Title
In-kind Project Associated with Water and Wastewater Systems Consent Order No. 03-1591 (B)
Explanation
On December 8, 2003, the City Commission authorized the General Manager or his designee to execute a Consent Order with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in resolution of matters associated with releases of wastewater, including the 34th Street force main break occurring on or about July 30, 2003. Contained within this consent order is an optional provision that would allow penalty moneys to be applied towards a beneficial in-kind project. GRU has sought to identify such a project that would allow these funds to be utilized locally to provide environmental benefit to Gainesville's urban creeks systems.
For several years, GRU has worked with the FDEP, the City of Gainesville Public Works Department (COGPWD), Alachua County Health Department (ACHD), and the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department (ACEPD) to seek out and eliminate sources of high fecal coliform counts in Gainesville's urban creeks. Even with extensive sampling and integrity testing of the wastewater systems near these creeks, the identification of persistent sources of fecal coliforms has been elusive. In efforts to seek out new methodologies to assist in the search, GRU has identified relatively new and innovative biological source tracking techniques (BST) that can distinguish between the DNA of human and non-human fecal coliforms. Combined with GIS based land use assessments within the creek watersheds, this data could provide the sharpened focus needed to identify and eliminate sources of fecal coliforms. This data can also be utilized by the FDEP in establishing appropriate fecal coliform Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reductions for Gainesville's urban creeks.
GRU has been working with CH2M Hill, one of the firms under contract with GRU, to outline a proposed plan of study due to the firm's extensive staff knowledge of the application of BST techniques and of the City of Gainesville's Urban Creek Systems. This study will be performed by CH2M Hill pursuant to a task assignment issued under its existing master contract and will be conducted in cooperation with the FDEP, COGPWD, ACHD, and the ACEPD and will utilize information and data collected by these various agencies. Additionally, results from the 48 creek sites GRU is sampling in accordance with the consent order will be utilized. Presentations will be made to the City of Gainesville Water Management Advisory Committee (WMAC) and the Alachua County Environmental Protection Advisory Committee to communicate study findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The cost of this comprehensive three phase study will be approximately $250,000, which includes consulting fees, sampling labor, and laboratory analyses for numerous test sites within Hogtown Creek, Tumblin Creek, and Sweetwater Branch. The sum of $45,250, representing the majority of the penalty due under the terms of the Consent Order will be applied to the total cost. The FDEP has reviewed the proposed study plan and has approved it as an in-kind project for Consent Order No. 03-1591.
Recommendations
The City Commission: 1) hear a staff presentation; 2) receive a report entitled "Tracking and Investigating Microbial Sources in Gainesville's Urban Creeks Study" and 3) authorize implementation of the proposed in-kind project.
Fiscal Note
Moneys for this project are available in the FY 2003-2004 Water and Wastewater Budget.
Drafter
Prepared By: Robert D. McVay, Assistant General Manager for Water/Wastewater Systems
Submitted By: Michael L. Kurtz, General Manager