Body
Department of Utilities
Reference: Delegation of Wastewater Industrial Pretreatment Program Duties to Metro
To: Mayor Richard N. McLean and Members of City Council
Through: Manuel Esquibel, City Manager
Prepared By: Curtis W. Bauers
Date Prepared: December 22, 2014
PURPOSE
To consider a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an intergovernmental agreement with Metro Wastewater Reclamation District ("Metro") delegating industrial pretreatment authority within portions of the City of Brighton wastewater system that are tributary to the future North Treatment Plant.
BACKGROUND
The City of Brighton is a member of Metro and will begin to send wastewater flows to the new North Treatment Plant in 2016. Metro is required by permitting through the EPA to operate an industrial pretreatment program for those wastewater streams tributary to their facilities.
The industrial pretreatment program does monitoring of industrial processes that may contribute hazardous materials to the waste stream which are not directly treatable through standard wastewater processes. These hazardous materials must be treated at the industrial site prior to release into the City's collection system.
Because Metro is required to follow certain rules and regulations regarding the pretreatment processes, they offer these services at no cost to Metro members. Currently all but one Metro member has delegated the pretreatment responsibility and authority to Metro. If Brighton were to decide that it does not want to delegate the authority to Metro, Brighton would need to enhance its pretreatment monitoring program and would likely have to hire additional staff to meet the requirements that Metro would impose. Further, Metro would still duplicate the efforts of Brighton staff, which would result in no savings to Metro either.
CRITERIA BY WHICH COUNCIL MUST CONSIDER THE ITEM
The City must have an industrial pretreatment program. It may delegate that responsibility and authority to Metro at no direct cost to the City, or it may choose not to delegate the authority to Metro. If the latter is chosen, additional manpower would likely be required, and all activities would be duplicated by Metro staff.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost of delegation of the pretreatment program to Metro has no direct cost to the City of Brighton, nor to its constituents through increased costs incurred at Metro.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Metro has significant staff expertise and resources to do a thorough and complete job with the industrial pretreatment program. It also provides the services at no direct cost to the City. City Staff recommends the approval of the resolution authorizing delegation of the pretreatment program within areas tributary to the North Treatment Plant to the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District.
OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
1. Approve the attached Resolution as presented
2. Deny the attached Resolution as presented
3. Postpone consideration of the Resolution with suggested changes
ATTACHMENTS
· Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute the Agreement for the Delegation of Pretreatment/Industrial Waste Control Program Responsibilities with the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District
· Agreement for the Delegation of Pretreatment/Industrial Waste Control Program Responsibilities with the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District