City of Calipatria Wastewater Systems Improvements Calipatria, California

1. City of CalipatriaWastewater Systems Improvements Calipatria, California Presented to:Project Sponsor and Agency Stakeholders November 6, 2003

2. Agenda • General Aspects • Environmental and Human Health Indicators • Environmental, Human Health and Sustainable Development Strategies • Technical Approach, Objectives and Funding Plan • Public Participation • Project Development Schedule

3. General Aspects Project Location The City of Calipatria: • Located in eastern California, in Imperial County; • Approximately 150 miles east of San Diego; • Approximately 35 miles north of the U.S./Mexico Border. Calipatria

4. General Aspects Project Sponsor Profile • City of Calipatria • Population: 7,289 (Census 2000) Includes Calipatria State Prison (CAL) population of 4,151 inmates • Median Household Income (Census Data): $30,962 • Unemployment Rate: 13.1% Excludes prison population • Existing Facilities • Wastewater • 850 Sewer service connections; • Service provided to CAL Prison • Water • Privately owned by Southern California Water Company; • Ineligible for grant funding.

5. General Aspects Existing Water Treatment, Storage, & Distribution System • Existing • Distribution system is owned and operated by the Southern California Water Company; • Water obtained from Imperial Irrigation District; • Non-metered service; Customers pay a flat rate of $41.78 / month • Concerns • System pressure was increased to serve the prison and resulted in line breaks; • Difficulty determining illegal connections due to non-metered service; • Public perception is unfavorable with a general distrust for rate increases and lack of service. • Current Improvements • Water Treatment Plant Expansion to satisfy Enhance surface Water Quality Rule; • Construction of transmission main to Niland to service both communities. . Water system privately owned and is ineligible for grant funding to develop improvements.

6. General Aspects Existing Wastewater Collection and Treatment System • Collection • Existing system consists of 92,000 linear feet vitrified clay and PVC pipe; • Approximately 99.9% of population served (850 service connections); • Lift Station • One lift station with wet well/dry well configuration; • CAL Prison maintains lift station and bar screen with dedicated sewer main to Calipatria WWTP; Condition is undetermined but no problems reported. • Treatment • The City of Calipatria has an aeration pond system; • Average design flow 1.70 MGD; • Currently operating at 0.85 MGD 60-70%; • Designed to treat domestic wastewater; • Expanded in 1990 to accommodate CAL Prison.

7. General Aspects Wastewater System Deficiencies • Collection • Sewer mains constructed over fifty years ago; • Numerous line breaks within past eighteen months; • Existing manholes require repair and/or replacement; • Groundwater infiltration into collection system is suspected due to elevated levels of pollutants at the WWTP. • Lift Station • No emergency provisions; • Power interruption results in surcharge at residences; • Lack of ventilation creates potentially hazardous environment. • Treatment • Absence of screening results in blockage throughout plant; • Elevated levels of cyanide, selenium and thallium with source unknown; • E. Coli detected in plant effluent; • Overflow at ponds observed; Minimal maintenance has possibly decreased the pond capacity and liner condition is undetermined; • Numerous violations issued for BOD5 and E. Coli; • Prison flow quantity and composition is unverified, screening is inadequate with typically higher solids (trash, etc); current contract does not have any provisions for safeguards.

8. General Aspects Proposed Wastewater System Improvements Evaluation and inspection of the existing system will assist in selecting and implementing the necessary improvement to include the following possible alternatives: • Collection • Rehabilitation/Replacement of existing system; • Install clean-outs at the dead ends. • Lift Station • Construction of a new lift station or rehabilitation of the existing with sufficient redundancy; • Provide stand-by power. • CAL Prison lift station to install new screening; consider renegotiating the contract with the prison. • Treatment • Construct testing laboratory as appropriate for process control; • Screen influent and provide additional mixing aerators; • Clean ponds and improve water transfer between ponds; • Provide stand-by power; • Reuse of treated effluent. Total Estimated Cost - $TBD

9. General Aspects Existing System

10. General Aspects Existing System

11. General Aspects Existing System

12. Environmental and Human Health Indicators Environmental Indicators • Levels of E. Coli, violating state regulations have been observed in effluent and may pose potential health risk downstream of discharge • Existing plant not designed to treat cyanide, selenium and thallium at the WWTP and discharge within the effluent may be occurring; • Lack of maintenance at plant may have reduced capacity thus reducing efficiency and worsening conditions above; • Numerous lines breaks and manhole leaks have created nuisance condition throughout Calipatria; • Potential groundwater contamination may affect environmentally sensitive areas including farmland, habitats for protected species and water bodies including the Salton Sea. • Elevated Levels of BOD5

13. Environmental and Human Health Indicators Compliance with Environmental Norms & Regulations • Water System • Metering required; • Improve THM and turbidity levels • Wastewater System • Administrative Civil Liability Complaint issued by California Regional Water Quality Control Board for numerous violations; • Majority of violations related to BOD5 in effluent; Also E.Coli detections; • Calipatria agreed to complete compliance projects as an alternative to paying the assessed fines; • Under the CP program Calipatria is obligated to spend an equivalent amount toward approved improvements.

