YOU AND I & I
(INFLOW & INFILTRATION) There are two problems most people don’t know about until there’s a backup in the sewer system and raw sewage spills
What you can do to help prevent this … •
INSPECT your rain gutters, downspouts, and yard drains to see if they are connected to your sanitary sewer lateral. Such connections are illegal.
•
CHECK your sewer clean out (call a plumber if you are not sure where yours is). Make sure the cap to the clean out pipe is on and has not been damaged. Replace missing caps; otherwise, rain can get into the sewer line.
•
AVOID planting trees and shrubs, which can cause damage to your lateral, above or near the sewer lateral that runs from your home to the street.
•
REPLACE your sewer lateral if you have persistent problem with root intrusion or frequent blockages.
into the street, a home or business. Those two problems are called “inflow” and “infiltration.”
Inflow into sewer pipes can occur through rain falling
directly into open drains that are connected to the system, or through surface drains, such as rain gutters being
illegally connected to the collection system. By comparison, infiltration occurs when groundwater enters the sanitary sewer pipes through cracks and leaking joints. A vast
majority of the infiltration contribution is from faulty private
• Consider having the sewer lateral video inspected when purchasing a home to avoid surprises in the future.
sewer laterals throughout the City.
So why is this important? The added flow that these
two items create can increase the volume of water in the collection system by a whopping 566%. This not only
increases costs for treatment because of increased volume of water flowing through the system to the wastewater
treatment plant, but it can also cause sewage overflows.
On average, about 4.5 million gallons of water flow through the collection system every day during the dry season. But inflow and infiltration can increase that to about 20 million gallons during a storm event.
What does this mean for you? Aside from the potential for sewage to spill into your business or home, the current and future cost to treat relatively clean water as wastewater is considerable. Planned upgrades to the Water Reclamation Facility include adding capacity to treat this water, which will affect your future sewer rate.
Please call (805) 781-7215 with any questions or for more information.
HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE:
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Your Dollars at Work Great Time To Plant Winter Stormwater Tips New Sewer Cap Improved Utility Billing | Rainy Season is Coming
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Winter 2013 Volume 17, Issue 1
YOUR DOLL ARS AT WORK: GRE ATER EFFICIENCY & COST SAVINGS N E W COM PUTE RIZ E D MAINTE NANCE AN D ASSET MANAG E M E NT SYSTE M (CM MS) - $46 5 ,0 0 0 After extensive study, the Utilities Department is moving from a now obsolete software it has used for the past 20 years to a new maintenance and
THE VALU E OF WATER AND S E WER S ERVIC E The Utilities Department strives to provide a reliable and
high quality water and sewer service at a reasonable cost. To
asset management system that will help manage water distribution, wastewater collections and storm drain infrastructure. Maintaining, replacing and managing these assets is critical to providing excellent service to the community in a fiscally sound and efficient manner. This CMMS software will tie daily work orders and maintenance to long-range planning and life cycle cost analysis, and aid in the development of sound capital replacement plans.
Price comparison of widely used consumer goods Product
Average Price/Gallon
range strategic planning to effectively predict what is needed
Drinking water
$0.01
needed to keep them running smoothly and efficiently.
Sewer service
$0.01
Gasoline
$4.00
value of these systems and how a well-maintained infrastructure
Tide detergent
$8.50
the local economy, and enhances the quality of life of the
Impor ted beer
$12.00
Starbucks Latte
$22.00
Evian bottled water
$25.00
Vicks cough syrup
$100.00
Visine eye drops
$750.00
a day, seven days a week. All of this is done for a combined cost
Revlon nail enamel
$1,000
cost to the cost of other everyday liquid consumer goods, water
Chanel No. 5 per fume
$45,000
accomplish this goal, the City of San Luis Obispo uses long-
to deliver water and sewer services, and the future investment
We believe it is important for our ratepayers to understand the protects the environment, provides a sound foundation for community.
As water and sewer service costs rise, it is important to remember the value of these essential services.
Water is treated and delivered to your home and then collected, treated and safely released back into the environment 24 hours
of just over two cents a gallon for both services. Comparing this and sewer service is a bargain.
