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Home My WebLink AboutSupplemental Item #17 TMDLs, Water Quality TMDLs, Water Quality and Financial Impacts and Financial Impacts July 13, 2010 Desi Alvarez 2 Overview Overview TMDLs–What and Why TMDLs–What and Why Los Angeles River Bacteria TMDL Los Angeles River Bacteria TMDL Economic Cost and Impacts Economic Cost and Impacts TMDLs–Water Quality TMDLs–Water Quality Dilemma Dilemma “Achieve receiving water beneficial use “Achieve receiving water beneficial use objectives such as swimming and fishing” objectives such as swimming and fishing” Seemingly modest and reasonable goals, Seemingly modest and reasonable goals, that ignore competing drainage demands that ignore competing drainage demands Based on nearly impossible standards Based on nearly impossible standards Zero trash, Copper at <0.1% of potable stds,  Zero trash, Copper at <0.1% of potable stds,  indicator bacteria as pathogen surrogates indicator bacteria as pathogen surrogates Los Angeles County compliance cost Los Angeles County compliance cost estimated at $280 billion (capital only) estimated at $280 billion (capital only) Los Angeles River Los Angeles River Bacteria TMDL Bacteria TMDL Dry weather TMDL implementation costs  Dry weather TMDL implementation costs  $1.1 Billion () estimated at $1.1 Billion () estimated at CREST CREST Regional Board estimated wet-weather  $5.4 Billion compliance costs of $5.4 Billion TMDL ignores whether in-channel sources will  TMDL ignores whether in-channel sources will  ever allow bacteria standards to be met ever allow bacteria standards to be met Wet weather compliance methods “untested”  Wet weather compliance methods “untested”  and ignore scouring and mobilization of films and ignore scouring and mobilization of films 5 Los Angeles River Los Angeles River Bacteria TMDL Bacteria TMDL “numeric limits” Establishes wet/dry-weather “numeric limits” Establishes wet/dry-weather  based onE. coli indicator bacteria in the LA based onE. coli indicator bacteria in the LA River, nothuman pathogens River, nothuman pathogens Water quality standards are based on REC-1  Water quality standards are based on REC-1  6 Is REC-1 Use Appropriate Is REC-1 Use Appropriate for the LA River? for the LA River? Dry weather flows are ~85% treated effluent  Dry weather flows are ~85% treated effluent  7 Is REC-1 Use Appropriate Is REC-1 Use Appropriate for the LA River? for the LA River? Wet weather flows dangerous for recreation  Wet weather flows dangerous for recreation  Channels designed for flood control, access is mostly Channels designed for flood control, access is mostly restricted, prohibited and dangerous restricted, prohibited and dangerous 8 Concerns with objectives Concerns with objectives Indicator bacteria replicate prolifically in nutrient rich  Indicator bacteria replicate prolifically in nutrient rich  waters waters Storm drains and tributaries are a fraction of the  Storm drains and tributaries are a fraction of the  indicator bacteria load indicator bacteria load Non-human sources of the E. coli indicator bacteria are  Non-human sources of the E. coli indicator bacteria are  significant (CREST BSI study) significant (CREST BSI study) 9 Only 10Only 10--50% of bacteria 50% of bacteria enter LAR R2 from storm enter LAR R2 from storm drains and tributaries drains and tributaries LA River Reach 2  monitoring during 6 dry weather days Controlling inputs  unlikely to result in attaining REC-1 beneficial uses Unclear how, or if,  compliance can ever be achieved From CREST (2008) From CREST (2008) 10 Economic and Budget Economic and Budget Impacts Impacts In a May 2010 survey of watershed cities:  In a May 2010 survey of watershed cities:  90% have budget deficits, 86% reduced services  90% have budget deficits, 86% reduced services  50% have hiring freezes and 25% have layoffs  50% have hiring freezes and 25% have layoffs  The TMDL will annually consumes 8.4% of the  The TMDL will annually consumes 8.4% of the  average city