To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency, Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District
Staff Name and Phone Number: Grant Davis 707-547-1900, Kevin Booker 707-521-1865
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First
Title:
Title
Sewer System Management Plans Update for the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District approving the implementation of the Sewer System Management Plan, and authorizing the General Manager of Sonoma Water to periodically update the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District’s Sewer System Management Plan as necessary to reflect current regulatory requirements and best practices, in Accordance with State Water Resources Control Board Order No. WQO 2022-0103-DWQ.
(2/3rd Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
On December 6, 2022, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted Order No. WQ 2022-0103-DWQ Statewide Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) General Order for Sanitary Sewer Systems. This Order updates the previous Orders adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board for the development and implementation of a Sewer System Management Plan. Sewer System Management Plans must include provisions to provide proper and cost-effective management, operations, and maintenance of sanitary sewer systems. The Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District (District) is subject to WDR Order No. WQ 2022-0103-DWQ Sanitary Sewer Systems. The WDR requires entities to update their Sewer System Management Plan, at a minimum, every six (6) years after the last Plan Update due date.
Discussion:
Sanitary sewer overflows (Spills) are overflows from sanitary sewer systems that may contain domestic, industrial, and/or commercial wastewater. Spills can cause a public nuisance and potentially pose a public health hazard, particularly when raw, untreated wastewater is discharged to areas with high public exposure.
The WDR requires a system-specific Sewer System Management Plan (Plan) to be developed and implemented by the District. The Plan must be self-audited at least every three (3) years and updated and approved, at least every six (6) years, by the governing board of the sewer system. The Plan must include provisions to provide proper and cost-effective management, operations, and maintenance of sanitary sewer systems, while taking into consideration risk management and cost-benefit analysis. Additionally, the Plan must contain a spill response plan that establishes standard procedures for immediate response to a Spill in a manner designed to minimize water quality impacts and potential public nuisance or hazardous conditions.
The District’s Plan was designed to create programs that reduce untreated wastewater spills and ensure effective responses to any Spills that occur. The requirements for a Sewer System Management Plan specify eleven (11) mandatory elements that must be addressed, and that the Sewer System Management Plan is made available to the public
(https://www.sonomawater.org/sewer-system-management-plans).
The goal of the Sewer System Management Plan is to implement a program that works toward:
1) Preventing any Spill that results in a discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater to the waters of the United States; and
2) Preventing any Spill that creates a nuisance (as defined by the California Water Code (Section 13050(m)). This will ensure that:
a) The Spill will be properly managed to minimize impacts on receiving waters and public health.
b) When Spills occur, the corresponding response will be prompt, and all feasible steps will be taken to mitigate the impact from the overflow. Reporting, recordkeeping, and, when appropriate, public notifications will be adequate.
The District’s Plan has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the California State Water Resources Control Board waste discharge requirements, promulgated on December 22, 2022, to regulate sanitary sewer systems. The District’s Plan meets the requirements of the WDR.
The District’s Plan documents and formalizes operations and maintenance procedures that are already in place, with the added benefit of establishing a regular auditing schedule in addition to requirements of regular communications with the public on the implementation of the Plan. The District’s objective is to eliminate spills through capital projects, maintenance projects, ongoing planning efforts, and public outreach; the District is making significant progress. Per the California Integrated Water Quality System used by the State and Regional Water Quality Control Boards to track spill information, between 2015 - 2019, the District had 77 spills, and between 2020 - May 2024, the District has had 25 spills. Through 2025, the District had three spills.
Ongoing efforts including implementing repair, rehabilitation, and replacement projects within the sewer collection systems; working with local authorities on identifying future development and how it relates to the capacity of the collection system; and improving the Pollution Prevention and Source Control website to convey outreach and educational materials to the public have aided in reducing the number of Spills.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
This item directly supports Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following goal, strategy, and action item.
Goal: 2. Planning and Infrastructure - Implement comprehensive, integrated, and innovative infrastructure planning to strengthen existing services, minimize life cycle costs, and prepare for the future.
Strategy: 2.1 Conduct planning that integrates and balances operational, maintenance, and infrastructure priorities.
Action Item: 2.1.3 Continue to engage in planning efforts to support reliable wastewater and flood management services.
Updating the Sewer Management Plan for Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District will enhance ongoing efforts to reduce spills and identify areas needing repair.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 Resolution
Attachment 2 - State Water Resources Control Board Order No. WQO 2022-0103-DWQ
Attachment 3 - 2025 Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, Sewer System Management Plan
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.