Drafter
Clerk 04/16/2010
Title
A MOTION approving evaluation criteria to assess how serving potential uses for reclaimed water addresses the drivers of the planning process to determine if, how, when, where and by what funding mechanisms over the next thirty years King County's existing reclaimed water program should expand.
Body
WHEREAS, King County's wastewater treatment division is carrying out a planning process to determine if, how, when, where and by what funding mechanisms over the next thirty years King County's existing reclaimed water program should expand, and
WHEREAS, the drivers for conducting this planning process are regional wastewater system planning, creating resources from wastewater and protecting water quality in Puget Sound, and
WHEREAS, the wastewater treatment division has been collecting data on potential uses for reclaimed water through meetings with representatives of water and sewer districts, local jurisdictions, tribal governments, water resource inventory areas, agricultural groups, environmental groups and other interested parties; reviews of existing local water and sewer comprehensive plans; and reviews of literature relating to the conditions of water resources in King County, and
WHEREAS, the planning process includes developing and analyzing conceptual reclaimed water strategies to serve potential uses of reclaimed water, and
WHEREAS, evaluation criteria will serve as an important tool to assess how serving potential uses of reclaimed water addresses the drivers of the plan, and
WHEREAS, the results of applying the evaluation criteria will be used along with the results of conducting technical, environmental and economic analyses in the decision-making process to determine if, how, when, where and by what funding mechanisms over the next thirty years King County's existing reclaimed water program should expand, and
WHEREAS, King County has solicited and incorporated input on the evaluation criteria from a wide range of interested parties, including representatives of tribal governments, cities, water and sewer districts, environmental and civic groups and other interested parties through a variety of methods, including a regional workshop held in October 2008 and more than thirty individual meetings from July 2008 through June 2009;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The evaluation criteria that will be used to assess how serving potential uses for reclaimed water addresses the drivers of the planning process to determine if, how, when, where and by what funding mechanisms over the next thirty years King County's existing reclaimed water program should expand are:
A. Regional wastewater system planning. The purpose of these criteria is to evaluate how serving potential uses for reclaimed water fits into future improvements and operations of the regional wastewater system:
1. Ability to maintain the efficient and safe operations of the regional wastewater system;
2. Ability to cost-effectively incorporate a reclaimed water strategy into future King County regional wastewater treatment and/or conveyance improvements;
3. Ability to meet regulatory requirements, such as NPDES, including those reasonably anticipated; and
4. Ability to obtain funding from benefited parties;
B. Creating resources from wastewater. The purpose of these criteria is to evaluate how serving potential uses for reclaimed water meets the wastewater treatment division's vision of creating resources from wastewater:
1. The extent to which the volume of treated effluent produced can be reasonable expected to beneficially and cost-effectively be reused as reclaimed water;
2. The extent to which there are institutional barriers, such as existing laws, policies and agreements, that may constrain ability to provide reclaimed water; and
3. The extent to which surface water or wetlands or groundwater conditions and habitat could be improved by the use of reclaimed water, such as improved low-flow conditions in streams, lower stream temperatures, or other enhancements; and
4. The sustainability of uses of reclaimed water with a benefit/cost analysis;
C. Protecting water quality in Puget Sound. The purpose of these criteria is to evaluate how serving potential uses for reclaimed water reduces reliance on Puget Sound for the discharge of effluent:
1. The extent to which pollutants from the county's regional wastewater system are reduced through production and use of reclaimed water; and
2. The extent to which a higher level of treatment reduces pollutant loadings in Puget Sound.