Tomales Bay Septic Repair Project

Excellence in Environmental Health Award
Submittal
Tomales Bay Septic Replacement Project
(East Shore Wastewater Improvement Project)
Marin County Environmental Health Services
June 30, 2009
Background and Problem Statement
Tomales Bay is an estuary located in rural western Marin County that supports a variety
of threatened and endangered species and sensitive ecosystems including Coho salmon
and steelhead habitat. It also sustains estuarine migration and feeding and resting areas
for waterfowl and marine mammals, as well as active human recreational uses including
boating, kayaking and fishing. There are seven active commercial shell fishing
operations (six along the East Shore) and this is the State’s third largest growing area for
commercial shellfish operations. The area is adjacent to State Parks, a National Marin
Sanctuary and the Point Reyes National Seashore.
In May 1998, a norovirus outbreak affected 171 people who had consumed shellfish
harvested from the Bay. The Department of Health Services traced the outbreak to a
virus of human fecal origin and determined that the two most likely causes were
substandard and potentially failing septic systems or discharge of toilet waste from a
boat. All of the dwellings and commercial operations along the Bay use on-site disposal
methods. Along the entire shoreline of the Bay there are estimated to be 183 developed
parcels with septic systems with the East Shore area containing approximately 84
developed parcels. Many of these buildings were built decades ago for recreational uses
and have septic systems that reflect the minimal design requirements of those times.
Some of the septic systems had zero setbacks to the bay and discharged effluent into fill
or old oyster shells.
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RQWCB) formed the
Tomales Bay Shellfish Technical Advisory Committee (Shellfish TAC) and conducted an
“Investigation of Pollution Sources Impacting Shellfish Growing Areas of Tomales Bay”
during the 1995-1996 water years. Of the sources of pathogens, human waste carries
the highest risk of viral contamination. The most likely source of human pathogens has
been identified as faulty sewage and on-site disposal systems (septic systems) from
near-shore homes along the Bay.
The East Shore Planning Group (ESPG), a local non-profit entity, helped organize
homeowners along the East Shore and, using grant funds supplied by the County,
conducted professional evaluations of 37 of 84 individual septic systems. These
inspections of East Shore septic systems showed that 24% of the existing septic
systems were failing and an additional 16% were functioning only marginally (ESPG
Septic Survey, February 2002). The results from the ESPG Septic Survey and the
County’s Geographic Information System-based risk assessment prioritized older
systems within 100 feet of open water as high priority for remedial measures.
The Project was designed to help improve and protect coastal water quality by replacing
or upgrading existing privately-owned septic tanks and constructing a new central
community wastewater collection system dosing a common leachfield. The goal was to
remove the pollution contribution of the older septic systems along the immediate
shoreline.
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Why This Project?
The idea was to provide a better, long term alternative to the continued use of failing or
marginal existing onsite wastewater systems. Despite meager resources, Marin County
Environmental Health stepped forward to take ownership of the project when it became
clear that no other agency was interested in taking on the challenge. Lacking experience
in completing this type of complex endeavor, and operating on a shoestring budget, staff
forged ahead despite concerns over stalled similar projects in Los Osos and Monte Rio.
Once underway, the project proceeded through a number of closely studied and hotly
debated design alternatives and as eventually designed consisted of replacement of
certain septic tanks, upgrades to the remainder, installation of pumping and control
equipment. From there, the wastewater collection system uses pumps in the second
compartment of the tanks to send septic tank effluent through the HDPE pressure sewer
to a main collection and lift station near the Marshall Post Office. From there, dosing
siphons distribute the effluent to a series of leachfields remote from Tomales Bay, thus
achieving the goal of removing the pathogen, sediment and nutrient contributions from
these sources. A telephone line connected to the master control panel facilitates
continuous monitoring and warning of alarm conditions via telemetry.
