For City Council Meeting April 23, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Tanya Williams, Acting City Manager
FROM: Stephen Dopudja, P.E., Interim Utilities Manager
Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
...Title
Final Agreement With Inland Empire Utilities Agency For the Long-Term Sale of Wastewater Effluent for Recycled Water Purposes.
(ACTION)
...Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council and Rialto Utility Authority Board Approve the Final Agreement with the Inland Empire Utilities Agency Consistent with the Term Sheet and All Related Documents for the Long-Term Sale of Wastewater Effluent for Recycled Water Purposes.
BACKGROUND
The City of Rialto owns and operates a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) located in the southern area of the City just north of the Santa Ana River and south of Santa Ana Ave. The WWTP currently treats domestic sewage and generates recycled water meeting state regulations that are discharged to the Santa Ana River. Generally, the City's WWTP produces approximately 7,000,000 gallons per day of recycled water and has a maximum capacity to treat up to 11,700,000 gallons per day at the build-out of the City.
The Santa Ana River is an important ecosystem and part of the Upper Santa Ana River Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The City has obligations to continue discharging a certain amount of recycled water into the Santa Ana River to support the ecosystem, currently 7 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3,800,000 gallons per day. However, the conveyance system of the City's recycled water from the WWTP to the Santa Ana River includes a concrete-lined drainage channel, and in the summer months the temperature of the City's recycled water increases and may harm the sensitive ecosystem within the Santa Ana River.
The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) is a regional wastewater treatment agency and wholesale distributor of imported water. IEUA is responsible for serving approximately 875,000 ...
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