14. Environmental and Human Health Strategies • Present an acceptable Compliance Project to Water Control Board. • Determine the CEQA/NEPA document requirements, an EIS or EA. • Analyze the chemical composition of the wastewater and groundwater to determine the nature and possible source of contaminants existing at the WWTP. • Conduct an analysis of the WWTP influent to detemine the sufficiency of oxygen as it is introduced in the treatment process. • Verify the quantity and existing chemical make-up of the prison contributions and the existing screening methods to eliminate potential source of pollutants. Establish a pretreatment program and renegotiate the contract with CAL Prison. • Describe the environmental and human health risks associated with the deteriorated conditions of the existing collection system infrastructure as well as with the WWTP and effluent violations and develop a comprehensive O&M Program

15. Sustainable Development Strategies • Two stakeholder workshops to be conducted. The baseline conditions report is complete. • Demonstrate appropriate institutional capacities: • Establish permanent operation staffing Regional Operations – Shared operators with Niland Sanitary District/other. • Seek Training NADB UMI; Operator and administrative development • An operation and maintenance program will be developed as part of the project. • Coordinate with water provider to develop a water usage assessment, including possibilities for conservation/reuse. • Determine if there is a need for industrial pretreatment. • 30% design review by system operator

16. Technical Approach,Objectives and Funding Plan • Provide the City of Calipatria with adequate, affordable wastewater service in compliance with State regulations; • Rehabilitation of existing centralized wastewater collection system and improvement to existing treatment facilities; Project Objectives

17. Technical Approach,Objectives and Funding Plan Recommended Technical Approach PDAP Eligible Tasks: • Preliminary Engineering Report • Quality Assurance Program Plant (QAPP) • Environmental Report – Complete comprehensive multi-agency environmental checklist • Financial Analysis • Public Participation Program • Final Engineering Design Non-PDAP Eligible Tasks: • Rate study. • Training and institutional strengthening. • Contingency Plans • Project Management • Operation and Maintenance Plan

18. Technical Approach, Objectivesand Funding Plan • Regulatory Compliance Issues • On-going Projects and Planning • Existing Planning • Project Development and Funds Management Institutional Capacity The Frank M. Tejeda Center has been contacted to prepare a Statement of Institutional Capacity of the City of Calipatria addressing the following : • Outsourcing • Operational Capacity • Management Capabilities • Governance Institutional Development RAP Recommendations: • Administration/Operations Staffing – Potentially Regional Effort • Training

19. Technical Approach, Objectives and Funding Plan Project Sponsor Financial Potential • City Revenue generated by imposing a sales tax. • Designated as a Federal Enterprise Zone; • Maintains full-time staff to include City Manager, Police and Fire Chiefs and Planning Administrator and three utility personnel; • Fiscal year from July 1st to June 30th for each year; Wastewater Fund Current Rate Structure Average Monthly Bill • 850 service connections; • Average monthly CAL Prison $22,000 • Average Sewer $22.05 • Garbage Collection $15.95 Total $38.00

20. Technical Approach, Objectives and Funding Plan Identified Potential Funding Sources • USDA-RUS • Colonias Grant and Water and Waste Disposal Program – currently not a colonia. • Water and Waste Disposal Program. • USDA-RD – In 1976, the City received Sewer Revenue Bonds in the amount of $247,000. To date, the City owes approximately $162,000 on this loan. • California Housing and Community Development (HCD) • CDBG Fund - Grants for cities with population <50,000 maximum $500K • CDBG Program Planning and Technical Assistance Grants – Providing funds to small cities for planning and evaluation studies related to CDBG-eligible activity. • State Water Resources control board (SWRCB) • Small community Grants – Provides grants up to 97 ½ % with population < 5,000; • State Revolving Fund – Loans for construction maximum $50M and 20 year payback and received a $263,000 water improvements grant in June 2003. • California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) • Infrastructure State Revolving Fund (ISRF) Program – Loans for construction maximum $10M and 30 year payback. • NADBank • BEIF to support construction, service connections, project management and rate transition. A rate study and additional capacity building tasks may be funded through the IDP. • BECC • The City is eligible through the Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP).

21. Public Participation Strategy Potential Obstacles • Approval by regulatory agency for Compliance Project; • Largest obstacle is cost associated with repaying loans; • Public perception is unfavorable with general distrust for rate increase and lack of service; • Land acquisition for the new lift stations and wastewater treatment improvements. Local Politics • General Law City with a City Manager form of Government; • Government structure consist of a mayor, Mayor Pro-Tem, three City Council positions and one city clerk. • Local organizations: Chamber of Commerce, small businesses, the Calipatria Unified School District, Imperial County. Socio-Economic Indicators • Approximately 17.5% of the population, over the age of 25, has completed a high school education; • 2002 Labor Market Information denotes 2.4% unemployment (excludes prison).

22. Project Schedule

23. Action Items BECC • Modify PSP with Final Comments – 11/21. • Develop Scope of Work (SOW), • Send Sample TA Agreement to City. Project Sponsor - Calipatria • Provide any additional comments – 11/12. • Letter accepting PSP and recommended TA Tasks. • Participate in development of SOW – approve SOW by letter. • Invite participants for Steering Committee. Stakeholder Agencies • Provide any additional comments – 11/12. • Participate in SOW development – approve SOW.