purpose Discharge Permit — issued
for planned short-or-long-term discharges. In other instances, the Sanitation District has observed
unauthorized stormwater connections to the sewer during routine inspections of facilities and worked
with the dischargers to mitigate these to prevent potential overflow conditions.
Special discharges described above, where acceptable through a Special Purpose Discharge Permit or
written authorization, are not included in the ten MGD allowance under the Dry Weather Urban Runoff
program.
Key Issues for the Future
Under the current policy, the Sanitation District has the capacity to accept additional dry weather
urban runoff flows (up to ten MGD), however, this allotted capacity is not typically the limiting factor
in increasing the volume of runoff diverted to the Sanitation District. As Dry Weather Urban Runoff
diversion projects are initiated and funded at the local municipality level, capital support for such
projects can be limited. Without funding and operational support from a public agency that has
jurisdiction and authority over surface water runoff and wastewater, this water cannot be diverted.
Diversion systems must be pumped (not gravity-fed) into the Sanitation District’s collection system to
ensure the necessary level of control. Furthermore, diversions cannot be implemented just anywhere. In
order for the Sanitation District to accept this dry weather runoff water, the supporting sewer hydraulic
capacity and infrastructure must already be in place at the specific location where the gravity diversion
exists. Otherwise constructing new Sanitation District facilities to convey diverted waters would require
a significant capital investment from the Sanitation District and its rate-payers. In short, acceptance
of dry weather runoff must be evaluated based on the site-specific capacity of the Sanitation District’s
collection system, i.e. the hydraulic capacity of a specific interceptor/sewer trunkline. In addition,
where the intention is to also recycle this runoff water as well as divert it from the Sanitation District’s
coastal beaches and waters, it must be routed to the Sanitation District’s Plant No. 1 facility in Fountain
Valley where it can discharge to OCWD’s Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). At present, the
Sanitation District’s Plant No. 2 facility does not discharge wastewater to GWRS for recycling, and the
majority of existing dry weather urban runoff facilities discharge to Plant No. 2.
45STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
The Sanitation District is working to divert the majority of Plant No. 2 influent wastewater to GWRS,
however, the expected completion date of this project is not until 2023. It should be noted that the
recycling capacity of GWRS is not unlimited and the plan to divert wastewater from Plant No. 2 is
expected to provide the near maximum level of influent to GWRS. Therefore, the Sanitation District
is not in a position to accept additional wastewater for recycling, and the notion that stormwater is
necessary to augment GWRS influent is not a valid assumption.
Given the above conditions, to expand the current programs to a larger-scale stormwater/rain-event
capture and discharge program, means an investment for stormwater-authority agencies to build water
storage systems in addition to existing or new diversion systems.
The regional benefit for such an initiative would be the increased capture and recycling of water
that would otherwise be discharged to the ocean. The potential risk to the Sanitation District and its
reuse initiatives from pollutants in stormwater and runoff would be directly impacted by our agency’s
future ability to control these wastes — that is permit, inspect, and monitor discharging facilities, and
when warranted — enact enforcement to ensure compliance with the Sanitation District’s Wastewater
Discharge Regulations Ordinance. To protect the Sanitation District, this means issuing stringent
requirements on discharges or suspending a discharge when an existing or potential sewer user
does not meet a compliance obligation. Moreover, the Sanitation District will only be able to accept
stormwater and runoff discharges that can be captured and held beyond storm events, and where that
water can be adequately evaluated before being released for discharge into the Sanitation District’s
system.
The financial impact for the Sanitation District would translate to capital and operational costs where
the Sanitation District is involved in the construction and maintenance of facilities to support these
diversion systems. In addition, a larger-scale stormwater/rain-event capture and discharge program
most certainly will require an investment in additional Sanitation District staff in the workgroup that
oversees the current permitting programs.
The larger question, beyond the scope of this white paper, is to evaluate at a regional level whether
stormwater capture from a rain event will provide an additional source of water significant enough
to offset the costs to capture this water and temporarily store it until it can be reused, including the
associated infrastructure, staff, and other public resources this would require; and considering the
intrinsic restrictions of the current sewer system, GWRS limitations, and the potential risks posed to the
Sanitation District’s existing water and biosolid reuse initiatives.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
In accordance with Resolution No. 13-09, the Sanitation District intends to continue accepting up to
ten million gallons per day of pumped dry weather urban runoff diversion where existing conveyance
capacity exists, and the constituents of the flow will not adversely impact the Sanitation District. The
Sanitation District also intends to continue working with industries, agencies, and other facilities to
offer alternatives to stormwater and runoff disposal through special purpose discharge permits or
other written authorization in accordance with the Sanitation District’s Ordinance, where doing so does
not negatively affect the Sanitation District’s operation or compliance with local, state, and federal
regulations, and wastewater can be held for evaluation prior to discharge.
Additionally, to act as a regional partner in resolving issues associated with disposing of and reusing
stormwater, the Sanitation District intends to work with local jurisdictions to determine the feasibility of
regional wet weather runoff capture, storage, and use projects.
• Issue dry weather urban runoff connection permits up to a total of ten million gallons per day to
other service area local agencies to accept pumped dry weather urban runoff flows where existing
conveyance capacity exists, and the constituents of the flow will not adversely impact the
Sanitation District.
46 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
• Continue working with industries, facilities, agencies, and local jurisdictions that have authority over
stormwater or surface water runoff to determine the feasibility of regional wet weather runoff capture,
storage, and use projects or offer alternatives to stormwater and runoff disposal through permits or
other written authorization. The Sanitation District will promote responsible stormwater utilization
and sewer protection, where doing so does not negatively affect the Sanitation District’s operation or
compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, and wastewater can be held for evaluation prior
to discharge.
47STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Wastewater Management
48 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Chemical Sustainability Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) has a need to use chemicals in its treatment
process to improve plant performance, reduce odor and corrosion potential, and meet its regulatory
requirements. These commodity chemicals are provided by outside vendors through the purchasing
process. Some of these chemicals are subject to price swings due to market condition changes such as energy cost impacts, raw material cost changes, commercial competition changes, and transportation cost volitility. The Sanitation District will identify chemicals key to its operation, investigate the market risks for those chemicals and devise strategies to mitigate identified risks to availability and pricing.
Background
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) treatment plants and collection system use
several bulk chemicals. A sustainable supply of these chemicals is critical to maintaining an acceptable level of treatment and for ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements. The Sanitation District spends about $13 million annually on the procurement of eight key chemicals which generally can be broken down into four categories: coagulants, odor/corrosion control, disinfection, and boiler water treatment. Boiler water treatment chemicals are low volume and readily available and will not be considered here.
Coagulant Chemicals
Coagulant chemicals include ferric chloride, anionic polymer, and cationic polymer. These chemicals are the workhorses of the sewage treatment process. Coagulant chemicals work to clump together organic material so it can more readily be separated from water. Ferric chloride is the first chemical added in the treatment process. It is a powerful settling agent that causes organics to clump together and settle to the bottom of primary basins. It is a double-duty chemical in that it also controls the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas, which is a major odorant, by binding to suspended sulphur compounds and causing them to settle before they can be converted by natural bacterial processes to hydrogen sulfide.
