Chapter Nine, Potable Water Subelement City of St. Petersburg Comprehensive Plan

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1 POTABLE WATER SUBELEMENT Sections: INTRODUCTION GOAL, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES ISSUE: Rehab/Upgrade of Potable Water Facilities ISSUE: Extension of Potable Water Facilities ISSUE: Level of Service Standards for Potable Water ISSUE: Potable Water Conservation ISSUE: Five Year Schedule of Capital Improvement Needs for Potable Water ISSUE: Maximum Use of Existing Potable Water Facilities ISSUE: Compliance with Regulations Pertaining to Potable Water Quality ISSUE: Wellfield Protection INTRODUCTION The reliable supply, treatment and distribution of potable water is vital to the health, safety and welfare of urban areas. The citizens and officials of the City of St. Petersburg have long been involved with provision of adequate quantity and quality of potable water. During the latter part of the 1920's, it became apparent that existing wells could not supply the potable water needs of an expanding population. Also, because the quality of water being pumped from existing wells was becoming increasingly mineralized, City officials began investigating alternative locations for well fields. In 1929, the "Citizen's Water Committee" evaluated a number of possible solutions and ultimately recommended the Cosme-Odessa Plan, which led to the development of well fields in Hillsborough County and later in Pasco County. Subsequent to these early efforts, the complexities associated with potable water provision have increased significantly. In the mid 1970's, the City of St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and Pasco County jointly developed the Cypress Creek Wellfield located in Pasco County. That wellfield was then transferred to the newly formed West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority (WCRWSA). The West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority was comprised of member governments from the City of Tampa, City of St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County and Pasco County. In addition, the City of New Port Richey was made a non-voting member of the WCRWSA. As the needs of urban areas multiplied, concerns of rural interest, where well fields are located, increased. Growing competition and tension led to the involvement of a number of state and local agencies which are charged with varying responsibilities revolving around the supply, protection, regulation, administration, etc., of potable water. The concern of water quantity and quality has also become a problem on a national level. Additional federal programs, agencies, PW-1

2 regulations, and standards have been developed that have further increased the complexities of water management. On June 10, 1998, in an effort to cooperatively manage water supplies in the Tampa Bay area, the WCRWSA was reformulated as Tampa Bay Water through an Interlocal Agreement and other related contracts, known as the "Governance Agreements". Members in the Authority include: Pinellas County, City of St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, City of New Port Richey and Pasco County. Tampa Bay Water has the obligation under the Governance Agreements to develop, recover, store and supply potable water to the member governments. This responsibility includes managing existing water supplies as well as developing new supplies. In addition, St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay Water and the other member governments entered into a "Partnership Agreement" with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to reduce pumping from existing wellfields and to develop new, non-groundwater resources partially funded with District money. This element will be limited to identifying the existing and future potable water needs of the City of St. Petersburg, and major factors and constraints that affect the Comprehensive Planning effort GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES GOAL-POTABLE WATER (PW): The City of St. Petersburg will provide high quality potable water to meet existing and future demand of the St. Petersburg water district service area, as designated in the comprehensive plan, which uses existing facilities in a cost efficient and effective manner. ISSUE: Rehab/Upgrade of Potable Water Facilities The St. Petersburg Water District Service Area (WDSA) encompasses the cities of St. Petersburg, Gulfport, and South Pasadena and the unincorporated areas of Bear Creek, Lealman, Gandy, and Bay Pines. The St. Petersburg WDSA distribution system delivers high quality water to all its customers. However, various components of the system were built at least 30 years ago and are in need of rehabilitation and upgrade. Any performance deficiencies identified in this element have been or will be addressed in accordance with the five-year schedule of capital improvements included in the Capital Improvements Element and the 10 Year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan included in the Potable Water Subelement. PW-2

3 OBJECTIVE PW1: Projects necessary to eliminate performance deficiencies identified in this element will be completed in accordance with the Five Year Schedule of Capital Improvements and the 10 Year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan. PW1.1 PW1.2 PW1.3 PW1.4 Projects needed to correct existing deficiencies shall be given priority in the formulation and implementation of the annual work programs of the City Department responsible for the project. Whenever economically feasible Public Utilities Department will seek to rehabilitate/upgrade existing facilities as an alternative to new construction. The Public Utilities Department will provide necessary protective measures during construction of the improvements to minimize conditions that would create adverse health and/or environmental impacts. The 10 Year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan, as part of this Potable Water Subelement, shall be updated every 5 years in accordance with Section (6)(c), F.S. ISSUE: Extension of Potable Water Facilities Excess capacity exists in the water system infrastructure except for pumping capacity for peak hour demand on a maximum day. Therefore, expansions are primarily related to: providing service to new water customers; adequate fire protection; and sufficient supply of water to developing areas. New projects are also necessary to provide adequate and consistent service. OBJECTIVE PW2: Projected demand and area specific needs through the year 2020 will be met by initiating the projects identified in the Water Master Plan, dated January, 1999 and subsequent updates and reflected in the Five Year Schedule of Capital Improvements located in the Capital Improvements Element, and the 10 Year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan located in the Potable Water Subelement. PW2.1 The Public Utilities, Budget and Development Services Departments shall review the work program annually to ensure that service levels of all facilities are maintained. PW-3

