For City Council Meeting and Rialto Utility Authority [January 8, 2019]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Ahmad R. Ansari, Interim City Administrator
Sean Grayson, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Thomas J. Crowley, P.E., Utilities Manager
Title
Request City Council Adopt Resolution No. 7439 and Rialto Utility Authority Board Adopt RUA Resolution No. 01-19, Authorizing Submission of a Grant Application to the State Water Resources Control Board for the Water Recycling Funding Program Pilot Project.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) administers the Water Recycling Funding Program. The mission of the Water Recycling Funding Program is to promote the beneficial use of treated municipal wastewater (water recycling) in order to augment fresh water supplies in California by providing technical and financial assistance to agencies and other stakeholders in support of water recycling projects. Through this program, SWRCB provides grants to assist public agencies with the construction of pilot projects for new potable reuse.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
To be funded, applicants must demonstrate that the pilot project will develop new information that does not currently exist and increase the body of knowledge regarding technologies that help the understanding of how potable reuse can effectively be achieved through the innovative application of current and new technologies. Eligible pilot projects may receive grant funds in the amount of up to 35% of actual eligible pilot study construction costs incurred up to a maximum of $1 million.
The City of Rialto has proposed a study to the SWRCB. This study addresses the value of high-quality secondary wastewater effluent and the use of nanobubble technology for potable reuse application. The question being asked is “what benefits could combined mainstream simultaneous nitrification/denitrification (SND) and nanobubble technology processes provide for wastewater treatment and advanced water treatment processes for recycling and potable reuse.” Through strict daily data collection and analysis, this project aims to investigate the potential benefits and effects of advanced pre-treatment methods to potable reuse including:
1) The reduction of contaminant load on tertiary treatment and the effect on the performance of advanced treatment processes;
2) The reduction of chemical usage (and associated chemical costs) by up to 90%;
3) The reduction of energy consumption (and associated costs) for the treatment process by up to 50%; and
4) The projected effects on the useful lifetime of fine filters and RO membranes due to the above changes.
The desired goal of this project is to demonstrate that the above changes to pre-treatment methods before tertiary treatment for potable reuse will result in improved performance and less frequent cleaning or maintenance requirements for expensive equipment used in the RO and Microfiltration processes. This pilot project also aims to prove that the application of SND and nanobubbles can improve the efficiency, reliability, and water quality while reducing the costs for potable reuse.
SWRCB requires an authorizing resolution be submitted as part of the grant application and staff recommends Council approval of the City Council and Rialto Utility Authority Resolutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The request is not a Project as defined by Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 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. Pursuant to Section 15378 (b)(5), a project does not include organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The request is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A of the Rialto 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
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
The project proposed in the grant application is estimated to cost $1,340,000. The City is requesting $370,000 in grant funds. The remaining match requirement will be met by BDP. The City’s financial impact would be limited to minimal staff time. If the City’s application for grant funds is successful, staff will return to Council to authorize acceptance of the grant.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
There is not a capital improvement budget impact to the proposed Council action.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council Adopt a Resolution and Rialto Utility Authority Board Adopt a Resolution, Authorizing Submission of a Grant Application to the State Water Resources Control Board for the Water Recycling Funding Program Pilot Project.