Ferric chloride is an iron salt that is produced by reacting iron with hydrochloric acid. It is generally a byproduct of steel treatment, a leftover pickling agent. Ferric chloride is commonly used in the water and wastewater industries. Historically, this chemical has been the subject of a limited supplier base in Southern California. The Sanitation District has been actively splitting supply contracts to multiple vendors to ensure multiple vendors are available. On-site generation of the chemical is impractical due to the hazardous nature of the manufacturing process and acid handling, the bulk steel handing logistics, and waste products disposal.
Anionic polymer works with ferric chloride to further aid in the coagulation or settling of organic compounds in the primary treatment process. These long-chain molecules are designed to be negatively charged to attract or collect positively charged ferric chloride induced organic clumps or flocculant. The use of ferric chloride and anionic polymer is called Chemically Enhanced Primary Treatment or CEPT. The Sanitation District has been using CEPT for more than thirty years.
Anionic polymers are specially designed chains with many potential variants and multiple vendors. Part of the purchasing process for polymers involves polymer trials to document the efficacy of different products from different vendors to get the best cost-performance balance.
Cationic polymer is generally used to thicken sludge or biosolids in centrifuges or dissolved air floatation thickeners (DAFT). These long-chained, positively charged molecules are essential to the proper operation of centrifuges and DAFT units. Part of the purchasing process for these polymers also involves polymer trials to document the efficacy of different products from different vendors to get the best cost-performance balance. It is important to note that it is entirely possible that four different cationic polymers will be used to optimize the performance of Plant No. 1 dewatering centrifuges, Plant No. 1 thickening centrifuges, Plant No. 2 dewater centrifuges, and Plant No. 2 DAFTs, because the performance can vary greatly depending on the equipment or process. Each process will have its own polymer trial to determine the cost-performance balance for each application.
49STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Odor Control Chemicals
The Sanitation District uses several chemicals in the collection system and the treatment plant to reduce the odors normally attributed to sewage and sewage treatment. These chemicals can either
prevent the formation of odor causing compound, called odorants, or they can destroy odorants that
already exist. Chemicals that prevent the formation of odorants include ferrous chloride, calcium
nitrate, magnesium hydroxide, and caustic.
Chemicals used in the collection systems tend to be more benign than chemicals used in the treatment
plants due to their proximity to the public. Ferrous chloride is closely related to Ferric chloride as
described above. It is a powerful settling agent that prevents the formation of hydrogen sulfide by tying
up and settling sulfide compounds in the collection system. It is a preferred chemical because of its
dual role, but it isn’t as benign as other choices.
Calcium nitrate is another choice for collection system odor control. It works in a different way. Calcium
nitrate alters the biological equilibrium in sewage. Generally, bacteria that live by respirating oxygen
are the most robust organisms, followed by nitrogen respirating bacteria, and finally sulfur respirating
bacteria. Adding calcium nitrate to sewage creates an environment where sulfur loving bacteria don’t
thrive or create hydrogen sulfide.
Magnesium hydroxide is a third choice for collection system odor control. It works primarily by raising
the pH of sewage to a point that is not conducive for odor causing bacteria to thrive. Magnesium
hydroxide is the most benign of the chemical choices as it is the main ingredient in Milk of Magnesia.
All three of these chemicals are continuously fed into sewer systems at different points to consistently
control the formation of odorants in the system. Where the Sanitation District doesn’t have the ability to
site a chemical dosing station and persistent odors are being experienced, there is the option to utilize
caustic slug dosing. Caustic slug dosing involves using tanker trucks to discharge up to 6,000 gallons of
sodium hydroxide into a sewer manhole structure. The very high pH has the effect of killing the bio-
slime layer on sewer pipes that creates hydrogen sulfide. This treatment has an instant benefit that
reduces hydrogen sulfide production for days to weeks depending on system conditions.
The final major odor fighting chemical is bleach. Bleach is used in treatment plant chemical scrubbers
to oxidize odorants in air scrubber units. Bleach is an effective neutralizer of hydrogen sulfide, methyl
mercaptan, methyl disulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and many others.
Disinfection
The Sanitation District successfully discontinued disinfection of its effluent to the long outfall.
This means that thousands of gallons of bleach and sodium bisulfate are no longer required to
be purchased or discharged to the ocean. However, in the event of a discharge to the short outfall
or river overflow, disinfection by bleach will be required. Significant on-site storage of bleach and
dechlorination chemical, sodium bisulfite, is necessary for this emergency contingency.
Bleach does have a shelf life of about six months. The Sanitation District rotates its disinfection supply
to its odor control and plant water treatment systems to prevent product waste.
Process Specific Chemicals
The Sanitation District uses pure oxygen to support its activated sludge secondary treatment process
for Plant No. 2. The Sanitation District previously self-generated pure oxygen using a cryogenic oxygen
plant rated at 70 tons per day. This plant was removed because it was inefficient at the current average
utilization of 35 tons per day and was at the end of its useful life. The Sanitation District contracts for
delivery of liquid oxygen and uses a vaporization system to deliver pure gaseous oxygen to the activated
sludge process.
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Chemical Supply — Purchase vs. Make
The Sanitation District has relied on purchasing bulk commodity chemicals for its treatment plants and collection system. This has proven to be an effective strategy for operational flexibility and to
allow concentration on core business. Operationally, the types and volume of chemicals change over
time. Over time the types of polymers that are most efficient change. There is a need for more or less
volume of chemicals based on sewage flow, sewage quantity, and flow splits between plants. Managing
the generation of specialized chemicals using hazardous materials imposes a significant training
burden on staff, increases the regulatory oversight and requirements, and increases overall risk to the
organization.
The Sanitation District has maintained a policy to split the volume of orders between two vendors to
assure competition exists in the marketplace for ferric chloride. While the Sanitation District generally
cooperates with other public agencies to pool purchasing power to secure the lowest possible cost
through high volume purchasing, some specialty chemicals like ferric chloride require split orders to
maintain competitive market forces.
Current Situation
The Sanitation District is constantly changing and improving its facilities to meet new challenges.
Each of the facility changes offer new opportunities to reconsider how the Sanitation District operates
its processes and how chemicals are used. The best chemical stability outcome is to cost-effectively
eliminate the use of the chemical. This is the strategy behind cessation of bleach disinfection of the
outfall effluent.
Staff are in the process of studying the potential to operate the treatment plants differently to
minimize or eliminate use of selected chemicals. Facilities like centrifuge sludge thickening provide
new opportunities to adjust ferric chloride and anionic polymer usage. Opportunities for substitute
chemicals will be explored to understand overall cost and efficiency savings potential. This includes
iron vs. aluminum coagulant studies, anionic polymer trials, and cationic polymer trials. Staff will also
reevaluate operating parameters such as in-basin sludge co-thickening, primary basin sludge blanket
level parameters, as well as the greater loading of the secondary treatment systems.
When optimized chemical types and dosages are confirmed, staff will review the market conditions for
each important chemical. This will serve as the basis for a procurement strategy for each chemical.
