Sewer System Management Plan for the City of Berkeley

April 2009

Sewer System Management Plan

for the

Document Version Control

This Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) is a living document that is anticipated change over time. This version control sheet is intended to support the City’s efforts to keep the copies of the SSMP that have been assigned to City Staff current. Please contact Adadu Yemane at (510) 981-6413 prior to making copies for use by others, initiating changes, or for information regarding the current version of this document.

SSMP Copy No. __________

This copy assigned to ____________________________ Telephone No. _______________

SSMP Section

Original Version Date

Current Version Date

Cover Page April 16, 2009 May 5, 2009

Introduction April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009

1. Goals April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009

2. Organization April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009

3. Legal Authority April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009 4. O&M Program April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009 5. Design and Performance Provisions April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009 6. Overflow Emergency Response Plan April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009 7. FOG Control Plan April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009 8. System Evaluation and Capacity

Assurance Plan

April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009

9. Monitoring, Measurement, and Program Modifications

April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009

10. SSMP Program Audit April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009 11. Communications Plan April 16, 2009 April 16, 2009

SSMP Copy Holders

Copy No. Copy Assigned To: Copy Location

1 Claudette Ford Director’s Office

2 Andrew Clough Corporation Yard

3 Kem Loong Corporation Yard

4 Kevin Lewis Corporation Yard

5 Jeff Egeberg Engineering

6 Ken Emeziem Engineering

7 Adadu Yemane Engineering

8 Engineering Engineering Library

9 Environmental Health Environmental Health

10 City Attorney City Attorney’s Office

11 City Clerk City Clerk’s Office

12 Not Assigned Engineering

13 Not Assigned Engineering

14 Not Assigned Engineering

Table of Contents

Introduction ...1

Background ...1

Organization of SSMP ...1

Sanitary Sewer System Overview...1

Historical Perspective ...2

Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations ...2

References...5 Section 1. Goals... 1-1 1.1. Introduction... 1-1 1.2. Regulatory Requirements for Goals Element of SSMP... 1-1 1.3. SSMP Goals ... 1-1 Section 2. Organization... 2-1 2.1. Introduction... 2-1 2.2. Regulatory Requirements for Organization Element of SSMP ... 2-1 2.3. Organization... 2-1 2.4. Authorized Representative... 2-1 2.5. Responsibility for SSMP Implementation ... 2-2 2.6. SSO Reporting Chain of Communication... 2-2 Appendix 2-A: Key Staff Contact Information... 2-3 Appendix 2-B: SSMP Development, Implementation, and Maintenance

Responsibilities ... 2-4 Section 3. Legal Authority ... 3-1 3.1. Introduction... 3-1 3.2. Regulatory Requirements for Legal Authority Element of SSMP ... 3-1 3.3. Municipal Code... 3-1 Section 4. Operations and Maintenance Program ... 4-1 4.1. Introduction... 4-1 4.2. Regulatory Requirements for Measures and Activities (O&M) Element of

SSMP ... 4-1 4.3. Collection System Mapping... 4-2 4.4. Preventive Maintenance... 4-2

4.5. Rehabilitation and Replacement Plan ... 4-3 4.6. Training Program ... 4-3 4.7. Equipment and Parts Inventory... 4-4 4.8. Resources ... 4-4 4.9. Outreach Program ... 4-4 Appendix 4-A: Standard Operating Procedure for Sewer Cleaning ... 4-5 Appendix 4-B: Capital Improvement Program... 4-9 Appendix 4-C: Major Sewer System Equipment ... 4-10 Appendix 4-D: Critical Sewer System Replacement Parts Inventory ... 4-11 Section 5. Design and Performance Provisions... 5-1 5.1. Introduction... 5-1 5.2. Regulatory Requirements for Design and Performance Provisions Element of

SSMP (Design and Construction Standards) ... 5-1 5.3. Standard Specifications for Wastewater Facilities ... 5-1 Appendix 5-A: Design Standards for Sanitary Sewers ... 5-2 Section 6. Overflow Emergency Response Plan ... 6-1 6.1. Introduction... 6-1 6.2. Regulatory Requirements for OERP Element of SSMP... 6-1 6.3. Goals ... 6-2 6.4. SSO Detection... 6-2 6.5. SSO Response Procedures ... 6-3 6.6. Water Quality Sampling and Testing... 6-6 6.7. Recovery and Clean-Up... 6-6 6.8. Public Notification ... 6-7 6.9. Failure Analysis Investigation ... 6-8 6.10. SSO Categories ... 6-8 6.11. SSO Documentation and Reporting... 6-8 6.12. Post SSO Event Debriefing... 6-14 6.13. Equipment ... 6-14 6.14. SSO Response Training ... 6-15 6.15. Contractors Working On City Sewer Facilities ... 6-15 Appendix 6-A: Sewer Field Crew Report... 6-16 Appendix 6-B: Private Property Investigation Procedure ... 6-17

Appendix 6-C: Private Property Incident Form... 6-18 Appendix 6-D: Collection System Failure Analysis Form ... 6-19 Appendix 6-E: Methods for Estimating Spill Volume ... 6-20 Appendix 6-F: Manhole Overflow Flowrate Guide ... 6-23 Appendix 6-G: Sample Warning Sign ... 6-24 Section 7. FOG Control Program ... 7-1 7.1. Introduction... 7-1 7.2. Regulatory Requirements for FOG Control Element of SSMP... 7-1 7.3. Nature and Extent of FOG Problem... 7-2 7.4. FOG Source Control Program ... 7-3 7.5. Public Outreach Program... 7-3 7.6. Acceptable FOG Disposal Facilities... 7-3 7.7. FOG Preventative Maintenance... 7-3 Appendix 7-A: EBMUD Regional FOG Control Program... 7-4 Appendix 7-B: EBMUD Approved Grease Haulers... 7-6 Section 8. System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan ... 8-1 8.1. Introduction... 8-1 8.2. Regulatory Requirements for the System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance

Plan Element of SSMP... 8-1 8.3. Evaluation ... 8-2 8.4. Design Criteria ... 8-2 8.5. Capacity Enhancement Measures - Capital Improvement Program ... 8-2 Section 9. Monitoring, Measurement, and Program Modifications ... 9-1 9.1. Introduction... 9-1 9.2. Regulatory Requirements for Monitoring, Measurement, and Program

Modifications Element of SSMP ... 9-1 9.3. Performance Measures... 9-1 9.4. Baseline Performance ... 9-2 9.5. Performance Monitoring and Program Changes... 9-2 9.6. SSMP Updates ... 9-3

