REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Waive First Reading and Introduce an Ordinance Amending Chapter 13.10 "Sewers" of Title 13 "Public Services" of the City of Santa Clara Code to Modify Regulations Regarding Pretreatment Programs to Conform with Recent Updates to the Regional Wastewater Facility Requirements
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High-Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara is a co-owner of the San Jos?-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility (RWF) with the City of San Jos?, who acts as the administrator of the facility. As administrator, San Jos? ensures compliance with discharge requirements under the federal National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Included in those requirements are water quality standards for the discharge into water bodies that were originally established by the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act. Discharging facilities such as the RWF are required to establish Pretreatment Programs that ensure that treated wastewater is free of regulated pollutants in order to protect public health and the environment, including the health of San Francisco Bay.
San Jos? Municipal Code Chapter 15.14 (Sewer Use Regulations) establishes the mechanisms by which San Jos? ensures that customers comply with discharge requirements so that the RWF can treat wastewater and discharge to a level required by state and federal regulations. Such mechanisms include permit and use requirements, as well as administrative fines and penalties. Santa Clara code chapter 13.10 is intended to align with San Jos? code chapter 15.14 as customers of both cities discharge to the RWF.
DISCUSSION
The Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (the state and federal agencies responsible for administering the NPDES permit program) made certain recommendations for the Pretreatment Program in an April 2019 audit. On June 3, 2021, San Jos? amended chapter 15.14 of ...
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