Future Policy Statement
The Sanitation District will thoroughly understand its treatment processes, the potential modes of
operation, and the benefit and cost of chemicals to improve or stabilize its process. The Sanitation
District will create a list of necessary chemicals for optimal treatment operations which will consider
chemical cost, chemical availability, treatment stability, energy utilization, energy creation, nuisance
odor control, biosolids generation/cost, and regulatory permit compliance risks.
Chemicals that are deemed most beneficial will be procured at the lowest overall cost from market
providers to the extent possible. Where there are market stability concerns, the purchasing division
will devise procurement strategies to mitigate procurement risks. Where procurement risk cannot be
satisfactorily mitigated, technical staff will evaluate alternatives such as alternate operating methods,
substitute chemical usage, or on-site generation of a chemical if feasible.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Reduce reliance on any particular chemical or vendor and establish flexibility to utilize other
chemicals/processes to accomplish the same operational objectives.
• Update the Sanitation District’s Chemical Sustainability Study and incorporate the results in future
procurement recommendations.
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Biosolids Management Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will remain committed to a sustainable
biosolids program and will beneficially reuse biosolids in accordance with Resolution No. OCSD 13-03
and the 2017 Biosolids Master Plan.
Background
Wastewater solids at both our treatment plants are separated, thickened, digested, and dewatered
before being recycled offsite by contractors for composting and land application. Biogas created from
the digesters is used to generate electricity to offset the need to purchase power from a local utility.
The Sanitation District currently receives sewage sludge from the Irvine Ranch Water District at Plant
No. 1, which is scheduled to cease by 2021 when Irvine Ranch Water District completes their own solids
treatment facility.
Prior to 2019, the Sanitation District produced an average of 800 wet tons per day (~20% solids) of Class
B biosolids dewatered by belt press units. Presently, with the construction and commissioning of co-
thickening sludge and dewatering centrifuges, the Sanitation District has been producing approximately 500-600 wet tons per day (25%-29% solids) with biosolids hauling cost savings of approximately $200,000-400,000/month due to the reduction in volume.
The Sanitation District‘s biosolids program is shaped by federal, state, and local regulations and by the Sanitation District’s biosolids policy (Board Resolution 13-03), our biosolids management system, and the 2017 Biosolids Master Plan (Plan). The Sanitation District manages a high quality biosolids program built on a solid policy that emphasizes the diversification of product markets for Class A and B biosolids utilized as a soil amendment for agriculture and horticulture uses. The policy also sets direction to seek opportunities in emerging markets such as biosolids-to-energy technologies to produce renewable energy in the form of biogas or used as a heating value source.
These marketing principles are aligned and supported by the Plan, which provides the Sanitation District a roadmap and framework for reliable and sustainable biosolids management options while minimizing cost. In addition, the Plan sets future capital facilities improvements over a 20-year planning horizon. The Sanitation District will be implementing the Plan to develop a capital improvement project for Plant No. 2 that will result in a major change to the Sanitation District’s biosolids program; namely, the construction of new mesophilic and thermophilic digesters that will generate Class A biosolids beginning in 2030. These new digesters are needed for operational resiliency against seismic events. Plant No. 1 will continue to produce Class B biosolids.
The Plan evaluated end-use management alternatives for the Sanitation District’s biosolids. This work supports the Sanitation District’s biosolids policy and has taken into account the regulatory initiatives imposed on organic management in California as explained below. The Plan established a roadmap for the Sanitation District’s commitment to beneficial use of its biosolids. The biosolids management portfolio for the Sanitation District is expected to remain similar to the overall current biosolids management end use options as it is today. Currently about half of the annual biosolids production is going to composting (CA and AZ) and half going to Class B land application in Arizona.
The significant shift will begin when the Sanitation District starts reliably generating Class A biosolids at Plant No. 2. Although this is more than 10 years away, the Plan has identified early planning efforts on future end uses which include:
• Emerging markets: This end use refers to either markets in which biosolids have not been tested in California at this time (e.g. land reclamation) or emerging-technology solutions (e.g. biosolids gasification, supercritical oxidation, fluidized bed combustion, cement kiln drying, pyrolysis etc.).
• Soil blending: This option involves working or partnering with local soil blenders to deliver and blend Class A biosolids with soil to produce a soil amendment.
52 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
• Arizona land application: Land application in Arizona will continue to be a part of the Sanitation
District’s overall biosolids program and serves as a large-capacity outlet for biosolids management.
• California land application: While Class A compost and granules are currently land-applied in
California, land application of Class A cake is still restricted in most counties. However, it is
anticipated that the implementation of California’s organics diversion mandates will loosen local land
applications restrictions.
This programmatic framework described above has led to a reliable and sustainable biosolids
management program that is designed for the beneficial use of the Sanitation District’s biosolids
through the utilization of diverse biosolids management options using multiple biosolids contractors,
markets, and merchant facilities, while maintaining a failsafe backup capacity of at least 100 percent
of the Sanitation District’s daily biosolids tonnage. This forethought is necessary due to the flux of
regulatory, environmental, market, and financial factors that poses potential risks to the biosolids
management in California.
Current Situation
The legislative and regulatory landscapes in California are changing regarding organic management. For
the past 15 years, direct land application of Class B biosolids has been predominately prohibited due to
strict local ordinances and conditional use requirements, which preempts state recycling laws. However,
in recent years there has been a need for organics diversion from landfills, healthy soils, renewable
energy, and reduction of Green House Gases (GHGs), which are reflected in several important bills (laws)
and initiatives that have been adopted:
• AB 1826 (2014) - Mandatory Organics Recycling for Businesses.
• SB 1383 (2016) - 50% organics diversion from landfill by 2020 and 75% by 2025, which includes
biosolids and mandatory organics procurement (compost and biogas) for impacted jurisdiction.
• SB 32 (2016) - 40% Reduction GHG below 1990 levels by 2030
• SB 100 (2018) - 50% renewable resources (i.e. anaerobic co-digestion of food waste) target by
December 31, 2026, and to achieve a 60% target by December 31, 2030
• Increasing soil carbon and carbon sequestration under the Healthy Soils Initiative and Forest Carbon
Plan.
These measures are expanding “organic waste markets,” thereby stimulating interest in siting more
composting facilities and organic waste-to-energy projects and encouraging soil blending and direct
land application of biosolids, opening opportunities for wastewater treatment plants such as the
Sanitation District to locally manage more biosolids. Regulatory agencies such as the State Water
Resource Control Board, CalRecycle, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Air
Resources Board, and California Energy Commission are developing regulations to implement the new
laws. During the rule making process, the Sanitation District has been actively involved through the
California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) and the Southern California Alliance of POTWs
(SCAP), advocating regulators to open more biosolids management options in California. In particular,
the proposed regulations for SB 1383 will require jurisdictions such as cities and counties to procure
recycled organics such as compost and biogas for beneficial use. This organic market will provide
opportunities for regional public and/or private partnerships for biosolids management options.
Although there is growing interest in California for organics management, there has also been a rising
concern from the regulatory community regarding emerging contaminants such as polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) and microplastics that may have some potential impact to the wastewater sector.
Although to date there are no regulatory limits of these contaminants in biosolids or wastewater in
California, the Sanitation District has been actively monitoring the development of the science and
regulation concerning these emerging concerns.
53STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Future Policy Statement
As the regulatory landscape shapes to stimulate organic waste markets in California, the Sanitation District seeks to leverage its memberships with various industry associations to advocate local, state,
and federal agencies to assure biosolids proposed regulations encourage the beneficial use of biosolids
as a soil amendment, renewable energy, and a healthy end-use market. The Sanitation District also
leverages its memberships to monitor the development of initiatives related to constituents of emerging
concern that may impact the beneficial use of biosolids. The Sanitation District’s leadership role in
these organizations enables us to have a greater influence in key regional, state, and national issues.
The Sanitation District seeks to stay abreast of developments in organic waste markets as they develop
in California. The Sanitation District seeks both public and private partnerships with regional biosolids
management opportunities including new innovative technology options that convert biosolids to
energy and other biosolids recycling operations. This is consistent with the Sanitation District’s biosolids
policy and plan. To accomplish this, the Sanitation District will issue a request for information (RFI) to
research and evaluate available emerging market such as biosolids-to-energy options or other biosolids
recycling operations within a 200-mile radius of the Sanitation District to potentially develop a scope of
work and minimum requirements for a future contract solicitation.
Consistent with the Sanitation District’s Plan, staff will seek to collaborate with OC Waste and Recycling
(OCWR) for regional biosolids management opportunities as well as partnering with OCWR to find local
solutions to meet SB 1383’s organics diversion mandates, including in-county biosolids utilization,
composting, food waste co-digestion, and biogas production.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Educate and advocate with the local, state, and federal agencies to assure biosolids will continue to
be safely and legally used as a soil amendment and monitor and research constituents of emerging
concern such as PFAS and microplastics that may impact biosolids.
• Stay abreast of new technology options to convert organics to energy and other regional biosolids
recycling and renewable energy partnerships within Southern California.
• Proceed with implementation of new mesophilic and thermophilic biosolids facilities at Plant No. 2 to enhance biosolids quality and marketability while improving the Sanitation District’s operational
resiliency against seismic events.
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Constituents of Emerging Concern Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will partner with other agencies, associations,
and institutions to support the use of sound science to inform policy and regulatory decisions on
constituents of emerging concern (CECs) at the federal, state, and regional levels. Staff will obtain and
maintain current knowledge on CECs under regulatory consideration, including occurrence, analytical methods, regulations, and treatment to support the Sanitation District’s mission.
Background
CECs also referred to as Constituents or Contaminants of Emerging Concern are pollutants that may
or may not be subject to regulatory requirements or statutes yet pose a risk to public health and/or
the environment. The Sanitation District is a recipient of CECs that are discharged along with domestic
and residential wastewater; discharges from industrial, commercial, and other governmental facilities; and tributary discharging jurisdictions. The concept of CECs evolves over time and often the Sanitation District and other entities must acknowledge and understand their impacts to address the effects posed by each CEC.
For more than 50 years, the Sanitation District has adopted and enforced standards and requirements to protect the public health and safety, the environment, and the Sanitation District’s workers and facilities, while collecting and treating wastewater. Initially the primary concern to the Sanitation District was conventional pollutants, those that originate from normal sanitary use and can be addressed by conventional wastewater treatment. With the 1972 amendment to the Clean Water Act, and as required by the Code of Federal Regulations, the Sanitation District implemented a mandated pretreatment program to control discharges containing toxic pollutants at their sources through permitting, enforcement, inspection, and sampling. The Sanitation District’s Pretreatment Program promulgates the Sanitation District’s Wastewater Discharge Regulations Ordinance (Wastewater Ordinance), which governs discharges to the sewer through various types of permits. The Wastewater Ordinance also includes numeric limits, referred to as Local Limits, that control the quality of non-domestic discharges to the sewer. These Local Limits are the result of a technical evaluation and comprehensive sampling and analysis effort, required under the Sanitation District’s permit issued by the state to discharge to the ocean — the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.
The Sanitation District’s current NPDES Permit requires evaluation and monitoring of CECs. The Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and EPA required the Sanitation District to study and report on certain newer CECs in the Sanitation District’s effluent and the receiving waters. The CEC study had to include the following categories and specified a set of particular constituents in each category: Hormones (8), Industrial Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (7), Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (13), and Flame Retardants (9). Since 2014, California’s State Water Resource Control Board has been updating its Recycled Water Policy and has identified CECs under consideration for projects that conduct surface spreading of recycled water, including the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). In addition, to meet the Sanitation District’s obligations to provide a high level of service for biosolids reuse and water reclamation through GWRS, the Sanitation District must evaluate and monitor CECs that affect these initiatives.
Although the Sanitation District has been involved with water reclamation with the Orange County Water District (OCWD) since the mid-1970’s, the Sanitation District’s mission changed significantly in the years leading up to 2008 when the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) was commissioned. GWRS compelled the Sanitation District to consider impacts to drinking water limits and Notification and Response Levels, which are typically much lower than the standards in place for a wastewater treatment plant. For several critical constituents, OCWD and the Sanitation District established a Level of Service commitments. The Sanitation District and OCWD established a response plan to follow when a constituent becomes a concern to either agency. Where the source can be identified, the plan organizes responsive actions from the Sanitation District and OCWD for industrial and commercial facilities. Domestic and residential sources are typically addressed by way of educational outreach to the public.
55STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
To determine the constituents that impact the Sanitation District’s operations and reuse initiatives,
the Sanitation District interacts with federal, state, and local agencies and monitors their regulatory
and legislative efforts. Sometimes the job is straightforward, because the federal, state, or local agency
focuses on a specific CEC chemical which yields a concentrated effort; however, sometimes, the effort
can be interpretative. This requires a comprehensive, well-established program and experienced subject
matter experts to identify the CECs that impact the Sanitation District. The Sanitation District must then
evaluate the sources and decide what methods will be employed to control the discharges, if necessary.
Current Situation
With newer equipment and techniques, federal, state, and local government agencies are detecting
constituents at very low concentrations in the drinking water. This has resulted in agencies studying
more constituents and requesting NPDES Permit holders, such as the Sanitation District, to monitor and
report CECs detected in the influent and effluent. However, wastewater is a much more complex matrix
than drinking water, so reproducible low-level analytical methods are much more difficult to develop
and implement for wastewater than drinking water.
The Sanitation District will also be required to develop new methods for addressing some of the CECs
primarily discharged from residential communities or are present in the existing drinking water supply.
The Sanitation District typically attempts to address such discharges through education and outreach
while working with other agencies. Some CECs require the Sanitation District and other agencies to
sponsor legislation and regulation development or to comment on a particular subject to protect the
agency’s interests. For example, the Sanitation District has advocated for minimizing or eliminating the
use of specific CECs in manufacturing or consumer use to the California Department of Toxic Substances
Control. To achieve its mission, the Sanitation District will need to continue supporting a variety of
regulatory and legislative efforts.
Future Policy Statement
If source control, education and outreach, or legislative and regulatory efforts are not successful, the
Sanitation District may be required to implement a technological or operational process change/
investment to address a CEC.