Section 10. SSMP Program Audits ... 10-1 10.1. Introduction... 10-1 10.2. Regulatory Requirements for the SSMP Program Audits Element of SSMP ... 10-1 10.3. SSMP Audits... 10-1 Appendix 10-A: 2009 EPA Inspection Questionnaire... 10-3 Appendix 10-B: SSMP Audit Checklist ... 10-26 Section 11. Communication Program... 11-1 11.1. Introduction... 11-1 11.2. Regulatory Requirements for the Communications Program Element of SSMP . 11-1 11.3. Communication during SSMP Development and Implementation ... 11-1 11.4. Communicating Sanitary Sewer System Performance ... 11-2 11.5. Communication with Satellite Sanitary Sewer Systems... 11-2

Table of Figures

Figure 2-1: Organization Chart and SSO Reporting Chain of Communication ... 2-2 Figure 4-A-1: Excerpt from CWEA publication, “Hydroflush Best Practices Manual” ... 4-8 Figure 6-1: Notification and Response Procedure Flow Chart... 6-4 Figure 6-2: External Reporting Requirement Flow Chart ... 6-11 Figure 7-1: Locations of FOG-Related SSOs ... 7-2 Figure 9-1: Trend in SSO Events by Asset Type... 9-3

List of Tables

Table 3-1: Legal Authority... 3-2 Table 4-1: Training Resources (Conferences, Seminars, and Materials)... 4-4 Table 4-2: Collection System Maintenance Resources ... 4-4 Table 4-A-1: Criterion for Coding Debris Found During Cleaning ... 4-7 Table 9-1: Baseline Performance for CY 2008 ... 9-2

Introduction

Background

This Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) has been prepared in compliance with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Order 2006-0003: Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems (GWDR), as revised by Order No. WQ 2008-0002.EXEC on February 20, 2008. The GWDR prohibits sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), requires reporting of SSOs using the statewide electronic reporting system, and requires the development and implementation of a Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP). This SSMP has also been prepared to meet the requirements of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). This SSMP has been prepared by the City of Berkeley (City) with assistance from Larson Consulting.

Organization of SSMP

The structure of this document follows the section numbering and nomenclature used in the GWDR. The SSMP includes eleven sections, as follows:

1. Goals 2. Organization 3. Legal Authority

4. Operation and Maintenance Program 5. Design and Performance Provisions 6. Overflow Emergency Response Plan

7. Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Control Program 8. System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan 9. Monitoring, Measurement, and Program Modifications 10. SSMP Audits

11. Communication Program

Sanitary Sewer System Overview

The City provides sanitary sewer service to a population of approximately 105,000 people located within its 10.5 square mile service area. The City’s wastewater collection system includes approximately 258 miles of main sewer lines, 7,200 manholes, and 32,000 lower laterals (from the curb/easement boundary to the sewer main in the public right of way) with a total length of approximately 130 miles. The maintenance of private lateral (upper lateral) is the responsibility of the property owner. There are seven sewer pump stations (all located within the Marina and Aquatic Park).

The University of California Berkeley Campus discharges into the City’s sewer system. In addition there are several small sewer basins located within the Cities of Albany, Kensington, and Oakland

that discharge into the City’s wastewater collection system. Each satellite is responsible for the management, operation, and maintenance of their respective sanitary sewer facilities.

The City’s wastewater collection system discharges into the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Special District No. 1 interceptor system located along the City’s western and southern (Adeline Street) boundaries.

Historical Perspective

A Cease and Desist Order issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board in 1986 requiring the seven East Bay agencies that discharge to EBMUD, including the City of Berkeley, to eliminate overflows and to upgrade their sewer systems in order to reduce the quantity of infiltration/inflow being discharged to EBMUD.

In response to the Cease and Desist Order, the City began a long-term Capital Improvement Program for sewer replacement and rehabilitation. The objectives of the program were to eliminate overflow conditions, increase sewer capacity and to upgrade and replace the components of the aged or deteriorated wastewater collection system. The City has upgraded by replacement or rehabilitation approximately 170 miles of it sewer mains (63%) and 68 miles (52%) of its lower laterals as of March 2009. The City’s Capital Improvement Master Plan has been updated periodically to include a Proactive Back Line Sewer Replacement Program that is focused on public sewer mains located on private property in order to protect open creeks and to include an ongoing cyclic replacement program.

Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations

Best Management Practices (BMP) - Refers to the procedures employed in commercial kitchens to

minimize the quantity of grease that is discharged to the sanitary sewer system. Examples include scraping food scraps into the garbage can and dry wiping dishes and utensils prior to washing.

Calendar Year (CY)

California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) - Refers to the State Water Resources Control

Board online electronic reporting system that is used to report SSOs, certify completion of the SSMP, and provide information on the sanitary sewer system. The electronic reporting requirement became effective on May 2, 2007 for Region 2.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP) - Refers to the document that identifies planned capital

improvements to the City’s sanitary sewer system.

City - Refers to the City of Berkeley.

City Environmental Health Division - Refers to the Environmental Health Division of the City of

Berkeley.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) - Refers to the process and equipment that is used to internally

inspect the condition of gravity sewers.

Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)

Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) - Refers to fats, oils, and grease typically associated with food

preparation and cooking activities that can cause blockages in the sanitary sewer system.

Feet per Second (fps)

First Responder – Refers to the City employee who provides the City’s initial response to a sewer

system event.

Fiscal Year (FY)

Food Service Establishment (FSE) - Refers to commercial or industrial facilities where food is

handled, prepared, and/or served that discharge to the sanitary sewer system.

Force Main - Refers to a pressure sewer used to convey wastewater from a pump station to the point

of discharge.

Full-time Equivalent (FTE) - Refers to the equivalent of 2,080 paid labor hours per year by a

regular, temporary, or contract employee.

General Waste Discharge Requirements (GWDR) - Refers to the State Water Resources Control

Board Order No. 2006-0003, Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, dated May 2, 2006, as revised on February 20, 2008.

Geographical Information System (GIS) - Refers to the City’s system that it uses to capture, store,

analyze, and manage geospatial data associated with the City’s sanitary sewer system assets.

Global Positioning System (GPS) - Refers to the handheld unit used to determine the longitude and

latitude of sanitary sewer overflows for use in meeting CIWQS reporting requirements.

Gallons per Day (GPD)

Grease Removal Device (GRD) - Refers to grease traps or grease interceptors that are installed to

remove FOG from the wastewater flow at food service establishments.

Infiltration/Inflow (I/I) - Refers to water that enters the sanitary sewer system from storm water and

groundwater and increases the quantity of flow. Infiltration enters through defects in the sanitary sewer system after flowing through the soil. Inflow enters the sanitary sewer without flowing through the soil. Typical points of inflow are holes in manhole lids and direct connections to the sanitary sewer (e.g. storm drains, area drains, and roof leaders).