4 PW2.2 PW2.3 PW2.4 The Public Utilities Department shall obtain or ensure that authorized contractors obtain all required federal and state permits prior to construction and/or operation of facilities. The City will coordinate annually, or more often as needed, with Pinellas County staff for the purpose of determining future unincorporated area needs for potable water in the City s service area. The City shall participate in the Southwest Florida Water Management District s regional water supply planning efforts to assure coordination between the Regional Water Supply Plan and the City s Water Supply Work Plan. ISSUE: Level of Service Standards for Potable Water Development activities on available vacant land will have a negligible affect on the City's utility facilities because the City is almost entirely built out. However, land use amendments may alter demand projections and potentially create a capacity deficit. Therefore, level of service of standards have been established for potable water. OBJECTIVE PW3: The City will continue to implement the Concurrency Management System and all annexation review procedures in order to ensure that at the time of a land annexation or land use plan change adequate facility capacity is available or will be available to service the development. PW3.1 PW3.2 The following level of service standard for average day demand is hereby adopted to determine the availability of facility capacity prior to a land use plan change or annexation: 125 gallons per capita per day (gpcd). The maximum day to average day ratio will be The level of service for peak hour rates are 210 percent of total annual average day rates. PW3.3 The City shall adopt a level of service standard for minimum pressure of 20 psig at curbside. PW3.4 PW3.5 The City shall adopt a level of service standard for storage capacities which equals at least 50 percent of average day demand. All improvements, expansions, or increases in capacity to the facilities shall be compatible with the adopted level of service standards. PW-4

5 PW3.6 PW3.7 PW3.8 PW3.9 PW3.10 PW3.11 PW3.12 Procedures to update demand and capacity of the facilities shall be developed, in a cooperative effort, by the departments of Public Utilities, Engineering, and Development Services. The Public Utilities Department shall prepare an annual report on capacity and demand for the water system. The Development Services Department shall be responsible for the review of this report. The Development Services Department will coordinate with all local governments within the designated service areas to ensure that their comprehensive plans and any future land use changes are compatible with the City's Potable Water Subelement of the Comprehensive Plan. All development shall be timed and staged in conjunction with provision of existing water supply. The City shall review the level of service analysis annually using data from the City, Pinellas County, Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), and Tampa Bay Water. The City shall continue to develop and implement water conservation program initiatives that could offset the use of potable water. The City will coordinate with service providers (e.g. Pinellas County- potable water and the City of Largo- sewer) that have no regulatory authority over the use of land in the City to develop recommendations that address ways to improve coordination of the City s concurrency management methodologies and systems, and levels of service. ISSUE: Potable Water Conservation All of the potable water used in the St. Petersburg WDSA is obtained from Tampa Bay Water. Due to regional fresh water supply limitations, a need exists to ensure high quality water is not wasted nor used for purposes that do not need potable water. For example, irrigation can be accomplished through highly treated effluent. OBJECTIVE PW4: The City shall continue to implement the following measures which actively pursue the conservation of potable water and protect sensitive natural resources: 1) The Public Utilities Department will continue to monitor and replace water meters as they age and become less accurate. This program will ensure that consumers pay for the full amount of water consumed and will discourage wasteful and non-essential use of water. PW-5

