WATER/WASTEWATER TASK FORCE MEETING

MINUTES

May 11, 2000

11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Salem Public Library - Anderson Auditorium

1) CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Councilor Paul Wulf.

2) INTRODUCTIONS

Introductions were made. Members, staff, and citizens were in attendance as noted below.

Staff present included Frank Mauldin (Public Works Director), Tim Gerling (Assistant Public Works Director), Steve Downs (Utilities Planning Engineer), Paul Eckley (Chief Utilities Engineer), Pat Dodge (Management Analyst II), Randy Pecor (Sewer Collection Superintendent), Keith Garlinghouse (Utilities Engineer), John Russell (Redevelopment Program Supervisor) , Jim Long (Housing Rehab Project Coordinator), Sue Ballard (Finance - Assessments), Ken Roley (Facilities Engineer).

Mark Fields from Suburban East Salem Water District was also present.

3) CITIZEN INPUT

None at this time.

4) MINUTES

Draft minutes of April 13, 2000, were approved unanimously.

5) SEWER LATERAL REPLACEMENTS

Frank Mauldin, Public Works Director, was introduced to present a program evaluation of sewer lateral replacement. Using information contained in a memorandum mailed to Task Force members prior to the meeting (copy attached for file), Frank proposed a recommendation consisting of 1) a short-term strategy to address infiltration and inflow into the sewer system including several elements and 2) a long-term strategy to reduce infiltration/inflow into the sewer system with a goal of preventing major improvements to the conveyance system and expansion of the Willow Lake Treatment Plant capacity that would otherwise be expected in about the year 2030.

Frank presented background information including sanitary sewer overflow history, sewer system capacity problems, conclusions of the Sewer System Evaluation Study done in 1996, and the four alternatives dealing with wet weather flows analyzed by the Master Plan. Items discussed included: three options for Council review (existing policy, joint responsibility with existing replacement programs, joint responsibility with aggressive replacement); private sewer lateral certification program; implementation of joint responsibility policy; and sewer lateral replacement policy survey of Oregon cities. Detailed discussion was held as each of the above elements was presented.

Attachment 2 (Estimated Program Costs) to the previously discussed memorandum had revisions to the figures and copies were distributed and discussed at this time.

Keith Garlinghouse stated that during the master plan there were some projections of what key flows to Willow Lake would be based upon an assumption that 40% of the I/I could be reduced. The peak doesn't decrease much; the total volume to treat decreases. With a very aggressive I/I program, you may end up having some savings at the plant because the volume could be less.

Frank Mauldin covered the staff recommendations as shown on the first page of the memorandum to the Task Force: "Short-term" strategy, "Long-term" strategy. Both of these recommendations included several various elements.

Steve Travis asked if we have data of areas in that we have gone in and replaced the whole system and now have before and after I/I information? Frank said some information would be available but we have not been able to come up with any idea of what the reduction would be per house. We have some history and could come up with something.

Chair Paul Wulf requested from the Task Force what they wanted to recommend regarding the Funding Policy.

At this point, a discussion of equity and finding some middle ground took place including adopting a) and c) of staff recommendation 1 as listed in the memorandum to the Task Force.

A recommendation was made to create a subcommittee to put information together and report back to the Task Force with a recommendation, be it in favor of one of staffs' recommendations or modification of one of those. This was agreed upon and the following Task Force members volunteered to represent the Task Force: Don Scott, Mike Gotterba, JB Summers, Ross Peterson, Steven Anderson--to meet with Public Works staff including Keith Garlinghouse and Paul Eckley, along with Community Development staff.

Further discussion of the recommendation options was held.

7) OTHER

No other business.

8) ADJOURN

Meeting adjourned at 1:07 p.m.

These minutes are transcribed from notes and the tape recording of the Task Force meeting on May 11, 2000, as an overview of the meeting. They are not verbatim. The attachments are to the file copy only. Copies of the attachments were distributed at the meeting and by mail to those unable to attend the meeting.

Linda Nelson, Staff Assistant II

July 3, 2000

Attachments:

Attendance Sheet (file copy only)

Presentation Materials (file copy only)

These minutes were approved as written by the Task Force at their meeting on July 13, 2000.