general fund budget portion average city general fund budget portion High unemployment is projected to continue in  High unemployment is projected to continue in  the watershed for several years the watershed for several years New fees are not a panacea  New fees are not a panacea  11 Regional funding approach for Regional funding approach for LA River Bacteria TMDL LA River Bacteria TMDL E E stimated dry weather costs only stimated dry weather costs only Annual costsAggregate Annual costsAggregate costs costs City City Years 4-12Years 13-23Years 24-32 Years 4-12Years 13-23Years 24-32 $250,566$663,264$884,352$17,510,166 Alhambra$250,566$663,264$884,352$17,510,166 Alhambra $227,626$602,540$803,387$15,907,057 Commerce$227,626$602,540$803,387$15,907,057 Commerce $207,774$549,991$733,321$14,519,751 Downey$207,774$549,991$733,321$14,519,751 Downey $6,207,963$16,652,386$22,203,152$438,876,281 Los Angeles$6,207,963$16,652,386$22,203,152$438,876,281 Los Angeles $1,861,010$4,926,208$6,568,276$130,051,862 LA County$1,861,010$4,926,208$6,568,276$130,051,862 LA County $311,005$823,249$1,097,655$21,733,679 Monrovia$311,005$823,249$1,097,655$21,733,679 Monrovia $251,890$666,768$889,024$17,602,672 Monterey Park$251,890$666,768$889,024$17,602,672 Monterey Park Cost estimates are based on funding formula developed for metalsTMDL 12 Regional funding approach for Regional funding approach for bacteria TMDL E bacteria TMDL E stimated costs stimated costs for dry and wet weather for dry and wet weather Aggregate CostsTotal Costs Aggregate CostsTotal Costs City City Dry WeatherWet Weather Dry WeatherWet Weather $17,510,166$66,332,166$83,842,332 Alhambra$17,510,166$66,332,166$83,842,332 Alhambra $15,907,057$57,294,230$73,201,287 Commerce$15,907,057$57,294,230$73,201,287 Commerce $14,519,751$52,297,144$66,816,895 Downey$14,519,751$52,297,144$66,816,895 Downey $438,876,281$2,446,090,101$2,884,966,382 Los Angeles$438,876,281$2,446,090,101$2,884,966,382 Los Angeles $130,051,862$700,812,618$830,864,480 LA County$130,051,862$700,812,618$830,864,480 LA County $21,733,679$90,143,650$111,877,329 Monrovia$21,733,679$90,143,650$111,877,329 Monrovia $17,602,672$66,682,598$84,285,270 Monterey Park$17,602,672$66,682,598$84,285,270 Monterey Park Cost estimates are based on funding formula developed for metalsTMDL 13 Bacteria TMDL Impact on Bacteria TMDL Impact on City Budgets City Budgets Average General Fund Budget is: $ 39,713,282  Average deficit amount is: $ 4,027,320  Average cost of Bacteria TMDL: $ 2,838,668  Average TMDL cost as percent of GF: 8.41%  Economic Impact of Economic Impact of TMDLs TMDLs Net Total Direct Cost Per Economic Economic CityPersonImpactImpact Downey$25,113-$2,690-$2,444 El Monte$23,983-$2,569-$2,303 Huntington Park$13,985-$1,498-$1,350 Montebello$18,491-$1,981-$1,752 Monterey Park$14,760-$1,581-$1,385 West Covina$27,101-$2,903-$2,646 What are the Alternatives? What are the Alternatives? BMP/MEP based plan –not “numeric limits”  BMP/MEP based plan –not “numeric limits”  Safe Harbor for quantified LID implementation  Safe Harbor for quantified LID implementation  Water conservation plan Water conservation plan Sanitary surveys  Sanitary surveys  Revisit wet weather  Revisit wet weather  16 QUESTIONS QUESTIONS Economic Impacts Economic Impacts Direct Direct Reduced Municipal Services  Reduced Municipal Services  Quality of Life  Quality of Life  Business Development/Retention  Business Development/Retention  Indirect Indirect Private Investment  Private Investment  Jobs  Jobs  Unemployment Statistics Unemployment Statistics CityAug 2008Jan 2010 May 2010  CityAug 2008Jan 2010 May 2010  Downey6.7%10.6%9.8%  South Gate 10.5%16.7%15.4%  South Gate 10.5%16.7%15.4%  Montebello 9.1%14.7%13.5%  Montebello 9.1%14.7%13.5%  Long Beach 9.0%14.5%13.3%  Long Beach 9.0%14.5%13.3%  LA County8.2%13.2%12.3%  LA County8.2%13.2%12.3%  State7.7%13.2%12.4%  State7.7%13.2%12.4%  U.S.6.1%9.7%9.7%  U.S.6.1%9.7%9.7%  Source: Economic Development Department Source: Economic Development Department 19