Lateral - See sewer service lateral.

Legally Responsible Official (LRO) - Refers to the individual who has the authority to certify reports

and other actions that are submitted through CIWQS.

Lower Lateral – Refers to the portion of the sewer service lateral between the property line and the

public sewer

Manhole (MH) - Refers to an engineered structure that is intended to provide access to a sanitary

sewer for maintenance and inspection.

Monitoring, Measurement, and Program Modifications (MMPM) National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Office of Emergency Services (OES) - Refers to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency

Operation and Maintenance (O&M)

Overflow Emergency Response Plan (OERP)

Preventative Maintenance (PM) - Refers to maintenance activities intended to prevent failures of the

sanitary sewer system facilities (e.g. cleaning, CCTV, inspection).

Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) - Refers to the San Francisco Bay Regional

Water Quality Control Board.

Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) - Any overflow, spill, release, discharge or diversion of untreated or

partially treated wastewater from a sanitary sewer system. SSOs include:

• Overflows or releases of untreated or partially treated wastewater that reach waters of the United States;

• Overflows or releases of untreated or partially treated wastewater that do not reach waters of the United States; and

• Wastewater backups into buildings and on private property that are caused by blockages or flow conditions within the publicly owned portion of a sanitary sewer system.

Sanitary Sewer System - Refers to the portion of the sanitary sewer facilities that are owned and

operated by the City of Berkeley.

Sensitive Area – Refers to areas where an SSO could result in a fish kill or pose an imminent or

substantial danger to human health.

Sewer Service Lateral - Refers to the piping that conveys sewage from the building to the City’s

sewer system. See also Lower Lateral.

Sewer System – See Sanitary Sewer System. Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP)

State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) - Refers to the California Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) State Water Resources Control Board and staff responsible for protecting the State’s water resources.

Surface Waters – See water of the State.

System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan (SECAP) Wastewater Collection System - See Sanitary Sewer System.

Water Body – A water body is any stream, creek, river, pond, impoundment, lagoon, wetland, or bay. Water of the State – Water of the State means any water, surface or underground, including saline

waters, within the boundaries of California. In case of a sewage spill, storm drains are considered to be waters of the State unless the sewage is completely contained and returned to the sewer system and that portion of the storm drain is cleaned.

Work Order - Refers to a document (paper or electronic) that is used to assign work and to record the

References

New Requirements for Preparing Sewer System Management Plans, California Regional Water

Quality Control Board San Francisco Bay Region letter to Sewer System Authorities, July 7, 2005 (www.cwea.org/conferences/sso/Reg2Letter-SSMP0705.pdf).

Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) Development Guide, San Francisco Bay Regional Water

Quality Control Board in cooperation with Bay Area Clean Water Agencies, July 2005 (www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb2/download/).

State Water Resources Control Board Order No. 2006-0003 Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, California State Water Resources Control Board,

May 2, 2006.

Monitoring and Reporting Program 2006-0003 Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, State Water Resources Control Board, May 2, 2006 (www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_decisions/adopted_orders/water_quality/2008/wqo/wqo2008_0002 _exec.pdf).

State Water Resources Control Board Monitoring and Reporting Program No. 2006·0003-DWQ (as revised by Order No. WQ 2008-0002.EXEC) Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, California State Water Resources Control Board, February 20, 2008

Section 1.

Goals

1.1.

Introduction

This section of the SSMP presents the City’s goals for the management, operation, and maintenance of its sanitary sewer system.

1.2.

Regulatory Requirements for Goals Element of SSMP

The summarized requirements for the Goals element of the SSMP are:

1.2.1.

The goal of the SSMP is to develop goals to manage, operate, and maintain all parts of its collection system. The goals should address the provision of adequate capacity to convey peak wastewater flows, as well as a reduction in the frequency of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and the mitigation of their impacts.

1.2.2.

The goal of the SSMP is to provide a plan and schedule to properly manage, operate, and maintain all parts of the sanitary sewer system. This will help reduce and prevent Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs), as well as mitigate any SSOs that do occur.

1.3.

SSMP Goals

The City’s goals are:

1. To properly manage, operate, and maintain all portions of the City’s wastewater collection system.

2. To provide adequate capacity to convey the peak wastewater flows. Adequate capacity, for the purposes of this SSMP, is defined as the capacity to convey the peak wastewater flows that are associated with the design storm event.

3. To minimize the frequency of SSOs.

4. To mitigate the impacts that are associated with any SSO that may occur. 5. To meet all applicable regulatory notification and reporting requirements.

Section 2.

Organization

2.1.

Introduction

The intent of this section of the SSMP is to identify City staff who are responsible for implementing this SSMP, responding to SSO events, and meeting the SSO reporting requirements. This section also includes the designation of the Authorized Representative to meet SWRCB requirements for completing and certifying spill reports.

2.2.

Regulatory Requirements for Organization Element of SSMP

The requirements for the Organization element of the SSMP are summarized below:

2.2.1.

The SSMP must identify staff (names and phone numbers) responsible for implementing measures outlined in the SSMP, including management, administration, and maintenance positions. It must also identify the chain of communication for reporting and responding to SSOs.

2.2.2.

The SSMP must identify:

1. The name of the responsible or authorized representative;

2. The names and telephone numbers for management, administrative, and maintenance positions responsible for implementing specific measures in the SSMP program. Include lines of authority as shown in an organization chart or similar document with a narrative explanation; and

3. The chain of communication for reporting SSOs, from receipt of a complaint or other information, including the person responsible for reporting SSOs to the State and Regional Water Board and other agencies if applicable (such as County Health Officer, County Environmental Health Agency, Regional Water Board, and/or State Office of Emergency Services (OES)).

2.3.

Organization

The organization chart for the management, operation, and maintenance of the City’s wastewater collection system is shown on Figure 2-1. Key Staff Contact Information is included as Appendix 2-A.

2.4.

Authorized Representative

The City’s Authorized Representative in all wastewater collection system matters is the Public Works Maintenance Superintendent. He/she is authorized to submit verbal, electronic, and written spill reports to the SWRCB, RWQCB, City Environmental Health Division, and OES. He/she is designated as the City’s Legally Responsible Official (LRO) who is authorized to certify electronic reports submitted via the California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS).

The Public Works Senior Supervisor is authorized to submit verbal, electronic, and written spill reports to the SWRCB, RWQCB, City Environmental Health Division, and OES. He/she is designated to act as the City’s Legally Responsible Official (LRO) in the absence of the Public Works Maintenance Superintendent. He/she is authorized to certify electronic reports submitted via CIWQS.