At the 6 acre leachfield site purchased with project funds, a pump house was
constructed to house the main effluent lift station which transmits wastewater uphill to a
2000 dosing tank gal feeding two duplex dosing siphons. These siphons alternately dose
the leachfields as depicted in sheet WC-13 of the approved plans (see deliverables; final
approved designs). The leachfields are comprised of 2700 lineal feet of standard
dispersal trenching with a design flow of 9,120 gallons per day. The design flow is 9,120
gallons per day; sewage that is now being diverted from the Bay and safely dispersed
underground.
An access road, gates and fencing were constructed to maintain security and control
grazing animals from the adjoining 820 acre ranch.
Designing the project, getting community buy-in, securing the required permits and
constructing the community wastewater collection and treatment system took six years
from the date of the original grant application. Marin County Environmental Health was
the lead agency and staff found themselves wearing many hats: as mediators,
financiers, project advocates, grantwriters, liaisons between agencies, accountants, and
regulators.
Unexpected Challenges
A number of challenging hurdles were encountered and eventually surmounted; at times
each of these obstacles threatened to spell doom for the project. These problems
included great wariness in the community about working with any form of government,
the unknown potential costs of the project, and the task of persuading the home and
business owners to hold a ballot to assess themselves to finance their share of the
project. Other challenges were the condemnation and acquisition of a suitable leachfield
site, freeing the land from the Williamson Act and purchasing the development rights
easement from the local land trust. Permits had to be obtained from numerous agencies
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including Caltrans, Coastal Commission, the SF Bay RWQCB and Marin County
Planning Division. A small but vocal and visible minority tried to scuttle the project at
every opportunity, even faxing a 17 page letter to the Coastal Commissioners a few days
prior to the permit hearing. Environmental Health was the target of over 150 “round
robin” email attacks copied to the full Board of Supervisors, and a dozen unfavorable
press articles. The principal author of these attacks frequently boasted about his
impressive gun collection and was known to imbibe copious quantities of alcoholic
libations. He left us in no doubt as to what would happen if we tried to connect his
property to the community septic system.
Near the end of the project, with only a few weeks left in the life of the grant money, the
local Indian tribe threatened to close down the project on the basis that we had been
communicating with them via letter, but their procedures do not begin until a telephone
call is placed. Further adding to our woes was that we had hired the “wrong”
archaeologist. A hurried series of meetings ensued, a new archaeologist came on board,
a tribal monitor was hired to examine all excavations and construction was back on
track.
Typical Tomales Bay Shoreline
Financial and Administrative Challenges
Despite the lack of a track record, Environmental Health secured $1,050,000 in state
grants, and $400,000 in three EPA grants. In kind-match was provided by the County
and one of the make or break cliffhangers was the necessity securing suitable low cost
financing for home and business owners. Not everyone could afford to pony up $19,200
for their connection to the new system. After marathon efforts, including 12 rewrites of
the loan proposal, at the last possible minute, Environmental Health staff secured low
interest financing at 2.99% over a 20 year term from the California Economic &
Infrastructure Development Bank (I-Bank). This was a coup as bond rates at the time
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around 6% and I-Bank charged a $10,000 loan fee instead of the $72,000 cost of
floating bonds on the market. The affordable financing was instrumental in the final ballot
results of 95% yes, 5% no.
To finance and administer the wastewater system, Marin County Environmental Health
formed two governmental entitles: an Assessment District under the 1913 Act (Streets &
Highways Code) and an Onsite Wastewater Disposal Zone (OWDZ) under the California
Health & Safety Code. This OWDZ was the first to be formed in the state by a petition of
the residents and will administer inspections to those few properties within the zone that
have not yet connected to the system because the property owners asked to be
excluded from the project. Working with a local volunteer attorney, Environmental Health
staff drew up the petition and presented it to the Board of Supervisors, who approved the
Zone formation, boundary maps and Engineer’s report.
Over the course of the project, Environmental Health staff took twenty three resolutions
and staff reports to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, who also passed a fee
ordinance, an operations ordinance and contracts for the ongoing maintenance and
monitoring of the entire system. SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board issued
strict Waste Discharge Requirements including monthly sampling and monitoring. In
excess of 120 meetings of various types were necessary to complete the undertaking.
