Score: +10 (14/5/4)

Sonoma County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Will There Be Water After an Earthquake?

Published: May 15, 2019 17 pages

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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 and Recommendations 10 findings

l. Sonoma Water and its water contractors maintain a well-designed system and have made significant progress in mitigating earthquake risks. Ongoing efforts are needed to reduce remaining risks.

No recommendations for this finding

Sonoma County relies primarily on a single wholesale provider for its water. Sonoma Water, which delivers water under contract to cities and water districts.in Sonoma County and northern Marin County, may be without sufficient resources to meet all emergency needs.

No recommendations for this finding

In the event of a major earthquake, water supplies are likely to be significantly disrupted for extended periods of days or weeks, although reduced water supplies may be provided through alternative means. Full recovery of systems could take longer.

No recommendations for this finding

Measures implemented by Sonoma Water to reduce the risk of critical water shortages following a major earthquake have relied heavily upon state and federal grant funds, but implementation has fallen behind the schedules proposed in the LHMP. A more rapid reduction of risks could be achieved through water rate adjustments.

No recommendations for this finding

Consistent with FEMA recommendations, residents need to maintain their own emergency source of water to meet their personal needs for more than the three days frequently stated by officials

Related Recommendations (1)

Sonoma Water and water contractors derive and publicize more realistic outage periods and provide updated information to the public, by December 31, 2019. (F5, F6)

More public outreach is needed to educate water users to their risks and individual responsibility for earthquake preparedness.

Related Recommendations (1)

Sonoma Water and water contractors derive and publicize more realistic outage periods and provide updated information to the public, by December 31, 2019. (F5, F6)

Coordination between Sonoma Water and its contractors needs to improve by increasing training exercises, mutual aid training, and systems information exchange. 13

Related Recommendations (1)

Sonoma Water improve coordination with water contractors, including field exercises, by December 31,2019. (F7)

Because operating pressures must be maintained throughout the system, water contractors have limited ability to curtail non-essential water uses without compromising availability of water for critical applications such as fire suppression and hospital use.

Related Recommendations (1)

Water contractors study options for making local systems more adaptable under emergency conditions - such as dedicated supply loops, digitally monitored metering, or automatic shut-down valves, by December 3 1, 2019. (F8)

Sonoma Water's planning for earthquake response, supplies, repairs, and restoration of water depends significantly on institutional repair knowledge concentrated in a few long-term employees, but lacks adequate documentation such as manuals for standard operating procedures.

Related Recommendations (1)

Sonoma Water prepare and maintain one or more SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for the restoration of water deliveries specifically for an earthquake; SOPs should be updated annually or whenever there are changes to procedures, by December 31,2019. (F9)

F10

Sonoma Water's estimate of three days to return to service following an earthquake is conditional on the availability of suitable repair parts, aqueduct pipe, joints, pumps and valves. The Grand Jury found the inventory of emergency supplies is sparse and the inventory list is incomplete and out-of-date.

Related Recommendations (1)

Sonoma Water maintain inventory lists with current goals for items, quantities, locations, and sourcing; and improve stockpiling accordingly, by Decembet 31,2079. (Fl0)

Agency Responses 3

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR

December 31, 2019 • 5 pages • 4 responses • Score: 0 (+1, 2, -1) View Details ▾

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4 responses to findings and recommendations

Sonoma Water maintain inventory lists with current goals for items, quantities, locations, and sourcing; and improve stockpiling accordingly, by Decembet 31,2079. (Fl0)

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

The recommendotion hos been implemented. An independent cost analysis performed by VFA associates has been completed, which will be updated inFY 2020121. ln addition, Generalservices and RegionalParks staff have evaluated Government Facilities located on County-owned properties including the Marinas. Staff provided a report on deferred maintenance needs during the FiscalYear20lg-20 Budget Hearingsand furtherdiscussion with the Board of Supervisors will begin in the fall of 2019. R3. The County Administratorwork with department headsto evaluate and take advantage of the EFS Capital A5set Manage...

Response: Agree Score: +1

agree with these findings: F3.

