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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

San Mateo County Grand Jury • 2015-2016

Emergency Preparedness a review of urban sewage management websites turns up evaluations of the emergency- preparedness

Published: June 28, 2016 173 pages Consolidated Report

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 13 findings

From 2013-2015, San Mateo County sewer agencies had more than twice as many sanitary sewer overflows as San Jose and three times as many as Central Contra Costa Sanitary District.

Independent district websites have gaps in information regarding historical rates, sewer system management plans, and sanitary sewer overflows. Meeting minutes and financial audits are frequently out of date.

The use of the annual property tax statement for billing purposes makes the cost of sewer services less visible to residents.

Elections for sanitary district board membership are rarely contested, and when they are, voter turnout is low. The average tenure of board members is over 10 years.

Five of the six districts receive countywide property taxes, which means that residents’ fees are not paying the full cost of sewer services.

Sewer rates from 2010-2011 to 2015-2016 increased faster than the consumer price index. The six districts acknowledged that this trend is likely to continue given the age of pipelines in the County and the cost of maintenance to and replacement of those pipelines.

Funds for treatment plants pass from ratepayers through the independent sanitary districts to the treatment plants; the sanitary districts add little value.

The total budget for operating the boards of the six districts studied is over $225,000. East Palo Alto’s average annual compensation for directors is $18,000, 66% higher than the 60 San Francisco Water Power Sewer, SSIP Goals & Level of Service. http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=668. Ibid. City of San Jose, Sewer System Management Plan, Document No. 1131790, October 2014, p. 8. See Appendix L: References to “Disaster” or “Emergency” in Board Meeting Minutes. next highest (and much larger) district, West Bay. Bayshore and East Palo Alto offer employee-type benefits to directors including dental insurance.

The pipelines of the six districts are aging, with almost half having been laid over 50 years ago. These pipes are approaching end of life.

F10

There are many wholly or partially redundant activities across the six independent districts, including board costs, financial audits, legal services, and engineering.

F11

Most of the independent sanitary districts rely almost entirely on contractors to fulfill their responsibilities.

F12

In many cases, district leadership is unfamiliar with the existing and emerging technologies for improving sewer system performance while reducing costs.

F13

The proliferation of sanitary districts within San Mateo County makes it challenging to coordinate an emergency response. The districts themselves have not reviewed or discussed emergency/disaster planning within their boards in the past year.

Recommendations 18

R1

Form a committee of Board members (Bayshore Sanitary District), Council members (Brisbane, Daly City), and staff from each to discuss the assumption of services provided by Bayshore Sanitary District into Brisbane and/or Daly City. Evaluate alternatives and determine the benefits to ratepayers. Issue a report with recommendations and a plan by September 30, 2017. The Grand Jury recommends that Boards of the East Palo Alto Sanitary District and West Bay Sanitary District and the City Council of East Palo Alto do the following:
R2

Form a committee of Board members (East Palo Alto Sanitary District, West Bay Sanitary District), Council members (East Palo Alto), and staff from each to discuss the assumption of services provided by East Palo Alto Sanitary District into either West Bay Sanitary District or the City of East Palo Alto. Evaluate alternatives and determine the benefits to ratepayers. Issue a report with recommendations and a plan by September 30, 2017. The Grand Jury recommends that the Boards of Granada Community Services District and Montara Water and Sanitary District and the City Council of Half Moon Bay do the following:
R3

Form a committee of Board members (Granada Community Services District, Montara Water and Sanitary District), Council members (Half Moon Bay), and staff from each to plan the consolidation or assumption of services provided by these two districts. Evaluate alternatives and determine the benefits to ratepayers. Issue a report with recommendations and a plan by September 30, 2017. The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of the Westborough Water District and the City Councils of Daly City and South San Francisco do the following:
R4

Form a committee of Board members (Westborough Water District), Council members (Daly City, South San Francisco), and staff from each to discuss the assumption of services provided by Westborough Water District into Daly City and/or South San Francisco. Evaluate alternatives and determine the benefits to ratepayers. Issue a report with recommendations and a plan by September 30, 2017. Work with California Water Service Company on this initiative. The Grand Jury recommends that the Boards of Bayshore Sanitary District, East Palo Alto Sanitary District, Granada Community Services District, Montara Water & Sanitary District, West Bay Sanitary District, and Westborough Water District do the following:
R5

Improve information visibility on their website, including key system characteristics, rates and rate history, sewer system management plans, sanitary sewer overflows, and board member compensation. Key system characteristics would include population served, number of connections, number of miles of pipe (gravity, forced main), number of pump stations and number of pumps, average dry weather flow, and average wet weather flow. Ensure all information is up to date. Refresh website
R6

Implement and publish performance management metrics including but not limited to the Effective Utility Management framework, beginning with Fiscal Year 2016-2017.
R7

Adjust rates over the next five years so that all costs are recovered from ratepayers, and the reliance on property tax is eliminated. Transition property tax revenues to neighboring cities to be used for community benefit.
R8

Mail notices to ratepayers at least annually with an explanation of the dollar amount of sewer service charges being billed and the rationale. Provide information on the prior five years’ rates for comparison purposes. Display the portion of the rate that is related to collection activities, and the portion allocated to treatment. Mail notices approximately 30 days before the mailing of the property tax bills. Initiate mailings by November 2016.
R9

Notify ratepayers annually of elected nature of Board, role and compensation of Board members, and process for becoming a candidate. Encourage active participation by ratepayers. This notification may be included in the mailing that explains the rationale for rates. Initiate notification by November 2016.
R10

Establish term limits for the members of their boards of directors
R11

Establish a procurement process for professional services to include formal evaluation of existing service providers, issuance of Request for Proposals, regular reviews of existing providers, and a structured negotiation process
R12

Demonstrate active participation in professional organizations focused on the work of sanitary districts, such as California Water Environment Association, by June 30, 2017. Require CWEA certification of district operators, including contractors,
R13

Develop plans for coordinating resources in the event of a local or regional emergency by June 30, 2017. The Grand Jury recommends that the Boards of Bayshore Sanitary District, East Palo Alto Sanitary District, West Bay Sanitary District, and Westborough Water District do the following:
R14

Evaluate the benefit of changing the timing of board director elections to November of even years, when federal and state elections generate greater turnout.64 The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of the Westborough Water District do the following:
R15

The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of the Westborough Water District do the following: Develop, publish, and track separate budgets for sewer and water services, beginning with Fiscal Year 2016-2017. The Grand Jury recommends that the Boards of the Bayshore Sanitary District, Montara Water and Sanitary District, and Westborough Water District do the following:
R16

The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of the Westborough Water District do the following: Explore the feasibility of establishing a flat rate for capital improvements separate from the water usage rate. Report back at a public meeting by December 31, 2016. The Grand Jury recommends that the Boards of the Bayshore Sanitary District and East Palo Alto Sanitary District do the following:
R17

The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of the Westborough Water District do the following: Reduce the daily compensation of board directors to $100 per day by December 31, 2017. Phase out all benefits for board directors over a period of time not to exceed three years. The Grand Jury recommends that the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission do the following:
R18

The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of the Westborough Water District do the following: Initiate a service review of the Westborough Water District to examine whether its operations might be more efficiently and effectively run if they were consolidated with another entity’s operations.