Growth Control Concerns
. In some areas of the state, growth is defined as adding a subdivision, but in the
fishbowl atmosphere of Tomales Bay, a proposal to add a bedroom can spark a political
firestorm. Therefore the project serves only existing land uses and does not permit new
development or new uses of the parcels served This overcame objections that it would
be growth inducing. Under Marin County’s regulatory scheme it is designated as a Class
II (repair system) under which homeowners may slightly expand their residences within
strictly controlled limits, but they cannot add new bedrooms or generate additional
sewage flow.
Outreach and Education Efforts
Concurrent with the project, Marin County EH also conducted an ongoing outreach and
assistance program to educate and inform septic system owners in the Tomales Bay
watershed about best practices for the operation and maintenance of their systems (see
detailed report in the deliverables section). Some of the “Septic Socials” were well
attended, especially when barbequed oysters were served. Speakers included the
venerable Dr George Tchbanaglous of UC Davis who spoke about the cutting edge of
alternative wastewater technology. Much of the series was presented by either Mike
Treinen, former septic & well supervisor for Sonoma County Environmental Health
Services or Kit Rosefield, known to many as the “Septic Guy.”
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Community Newsletter and Project Web Site
A series of well-attended public forums in various locations around the County featured
speakers on various topics such as best practices for preventive system maintenance,
alternative technologies, and how County rules and regulations affect system owners.
County staff was in attendance at many of these events, which were very important in
giving a human face to the local government, which was previously not well respected.
Additionally, on-site inspection services were provided by these contractors to assist 146
system owners with septic systems very close to waterbodies. These homeowners were
interested in learning about the condition of their particular system and how best to
operate and maintain the system, with public and environmental health as a main focus.
These tests gathered data useful to the County in maintaining the health of the
watershed. Although Marin County contracted to provide at least fifty such inspections,
the final total was far greater - 146. This program also improved the rapport between the
community and regulators, which will be beneficial in achieving future program
improvements.
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Typical Tomales Bay shoreline septic system prior to upgrade.
Project Costs:
The total direct cost of building the wastewater system was approximately $2.01 million.
The County of Marin invested many more staff hours in the project than originally
envisaged. The most significant direct costs and funding sources are summarized as
follows:
Detailed Costs
Land Acquisition, Title & Fencing
Construction (inc. contingency)
Construction management
Engineering, permits, planning, design
Environmental Impact report, remediation.
Onsite District & Assessment District Formation
Financing Origination Fee
Reserve fund for financing
Archaeological services
$32,874
$1,000,000
$149,000
$317,500
$319,487
$115,213
$10,000
$45,400
$25,000
Total
$ 2,014,474
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Funding Sources
SWRCB (Prop 13 grant)
EPA grant
California I-Bank financing of Stakeholder
Contribution
One prepayment of homeowner participation fee
County purchase of leachfield site
Other County of Marin contribution
$702,500*
$374,000
$681,600
$19,200
$32,874
$204,300
$2,014,474
Total
Conclusion
Marin County Environmental Health successfully completed a very challenging project
that can serve as a demonstration model for similar decentralized wastewater efforts.
Innovative methods and techniques employed included the low-cost financing
mechanism and the use of horizontal drilling to lay pipes, thus avoiding disrupting traffic
or damaging the surface of the main highway.
Other key factors were the willingness of staff to engage the local community from the
beginning and respond flexibly to the multiple unexpected challenges encountered along
the way.
Opening Celebration Photo.
Team members receive the “Golden Plunger” award from the local community and radio
station.
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Phase 1 SERVICE AREA
East Shore Wastewater
Improvement Project
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County of Marin
Tomales Bay Wastewater Project
Prop 13 Coastal Nonpoint Source
Photographs before construction
County of Marin
Tomales Bay Wastewater Project
Prop 13 Coastal Nonpoint Source
Photographs taken during construction
County of Marin
Tomales Bay Wastewater Project
Prop 13 Coastal Nonpoint Source
Photographs taken after construction