RES-9618 Encouraging OCSD to Provide Full Secondary Treatment of Sewege EffluentRESOLUTION NO. 9618
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ORANGE ENCOURAGING THE ORANGE
COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT TO PROVIDE
FULL SECONDARY TREATMENT OF SEWAGE
EFFLUENT.
WHEREAS, the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act (the "Act") was enacted to "restore
and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation's waters"; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) has provided sewage
collection, treatment, and disposal services to Orange County for 50 years and currently
serves approximately 2.35 million residents in 21 Orange County cities, including Orange;
and
WHEREAS, OCSD disperses treated sewage wastewater into the ocean off
Huntington Beach through a five-mile long outfall pipe which extends to a depth of200
feet;
and WHEREAS, due to operating and treatment efficiencies OCSD has, since 1985,
been treating wastewater under a "301(h) waiver", which allows for the release of ocean
discharge that contains higher levels of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and greater Biological
Oxygen Demand (BOD) than otherwise allowed under the Act;
and WHEREAS, OCSD is the third largest wastewater agency west of the
Mississippi and releases approximately 250 million gallons of sewage wastewater into the ocean
each day;
and WHEREAS, OCSD is one of only 36 sewage treatment facilities
nationwide operating under a 301(h) waiver;
and vHEREAS, Orange County's beaches are an important economic and
recreational resource for all residents throughout Orange County and the elimination of potential
sources of beach contamination is an important public health and economic goal for the region;
and WHEREAS, the beaches of Orange County have experienced numerous closings
due to ocean borne contaminants over the last several years, resulting in the loss of
recreational use of the ocean and economic losses to the Orange County region;
and WHEREAS, beach closures due to contamination potentially result from a variety
of contaminated sources, including but not limited to, urban runoff, illegal discharges,
local sewer leaks, storm water runoff, ocean wastewater discharges and wildlife sources;
WHEREAS, studies to determine the exact cause of beach closures have been
inconclusive and are complicated by variations in water temperature, currents, tides, wave
action, runoff amounts and numerous other factors; and
WHEREAS, the health and economic benefits of addressing ocean wastewater
discharges as a source of possible beach contamination justify public expenditures needed to
provide full secondary treatment of wastewater.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Orange recommends that OCSD and its Board of Directors proceed with the planning, design
and implementation of full secondary treatment of wastewater dispersed to the ocean.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orange
recommends that OCSD and its Board of Directors take the necessary steps to obviate the
need for the 301(h) waiver and urges OCSD to adopt a plan to provide full secondary
treatment as soon as is prudently possible.
ADOPTED this 28th day of May, 2002.
Mark
ATTEST:
Cass,mdra J. Cathc
I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the
City Council of the City of Orange at a regular meeting thereof held on the 28th day of May,
2002, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: SLATER, ALVAREZ. MURPHY, COONTZ, CAVECCHE
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
Cassandra J. Cathcart, ity Clerk of the City of Orange
Reso No. 9618 2 DAD:ajj