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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10703RESOLUTION NO. 10703 A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT RELATING TO THE CIVIL PENALTY IMPOSED UPON COLORADO SPRINGS UTILITIES FOR SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS AND DISCHARGES AND THE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS THERETO AMOUNTING TO THE TOTAL OF $91,440 WHEREAS, the City Council is committed to promoting the health, general welfare, safety, and prosperity of the City of Pueblo and citizens; and WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the immediate need to address, protect, and improve the water quality within the Fountain Creek from the City of Colorado Springs to the City of Pueblo; and WHEREAS, the City of Pueblo is facing increased water -flow from the Colorado Springs area due to continued growth that requires statewide discussions and intervention; and WHEREAS, Pueblo community stakeholders, Colorado Springs Utilities, and City Staff discussed and arrived at a recommendation for a Supplemental Environmental Project that is part of ongoing efforts to address and correct water quality issues with the Fountain Creek; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that: SECTION 1. City Council fully supports the Supplemental Environmental Project agreed upon by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Springs Utilities, and the City of Pueblo. SECTION 2. The City Council fully supports the foregoing projects for the Supplemental Environmental Project: 1. City /County Health Department Educational Programs 2. Construction of Levee Freeboard (increased length) on portions of the Fountain Creek levee system SECTION 3. This Resolution shall become effective upon final passage and approval. INTRODUCED April 24, 2006 BY Gilbert Ortiz Councilperson APPROVED: �C tC tx v VICE FFRESIDLINTof City Council ATTESTED BY: CITY CLERK Background Paper for Proposed RESOLUTION r AGENDA ITEM # DATE: April 24, 2006 DEPARTMENT: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER DAVE GALLI, CITY MANAGER DOUG FITZGERALD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TITLE *'10703 A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT RELATING TO THE CIVIL PENALTY IMPOSED UPON COLORADO SPRINGS UTILITIES FOR SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS AND DISCHARGES AND THE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS THERETO AMOUNTING TO THE TOTAL OF $91,440 ISSUE On October 6, 2005, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment issued a fine of $110,470 against Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) for the raw sewage spills into the Fountain Creek. The penalty covers 21 sewer overflows and two releases from electrical transformers that occurred within the Colorado Springs utility system between January 1, 2004, and October 4, 2005. Subsequently, Colorado Spring Utilities agreed to include a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) that will be designed to improve or protect water quality in the segment of the Fountain Creek between the City of Colorado Springs and the City of Pueblo as part of their civil penalty. The total expenditure for this project will not be less than $91,440. Pueblo community stakeholders, CSU, and City Staff took part in discussions on how this expenditure would be allocated for a SEP. It is agreed and recommended that a City- County Health Department education program and a flood prevention/levee certification project for the Fountain Creek would be appropriate. Both of these initiatives are projected to total $85,328 ($65,150 flood prevention and $24,178 education programs). The additional SEP funding could be used to expand the education program or other acceptable projects by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (see attached project descriptions). RECOMMENDATION Approval of the Resolution. FINANCIAL IMPACT None. PUEBLO CITY - COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROJECT The Pueblo City- County Health Department (PCCHD) requests $24,178 to address contamination issues in Fountain Creek and other surface waters in Pueblo County. For the past 20 years there have been numerous sewage spills into Fountain Creek from the Colorado Springs area. These spills have been caused by various reasons, such as manhole overflows due to vandalism, construction mishaps, and broken pipes due to crossings affected by storm water force. The wastewater treatment plant in Colorado Springs releases approximately 50 million gallons of treated effluent into Fountain Creek daily. Surface waters such as storm water and urban runoff water has also impacted the quality of the water that flows through the city and county of Pueblo by increasing the Escherichia coli ( E.coli) counts. The Pueblo community is highly concerned about the fluctuating high levels of bacteria in the waterways and the public health implications of raw sewage releases. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHEtE) is also considering Wildhorse Creek, another surface waterway in Pueblo County running through Hyde Park neighborhood, on the west side of Pueblo, for impaired water classification due to E.coli levels. Proposed Budget and Other Activities The request of $24,178 would provide needed funds to enhance public education outreach. City and County funds will be used toward personnel and outreach and education programs. The requested SEP funding will support surface water education activities through December 31, 2006. The staff person hired will attend current established educational outreach meetings with Pueblo City School District 60, County School District 70, and Colorado Springs Utilities. This staff person will also educate local schoolchildren about the water cycle in our lives, the various dangers of surface waters and the risk of playing in untreated waters. Also, information will be created and posted on the PCCHD website and will be taken into the community to organizations such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Rotary, Lions, and similar organizations. Other educational efforts would entail purchasing and distributing models of non -point source water demonstration tables to be available to all middle and high school science programs in both Pueblo School Districts 60 and 70. The science teachers at these schools would be trained to demonstrate these models. This would help continuance of education into the future and would give youth in our community a better understanding of surface waters. To further influence behavior towards playing in surface waters such as Fountain Creek, Wildhorse Creek, and other surface waters, funds would be used to advertise on billboards and other advertisements will be developed for radio and television stations. To offer an alternative means of recreation for youth in Pueblo, PCCHD would purchase swimming tickets for organizations serving community youth to use at appropriate facilities rather than playing in local surface waters. Education and promotional materials with educational messaging would be presented along with the swim tickets. PCCHD takes the responsibility of protecting the health of all citizens and the work to be done in the next eight months is critical. PCCHD must reach out even more to school children and parents before school is dismissed for the summer. There is needed education to children and their families in awareness of the dangers of playing in local impaired creeks and streams. Without education some people will continue to use such water bodies for summer recreation. STORMWATER UTILITY PROJECT Colorado Springs was fined for sewage spills that occurred from January 2004 to December 2005. The amount of $91,440 in SEP funding is to be used for projects that protect or improve water quality in the segment of Fountain Creek between the City of Colorado Springs and the City of Pueblo. The State is willing to accept proposed projects for levee freeboard construction (increased levee height) and City /County Health Department Educational Programs. The City of Pueblo is proposing a 2 -foot height extension to an existing earthen levee along the Fountain Creek. The project will be located in the south - central area of Pueblo along the east bank of the Fountain Creek extending from the existing abandoned railroad crossing to 100' above the existing active railroad crossing. The total length of the project is approximately 1950 If. The engineer's estimate for this project is approximately $65,150 ($33.41//If). The height extension will be accomplished utilizing pre -cast 2'x2'x6' concrete blocks set on a footing constructed of Plowable fill. Enclosed are details of the block wall and an aerial view depicting the project location. The project will increase the freeboard of the levee system in this area and meet all FEMA levee certification requirements. The project has been submitted to the Corp of Engineers in Albuquerque, NM and is pending their approval of the project.