SR-505-004 (16)~_
~ c~cy of
Santa Monica~
City Council Report
City Council Meeting: October 10, 2006
Agenda Item: 1 C
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Craig Perkins, Director - Environmental & Public Works Management
Subject: Agreement with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District to Install
Catch Basin Trash Excluder Devices in City-owned Catch Basins
Recommended Action
It is recommended that City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute an agreement with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (District) to
allow the installation of 141 catch basin trash excluder devices in City-owned basins to
reduce urban runoff pollution originating from City catch basins and flowing into the
Santa Monica Bay.
Executive Summary
The Flood Control District obtained a State Proposition 50 grant to purchase and install
catch basin trash excluder devices in catch basins throughout Los Angeles County.
The District solicited input from a number of cities to select locations for these new
devices. The City of Santa Monica (City) participated in this selection process, and its
basin locations were added to the grant project. The purpose of this project is to reduce
the amount of poltution entering Santa Monica Bay thereby helping the region to meet
federal and state stormwater mitigation regulations.
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The cost to the Flood Control District that is covered by the grant funds is estimated at
$390,000 for construction costs and $120,000 in administration costs.
The City's obtigation is to maintain these new devices for their useful life. This
maintenance will be incorporated into the regular service schedule for City-owned catch
basins and will not require any additional funding or staff.
Discussion
Background
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) of the federal Clean
Water Act requires municipalities and counties to manage and control pollutants
contained in urban runoff. The City of Santa Monica is signatory to and regulated under
the Los Angeles County (County) NPDES permit. The permit requires both the County
and Santa Monica to take steps to improve the water quality of Santa Monica Bay
through the improvement of urban runoff quality discharged into the Bay. To help
achieve this goal, the City has installed numerous urban runoff treatment devices,
including 485 catch basin inserts and screens and three large in-line litter and pollutant-
removal units, and has constructed the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility.
Along with public education and enforcement programs, these instalfations are an
important component of the City's overall Best Management Practices program to
remove urban runoff pollutants and meet our NPDES permit requirements.
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In 2005, the Los Angeles County Flood Control District obtained a Proposition 50 Santa
Monica Bay Restoration Grant from the State Water Resources Control Board to instafl
catch basin trash excluder devices in city-owned catch basins located in various cities
within Los Angeles County. The Proposition 50 grant will pay for production and
installation of the devices by the County's contractor. The City of Santa Monica was
contacted by the District and asked to select locations for the devices within the City.
The District has approved 141 City-selected locations for these devices.
Each year City crews remove pollutant-laden debris from approximately 650 City-owned
catch basins (both those outFitted with inserts or screens and those without treatment
devices) and other treatment units. Last year, some 20 tons of debris containing many
types of pollutants were removed from the City's catch basins. In addition to the
removal of visible pollutants, such as trash, sediment, oil and grease, a variety of
microscopic pollutants attached to these larger pollutants are removed, such as heavy
metals, organics and pathogens. The pollutants are prevented from entering the Bay,
thereby improving the quality of the coastal environment and helping the City to meet its
federal and state obligations to reduce urban runoff pollution.
Budqet/Financial Impact
The catch basin installation program does not have any budget or financial impact since
it will be paid for and installation managed by the Los Angeles County Flood Control
District. Ongoing maintenance costs can be absorbed within the existing City budget.
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Prepared by:
Nea! Shapiro, Sr. Administrative Analyst
Approved:
Craig PerkinsJ ~
Director - Ea~iironmentai and Public
Works Management Department
Forwarded to Council:
~~dM ont Ewell
anaaer
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