Wastewater Treatment Plants Solano County Grand Jury 2018-2019

Published: June 13, 2019 10 pages

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

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

Findings and Recommendations 3 findings

In many cases, wastewater effluent is not used to supply industrial needs or to irrigate crops and public lands.

Related Recommendations (1)

Wastewater treatment facility decision-makers consider, on an ongoing basis, if additional treated water can be used to replace current water supplies.

The Benicia and Dixon wastewater treatment plants release methane directly to the atmosphere, which could be used as fuel for co-generation.

Related Recommendations (1)

Explore options to capture methane released by wastewater treatment, such as generating electrical power.

Not all wastewater treatment plants utilize renewable sources of electrical power.

Related Recommendations (1)

Consider solar and wind power as alternative energy sources. 9

Agency Responses 2

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

CITY OF VACAVILLE

August 20, 2019 • 1 pages • 3 responses • Score: +2 (+2, 0, 0) View Details ▾

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3 responses to findings and recommendations

– The unfunded portion of the City of Vacaville’s CalPERS pension plans liability increased from $126 million in 2011 to $209 million in 2019. This amount is categorized as high- risk by the California State Auditor. The unfunded OPEB liability as of June 30, 2019, exceeded $80 million.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The City of Vacaville agrees with the finding. Recommendation 1: Wastewater treatment facilities decision-makers consider, on an ongoing basis, if additional treated water can be used to replace current water supplies.

– The City of Vacaville has no control over healthcare premium rates set by CalPERS, hindering the city’s ability to contain healthcare costs.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The City of Vacaville agrees with the finding. Recommendation 3: Consider solar and wind power as alternative energy sources.

– In future labor negotiations with Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees, the City of Vacaville convert to a defined contribution healthcare benefits model. Response to Finding and Recommendation 3: The City agrees with Finding 3 that it doesn’t control the healthcare premium rates set by CalPERS.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The City of Vacaville's 2019/2020 Capital Improvement Budget includes a 1-MW solar project at the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Jeremy T. Craig City Manager

City of Benicia

August 21, 2019 • 2 pages • 3 responses • Score: -1 (+0, 2, -1) View Details ▾

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3 responses to findings and recommendations

Some residents of the county are not aware of the full range of services provided by their local waste disposal service provider. Response to Finding 1: The City of Benicia agrees with the finding.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

PARTIALLY DISAGREE The term "many cases" is vague. In the case of Benicia, no wastewater effluent is used to supply industrial needs or irrigate crops and public lands. We are not aware of information supporting the clause "many cases." Recommendation #1 Wastewater treatment facility decision-makers consider, on an ongoing basis, if additional treated water can be used to replace current water supplies.

Recommend cities have a prominent link on their website that lists services provided by their local waste provider along with contact information.

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED The City of Benicia completed the "City of Benicia Water Reuse Project Feasibility Report" in June 2017 which explored the potential to reuse wastewater effluent from the Benicia Wastewater Treatment Plant (Benicia WWTP) for nonpotable water uses. Currently, there is no funding to implement this project, but the City continues to search for funding to reuse Benicia WWTP effluent for human-related beneficial uses. LORIE TINFOW, City Manager ELIZABETH PATTERSON, Mayor KENNETH C. PAULK, City Treasurer Members of the City Council LISA WOLFE, City Clerk CHRISTINA...

The cities within Solano County each have varying strategies that are not currently being shared. Sharing best practices among jurisdictions is itself a best practice. ERIK UPSON, City Manager STEVE YOUNG, Mayor LISA WOLFE, City Clerk Members of the City Council KENNETH C. PAULK, City Treasurer TOM CAMPBELL · LIONEL LARGAESPADA · TREVOR MACENSKI · CHRISTINA STRAWBRIDGE Recycled Paper Honorable Donna Stashyn, Presiding Judge September 13, 2021 Response to Finding 2: The City of Benicia agrees wit...

Response: Disagree Score: -1

DISAGREE The City of Benicia is prohibited from releasing methane directly into the atmosphere by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). Recommendation #2 Explore options to capture methane released by wastewater treatment, such as generating electrical power.