Water chief: District balances costs of system improvements, reasonable rates

By Grant Davis

A recent editorial focused on administrative fines assessed to the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District (District) by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) for sewer collection system overflows. Because the District was not contacted for its viewpoint, the editorial missed the opportunity for a more balanced view of the situation.

The District’s fines were for overflows from the collection system, most of which occurred during several big storms over a five-year period. Some of these storms also caused major flooding in Sonoma Valley. The District continues to make improvements to the collection system, inlcuding eliminating illegal connections, removing blockages, repairing sewer pipes, and upgrading over 52,000 feet of pipelines. As a result of these and other efforts, the District did not have any overflows this past winter, which was the wettest in several years.

To further improve the situation, the District is engaged in several efforts, as follows:

Reminding residents that they are part of the solution: A major contributor to overflows are private sewer laterals in need of repair. Property owners are required to keep sewer laterals (the pipes that run from the home or business to the sewer main) in good condition – but most people don’t think about their sewer lateral until they have a problem. An estimated two-thirds of the sewer laterals in Sonoma Valley are more than 30 years old and are likely in need of repair. In comparison to the District’s sewer mains which are inspected and cleaned regularly, private sewer laterals are typically never inspected.

Repairing leaking sewer lateral pipes is important because they can be a major source of water entering into the collection system during storms (contributing to overflows and subsequent fines).

The Regional Board is requiring the District Board to consider an ordinance that will include “triggers” for property owners to inspect and, if necessary, repair sewer laterals. Some triggers could include the sale of the property (when home sellers or buyers can finance possible repairs), major remodels, when the District is replacing the sewer main in the neighborhood or when a lateral is blocked and causing problems. The District will be holding workshops in June to discuss options with residents.

Ongoing investments in the collection system: The District plans to invest tens of millions of dollars over the next decade to replace aging sewer mains. The next sewer main to be replaced will begin near the intersection of 6th Street and Studley Street. This project will replace approximately 3,000-feet of sewer and will cost approximately $6.8 million to design and replace. As the sewer main replacement program progresses, the frequency and volume of overflows will decrease.

Ongoing investments in recycled water: The District has also invested heavily in recycled water treatment and distribution. Recycled water was available to many farmers during the height of the drought, thanks to construction of new recycled water pipelines. Recycled water is also helping to restore degraded salt ponds into wildlife habitat and soon will be irrigating playing fields.

Keeping rates reasonable: The District has made these investments using a combination of ratepayer funds and state and federal grants. While the District is eager to complete the collection system upgrades and recycled water expansion, the Board (which is comprised of the Mayor of Sonoma, the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and the First District Supervisor) recognizes the importance of keeping rates low and predictable. Over the past 10 years, annual rate increases have averaged below six percent, allowing for steady improvements in the system, while keeping rate increases in line with other sanitation districts. The District’s rates are among the lowest in Sonoma County.

Balancing the need for system improvements with reasonable sewer rates is always a challenge. Completing large capital replacement projects is an expensive — but necessary — means of preventing sewer overflows. While the District continues to make inroads on its capital projects, we ask that property owners join us by inspecting, repairing and replacing sewer laterals.

Grant Davis is the General Manager of the Sonoma County Water Agency, which operates the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District.