Minutes 04/10/2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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April 10, 2012 Background: • The City of Portsmouth collects and conveys sanitary sewage to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) for treatment. HRSD, the City, and 12 other localities in Hampton Roads are under a Consent Order to reduce and eliminate wet weather overflows in the sewer systems. • In working to resolve these issues and comply with the consent order, each locality and HRSD are developing individual plans. The potential to develop a more cost effective regional solution by having a single regional entity has been identified as a possibility. • Consolidation of separate sanitary sewer collection systems into a single regional system has the potential to reduce total operation and maintenance costs for the entire region in addition to the capital costs necessary to comply with the consent order. Discussion: • Approval of the resolution will include Portsmouth in the regional study. HRSD is underwriting the entire expense. • Participation in the study does not obligate the City to any course of action. A thorough evaluation of the study by Staff and Council will be a part of the process. • The study is contingent upon a delay in the requirements of the Consent Order so that we can focus our attention on participation in the study and not continue pursuing potential solutions that are not regionally cost-effective. EPA and DEQ will have to give their consent to such a delay. Financial impact: • No City funds are involved. Recommended Action: • Adoption of the resolution. Vision Principles: Change and New Directions; Efficient, Responsive Government. Next Steps Following Council Action: • Staff will provide necessary information and participate in the study process to ensure full and complete information is provided and considered. Motion by Mr. Edmonds, and seconded by Mr. Heretick, to adopt the following resolution, and was adopted by the following vote: "RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN AN HRSD-FUNDED STUDY OF FURTHER REGIONALIZATION OF SANITARY SEWER SERVICE AND ASSETS. WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth owns and operates a sanitary sewer collection system directly connected to the regional sanitary sewer system owned and operated by the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia; and WHEREAS, the HRSD and thirteen of the seventeen localities within Hampton Roads entered into a Special Order by Consent with the State Water Control Board on September 26, 2007 ("the Order") for the purpose of resolving certain alleged violations of environmental laws and regulations; and WHEREAS, in the course of planning actions to meet the requirements of the Order, the potential to develop a more cost effective set of actions to satisfy the requirements of the Order through consolidation of sanitary sewer assets under a single regional entity has been identified; and WHEREAS, consolidation of all sanitary sewer assets directly connected to HRSD has the potential to reduce total sanitary sewer operation and maintenance costs for the Hampton Roads region in addition to the potential capital cost savings for the Hampton Roads regional ratepayers within the localities under the Order; and