Figure 2-1: Organization Chart and SSO Reporting Chain of Communication

Director of Public Works Deputy Director of Public Works Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Public Works Senior Supervisor or Public Works Supervisor Field Crews

2.5.

Responsibility for SSMP Implementation

The Director of Public Works is responsible for developing, implementing, managing, and maintaining the SSMP.

Other City staff responsible for developing, implementing, managing, and maintaining specific elements of the SSMP, along with their job titles and contact information, are shown in Appendix 2-B.

2.6.

SSO Reporting Chain of Communication

The SSO Reporting Chain of Command follows the Organization Chart shown on Figure 2-1. The SSO reporting process and responsibilities are described in detail in Section 6 of the SSMP, Overflow Emergency Response Plan.

Appendix 2-A:

Key Staff Contact Information

Position Name Phone Number

Deputy Public Works Director Andrew Clough (510) 981-6661 Manager of Engineering, Public Works Jeffrey L. Egeberg (510) 981-6400 Supervising Civil Engineer Kenneth Emeziem (510) 981-6444 Associate Civil Engineer Adadu Yemane (510) 981-6413 Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479 Public Works Senior Supervisor Kevin M. Lewis (510) 981-6481

Appendix 2-B:

SSMP Development, Implementation, and

Maintenance Responsibilities

SSMP Responsibility Job Title Name Phone Number

1 - Goals Deputy Public Works Director

Andrew Clough (510) 981-6661

2 - Organization Deputy Public Works Director

Andrew Clough (510) 981-6661

3 - Legal Authority Deputy Public Works Director Andrew Clough (510) 981-6661 4 - Operation and Maintenance Program Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479 5 - Design and Performance Provisions Manager of Engineering, Public Works Jeffrey L. Egeberg (510) 981-6400 6 - Overflow Emergency Response Plan Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479 7 - FOG Control Program Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479 8 - System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan Manager of Engineering, Public Works Jeffrey L. Egeberg (510) 981-6400 9 - Monitoring, Measurement, and Program Modifications Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479

10 - SSMP Audits Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479 11 - Communications Program Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Kem Loong Jr. (510) 981-6479

Section 3.

Legal Authority

3.1.

Introduction

This section of the SSMP presents the City’s legal authority to comply with the SSMP requirements, as provided in its Municipal Code and agreements with other agencies.

3.2.

Regulatory Requirements for Legal Authority Element of SSMP

The summarized requirements for the Legal Authority element of the SSMP are:

3.2.1.

The City must demonstrate that it has the legal authority (through ordinances, service agreements, and other binding procedures) to control infiltration and inflow (I/I) from satellite collection systems and private service laterals; require proper design, construction, installation, testing, and inspection of new and rehabilitated sewers and laterals; and enforce violation of ordinances.

3.2.2.

The City must demonstrate, through collection system use ordinances, service agreements, or other legally binding procedures, that it possesses the necessary legal authority to:

(a) Prevent illicit discharges into its wastewater collection system (examples may include infiltration and inflow, storm water, chemical dumping, unauthorized debris and cut roots, etc.);

(b) Require that sewers and connections be properly designed and constructed;

(c) Ensure access for maintenance, inspection, or repairs for portions of the lateral owned or maintained by the City;

(d) Limit the discharge of fats, oils, and grease and other debris that may cause blockages, and (e) Enforce any violation of its sewer ordinances.

The FOG Control section of the GWDR includes the requirement for two additional legal authorities: (f) Authority to inspect grease producing dischargers; and

(g) Authority to enforce sewer-related ordinances.

3.3.

Municipal Code

The Berkeley Municipal Code and the California Plumbing Code, which has been adopted by the City, provides the bases for the City’s legal authorities. The City’s legal authorities are also provided by its NPDES Permit (No. CA0038466) and the EBMUD Ordinances and Regulations. The City’s current legal authorities are summarized on Table 3-1.

Table 3-1: Legal Authority

Requirement

Legal Authority Reference

General

Prevent illicit discharges into the wastewater collection system 17.16.020 Limit the discharge of fats, oils, and grease and other debris that may

cause blockages

17.16.020

Require that sewers and connections be properly designed and constructed

17.16.050

Require proper installation, testing, and inspection of new and rehabilitated sewers

17.16.050

Control infiltration and inflow (I/I) from satellite sewer systems None

Laterals

Clearly define City responsibility 17.24.020

Ensure access for maintenance, inspection, or repairs for portions of the sewer service lateral owned or maintained by the City

None

Control infiltration and inflow (I/I) from private service laterals 17.06.020 17.24.030 17.24.050

FOG Source Control

Requirements to install grease removal devices (such as traps or interceptors), design standards for the grease removal devices, maintenance requirements, best management practices (BMP) requirements, record keeping and reporting requirements

EBMUD Ordinance No. 311A-03

Authority to inspect grease producing facilities EBMUD Ordinance No. 311A-03

Enforcement

Enforce any violation of its sewer ordinances Chapter 1.20

There are two areas where the City’s legal authority does not meet the requirements of the GWDR. The City will act to amend its Municipal Code to provide access for maintenance, inspection, or repairs for portions of the sewer service lateral owned or maintained by the City by July 1, 2010. The City will pursue agreements with its satellite sewer systems with the goal of establishing limits on the peak flows discharged to the City’s sewer system facilities following the establishment of capacity flow limits for the City’s discharge to EBMUD. The capacity flow limits are anticipated in 2012 at the earliest.

Section 4.

Operations and Maintenance Program

4.1.

Introduction

This section of the SSMP provides an overview of the City’s sewer system operations and maintenance (O&M) program.

4.2.

Regulatory Requirements for Measures and Activities (O&M)

Element of SSMP

4.2.1.

(a) Maintain up-to-date maps of the wastewater collection system facilities;

(b) Allocate adequate resources for the operations, maintenance and repair of the collection system;

(c) Prioritize preventive maintenance activities;

(d) Identify and prioritize structural deficiencies and implement a program of short-term and long-term actions to address them;

(e) Provide contingency equipment to handle emergencies, and spare/replacement parts intended to minimize equipment/facility downtime;

(f) Provide training on a regular basis for staff in collection system operations, maintenance, and monitoring; and

(g) Implement an outreach program to educate commercial entities involved in sewer construction or maintenance about the proper practices for preventing blockages in private laterals. This requirement can be met by participating in a region-wide outreach program.

4.2.2.

