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Council Agenda - City of BurbankTuesday, May 18, 2004Agenda Item - 4 |
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Council Agenda - City of BurbankTuesday, May 18, 2004Agenda Item - 4 |
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PURPOSE:
To approve a Professional Services Agreement with Larry Walker Associates (LWA) to perform a study of the copper availability in the Burbank Western Channel and Los Angeles River. The study will be on a time-and-materials basis not to exceed $146,133.
BACKGROUND:
The California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB) is developing more stringent limits on copper for the Burbank Western Channel and Los Angeles River. These new limits may require the City to upgrade the Burbank Water Reclamation Plant (BWRP) in order to achieve compliance.
The new limits will be created using both the California Toxics Rule (CTR) and the State Implementation Plan (SIP). These documents set numeric water quality criteria for priority toxic pollutants and other provisions for water quality standards to be applied to waters in the State of California. These water quality standards become National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits imposed by the CRWQCB.
Additionally, the CRWQCB is promulgating other regulatory documents known as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). These TMDLs evaluate the amount of a pollutant that a water body, such as the Los Angeles River, can contain before beneficial uses are detrimentally impacted. The CRWQCB is currently drafting a metals TMDL for the Burbank Western Channel and the Los Angeles River. The result of this TMDL, which is done in accordance with the CTR and SIP, will be more stringent limits on the concentrations of metals entering the Los Angeles River.
The creation of these regulations allow two types of adjustments to account for local receiving water environmental conditions when calculating freshwater copper criteria � a hardness adjustment and a water effects ratio (WER) adjustment. Also, the SIP procedures allow an additional local environmental factor, the copper translator, to be accounted for when calculating copper effluent limits in NPDES permits.
The study proposed by LWA is to determine the amount of copper that is potentially toxic to sensitive aquatic life. This study will insure that the future limits are fully protective of the aquatic habitat while not imposing an overly stringent requirement that cannot be validated by sound science. Once this study has been fully approved by the CRWQCB, the results of this study will be reflected in future permit limits.
ANALYSIS:
LWA has extensive experience completing this type of work for other cities and has worked successfully for the City of Burbank in the past on similar projects. In 2002, LWA performed a site specific objectives study for ammonia in the Burbank Western Channel and Los Angeles River. The conclusion from this study was an adjustment to the ammonia limit that allows the BWRP to operate with more flexibility and maintain consistent compliance.
FISCAL IMPACT:
A portion of the proposed study is being undertaken in coordination with the City of Los Angeles. The costs for the common tasks have been divided between the parties and costs specific to each party will be paid individually. Approximately two-thirds of the study will be funded by the City of Los Angeles with the remaining approximately one-third being funded by the City of Burbank. The cost sharing is based upon the number of treatment plants operated by each City that discharges into the Los Angeles River.
LWA would be compensated for the study on a time-and-materials basis not to exceed $146,133. Funds are available in account numbers 494 - PW23A � 62085 for this study.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the proposed resolution entitled:
APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LARRY WALKER ASSOCIATES TO PERFORM A STUDY OF COPPER AVAILABILITY IN THE BURBANK WESTERN CHANNEL AND LOS ANGELES RIVER.
Attachment: Agreement
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