For City Council Meeting and Rialto Utility Authority [April 24, 2018]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Robb R. Steel, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Thomas J. Crowley, P.E., Utilities Manager
Title
Request City Council Ratify the Added Facilities Agreement between the City of Rialto/Rialto Utility Authority and Southern California Edison for the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Body
BACKGROUND:
Wastewater treatment converts wastewater into an effluent (outflowing of water to a receiving body of water) that can be returned to the water cycle with minimal impact on the environment or directly reused. The treatment process takes place in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) or a sewage treatment plant. Pollutants in municipal wastewater (households and small industries) are removed or broken down during the processing. Rialto WWTP operates on a 24/7 basis processing sewage from wastewater customers throughout the City. Any service failures could cause a variety of problems, including environmental or regulatory. A potential cause of service failure is electrical.
In an effort to prepare against a possible service failure, staff has been working directly with the City’s Southern California Edison (SCE) representatives on potential electrical service problems for the WWTP.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Currently, the WWTP is served by SCE from two circuits, the Bloomington electrical feed and the Colton electrical feed as per an Additional Facilities Agreement (AFA) with SCE established on February 23, 1999 and included as Attachment 1. This AFA requires SCE to maintain the equipment. As part of their maintenance activities, it was discovered that a switch was faulty and required replacement. In addition to the maintenance of the new switch, the City completed a review of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and SCE rules. Per the rules, SCE required the City to enter into a second AFA for Reserve Capacity for backup supply. The Reserve Capacity will be available in the future in the event the WWTP must switch to the backup circuit.
Before SCE can begin the work necessary to install the new equipment needed, a new AFA was needed for the WWTP. Because of the critical nature of this facility, staff signed the new AFA so work by SCE could begin immediately, included as Attachment 2.
SCE provides service in accordance with Tariff Rule 2 and Added Facilities in accordance with Tariff Rile 2.H, as authorized by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). In addition to the specific rule requirements, each service request is individually designed taking into consideration factors that include but are not limited to: the customer’s projected electrical load, location of the customer’s metering point, requested service voltage, reliability needs, proximity and delivery capacity of SCE’s near-by facilities, potential for load expansions and future development of the SCE system.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The requested action does not constitute a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The proposed action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report and agreement.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There will not be a direct financial impact to the City for the new equipment needed.
Operating Budget Impact
The AFA will result in an additional $2,174 monthly expense for the Reserve Capacity that will be reflected on the monthly electricity bill from SCE. This bill is paid through the RUA Trust account and ultimately by the ratepayers.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
There will not be a Capital Improvement Budget Impact to the requested action.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council ratify the Added Facilities Agreement between the City of Rialto/Rialto Utility Authority and Southern California Edison for the Wastewater Treatment Plant.