The Sanitation District must align its resources to continue managing CECs throughout the service area
and treatment process in order to comply with the Sanitation District’s existing regulatory requirements
and sustain beneficial reuse of biosolids. The Sanitation District shall acquire and maintain a high
level of subject matter expertise and engagement across the wastewater, water, water reuse, air
quality, ocean monitoring, and biosolids sectors to monitor the threats posed by upstream sources to
its system; to continue to work with other agencies and professional organizations to develop robust
analytical methods; and to evaluate routinely the need to establish sound policies, local limits, or other
regulations and standards based on new local, state, and federal regulations to protect public health
and the environment. The Sanitation District is required to continue implementing its established
response plan by promoting effective source control and treatment, while also preparing for newer CECs
and regulatory obligations. The Sanitation District will continue to work to understand the operational
and financial impacts of current and future CECs by monitoring developing regulations and legislation
and actively engaging regulatory, environmental, academic, industry, and community stakeholders.
Two families of chemicals, PFAS and PFOA, have been identified as CEC’s with a probability of impacting
water and biosolids reuse. Attached is OCWD’s August 2019 PFOA and PFAS Fact Sheet. This is an
example of a CEC where the Sanitation District must be engaged helping to explore the science and
shape future legislation and regulation to help create practical solutions to real world concerns.
56 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• The Sanitation District will continue to actively engage water and wastewater stakeholders to stay
abreast of the scientific progress and any potential operational and financial impacts of CECs and provide timely briefings to the Sanitation District’s Management Team and Board to facilitate informed decision making.
• The Sanitation District will continue to develop capacity to detect, quantify, and characterize CECs throughout the service area and treatment process in order to promote treatment effectiveness and the communication of credible risks.
• The Sanitation District will proactively research laboratory techniques and other scientific research to understand the real and potential impact of CECs, like PFAS and PFOA, on the reuse of water and biosolids. The Sanitation District will use science-based knowledge to help shape legislation and regulation to protect the public health and environment.
57STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Workplace Environment
58 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Resilient Staffing Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will attract and retain high-quality talent
to support its mission and continue to be an industry leader. It will safeguard leadership continuity
and support effective performance of the organization by proactively monitoring the changing work
environment and requirements to ensure development programs are relevant and build a skilled bench of readily available successors for key leadership and mission-critical positions.
Background
At the Sanitation District, employees are the organization’s most valuable resource. With over 600
dedicated employees whose collective efforts make OCSD an industry leader, the Sanitation District
continues to receive national awards and recognition. That is why, OCSD has committed to invest in its
employees, resulting in a highly skilled and educated workforce carrying out the mission of protecting public health and the environment.
The Sanitation District has a diverse workforce and a wide range of expertise with approximately 70
percent of positions requiring a degree, certification, and/or license. Occupations on-site include scientists, engineers, environmental and regulatory specialists, operators, mechanics, construction inspectors, as well as professionals in public affairs, finance, IT, safety and human resources.
To cultivate a committed and engaged workforce in a competitive economy, OCSD must promote initiatives to attract and retain talent and prepare staff for successful careers. Strategic succession management initiatives have been developed and adopted that support the design and implementation of comprehensive workforce planning and development tools accompanied by activities that facilitate the improvement of workforce capability, adaptability, efficiency, and accountability. Strategic workforce planning empowers management to project the loss of knowledge and experience caused by retirement and attrition and utilizes a variety of methods to ensure that the Sanitation District has adequate access to talent internally and externally through the recruitment and selection process.
The Sanitation District has a competitive recruitment process that ensures we hire the best person for the job based on qualifications and merit. Human Resources utilizes an objective multi-hurdle approach to hiring which includes Human Resources review and recommendation, subject matter expert application screening, assessment centers, panel interviews (both for technical skills and fit), skills testing, background checks, and reference checks.
Programs that have proven effective in attracting, retaining and developing highly skilled staff for key positions, include:
• Vocational/Professional Student Internship Programs
Students from the Water Utility Science Program at Santiago Canyon College, and Los Angeles Trade Technical College work 28 hours a week and rotate through five technical trades for 53 weeks in our Operations and Maintenance Department. We started the program in 2010 with four positions and have grown to offer ten positions for each fiscal year. Furthermore, 14 of the program participants have been hired full-time since the program inception. The Sanitation District is piloting the program with other technical colleges in Southern California, to include Cypress College. OCSD offers student and vocational internships, as well as job shadowing and externships.
The Sanitation District’s Professional Student Internship Program offers students an opportunity to work at the professional ranks while attending college full-time for a two-year maximum duration. OCSD partners with Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona and UC Irvine, among others.
59STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
• Employee Development Program
In addition to legally mandated training, the Sanitation District provides training and development
opportunities for the purpose of increasing job knowledge and to maximize skill sets in employees’
current positions and to prepare them for future mission-critical positions. Comprehensive training
programs include technical training through industry-specific associations or groups, local schools,
and professionals as well as informal on the job training. Employees are encouraged to obtain job-
related training necessary to keep OCSD current with recent industry best practices and developments
in their respective fields of expertise and can receive Development Pay in select categories that
the Sanitation District deems mission-critical. As 70 percent of OCSD’s positions require a degree,
certificate and/or license, the Sanitation District also promotes professional development through
its tuition and certification reimbursement programs for courses completed toward obtaining an
associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree at accredited colleges, universities, or other institutions or
industry specific certifications that are applicable to the industry.
• Workforce Vulnerability Assessments
Each year, the Sanitation District management conducts an evaluation of their respective departments
and identifies key and vulnerable positions based on three criteria: criticality, retention, and difficulty
to fill. Vulnerability assessments provide a broader view into the areas of the agency that could
potentially be facing a high risk in turnover and are essential to operations. Management is tasked
with identifying positions based on the criteria above, then making recommendations on the level of
action that is required, complete with proposed action plans. Human Resources staff works closely
with management to facilitate workforce vulnerability assessments to develop current and future
staffing plans. It is essential that the Sanitation District continues to focus its efforts on prioritizing
staffing needs.
• Talent Readiness Assessments
The process includes departmental leadership evaluating staff and identifying key employee talent, as
well as possible development efforts. Feeder positions are identified, and talent pools are developed
between employees and management that align with agency goals and builds the talent pipeline.
• Building Leaders and Skills for Tomorrow (BLAST) Program
In 2011, the Sanitation District began a comprehensive leadership development program to
supplement the technical training courses, and includes job shadowing, mentoring, web-based and
instructor-led training on soft skills and leadership development. The goal of this development
program is to ensure OCSD is building leaders at all levels. Development opportunities are offered
to address the potential loss of talent and feed into the Succession Management and Employee
Development programs, primarily focusing on soft skills training. The leadership development
components include a public sector leadership academy with Cal State Fullerton, and a supervisory
training program through Brandman University.
The Sanitation District partnered with University of California, Irvine, California State University, Long
Beach, and California Polytechnic University at Pomona, which provided students an opportunity to
job shadow Human Resources and Engineering staff to gain insight into the profession, employment
in the public sector and the wastewater industry. The Sanitation District employees also serve on
Advisory Councils that weigh in on course curriculum at various schools, both at the high school and
college level, across Southern California.