If you have any questions regarding the cost of your water and sewer service, please call (805) 781-7215.
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Source: Maxwell 2005; updated to reflect 2012 prices.
G R E AT TIME TO PL ANT G AR D EN S , R EPAIR IR RIG ATION Winter offers planting and irrigation maintenance opportunities to be more resource-efficient while saving money.
During typical winters on the Central Coast, irrigation can be turned off until March or when the ground begins to dry. Since dry winters may require some irrigation, homeowners and business owners
N E W WATE R RATE STRU CTU R E STU DY CO M PLE TE D
should visually check soil-moisture level. They can also scratch
down to the roots to see if the soil is dry. Any evidence of moisture indicates that watering probably isn’t necessary.
This is the perfect time of year to evaluate your irrigation system
and make repairs or changes for the next season. Taking a little time
now to check for broken sprinkler heads and valves can save a lot of money next spring and summer.
The San Luis Obispo City Council recently completed an in-depth study on how the City charges for water service. The purpose of the study was to review the current rate structure and explore any alternative
rate structures to ensure that the community’s goals, objectives and expectations were being met. The
council focused on how to create revenue and rate
The rainy season is also a great time to plant a garden. Winter
planting allows the landscape to establish itself using rainwater
alone, while planting during the spring or summer tends to produce large water bills as the landscape is established. Check with your local nursery for plants that will do well this time of year.
stability, while charging each customer class in a fair and equitable manner.
The result: A recommended water rate structure
modification to add a $5 fixed fee and have two tiers for all customer classes (see tables below).
Month
Irrigation Minutes per Week
Changing the water rate structure requires voter
March
10 minutes/week
Article XIII (commonly known as Proposition 218)
April
30 minutes/week
218 process is scheduled for the spring of 2013. If
May
45 minutes/week
approval in accordance with California Constitution before final adoption can occur. The Proposition
approved, the new rate structure will go into effect July 1, 2013.
For more information, please e-mail Utilities Department Conservation Manager Ron Munds at rmunds@slocity.org.
Current Rate Structure
Monthly Fixed Charge
Residential
Commercial
$0.00
$0.00
Consumption Charges 1– 5 units
$6.25
$6.25
6 –25 units
$7.82
$7.82
26+ units
$9.80
$7.82
Proposed Rate Structure Monthly Fixed Charge
$5.00
Consumption Charges 1– 8 units
$6.10
9+ units
$7.63
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID GOLETA, CA PERMIT NO. 1215
UTI LITI E S D E PARTM E NT 879 Morro Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
NEW STATE STORMWATER REGUL ATIONS TO TAKE EFFECT The California State Water Resources Control Board is adopting
a new statewide stormwater permit, which will increase the City’s responsibility to monitor, control and regulate water runoff that
enters our local creeks. The City currently spends about $800,000 a year to meet the requirements of the existing stormwater permit.
Efforts are already underway to work cooperatively with other local cities and counties to minimize the costs associated with the new permit. City staff is currently assessing the impacts of the new
regulations and will make recommendations to the City Council
as part of the 2013-2015 Financial Plan regarding any additional resources that will be needed to remain in compliance.
Look for more information about the new stormwater program in coming months.
WINTER STO R MWATER TIPS: •
Inspect your car for leaks of material like antifreeze and oil; repair if necessary.
•
Properly use and store household chemicals, like paint and pesticides, and take any
unwanted household hazardous waste to the facility at Cold Canyon Landfill.
•
Pick up your pet waste and dispose of it in the trash, not the storm drain or creek areas.
•
Sweep driveways, patios and sidewalks rather than hosing them down into the gutters.
EM ERG EN CY N U M B ER S
Water & Sewer Problems 8 am to 5 pm (805) 781-7220 After Hours & Weekends (805) 781-7312
O U R FAC EBOOK COMM U NIT Y CO NTIN U ES TO G ROW If you haven't already done so, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SLOUtilitiesDepartment. You’ll get news about the latest projects, ways to save money on your water and sewer bill, interesting facts about your water and sewer utility, and much more. So like us on Facebook and join the conversation.
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