North Bay Watershed Association September 11, 2009

1. Lateral Program Update Seeking to Resolve a Difficult Public / Private Problem North Bay Watershed Association September 11, 2009

2. Part IIn the Beginning…

3. Co-Sponsors of the Lateral Program • Central Marin Sanitation Agency • Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District • North Marin Water District • Sausalito Marin City Sanitary District • Sewerage Agency of Southern Marin • Novato Sanitary District • San Rafael Sanitary District • Ross Valley Sanitary District • Sanitary District No. 2 of Marin County

4. Why Marin Lateral Program Was Formed • Joint public agency response to public concerns • Better technical analysis of a complex issue • Develop common standards and requirements to help plumbers and homeowners

5. Our Strategy • Understand and outline the technical issues • Interact with stakeholders first to test the response and get feedback • Present the problem • Then proposed solutions • Then present it to the broad general public • Take recommendations to local agencies for their consideration, adoption Plumbers □ Realtors Environmental Groups Leaders □ Legislators Within Months

6. Quick Review of Stakeholder Outreach

7. The Problem:Privately-Owned Laterals. You Can Help Solve It! Protect Your Home, Health and Environment June 17, 2009

8. What a Private Lateral Is Collection Pipeline Upper Lateral Overflow Prevention Device Lower Lateral

9. Storm Drains Are NOT Sanitary Sewers Storm Drains collect stormwater and runoff, then discharging it untreated into the Bay Sanitary Sewers collect sewage, then deliver it to a treatment plant where it is cleaned, discharge into the Bay or recycled Private Laterals connect a home or business to the sanitary sewers

10. Explaining Sewer Spills Blockages occur in the sewer mains, mostly from roots and grease These blockages cause backups in the pipelines and in turn cause sewage spills Spills and overflowsare also caused by heavy stormwater flows into the sewers Spillsare prohibited by law, leading to heavy fines, regulatory actions, and lawsuits 3/10/2014 10

12. Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) Cause Major Problems • Inflow – direct flow of stormwater into a sanitary sewer system from downspouts, drains, yards, parking lots and streets • Infiltration – Indirect flow of stormwater into a sanitary sewer system at open joints and cracks Wastewater volumes can increase 1000% or more

13. Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) Also Affects Treatment Plants • I&I flows to sewage treatment plants can exceed plant capacities • This can affect treatment operations and effectiveness • Lead to discharges exceeding regulations

14. Example: Stormwater FloodsTreatment Plant December 31, 2005 3/10/2014

15. Regulatory Hammer • East Bay cities will limited on wastewater volume discharged to the treatment plant. • Must address lateral infiltration problem over next 10-20 years. Costs could be $300 million! • Also must tighten up mains: $1.7 billion • If that is not effective $1 billion + in treatment/storage • Similar requirements expected to be imposed everywhere in next 5 to 15 years • Our goal: develop our own cost-effective solutions—before we are forced to do it a more painful way

16. Third Party Lawsuits • Costly judgments and settlements have resulted from legal action by environmental groups • Third parties sue regularly • Example: recent $1.6 million fine in Southern Marin and $2 million in Pacific Grove

17. We must decrease inflow and infiltration, stop sewer overflows and spills, to: • Protect the environment • Protect public health • Comply with new regulations, avoid regulatory fines • Avoid costly lawsuits • Avoid heavy cleanup costs

18. Public Agency Solutions Underway Decrease I&I from public systems through an aggressive pipeline repair /rehabilitation program Establish storage tanks and/or ponds to temporarily store high storm flows to treatment plants Expand treatment plant capacity Develop a standard sewer lateral program for our area Sanitary agencies are currently taking all these steps

19. What Public Agencies Are Doing • Developing the Marin Lateral Program to facilitate solutions • Investing $250 million in pipelines, pumps, and treatment facilities

20. Past Decisions Based on Different Standards • Cheaper to build larger treatment plants for high flows than to fix mains and laterals • Blending and treating high stormwater flows was ok • Leave laterals alone – the problem is too difficult But with $250 million already being invested in public systems….. ….it’s now time to deal with private laterals

21. You Control the Private Laterals Upper Lateral Lower Lateral

22. Here’s What You Can Do Now • Inspect your lateral • Maintainyour sewer lateral: use a qualified plumber or contractor • Obtain a permit from your sanitary agency before making lateral repairs • Disconnect outdoor drains that goto sewer laterals

23. About $250 million spent or budgeted for next five years or so by public agencies Public agencies and Property owners must take responsibility for sewer laterals – or EPA will:$100 million for laterals$600 million for public mains$300 million for treatment/storage$1 billion total Marin Lateral Program developing standards to make it easier to solve lateral problems A Call to Action

24. Some Potential Solutions PRIVATE OWNERSHIP • Education programs to help the public act. Add stuffers to water bills. Seek percentage cutback like conservation • Inspections. Free inspections • Disclosure by property sellers of the condition of their laterals. • Incentives to property owners to inspect and repair: through grants, loans, global construction and repair bids, insurance, reduced sewer service charges for demonstrated good laterals. • Mandatory inspection program with various potential triggers: health and safety, time period, remodeling, sale or transfer of title, change of service, distance to waterways, and others.

25. More Potential Solutions PRIVATE OWNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC REPAIR: • Targeted Repairs. Reduced costs by scheduling public agency lateral repairs while repairing mainlines, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP • Public Ownership, inspection and repair of the lower lateral • Public ownership, inspection and repair of the upper and lower lateral • Additional treatment, storage or collection system improvements to convey or store high flows. NO OUTSIDE FUNDING IDENTIFIED • Stimulus funding? State or Federal Grants?

26. What’s NextTake it Public and Wrap Up The Program

27. Technical Program Deliverables • Technical standards are expected to be widely adopted • Portfolio of options for inspecting & repairing laterals + analysis agencies can use in selecting options • Model Ordinance

28. Outreach Program Deliverables Develop public understanding and support Stakeholders, press, legislators have been informed • There is a problem • Private owners have responsibility • Public agencies are doing their part and facilitating public/private solutions Now general public must understand and accept the program. Goal: achieve public and political understanding for agencies to pursue locally

29. Outreach Program Tools • Regional website on this topic • Press coverage • Model written materials and graphics • Facebook • Public access TV • Advertising, • Public meetings, etc.

30. Next Steps

31. What Else Can You Do?

32. Sample Materials

33. Driving Home in the Rain, Jim Had a Terrible Thought: My Lateral Might Be Leaking

34. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?

35. Now, A Few Questions For You • Questions or information you want analyzed in our review of potential solutions? • Individuals or groups that we should communicate with? • Best ways to communicate this information to the public? • Anything else?

36. Contact us: info@marinlaterals.orgVisit our Web site: marinlaterals.orgThank You