Throughout the agency, we have several employees who are active members of various professional
associations, serve on a Board, or volunteer in various capacities within the industry. The Sanitation
District staff is regularly asked to present and teach others about resource recovery. Recruiters
attend job fairs, and work closely with universities, professional organizations, and serve on advisory
committees.
60 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Education and workforce investment programs represent the most important preparation we can
accomplish today to safeguard the agency’s future for tomorrow. Finding an adequate pool of
applicants and retaining qualified workers is increasingly difficult, which we anticipate will continue
on into the future. Retirements are disrupting employment within our industry and changes in
technology have made work more complex.
Current Situation
Academics studying the labor force attribute labor shortages to workforce demographics. Depending
on the source data, the timelines defining the start/end time of these groups may vary but generally —
Baby Boomers are those born between 46-64, followed by Gen Xers 65-81, and lastly Millennials from
82-00. Close to half of staff or 49 percent fall into the “Gen Xers” category, followed by 32 percent
made up of “Baby Boomers” and “Millennials” make up 19 percent of our employee population. The
Sanitation District is currently facing a potential loss of close to half of its workforce — about 45 percent
of employees, primarily from the Baby Boomers group, and some Gen Xers. This represents a potential
loss of about 271 people to retirement alone and does not account for other forms of turnover. Hence
the need to be proactive and strategic in OCSD’s approach to maintain its staffing levels and ensure
continuity of operations.
Currently, the majority of OCSD’s executives are eligible for retirement. Managers, our next level of
leadership, closely follow with 45 percent of them eligible to retire now, and that number increases to
90 percent in five years. The Sanitation District has a little more stability in the trades and professional
occupations with retirement eligibility at 53 percent in the next five years. OCSD has a lot of long-term
employees with vast knowledge in their respective areas of expertise. Some employees have been a
part of the OCSD family for over 35 years; and at last count, ten years was the average years of service.
Looking at OCSD’s total attrition over the last five years, we have lost 3,025 years of knowledge and
experience by 132 individuals leaving the agency since 2014.
In 2010, the Sanitation District proactively implemented a second retirement benefit formula (“classic
open plan”) ahead of the Public Employee Pension Reform Act, which offered candidates moving from
other public sector agencies to OCSD with a retirement benefit of 2.43 percent at 65, with zero employer
paid member contribution. Based on the Sanitation District’s classic open retirement plan, OCSD is
unable to compete for experienced talent from surrounding municipalities, who offer a retirement
benefit of 2.5 percent or 2.7 percent at 55 and pay a portion of the employees’ contribution. Since
implementation of the classic open plan in 2010, only 22 percent of new hires come from other public
sector agencies. The Sanitation District has had experience with public sector candidates withdrawing
from the process or declining job offers once they learn of the impact to the retirement benefit formula.
The vast majority of new hires are coming from private sector and have no public sector experience
requiring additional training. Given the legal restrictions which bind the Sanitation District to the
classic open formula, it is critical OCSD focus its efforts on retaining current staff, attracting qualified
candidates, and investing heavily into developing and growing employees’ knowledge, skills and abilities
for the future, to address any potential talent shortages.
Future Policy Statement
Human Resources will continue to implement strategic initiatives that ensure workforce capabilities
match the work required to meet the Sanitation District’s mission and levels of service. Staff is
dedicated to proactively monitoring the changing work environment and requirements to implement
programs now that address future vulnerabilities. Assessments of changes in business needs, workforce
composition, and legal requirements are necessary to ensure resilient staffing.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
• Maintain and enhance current effective development programs that are in place to provide the
direction to identify, develop and select the next generation of prepared, capable and engaged
leaders, which include:
• Vocational/Professional Student Internship Programs
61STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
• Employee Development Program
• Workforce Vulnerability Assessments
• Talent Readiness Assessments
• Building Leaders and Skills for Tomorrow (BLAST) Program
• Strengthening Operator Training Programs
• Continue cyclical Classification & Compensation studies to ensure job classifications accurately depict
the work being performed, to set compensation levels accordingly, and stay abreast of market benefit
and salary data.
Prior to the next scheduled Classification & Compensation study, Human Resources will work with the
Board of Directors and meet and confer with the unions to review selected survey agencies based on
recognized classification and compensation standards and the job market in which we compete.
62 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Safety and Physical Security Policy
Summary Policy Statement
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) will ensure the safety and security of
employees, contractors and visitors through standard practices, policies, and procedures that support
a safe and secure environment, provide an appropriate level of security and safeguard OCSD’s property
and physical assets.
Background
In California, employers must furnish employees with a place of employment free from recognized
hazards that cause death or serious physical harm, that is compliant with all legal requirements and
aligns with industry best practices. The safety and wellness of the public and employees is our number
one priority. OCSD is committed to identifying all hazards through inspection and providing engineering
controls, job specific safety training, and personal protective equipment.
Programs that have proved effective in ensuring the safety and wellness of OCSD’s workforce, visitors
and contractors include:
Safety Assessments and Engineering Controls
In 2014, OCSD conducted a Facility-Wide Safety Assessment Project (SP-145-1) to identify process
equipment design and configuration issues that may impact worker safety, and compliance with
regulations. The main purpose of this effort was to enhance worker safety and ensure compliance with
safety codes. At the same time, safety improvements allow for reliable and efficient operation, so that
our facilities can meet regulatory and process demands, while providing cost effective operation. All
the Project SP-145-1 recommendations to be implemented by OCSD have either been addressed by Maintenance or have been incorporated into the Safety Improvement Project (J-126).
Emergency Management
The Sanitation District must be prepared to control risks to the organization, and routinely recognize,
evaluate, and prepare for emergencies. An emergency can include a major explosion, fire, verified bomb
threat, civil disorder, active shooter situation, or uncontrolled materials release which interrupts OCSD’s
ability to provide safe and environmentally responsible wastewater treatment. The Sanitations District’s protocol to control and respond to emergencies is contained within the Integrated Emergency Response Plan (IERP).
The IERP identifies and assesses hazards regarding emergency events which OCSD may be confronted with and contains policies, plans, and procedures for preparing and responding to emergencies. The Sanitation District’s emergency response organization, called the Incident Command System (ICS), is activated when an emergency condition cannot be effectively responded to under routine operations. Once the immediate emergency has been controlled, then OCSD must resume normal operations. In the event of a prolonged emergency state, the return to normal operations is guided by a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). In May 2018, a COOP was completed with all divisions contributing to its development. Business continuity planning is an ongoing process for OCSD with plans being updated as information changes.
The Sanitation District collaborates with local agencies to ensure available resources are identified and engaged in the event of an emergency. OCSD has partnered with local agencies in the areas of emergency response for evacuation drills and resource sharing.
63STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
• The Sanitation District participated in the 2019 Orange Crush Regional Emergency Preparedness
and Training Exercise in January 2019. This county-wide exercise used a scenario of a magnitude
7.8 earthquake strike along the San Andreas Fault. A full Emergency Operations Center activation
occurred for this functional exercise and gave the Sanitation District the opportunity to test the
Integrated Emergency Response Plan.
