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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - January 21, 1998 E-13AGENDA TITLE: Information on Dust Control for Construction Projects MEETING DATE: January 21, 1998 PREPARED BY: Public Works Director RECOMMENDED ACTION: This item is for information only, no action is required unless the Council wishes to change the City's policies regarding construction water. In that case, the Council should provide direction. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This Council Communication is being presented in response to a letter, dated August 21, 1997, from Mr. Daryl McNeilly (copy attached). Mr. McNeilly requested background information regarding the Public Works Department's policy on the use of City water for dust control purposes in construction projects. The City's current policy is to allow contractors to use City water without charge for some construction purposes, primarily dust control. This policy has been in place for many years. Contractors are required to pay for City water used to flush and disinfect new water lines they install at our standard metered rate, which is now $0.40 per 1,000 gallons. Mr. McNeilly suggested that contractors use water from the Woodbridge Irrigation District (WID) to control the dust on their projects. The WID charges users a $100 application fee and $2 per 1,000 gallons of water used. We have estimated that a contractor will use approximately 800,000 gallons of water for dust control purposes during the construction of an average subdivision. Based on the WID fees, water costs for dust control would be $1,700 for a typical development. Depending on location, the total cost could be significantly higher due to the need for trucking and handling. Also, during dry years, the WID would likely prohibit this use. At the City's metered rate, the cost would be $320. Staff feels it is reasonable to continue our practice of allowing contractors to use City water for dust control at no charge for the following reasons: • We want to encourage contractors to apply water for dust control. Adding travel time and dollars to procure water for dust control purposes will result in less water being applied during the project. The City already receives frequent complaints from citizens about construction dust problems and we feel these complaints would increase if obtaining water was inconvenient and costly. The Environmental Protection Agency has "fugitive dust" and storm water pollution regulations that require dust and mud control on most construction activities. r / I I--- -I APPROVED: Dixon Flynn -- City Man er CDUST.DOC loH 01!13198 Information on Dust Control for Construction Projects January 21, 1998 Page 2 There would be additional mud tracked on the City's streets in delivering the water from the WID Canal to the project site. This would result in inconvenience and nuisance to residents and increased costs to the contractor and City for cleaning mud off the streets and out of the City's storm drain system. • Although WID may receive some revenue from the sale of the water, developers' costs will be substantially increased as the contractor will pass on additional costs for labor and equipment to pump the water from the Canal and to perform the additional cleaning of the City streets. On the other hand, to be consistent in our policies with other water customers, the City could charge for all construction water at our regular metered rates. This would entail developing procedures for furnishing temporary construction meters, rates and billing procedures, etc. Quite frankly, given our low water rates, the amount of revenue would be very small in relation to the administrative costs. With Council direction, staff will pursue this for further Council consideration. FUNDING: Not applicable. Ja L. Ronsko Pub c Works Director Prepared by Wesley K. Fujitani, Senior Civil Engineer J LR/W KF/lm Attachment cc: Water/Wastewater Superintendent Street Superintendent Woodbridge Irrigation District Daryl McNeilly Cdust.doc 1/13/98 97 P1-1; 25 Q1112::l? ..Li: ; ICN'E ; tvt.A City Clerk & City Council C 1... 1.;• L.- - .. 4v6 ? 619 797 Cypress�{�vq� , 9? Woodbridge, CA 95Nk August 21, 1997 The offer to use voice mail for my message was nice but I am one of those old fashioned people who do not appreciate talking to a machine! My reason for this letter is to alert the City Council and the concern of many Lodi and surrounding area citizens about the use of city well water for dust control in the developments wrest of town. The developers are using hundreds of thousands of gallons of precious ground and aquifer water, from Tire hydrants when there is no reason they could not make arrangements with Woodbridge Irrigation District to pump surface water for this service. I just noticed the developer in the Windwood development has a large water tank for the trucks and is pumping out of the canal. This saves the depletion of the ground water that is getting so precious. See the attached newspaper article from Stockton. I have called and talked to three different people in the Public Works department and have been told: 1. The developer does not pay for the water, it is built into the system. 2. The developer will pay for flushing the water lines after they have been installed. 