Sonoma Water improve coordination with water contractors, including field exercises, by December 31,2019. (F7)

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

The recommendotion has been implemented. ln order to avoid significant increases in deferred maintenance costs for County facilities, the Board of Supervisors adopted a Facility Maintenance and lnvestment/Deferred Maintenance Funding policy during the Fiscal Year 2OI7-18 Budget Hearings. As the policy states, the Board of Supervisors will appropriate,fora 5yearperiodcommencingwith FiscalYear201-7-2O!8, fortypercent(4O%) of allnew property taxgrowth, which is above the growth needed to keep up with inflation for existing levels of generalfund services, tothe CapitalProjects Budgetto be used tow...

More public outreach is needed to educate water users to their risks and individual responsibility for earthquake preparedness.

Response: Disagree Score: -1

. The true cost of maintaining the County's facilities has been su bsantially understated fo r over a decade by deferring needed maintenance. We disagree partiallywith this finding. As the amount of funding for maintenance had remained flat since the economic downturn of 2006, unfunded maintenance projects have been identified and valued in the Annual Capital lmprovement Plan (ClP). F10. Public and employee safety are adversely affected by deteriorating build ing co nd itions brought about by deferred maintenane. We disagree partiallywith this finding. Building conditions are not the only fact...

Sheriff Office

December 31, 2019 • 9 pages • 7 responses • Score: 0 (+2, 3, -2) View Details ▾

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7 responses to findings and recommendations

l. Sonoma Water and its water contractors maintain a well-designed system and have made significant progress in mitigating earthquake risks. Ongoing efforts are needed to reduce remaining risks.

Response: Agree Score: +1

agree with the findings numbered F1.

Sonoma Water maintain inventory lists with current goals for items, quantities, locations, and sourcing; and improve stockpiling accordingly, by Decembet 31,2079. (Fl0)

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

The respondent agrees with the finding. The Sheriffs Office appreciates the Grand Jury's commendations for the management and delivery of health care and education services to Sonoma County's inmate population at the Main Adult Detention Facility (MADF). F2, The Jail Based Competency Restoration program has significantly reduced the time needed to restore inmate competency to stond trial. The Sheriff's Ollice is to be commended for implementing this program. RESPONSE: The respondent agrces with the finding. The Sheriff s Office appreciates the Grand Jury's commendations for the achievements of...

Response: Disagree Score: -1

disagree wholly or partially with the findings numbered: F3.

Sonoma Water and water contractors derive and publicize more realistic outage periods and provide updated information to the public, by December 31, 2019. (F5, F6)

Response: Will Implement

Score: +1

R3 and have not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future.

Sonoma Water improve coordination with water contractors, including field exercises, by December 31,2019. (F7)

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

The recommendation will not be implemented, because it is not warranted. The Sheriff s Office contracts with Wellpath for its expertise in delivering medical, dental, and behavioral health services to inmates in detention facilities. Like other healthcare providers, Wellpath has developed a formulary based on a range of considerations. Formal review of the 6 Wellpath formulary (all drugs, not exclusively HIV/AIDS) by an intemal panel of doctors and pharmacists is ongoing, including discussion of new drugs and possible changes to the iormulary. There is a process in place at MADF for the physi...

More public outreach is needed to educate water users to their risks and individual responsibility for earthquake preparedness.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

The respondent disagrees wholly with the finding. Using Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to treat opioid addiction has not yet been proven to be a best practice for local jail environments. It is more likely to be successful in a prison setting with longer incarceration terms. The State has funded a three year pilot program for San Francisco County Sheriff s Office to administer a MAT within their detention facilities. This pilot program will illuminate best practices and uncover pitfalts. We will be closely monitoring It piog.i.s of the pilot over the next three years and look forward to e...

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

The respondent agrees with the finding. The Sheriff s Office has been aware of this gap and has been working to strengthen GED certification opportunities. The opportunity to earn GED certification will be available to inmates in August 2019 with the opening of Five Keys Accredited Charter School contracted to operate within the Sheriff s Office two detention facilities. Five Keys is the first charter school for incarcerated adults in the United States. The school is a fully accredited public high school program established by the San Francisco Sheriffls Department in 2003. Five Keys provides ...

City of Petaluma

September 24, 2019 • 4 pages • 13 responses • Score: +10 (+11, 0, -1) View Details ▾

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13 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Agree Score: +1