• The Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Orange County Health Care Agency established a
Joint Information Center at Plant No. 2 on May 13-14, 2019 to host an enforcement event in Talbert
Park. In addition, the operation was overseen by three federal judges who were present to ensure the
rights of all citizens were not violated by law enforcement or The Health Care Agency. Officials utilized
Plant No. 2 contractor gates for points of entry.
• The Sanitation District is a member and funding agency of the Water Emergency Response of Orange
County (WEROC), which is an organization that is administered by the Municipal Water District of
Orange County (MWDOC). It supports and manages countywide emergency preparedness, planning,
response and recovery efforts among Orange County water and wastewater utilities.
Security
The Department of Homeland Security has designated 16 critical infrastructure sectors, which includes
water and wastewater systems. Wastewater systems are vulnerable to a variety of attacks, including acts
of terrorism, contamination with deadly agents; physical attacks, such as the release of toxic gaseous
chemicals, and cyberattacks. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security indicates that the
average time it takes for a critical incident to take place is up to 12 minutes while the average police
response time can be up to 11 minutes and that time could increase should there be a natural disaster.
Additional security concerns include physical violence, vandalism, theft, and trespassers. With
approximately 100 acres at each site, 600 employees, contractors, and members of the public on site
for tours and meetings, it is essential to maintain a security force that can respond to security threats
promptly.
The Sanitation District contracts with a security firm that supplies four armed and five unarmed
guards to provide round the clock security monitoring of over 80 cameras, monitoring gate access, and
patrolling the perimeter at both plants.
Current Situation
The Risk Management division has been given the responsibility and an adequate budget to assess and
control the safety, security, and health risks that employees, contractors, and guests may be exposed
to from OCSD operations. Assessment and control of risks is achieved collaboratively between Risk
Management staff and internal stakeholders. Risk Management, managers, and staff collaborate to
develop written procedures (e.g., policies) that are used for controlling and eliminating hazards at OCSD;
thus, ensuring compliance with occupational health and safety standards and laws.
Safety
As the health and safety of employees, contractors and visitors is the number one priority, the
Sanitation District strives to achieve safety excellence. This is exemplified by our pursuit of the
California Voluntary Protection Program (Cal/VPP). The Cal/VPP is a program created by Cal/OSHA
to recognize organizations who have implemented safety and health programs that effectively
prevent and control occupational hazards. A Cal/VPP workplace is expected to continually improve
its safety program; which means a safe workplace for all. A reduction in injuries and illness has been
documented at sites that have committed to the VPP approach. Cal/VPP is recognized as a higher level
of protection for the workplace, for this reason, OCSD is pursuing this designation.
In preparation for application to the Cal/VPP program, the Sanitation District conducted a Cal/VPP
readiness assessment in January 2019 and developed an implementation strategy. The assessment
64 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
included interviews with various OCSD subject matter experts and discussions with employees
during facility tours. OCSD procedures and records were reviewed, and limited visual inspection of
work locations and facilities was conducted. The assessment considered basic Cal/OSHA regulatory
compliance and additional best management practices that are expected to be implemented in VPP
certified workplaces. Based on the results of the VPP assessment, OCSD is working toward applying for
VPP before the end of calendar year 2019. The timing coincides with the implementation of most of the
Safety Improvement Project (J-126), which are critical for success in our VPP pursuit.
This Safety Improvement Project (J-126) is progressing on-schedule. Of the eleven J-126 projects, two
have been completed, seven are in the construction phase, and two are pending contractor award. It
is important to note that interim measures have been taken to ensure worker safety at the locations
identified for safety improvements. Workers are not exposed to hazards while projects are completed.
Eliminating hazards through engineering projects is critical, along with a positive safety culture. In
order to assess the safety culture at OCSD, a survey was conducted from February to April 2019. The
results of this survey indicated employees believe the safety culture is improving, desired an increase in
communication on safety issues, and wanted less online and more hands-on customized safety training.
Emergency Management
The Sanitation District partners with local agencies to ensure available resources are identified and
engaged in the event of an emergency. Collaborations currently scheduled include:
• In conjunction with WEROC, OCSD participated in the development of the Orange County Water and
Wastewater Hazard Mitigation Plan (Plan) which will be submitted for approval to the State. The
Plan provides a framework for participating water and wastewater utilities to plan for natural and
man-made hazards in Orange County. The Sanitation District is an active participant in the Plan, and
developed a hazard mitigation plan, which is Annex C of the Plan. The resources and information
within the Plan will allow OCSD, and participating jurisdictions to identify and prioritize future
mitigation projects, meet the requirements of federal assistance programs and grant applications, and
encourage coordination and collaboration in meeting mitigation goals.
• On July 27, 2019, the Sanitation District partnered with the Fountain Valley Police Department
Explorers during OCSD’s Open House event. The Police Explorers assisted Human Resources and Risk
Management with crowd and traffic control. Their assistance was beneficial in the management of
public during this important event.
Security
The designation of wastewater systems as critical infrastructure by the Department of Homeland
Security requires OCSD to be diligent in protecting people and property from security breaches. OCSD
seeks to continually improve the security program. On June 7, 2019, OCSD issued a Request for Proposal
(RFP) for Security Services, which included a potential expansion of security services for OCSD’s new
Headquarters Complex. As part of the RFP evaluation, OCSD will review procedural and technical
enhancements/innovations that may improve the existing program.
In addition, OCSD has established a Security Committee, which includes stakeholders from a cross-
section of the organization, to collect input and assess physical and cybersecurity concerns and
suggestions. Responsibilities of the committee include, but are not limited to, development of a physical
and cybersecurity plan, reviewing orders and policies, reviewing incident reports, and planning drills.
The first meeting of the committee was held on June 6, 2019.
Future Policy Statement
Risk Management has and will continue to implement strategic initiatives that will ensure the safety,
health, and security of its workforce, and proactively plan for emergencies to ensure continuity
of operations. Staff is dedicated to proactively monitoring the changing work environment and
65STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
requirements to implement programs now that address future vulnerabilities. Assessments of changes
in business needs, plant processes and legal requirements are necessary to ensure a safe and secure
work environment. The results of improvement will be measured using leading metric indicators and
reported to the workforce to foster employee engagement.
Initiatives to Support Progress Toward the Policy Goal
Safety
• Complete outstanding safety projects, improvements, and corrective actions to apply and obtain Cal/OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) status; and continue to foster a culture where employees
are accountable for their safety as well as the safety of others.
Emergency Management
• Support facility and countywide emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts by partnering with entities, such as, the Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County (WEROC), Orange County Sherriff Department, and local fire departments to plan and continue to conduct disaster preparedness training and exercises.
Security
• Continually identify and assess vulnerabilities and implement solutions through the Security Committee and third-party assessments. Prevent/mitigate security breaches using physical security systems such as video monitoring, access control, and armed security patrols.