The summarized requirements for the Operations and Maintenance Program are:

1. Maintain an up-to-date map of the sanitary sewer system, showing all gravity line segments and manholes, pumping facilities, pressure pipes and valves, and applicable storm water conveyance facilities;

2. Describe routine preventive operation and maintenance activities by staff and contractors, including a system for scheduling regular maintenance and cleaning of the sanitary sewer system with more frequent cleaning and maintenance targeted at known problem areas. The preventative maintenance (PM) program should have a system to document scheduled and conducted activities, such as work orders;

3. Develop a rehabilitation and replacement plan to identify and prioritize system deficiencies and implement short-term and long-term rehabilitation actions to address each deficiency. The program should include regular visual and TV inspections of manholes and sewer pipes, and a system for ranking the condition of sewer pipes and scheduling rehabilitation. Rehabilitation and replacement should focus on sewer pipes that are at risk of collapse or prone to more frequent blockages due to pipe defects. Finally, the rehabilitation and replacement plan should include a capital improvement plan that addresses proper management and protection of the infrastructure assets. The plan shall include a time

schedule for implementing the short-term and long-term plans plus a schedule for developing the funds needed for the capital improvement plan;

4. Provide training on a regular basis for staff in sanitary sewer system operations and maintenance, and require contractors to be appropriately trained; and

5. Provide equipment and replacement part inventories, including identification of critical replacement parts.

4.2.3.

The majority of the RWQCB and GWDR requirements for the Operations and Maintenance Program element of the SSMP are in agreement. The following presents the GWDR requirements first. The RWQCB requirements that are not satisfied by the response to the GWDR requirements follow at the end of this section.

4.3.

Collection System Mapping

The City has a geographical information system (GIS) that includes the information for its wastewater collection system assets. The GIS information is available to appropriate City staff. The field crews use hard copy maps called Block Books. The hard copy maps are updated annually. Corrections that are identified by the field crews are entered on a single map set that is maintained in the office. Corrections and new facilities are incorporated into the maps during the annual update.

4.4.

Preventive Maintenance

The elements of the City’s sewer system O&M Program include proactive, preventive, and corrective maintenance of gravity sewers, and periodic inspection and preventive maintenance for the pump stations. The details of the City’s O&M programs are described in this section.

4.4.1.

The City proactively cleans its sewer system every six years, and it preventively cleans sewers with a history of problems every 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. Two sewer cleaning crews are assigned to these activities. The City’s standard operating procedure for sewer cleaning is included as Appendix 4-A. The City uses closed circuit television (CCTV) for troubleshooting and to identify the causes of blockage and SSOs. One CCTV crew is assigned to these activities.

The City has one sewer repair crew to correct problems identified by the CCTV or sewer cleaning crews. Repairs are completed in priority order.

The wastewater collection system staff maintains a list of known structural deficiencies. This list is maintained in priority order. High priority structural deficiencies are repaired as soon as possible by the City’s sewer repair crew or by an outside contractor.

Gravity sewer preventive maintenance is currently scheduled using lists of line segments and lower laterals that require more frequent cleaning. System-wide gravity sewer maintenance is scheduled using Block Maps. Completed gravity sewer and lower lateral maintenance is recorded using work orders. The completed work is recorded in the City’s computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) starting in March 2009.

4.4.2.

The City conducts a weekly operational inspection of its pump stations. The wet well is cleaned every four months. Mechanical and electrical equipment preventive maintenance is scheduled annually.

4.4.3.

Non-routine maintenance activities include investigation and response to any complaints regarding a manhole overflow, missing or shifted manhole covers, manhole covers that are excessively noisy, residential plumbing troubles, pump station malfunction, unexpected sewer odor, etc. Sewer complaints received by the Public Works Department are investigated and appropriate actions are taken to resolve the source of the problem.

4.5.

Rehabilitation and Replacement Plan

The City’s rehabilitation and replacement program is driven by its ongoing gravity sewer condition assessment effort based on CCTV. The City has rehabilitated approximately 170 miles of gravity sewers (63%) and 68 miles of lower laterals (52%). The City has budgeted a total of $1.13 million for FY 2010 and FY 2011 for CCTV inspection. This rate of expenditure is expected to result in completing the inspection of all of the older gravity sewers within five years. The information gathered during the condition assessment will be used to select gravity sewers for repair/ rehabilitation/replacement.

The City has an annual sewer rehabilitation and replacement program to rehabilitate or replace the portions of its wastewater collection system where conditions warrant. The projects that are included in the City’s Capital Improvement Program are shown in Appendix 4-B.

The funds that support the Capital Improvement Program come from the City’s Sewer Fund. The sewer fund is an enterprise fund and sewer fees are established to meet projected needs.

4.6.

Training Program

4.6.1.

The City uses a combination of in-house classes; on-the-job training; and conferences, seminars, and other training opportunities to train its wastewater collection system staff.

In most cases, equipment and operations training is initially provided by the vendor or manufacturer of the equipment. Ongoing technical training is provided through on-the-job training and rotation among the different maintenance crews and equipment. The City also relies on regional and statewide training available through seminars and conferences. The training resources are shown on Table 4-1.

4.6.2.

The City’s contract language requires contractors working in the wastewater collection system to provide training for their employees regarding the potential to cause SSOs.

The City construction specifications require that all contractors and subcontractors be experienced with sanitary sewer work and that they fully comply with all laws, regulations, and standards governing sewer work, sanitation, and public health.

Table 4-1: Training Resources (Conferences, Seminars, and Materials)

Sponsor Event Timeframe Reference

Bay Area Clean Water Agencies

Collection System Committee Monthly _{http://www.bacwa.org}

State Conference April

Northern Regional Training Conference

September California Water

Environment Association

San Francisco Bay Section Collection System Committee

Quarterly

www.cwea.org

California State

University, Sacramento

Videos, manuals, home study

courses www.owp.csus.edu

4.7.

Equipment and Parts Inventory

The list of the major equipment that City uses in the operation and maintenance of its sewer system is included in Appendix 4-C.

The City is developing a Critical Replacement Parts List. It is also developing a Replacement Parts Inventory Procedure. The list and the procedure will be added as Appendix 4-D when complete. The planned completion date is December 31, 2009.

4.8.

Resources

The City’s Public Works Department resources that are allocated to the maintenance of the wastewater collection system facilities are shown on Table 4-2. The City uses contractors to perform specific tasks such as CCTV condition assessment. The contractor labor is not reflected in Table 4-2. The major equipment to support the maintenance activities is listed in Appendix 4-C. The City’s current resources are judged to be adequate.

4.9.

Outreach Program

The City is participating in the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies region-wide outreach program to inform sewer cleaning and plumbing contractors of the potential for their work to cause SSOs.

