Title
Staff Report for Ordinance to Amend City of San Leandro Municipal Code Title 3, Chapter 14, Section 3-14-800 to Reflect Current Residential Wastewater Characteristics
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
San Leandro Municipal Code Title 3, Chapter 14, Article 8, Section 800(a) contains specific details of wastewater characteristics for residential customers and states that these characteristics are used to calculate sewer fees for all other customers. On May 6, 2019, the City Council accepted the results of the recently completed Wastewater Utility Financial Plan and Rates Study as prepared by Municipal Financial Services. This study investigated wastewater usage and characteristics of residential, commercial and industrial users and found that these characteristics have changed since the Municipal Code was last amended.
Staff recommends that the City Council pass the Ordinance to ensure the Municipal Code accurately reflects current sewer rates and policies.
BACKGROUND
Proposition 218, passed by the voters in 1996, requires that sewer charges be commensurate with the actual cost of providing the service. To ensure compliance with Proposition 218 as well as maintain a fair fee structure, City staff engaged Municipal Financial Services to investigate the wastewater characteristics and calculate appropriate fees. The study looked at three wastewater characteristics: the volume of water used, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and the total suspended solids (TSS).
The used water usage data was from East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), actual data from large industrial users, and published industry standards to find the current average wastewater discharge from both single-family and multiple-family residences. The study found that wastewater volume for a single-family residence is 145 gallons per day and the volume for a multiple-family residence is 121 gallons per day. In addition, it found that BOD for both single-family and multiple-family is 300 milligrams per liter (mg/l) and total suspended solids is 320 mg/l. These figures are the current best estimates for wastewater usage and were the basis for updating the sewer service charges.
In addition, the Municipal Code specifies milligrams per liter for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and oil and grease. These characteristics were not studied and were not used to calculate fees. Staff recommends these be removed from the Municipal Code because they may not be accurate and are superfluous.
Finally, the Code states that “the charges and fees established for industrial users shall be based upon the measured or estimated constituents and characteristics of that user which may include, but are not limited to, BOD, COD, TSS, oil and grease, chlorine demand and volume.” Since currently only BOD, TSS and volume are currently used, staff recommends removing references to COD, oil and grease and chlorine from this section of the Code. Because the Code says “not limited to,” these terms may be used without further action by the City Council.
Previous Actions
• May 6, 2019: City Council approved Resolution 19-225 accepting the Wastewater Utility Financial Plan and Rates Study
Attachments to Staff Report
• Red-lined version of proposed amendment to the City of San Leandro Municipal Code
Attachments to Related Legislative Files
• Attached to Ordinance 19-375
PREPARED BY: Justin Jenson, Plant Manager and Hayes Morehouse, Administrative Analyst, Public Works Department