66 STRATEGIC PLAN NOVEMBER 2019
Reclamation Plant No. 1 (Administration Offices)
10844 Ellis Avenue • Fountain Valley, California 92708
Treatment Plant No. 2
22212 Brookhurst Street • Huntington Beach, California 92646
For more information
Email: forinformation@ocsd.com • Phone: 714.962.2411
www.ocsd.com
11/2019
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
COMMON ACRONYMS
ACWA Association of California
Water Agencies LOS Level Of Service RFP Request For Proposal
APWA American Public Works
Association MGD Million Gallons Per Day RWQCB Regional Water Quality
Control Board
AQMD Air Quality Management
District MOU Memorandum of
Understanding SARFPA Santa Ana River Flood
Protection Agency
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers NACWA National Association of Clean Water Agencies SARI Santa Ana River Interceptor
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand NEPA National Environmental Policy
Act SARWQCB Santa Ana Regional Water
Quality Control Board
CARB California Air Resources
Board NGOs Non-Governmental
Organizations SAWPA Santa Ana Watershed
Project Authority
CASA California Association of
Sanitation Agencies NPDES National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System SCADA Supervisory Control And
Data Acquisition
CCTV Closed Circuit Television NWRI National Water Research
Institute SCAP
Southern California
Alliance of Publicly Owned Treatment Works
CEQA California Environmental
Quality Act O & M Operations & Maintenance SCAQMD South Coast Air Quality
Management District
CIP Capital Improvement
Program OCCOG Orange County Council of
Governments SOCWA South Orange County
Wastewater Authority
CRWQCB California Regional Water
Quality Control Board OCHCA Orange County Health Care
Agency SRF Clean Water State
Revolving Fund
CWA Clean Water Act OCSD Orange County Sanitation District SSMP Sewer System Management Plan
CWEA California Water Environment Association OCWD Orange County Water District SSO Sanitary Sewer Overflow
EIR Environmental Impact Report OOBS Ocean Outfall Booster Station SWRCB State Water Resources
Control Board
EMT Executive Management Team OSHA Occupational Safety and
Health Administration TDS Total Dissolved Solids
EPA US Environmental Protection Agency PCSA
Professional
Consultant/Construction
Services Agreement
TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load
FOG Fats, Oils, and Grease PDSA Professional Design Services
Agreement TSS Total Suspended Solids
gpd gallons per day PFAS
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances WDR Waste Discharge
Requirements
GWRS Groundwater Replenishment
System PFOA Perfluorooctanoic Acid WEF Water Environment
Federation
ICS Incident Command System PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid WERF Water Environment & Reuse Foundation
IERP Integrated Emergency
Response Plan POTW Publicly Owned Treatment
Works WIFIA Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation Act
JPA Joint Powers Authority ppm parts per million WIIN Water Infrastructure Improvements for the
Nation Act
LAFCO Local Agency Formation
Commission PSA Professional Services
Agreement WRDA Water Resources
Development Act
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS – A secondary biological wastewater treatment process where bacteria reproduce at a high rate with the introduction of excess air or oxygen and consume dissolved nutrients in the wastewater.
BENTHOS – The community of organisms, such as sea stars, worms, and shrimp, which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD) – The amount of oxygen used when organic matter undergoes decomposition by microorganisms. Testing for BOD is done to assess the amount of organic matter in water.
BIOGAS – A gas that is produced by the action of anaerobic bacteria on organic waste matter in a digester tank that can be used
as a fuel.
BIOSOLIDS – Biosolids are nutrient rich organic and highly treated solid materials produced by the wastewater treatment process. This high-quality product can be recycled as a soil amendment on farmland or further processed as an earth-like product for
commercial and home gardens to improve and maintain fertile soil and stimulate plant growth.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) – Projects for repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of assets. Also includes treatment improvements, additional capacity, and projects for the support facilities.
COLIFORM BACTERIA – A group of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and other animals, but also occasionally found elsewhere, used as indicators of sewage pollution. E. coli are the most common bacteria in wastewater.
COLLECTIONS SYSTEM – In wastewater, it is the system of typically underground pipes that receive and convey sanitary wastewater or storm water.
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION (COP) – A type of financing where an investor purchases a share of the lease revenues of a program rather than the bond being secured by those revenues.
CONTAMINANTS OF POTENTIAL CONCERN (CPC) – Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants.
DILUTION TO THRESHOLD (D/T) – The dilution at which the majority of people detect the odor becomes the D/T for that air sample.
GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG) – In the order of relative abundance water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone gases that are considered the cause of global warming (“greenhouse effect”).
GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM (GWRS) – A joint water reclamation project that proactively responds to Southern California’s current and future water needs. This joint project between the Orange County Water District and OCSD provides 70
million gallons per day of drinking quality water to replenish the local groundwater supply.
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS) – Goals to support environmental and public expectations for performance.
N-NITROSODIMETHYLAMINE (NDMA) – A N-nitrosamine suspected cancer-causing agent. It has been found in the GWRS
process and is eliminated using hydrogen peroxide with extra ultra-violet treatment.
NATIONAL BIOSOLIDS PARTNERSHIP (NBP) – An alliance of the NACWA and WEF, with advisory support from the EPA. NBP is committed to developing and advancing environmentally sound and sustainable biosolids management practices that go beyond regulatory compliance and promote public participation to enhance the credibility of local agency biosolids programs and improved communications that lead to public acceptance.
PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) – A large group (over 6,000) of human-made compounds that are resistant to heat, water, and oil and used for a variety of applications including firefighting foam, stain and water-resistant clothing, cosmetics, and food packaging. Two PFAS compounds, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been the focus of increasing regulatory scrutiny in drinking water and may result in adverse health effects including developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy, cancer, liver damage, immunosuppression, thyroid effects, and other effects.
PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (PFOA) – An ingredient for several industrial applications including carpeting, upholstery, apparel, floor wax, textiles, sealants, food packaging, and cookware (Teflon).
PERFLUOROOCTANESULFONIC ACID (PFOS) – A key ingredient in Scotchgard, a fabric protector made by 3M, and used in numerous stain repellents.
PLUME – A visible or measurable concentration of discharge from a stationary source or fixed facility.
PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS (POTW) – A municipal wastewater treatment plant.
SANTA ANA RIVER INTERCEPTOR (SARI) LINE – A regional brine line designed to convey 30 million gallons per day of non-reclaimable wastewater from the upper Santa Ana River basin to the ocean for disposal, after treatment.
SANITARY SEWER – Separate sewer systems specifically for the carrying of domestic and industrial wastewater.
SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (SCAQMD) – Regional regulatory agency that develops plans and
regulations designed to achieve public health standards by reducing emissions from business and industry.
SECONDARY TREATMENT – Biological wastewater treatment, particularly the activated sludge process, where bacteria and other microorganisms consume dissolved nutrients in wastewater.
SLUDGE – Untreated solid material created by the treatment of wastewater.
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS (TSS) – The amount of solids floating and in suspension in wastewater.
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
TRICKLING FILTER – A biological secondary treatment process in which bacteria and other microorganisms, growing as slime on the surface of rocks or plastic media, consume nutrients in wastewater as it trickles over them.
URBAN RUNOFF – Water from city streets and domestic properties that carry pollutants into the storm drains, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
WASTEWATER – Any water that enters the sanitary sewer.
WATERSHED – A land area from which water drains to a particular water body. OCSD’s service area is in the Santa Ana River Watershed.