Table 4-2: Collection System Maintenance Resources

Position/Activity FTEs

Public Works Maintenance Superintendent 0.25

Public Works Senior Supervisor 1.0

Public Works Supervisor 1.0

Field Crews 20.0

Total* 22.3

Appendix 4-A:

Standard Operating Procedure for Sewer

Cleaning

Purpose

The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure is to ensure that sewer cleaning is performed in a manner that will produce a high quality work product. Quality is important because it ensures that the sanitary sewers will not experience problems prior to their next scheduled cleaning.

Goal

The goal of cleaning a gravity sewer is to restore the flow area to 95% of the original flow area of the pipe.

Required Equipment and Tools

1. Personal protective equipment (hardhat, steel toe boots, gloves, eye/face protection, hearing protection)

2. Calibrated gas detector

3. Proper safety cones, barricades, flagging, signs, or other traffic control devices 4. Confined space equipment (tripod, harness, and ventilation blower)

5. Block Books (sanitary sewer system maps) 6. Combo sewer cleaner

7. Warthog sewer cleaning nozzle

8. Six-wire skid (“proofer”) in sizes that will be encountered during the day 9. Root saw

10. Debris traps in the sizes that will be encountered during the day 11. Manhole hook or pick-axe

12. Measuring wheel 13. Disinfectant

Required Forms

1. Cleaning Work Order 2. Pre-Trip Inspection Form 3. Injury/Damage Report Form

Procedures for Sewer Cleaning Crew

Prior to Leaving the Yard

1. Plan the work so that it starts in the upstream portion of the area and moves downstream. Wherever possible, plan to clean sewers from the downstream manhole.

3. If this is the first day that this cleaning unit is being used this week, inspect the first 200 feet of hose and couplings for damage or wear.

At the Jobsite

1. Wear proper personnel protective equipment (PPE). 2. Fill the water tank at or near the first jobsite.

3. Determine and confirm location of upstream and downstream manholes (use street addresses, if possible).

4. Look for any overhead utilities that may come into contact with the vacuum boom during the cleaning operation.

5. Set up proper traffic control by placing traffic signs, flags, cones and other traffic control devices.

6. Move the cleaning unit into the traffic control so that the hose reel is positioned over the manhole.

7. Open the manhole and use the gas detector to determine if it is safe to proceed with the cleaning operation.

8. Install the Warthog nozzle on the hose.

Cleaning Operation

1. Insert the debris trap. 2. Start the auxiliary engine.

3. Lower the hose, with a guide or roller to protect the hose, into the manhole and direct it into the sewer to be cleaned.

4. Start the high pressure pump and set the engine speed to provide adequate pressure for the sewer cleaning operation.

5. Open the water valve and allow the hose to proceed up the sewer. The hose speed should not exceed 3 feet per minute.

6. Allow the hose to proceed 25% of the length of the sewer and pull the hose back. 7. Observe the nature and the quantity of debris pulled back to the manhole.

8. If there is little or no debris, allow the hose to proceed to the upstream manhole.

9. If there is moderate to heavy debris, clean the remaining portion of the sewer in steps not to exceed 25% of the length of the sewer.

10. Open the upstream manhole and verify that the nozzle is at or past the manhole. 11. The sewer has been adequately cleaned when:

• Successive passes with a cleaning nozzle do not produce any additional debris; and • The sewer is able to pass a full size, six-wire skid (“proofer”) for its entire length.

12. Determine the nature and quantity of the debris removed during the cleaning operation. Use the codes in Table 4-A-1 to report the nature and quantity of debris. Figure 4-A-1 is an excerpt from the CWEA “Hydroflush Best Practices Manual” publication and sets guidelines for coding debris found during field work.

Table 4-A-1: Criterion for Coding Debris Found During Cleaning

Type of Debris

Clear

(no debris) Light Moderate Heavy

Sand, grit, rock CLR DL DM DH

Grease CLR GL GM GH

Roots CLR RL RM RH

Other (specify) CLR OL OM OH

13. Remove the debris from the manhole using the vacuum unit. 14. Rewind the hose on the reel.

15. Remove the debris trap.

16. Clean the mating surface and close the manhole. Ensure that the manhole is properly seated. 17. Enter the results on the Work Order.

18. Move the cleaning unit and break down and stow the traffic controls. 19. Proceed to the next cleaning jobsite.

At the End of the Day

1. Inspect the equipment and tools for problems.

2. Report any problems with equipment, tools, or sewers that were cleaned during the day to the Supervisor.

Figure 4-A-1: Excerpt from CWEA publication, “Hydroflush Best Practices Manual”

Standard Measures of Observed Results

Next to cleaning the sewer line, effective observation of results is the most important work product of the crew. This information is the basis for defining future maintenance activities. Consistency is important. The standards for “results” for six- and eight-inch diameter sewers are:

Clear Moderate Heavy

Grit No observable grit

Less than 5 gallons 15-20 minutes to clean 1-2 passes required Requires cleaning twice or less per year

Only fine grit

More than 5 gallons More than 30 minutes to clean

More than 4 passes required

Requires cleaning 4 times per year

Grease No observable grease

Small chunks/no “logs" 15-20 minutes to clean 1-2 passes required Requires cleaning twice or less per year

Big chunks/"logs” Operator concern for downstream plugging More than 30 minutes to clean

More than 4 passes required

Liquefied grease Vacuuming not required Vacuuming not required Roots No observable roots Thin/stringy roots present No large “clumps” 15-20 minutes to clean 1-2 passes required

Thick roots present Large “clumps"

More than 30 minutes to clean

More than 4 passes required

Other condition observations: - Pipe material fragments - Soil/dirt

- Rock (pipe bedding) - Lost nozzle

Appendix 4-B:

Capital Improvement Program

1985 I/I Compliance Projects 2,257,203 2,257,203 1,757,203 1,757,203

Sewer Back Lines 350,000 350,000 350,000 350,000

Sewer Emergencies 650,000 650,000 650,000 650,000

Sewer CCTV Assessment Projects 150,000 150,000 500,000 650,000 Fiscal Year Totals _{$5,664,406 $5,664,406 $5,514,406 $5,664,406} Note: See Berkeley Five Year Capital Improvement Budget, Sewer Replacement, for project details.

Appendix 4-C:

Major Sewer System Equipment

Number of Units Equipment Type

3 Combination Sewer Cleaning Units 1 Power Rodding Unit

Appendix 4-D:

Critical Sewer System Replacement Parts

Inventory

Inventory/Condition Checked by: __________________________ Inventory Date: ___________

Part Description

Quantity in

Section 5.

Design and Performance Provisions

5.1.

