Board of Public Utilities

Council Chamber City of Santa Rosa 100 Santa Rosa Avenue Board of Public Utilities Regular Meeting Minutes - Final Thursday, August 15, 2024 1:30 PM 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Galvin called the meeting to order at 1:32 p.m. Present 6 - Chair Daniel Galvin III, Vice Chair William Arnone Jr., Board Member Lisa Badenfort, Board Member Duane De Witt, Board Member Christopher Grabill, and Board Member Glen Wright Absent 1 - Board Member Robin Bartholow 2 REMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED) None. 3. STATEMENTS OF ABSTENTION BY BOARD MEMBERS None. 4. STUDY SESSION None. 5. MINUTES APPROVAL None. 6. STAFF BRIEFINGS 6.1 INVESTING NOW TO SECURE OUR WATER FUTURE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN Staff will share the rollout of Santa Rosa Water's latest outreach campaign aimed at educating water customers about the value of water, the need to continually invest in our shared water infrastructure, and the role rate setting plays in ensuring a safe and reliable water future. The multi-media campaign highlights the people, the infrastructure, and the environmental stewardship that are necessary to deliver high quality water and sewer service to Santa Rosa. It will also include an overview of the rate setting process and how customers can stay informed. The Board may discuss this item and give direction to staff. Elise Miller,Communications Coordinator, presented and answered City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6 Board of Public Utilities Regular Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2024 Board Member questions. 6.2 2024 WILDFIRE PREPARATION Staff will update the Board on the Water Department’s wildfire preparedness efforts, including an update on projects that are improving our resiliency. The Board may discuss this item and give direction to staff. Joe Schiavone, Deputy Director -Water and Sewer Operations, presented and answered Board Member questions. 7. CONSENT ITEMS A motion was made by Board Member Grabill, seconded by Board Member Wright, to approve Consent Item 7.1. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Galvin III, Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort, Board Member De Witt, Board Member Grabill and Board Member Wright Absent: 1 - Board Member Bartholow 7.1 RESOLUTION - APPROVAL OF SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS FOR VARIOUS ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES FOR THE WATER PUMP STATION 9 ELECTRICAL UPGRADES PROJECT, CONTRACT NO. C02438 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department and Santa Rosa Water that the Board of Public Utilities, by resolution, approve the sole source contract specifications for various electrical equipment and services for the Water Pump Station 9 Electrical Upgrades project, Contract No. C02438. This Consent - Resolution was approved. 8. REPORT ITEMS 8.1 REPORT - ANNUAL STORM WATER ENTERPRISE CHARGES - MANNER OF COLLECTION BACKGROUND: The City of Santa Rosa is required under the federal City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6 Board of Public Utilities Regular Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2024 Clean Water Act to obtain and comply with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges from the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Storm Water Permit). To comply with the Storm Water Permit requirements and to control and reduce flooding, property damage, erosion, and storm water quality degradation in the City, the Council, in 1996, added Title 16 to the City Code, which created a Storm Water Enterprise and Utility (“Storm Water Enterprise”) as an agency of the City. Under Title 16, the City Council is authorized to prescribe and collect charges (special assessments) for the services and facilities of the Storm Water Enterprise. The amount of the annual charges of the Storm Water Enterprise for fiscal year 2024-25 were adopted by the City Council on June 18, 2024. This item only considers the manner in which the annual charges will be collected and not the amount of the fee. Staff recommends that the Board of Public Utilities recommend to City Council the Placement of Annual Storm Water Enterprise Charges on the Sonoma County Property Tax Roll. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by Santa Rosa Water that the Board of Public Utilities, by motion, recommend that City Council move forward with a Public Hearing on August 20, 2024, to adopt by 2/3 vote the Storm Water Enterprise Charge Report and approve placement of the Storm Water Enterprise charges on the Sonoma County Property Tax Roll, to be collected by the Sonoma County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector at the same time and in the same manner as Sonoma County property taxes are collected, unless those charges do not meet the County minimum of $10 and/or parcel owner contact information is known to be incorrect. Research and Program Coordinator Katie Robinson and Storm Water and Creeks Manager Claire Myers presented and answered Board Member questions. A motion was made by Board Member Wright, seconded by Board Member Grabill, to approve the recommendation that City Council move forward with a Public Hearing on August 20, 2024, to adopt by 2/3 vote the Storm Water Enterprise Charge Report and approve placement of the Storm Water Enterprise charges on the Sonoma County Property Tax Roll, to be collected by the Sonoma County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector at the same time and in the same manner as Sonoma County property taxes are collected, unless those charges do not meet the County City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6 Board of Public Utilities Regular Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2024 minimum of $10 and/or parcel owner contact information is known to be incorrect. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Galvin III, Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort, Board Member De Witt, Board Member Grabill and Board Member Wright Absent: 1 - Board Member Bartholow 9. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS None. 10. REFERRALS None. 11. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (AND POSSIBLE BOARD DISCUSSION) None. 12. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS None. 13. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS None. 14. DIRECTORS REPORTS Director Burke reported: On Friday, August 9th, at 7:50 AM, a 16” PVC water main on Carissa Ave broke. Our Senior Water Tech was on our Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and saw alarms coming from Water Pump Station 9 indicating low pressure in our water distribution Zone 9. At the same time we received the low pressure alarm it was noticed two pumps were on pumping water at a time that is highly unusual. Seeing that there was a problem he notified a Supervisor who immediately recognized these were indicators of a main break. These actions were taken shortly before we started to receive customer calls reporting a large leak on Carissa Ave. The Supervisor dispatched Water crews who arrived shortly to isolate the damaged main from the water City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6 Board of Public Utilities Regular Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2024 distribution system. The damaged water main was completely isolated by 8:38 AM. We lost a total of 922,600 gallons due to the main break. This 16” water main is the primary transmission line between Water Pump Station 9 and our two water tanks that feed the majority of the Bennett Valley area. Due to the loop fed distribution system, water was still able to be pumped from the station to the water storage tanks and supply all of our customers while repairs were being made. We sent multiple crews to start repair work, clean up, and environmental and water quality assessments. The water main was repaired by 9:30 PM that night. The repaired water main was flushed, and water samples were taken 24 hours apart to ensure the water was safe for consumption. The water main was returned to service Monday morning, August 12th. Some of our customers at the higher elevations of the water zone did lose water pressure for a short time. Because the distribution system lost pressure, we consulted with the State Water Resources Board, and they asked us to order a Boil Water Notice to the affected customers. Water employees hand-delivered the Boil Water Notice to the affected customers on the same day the water main break occurred. Once the water samples came back showing the water was safe for consumption on Sunday, August 11th, Water crews notified the customers that the Boil Water Notice was rescinded. The cause of the 16” PVC water main break appears to be improper bedding of the pipe. This main was installed in 2003 and was made with very durable material. The hills east of Summerfield Rd are made up of very rocky materials, and if the bedding is not the correct thickness, the pipe can rest on large rocks, causing damage. Arrearage Program Update: Confirmation was received from the State Water Resources Control Board that the closeout for Santa Rosa Water’s funding under the Water and Wastewater arrearages program has been successfully completed, with all compliance requirements having been met. This program successfully secured over $3 million in funding for Santa Rosa Water in compensation for Water and Wastewater billing arrearages accrued throughout the City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6 Board of Public Utilities Regular Meeting Minutes - Final August 15, 2024 COVID-19 pandemic. 15. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING Chair Galvin adjourned the meeting at 2:30 p.m. The next Board of Public Utilities meeting is scheduled for September 5, 2024. Approved on: September 5, 2024 __/S/_________________ Easter Ledesma Recording Secretary