3. There would be legal problems pumping out of Woodbridge Canal. Surely, some plan could be arranged to use surface water, and the cost to the city in electricity, the rest of the residents have to be paying for this,but the terrible loss of ground water is unconscionable. We all sincerely hope some changes can be instituted to correct this problem. Yours truly, ATTENTION STOCKTON AREA WATER USERS WATER IS LIFE - USE IT WISELY _ The Stockton/San Joaquin County area has enough water to supply everyone this year, but Its not an endless supply and to assure us all of enough water next year we must conserve this year. We are involved in a "STAGE ONE (voluntary conser- vation) water savings program this summer with a savings goal of at least 10%. Repair all faucet leaks and install low flow, aerator. - Don't water the pavement - position sprinklers correctly. - Water lawns and gardens only between 6 p.m. and 11.a.m. IF WE DON'T CONSERVE IT, WE DON'T DESERVE IT © This is a message from S -A -W -S, your Stockton Area Water Suppliers (Stockton, San Joaquin County, Stockton East Water District and California Water Service Co.) RECD :. .;Li^" ►I CIT Y r. CITY s: City Council 797 Cypress Run Woodbridge, CA 95258 January 18, 1498 We appreciate the letter dated January 21, in response to my letter of August 21 regarding the use of well water for dust control in new developments. It seemed a response was long forgotten! Of major concern was any mention of the high priority on water conservation and the loss of ground and equifer water to the city wells. Mr. Ronsko, Public Works Director's response was,'°it is reasonable to continue the city's practice allowing contractors to use City water for dust control at no charge for stated reasons_" "'We want to encourage contractors to apply water for dust control" His second statement the EPA has regualtions that require dust and mud control on most construction activities." Most of the development is west of Lodi and right next to the Woodbridge Canal and therefor would not add travel time and dollars to procure water for dust control purposes! "There would be mud tracked on City's streets in delivering the water from the WID canal to the project site" Totally untrue - the trucks presently spread water on the dust, in some cases create mud, then do drive on paved streets to get to the hydrants. With the Canal right next to the development, the trucks would be tracking less mud on paved streets because they are always on the dirt streets. It is stated that the Public storks Director estimates that a contractor will use approximately 004,000 gallons of water for dust control on an average subdivision. We have counted the number of trucks and the number of times they refilled over the period of construction of the Tonne development and before that Westbrook, Lodi West and Park West. We think there were several times more water used than his estimates. In addition, it is stated that contractors are required to pay for City Water used to flush and disinfect new waterlines they install at city standard metered rates. The final statement indicates the City could charge for all construction water at regular metered rates but states it would entail developing procedures for furnishing temporary construction meters, rates and billling proceedures_ If the city is already charging for flush and disinfectant and has the meters in place, where would there be any additional billing procedures, etc. to consider? We feel it is the city's responsibility to treat all customers the same, and one group of users should not benefit or be subsidized by all the citizens in both Lodi and the surrounding area, even without consideration ofthe drain on the ground water supply. Yours truly, '& ex'fx'tle �* C '�n CITY COUNCIL JACK A. SIEGLOCK, Mayor KEITH LAND Mayor Pro Tempore STEPHEN J. MANN PHILLIPA. PENNINO DAVID P. WARNER CITY OF LODI CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET P.O. BOX 3006 LODI, CALIFORNIA 95241-1910 (209) 333-6706 FAX (209) 333-6710 January 15, 1998 H. DIXON FLYNN City Manager ALICE M. REIMCHE City Clerk RANDALL A. HAYS City Attorney Mr. Daryl McNeilly Woodbridge Irrigation District 797 Cypress Run Attn: Andy Christensen, Manager Woodbridge, CA 95258 18777 N. Lower Sacramento Rd. Woodbridge, CA 95258 SUBJECT: Information on Dust Control for Construction Projects Enclosed is a copy of background information on an item on the City Council agenda of Wednesday, January 21, 1998. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street. This item is on the consent calendar and is usually not discussed unless a Council Member requests discussion. The public is given an opportunity to address items on the consent calendar at the appropriate time. If you wish to write to the City Council, please address your letter to City Council, City of Lodi, P. O. Box 3006, Lodi, California, 95241-1910. Be sure to allow time for the mail. Or, you may hand -deliver the letter to City Hall, 221 West Pine Street. If you wish to address the Council at the Council Meeting, be sure to fill out a speaker's card (available at the Carnegie Forum immediately prior to the start of the meeting) and give it to the City Clerk. If you have any questions about communicating with the Council, please contact Alice Reimche, City Clerk, at 333-6702. If you have any questions about the item itself, please call Wes Fujitani at 333-6800, ext. 669, or Richard Prima, City Engineer, at 333-6706. . Ronsko Works Director Enclosure cc: City Clerk NCDUST.DOC