Introduction

This element of the SSMP presents the City’s Design and Construction Standards.

5.2.

Regulatory Requirements for Design and Performance

Provisions Element of SSMP (Design and Construction

Standards)

The summarized requirements for the Design and Performance Provisions element of the SSMP, which includes Design and Construction Standards, are:

5.2.1.

The Collection System Agency shall identify minimum design and construction standards and specifications for the installation, rehabilitation and repair of new and existing sewer systems. The Collection System Agency must evaluate if the existing design standards are appropriate and up-to-date. If the Collection System Agency believes its current standards are appropriate, the Collection System Agency can refer to existing documentation.

The Collection System Agency shall identify procedures and standards for inspecting and testing the installation of new sewers, pump stations, and other appurtenances; and for rehabilitation and repair projects. As with design and construction standards, the SSMP should refer to existing documentation if standards for inspection and testing are already in place.

5.2.2.

The Enrollee must have design and construction standards and specifications for the installation of new sewer systems and for the rehabilitation and repair of existing sewer systems.

The Enrollee must also have procedures and standards for inspecting and testing the installation of new sewers, pump stations, and other appurtenances; and for rehabilitation and repair projects.

5.3.

Standard Specifications for Wastewater Facilities

The City’s standards pertaining to the design, construction, and inspection of gravity sewer systems, sewer force mains, and other facilities to be operated and maintained by the City consist of the standards included in Appendix 5-A, the California Plumbing Code, the City of Berkeley/East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Standard Specifications, and the Standard Specifications for Public Works Projects by Public Works Standards, Inc., also known as the Greenbook.

Appendix 5-A:

Design Standards for Sanitary Sewers

Sewer Mains – General

The City is fully developed (e.g. there are no vacant lots) and the majority of the current and future sewer system design and construction projects consist of rehabilitation of the existing sewers. The City will use the “Greenbook” Standard Specifications for Sanitary Sewer Design for the design of its rehabilitation projects.

The design of new sewers shall conform to the City of Berkeley Design Standards, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Standard Specifications, and the “Greenbook” Standard Specifications for Sanitary Sewer Design.

Materials

Gravity sewers and laterals shall be Cast Iron Pipe, Extra Strength Vitrified Clay Pipe (VCP) or High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, with a minimum standard diameter ratio (SDR) of 21. Other materials may be used based on site conditions.

Sewer force mains shall be Ductile Iron pipe or HDPE SDR-17. Use the same pipe material from structure to structure.

Alignment

Horizontal

• Conform to the State of California, Department of Health Services, “Criteria for Separation of Water and Sanitary Sewer”.

• Horizontal separation from storm drains or other sewer mains shall be a minimum of five feet clear between pipes except at crossings.

• Horizontal separation from other utilities, such as gas, underground electric, underground television cable, etc., shall be a minimum of four feet clear between the pipes except at crossings.

• Horizontal curves in gravity sewer mains are not allowed.

• All sewer main trenches that are parallel to and deeper than the footing of any adjacent structure must be at least 45 degrees from the footing as required in the Uniform Plumbing code.

Vertical

• Conform to the State of California, Department of Health Services, “Criteria for Separation of Water and Sanitary Sewer.”

• Provide a minimum of six inches of vertical separation from storm drains or other utilities, such as gas, underground electric, underground television cable, etc. When the minimum cannot be maintained, plans shall indicate installation of felt expansion material or equivalent between facilities. To protect the sewer main from distorting under extreme loads, other measures, such as concrete encasement or ductile iron pipe, may be utilized.

Pipe Sizing Criteria

Design Flow

The design flows shall be based on the following criteria:

A. The average daily wastewater flow, in gallons per day (GPD) shall be: Single Family Residential 280 GPD per unit

Multi-Family Residential 200 GPD per unit

Commercial 1,750 GPD per net acre

Industrial 2,450 GPD per net acre

School 20 GPD per student

Park and Open Space 170 GPD per net acre

B. The capacity of the sewer shall be 3 times the average daily wastewater flow from a. above. C. Sewers that connect to existing sewers shall be designed to carry infiltrated water in addition

to the volumes above.

Design Velocity

Gravity sewers shall maintain a minimum velocity of 2 fps when the pipe is flowing full.

For the analysis of existing or proposed sewer systems, use the Manning Equation. Manning’s Equation is:

where:

V is the velocity of flow measured in feet per second.

r represents the hydraulic radius of the wetted cross-section of the pipe measured in feet. It is obtained by dividing the flow area by the length of the wetted perimeter.

s represents the slope of the energy gradient. It is numerically equal to the slope of the invert and the hydraulic surface in uniform flow.

A represents the cross-sectional area of the flowing water in square feet. Q is the quantity of flow measured in cubic feet per second.

n is the coefficient of roughness which is used in Manning’s Equation to calculate flow in a pipe. The following Manning’s roughness coefficients shall be applied for all design: For new pipe: n = 0.012 For existing pipe: n = 0.014

Pipe Size

Minimum Pipe Size

The minimum main sewer pipe size is 8-inch diameter.

The minimum lower lateral pipe from a single-family house is 4-inch diameter. The size of the lower lateral pipe serving an apartment building or a large complex shall be determined by estimating the peak flows and using the peak flow to size the pipe. This is accomplished by counting units and plumbing fixtures as the basis for the flow estimate.

Minimum Pipe Slope

The minimum pipe slope for gravity sewers is listed as follows:

Pipe Size,

inches Minimum Slope, ft/ft

8 0.0035 10 0.0025 12 0.0020 15 0.0015

Sewer Main and Lateral Pipe Trench Cover and Bedding

• Cover is the distance from the top of the pipe to final finished grade measured directly over the pipe.

• Minimum cover for all sewer mains and laterals shall be 36 inches.

• Where cover is less than 36 inches, special construction techniques must be approved such as concrete encasement, use of ductile iron pipe, concrete cap over the trench or the use of controlled density fill (CDF).

• Compaction for the new sewer trench must have a relative compaction test of 90% in unpaved area and a minimum of 95% relative compaction test in the vehicular traffic area. • Sewer pipe bedding shall be imported and a mixture of combined mineral aggregates.

• Trench cover or a backfill material shall conform to either its native material or an imported material to compaction test.

Connection to an Existing Sewer Main

A. Connect new mains to existing at existing manholes or by constructing a new manhole over the point of connection. Elevations of mains connecting to existing sewer mains shall be as follows:

• Side sewer mains connecting to an existing main at an angle of 30 degrees or greater shall be at least 0.1 foot higher than existing.

• Connect sewer mains so that the crown of the smaller main is no lower than the crown of the larger main.

B. Where laterals are the same size as the main, connection must be made with a manhole. Use a wye for all other lateral connections.

Manholes and Rodding Inlets

• A manhole is required at every horizontal or vertical change in alignment. • Maximum distance between manholes is 300 feet.

• A manhole is required at the end of every main in excess of 200 feet in length.

• Rodding inlets may be installed in lieu of manholes at the end of a sewer main where the distance is less than 200 feet to the nearest manhole and the main size is 10-inch or less. • The manhole shall be designed such that the angle in the horizontal plain between the

downstream and any incoming sewer is a minimum of 90 degrees.

• Stubs provided out of manholes for future extensions shall have rodding inlets provided when more than one length of pipe is installed or where service laterals are connected to the stub. • Private sewer mains must connect to the public main at a manhole.

• Standard drop manhole installations are required when the difference in elevation between the incoming and outgoing sewer is greater than 2 feet.

• Manholes shall have a minimum barrel of 48 inches for sewer pipe 30 inches and less.

Sewer Laterals

• The minimum sewer lateral size is 4-inch.

• The minimum slope of sewer laterals is 2 percent or ¼-inch per foot for 4-inch laterals. • All sewer laterals, from property line or edge of easement to the point of connection with the

main line or a manhole, shall generally be perpendicular to the curb alignment or easement and will have an angle of intersection with the downstream section of sewer of no less than 90 degrees.

• No lateral alignments adverse to the flow of the main will be permitted. • Lateral connections must be accessible and easy to locate.

Abandonment

A. Any existing sewer mains and service laterals that will not be used shall be abandoned and the following must be noted on the plans:

Sewer mains that are to be abandoned shall be securely closed at all pipe ends with a cap or at manholes with a concrete plug. Further, mains 12-inch and larger must be filled with a sand slurry or other suitable material.

B. Manholes to be abandoned shall require removal of upper portion (down to 3 feet from finish grade) and perforation of the bottom either by using jack hammer or any tools or equipments and shall be filled with backfill material and compacted to 90 percent relative compaction.

Section 6.

Overflow Emergency Response Plan

6.1.

Introduction

6.1.1.

The purpose of the Overflow Emergency Response Plan (OERP) is to support an orderly and effective response to sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). The OERP provides guidelines for City personnel to follow in responding to, cleaning up, and reporting SSOs that may occur within the City’s service area.

6.2.

Regulatory Requirements for OERP Element of SSMP

6.2.1.

The collection system agency must develop an overflow emergency response plan that provides procedures for SSO notification, response, reporting, and impact mitigation.

6.2.2.

The collection system agency shall develop and implement an overflow emergency response plan that identifies measures to protect public health and the environment. At a minimum, this plan must include the following:

(a) Proper notification procedures so that the primary responders and regulatory agencies are informed of all SSOs in a timely manner;

(b) A program to ensure appropriate response to all overflows;

(c) Procedures to ensure prompt notification to appropriate regulatory agencies and other potentially affected entities (e.g. health agencies, regional water boards, water suppliers, etc.) of all SSOs that potentially affect public health or reach the waters of the State in accordance with the Monitoring and Reporting Program (MRP). All SSOs shall be reported in accordance with this MRP, the California Water Code, other State Law, and other applicable Regional Water Board Waste Discharge Requirements or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements. The Sewer System Management Plan should identify the officials who will receive immediate notification;

(d) Procedures to ensure that appropriate staff and contractor personnel are aware of and follow the Emergency Response Plan and are appropriately trained;

(e) Procedures to address emergency operations, such as traffic and crowd control and other necessary response activities; and

(f) A program to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to contain untreated wastewater and prevent discharge of untreated wastewater to waters of the United States and minimize or correct any adverse impact on the environment resulting from the SSOs, including such accelerated or additional monitoring as may be necessary to determine the nature and impact of the discharge.

6.3.

Goals

The City’s goals with respect to responding to SSOs are: • Respond quickly to minimize the volume of the SSO; • Eliminate the cause of the SSO;

• Contain the spilled wastewater to the extent feasible; • Minimize public contact with the spilled wastewater; • Mitigate the impact of the SSO; and

• Meet the regulatory reporting requirements.

6.4.

SSO Detection

The processes that are employed to notify the City of the occurrence of an SSO include observation by the public, receipt of an alarm, or observation by City staff during the normal course of their work.

6.4.1.

Public observation is the most common way that the City is notified of blockages and spills. Contact information for reporting sewer spills and backups is in the phone book and on the City’s website: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us. The City’s telephone number for reporting sewer problems is (510) 981-6620. The City is in the process of adding the reporting sewer spills and backups to its 3-1-1 system.

6.4.1.1. Normal Work Hours

The City’s regular working hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except holidays. When a report of a sewer spill or backup is made during normal work hours, the Public Works Customer Service Call Center receives the call, takes the information from the caller, and communicates it to the field crew.

The information regarding the service call is documented in a log book. 6.4.1.2. After Hours

Service calls are forwarded to the Answering Service who receives the call, takes the information from the caller, and communicates it to the City’s Swing Shift (until 9:30 p.m.) or the Public Works Standby Crew.

The Answering Service confirms receipt of the service call with the pertinent information received from the caller in a daily log that is sent to Public Works Customer Service.

6.4.2.

City staff conducts periodic inspections of its sewer system facilities as part of their routine activities. Any problems noted with the sewer system facilities are reported to appropriate City staff who, in turn, respond to emergency situations. Work orders are issued to correct non-emergency conditions.

6.4.3.

Pump station alarms are transmitted via autodialer to the City’s Emergency Communication Center. The information is communicated to field crews or standby personnel for response as described above.

6.5.

SSO Response Procedures

Sewer service calls are considered high priority events that demand a prompt response. The notification and response procedure flow chart is shown in Figure 6-1.

6.5.1.

The first responder’s priorities are: • To follow safe work practices.

• To respond promptly with the appropriate equipment. • To contain the spill wherever feasible.

• To restore the flow as soon as practicable.

• To minimize public access to and/or contact with the spilled sewage.

• To promptly notify the Public Works Senior Supervisor or Public Works Supervisor (working hours) or the On Call Supervisor (after hours) in event of major SSO.

• To return the spilled sewage to the sewer system.

• To restore the area to its original condition (or as close as possible).

6.5.2.

The first responder is responsible for following safety procedures at all times. Special safety precautions must be observed when performing sewer work.

There may be times when City personnel responding to a sewer system event are not familiar with potential safety hazards peculiar to sewer work. In such cases it is appropriate to take the time to discuss safety issues, consider the order of work, and check safety equipment before starting the job.