6 2) Indoor and outdoor water conservation kits will continue to be provided free of charge upon request from the Public Utilities Department. 3) The City will cooperate with the SWFWMD and other Tampa Bay Water communities to implement irrigation watering restrictions. 4) The Public Utilities Department will implement the optimization of the Reclaimed Water System according to the Reclaimed Water Master Plan, dated August, 1999 and subsequent updates. 5) The City will continue to enforce the 1994 Standard Plumbing Code through on-site inspections. This Code prohibits installation of water closets with capacities greater than 1.6 gallons per flush in new residential construction or in significant renovations. Also prohibited is the installation of water closets with capacities greater than 3.5 gallons per flush in non-residential applications. The Code also prohibits installation of shower heads that are capable of exceeding 2.5 gallons per minute. PW4.1 PW4.2 PW4.3 PW4.4 The City shall continue to cooperate with the SWFWMD and Tampa Bay Water and Pinellas County in developing environmental and hydrologic data that will identify reliable potable water sources, of acceptable quality, in existing and future well fields, and submit plans that protect and conserve water resources when necessary. The Public Utilities Department shall continue to construct improvements based on sound environmental data to provide maximum reasonable protection to the environment. The Public Utilities Department shall provide safeguards that will minimize health hazards related to the provision of potable water. The City shall continue its public information program aimed at long-term water conservation, with several components that are designed and administered with the goal of effectively reducing the amount of potable water used, including: metering all potable water users, to gauge the total amount of water used and discourage waste and charging for water based on a water conserving rate structure; making available to residents water saving devices for indoor and outdoor use; aggressively enforcing SWFWMD s and the City s outdoor watering restrictions; PW-6

7 requiring that water saving toilets and shower heads be used in all new construction and remodeling; using reclaimed water; reducing water treatment losses at the Cosme Water Treatment Plant; and reducing unaccounted losses due to illegal hook-ups, leaks, and operations and maintenance problems. PW4.5 PW4.6 PW4.7 The Public Utilities Department will continue to utilize water treatment techniques that conserve resources and minimize adverse environmental impacts. The City shall encourage the public, by education, demonstration, and example, how to select, plant, and maintain native plants and trees to help reduce irrigation requirements and promote xeriscaping. The City shall continue to require the use of water saving plumbing fixtures for new construction and remodeling, and shall investigate additional building code modifications that can reduce water usage. Feasible code amendments/ supplements will be proposed for adoption by December ISSUE: Five Year Schedule of Capital Improvement Needs for Potable Water The City will continue to provide reliable and safe service for potable water for each service area. This effort will require identifying future needs, the associated costs, and the ability to pay for them. OBJECTIVE PW5: The City shall maintain a five-year schedule of capital improvement needs for public facilities to be updated annually in conformance with the review process for the Capital Improvement Element of this Plan. PW5.1 PW5.2 The Water Resources Department shall be responsible for evaluating and ranking capital improvement projects proposed for inclusion in the five-year schedule of capital improvements taking into account the 10 Year Water Supply Work Plan and the Southwest Florida Water Management District s Regional Water Supply Plan. The City departments of Development Services and Budget shall review these recommendations. Proposed capital improvement projects will be evaluated and ranked on eight categories (see Capital Improvements Element, Policy CI5.1). PW-7

8 PW5.3 The departments of Public Utilities, Finance, and Budget will continue to seek innovative but fiscally sound and cost-effective techniques for financing water facilities. ISSUE: Maximum Use of Existing Potable Water Facilities The City has recognized the need to minimize capital expenditures on new facilities through routine maintenance and using existing facilities to their fullest potential. OBJECTIVE PW6: The City shall not construct a new facility until maximum capacity has been reached at the present facility. PW6.1 PW6.2 The City shall encourage higher intensity uses where ever feasible to maximize the use of current facilities and reduce urban sprawl. Compact growth shall be encouraged by following the criterion in the Capital Improvements Element, Policy CI5.1, [Locational Needs Based on Projected Growth Patterns (Activity Centers)], which is currently used as a factor of evaluation for proposed capital improvement projects. This criterion supports capital improvement expenditures that serves development in Activity Centers. ISSUE: Compliance with Regulations Pertaining to Potable Water Quality Public water supply safety in Florida is governed primarily by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and local offices of the Florida Department of Health. Federal law, through the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, mandates the minimum standards for potable water supply systems. Permitting of potable supplies through FDEP requires appropriate treatment prior to distribution. The safety of St. Petersburg's water supply is an overriding goal of the City. This safety considers the water quality aspects of the water, as well as the ability of the City's system to meet potable water demands. It is imperative that the City's water supply be of sufficient quantity and quality to ensure safe and reliable use. Staff of the City's Department of Public Utilities, Water Quality Assessment Division (WQAD), are responsible for the planning, monitoring, sampling, analysis, and data management required to deal with all environmental compliance issues and the management of the City's water supply, wastewater, and reclaimed water programs. PW-8

9 OBJECTIVE PW7: The City shall continue to monitor and test finished water quality to provide a safe supply of potable water. PW7.1 PW7.2 PW7.3 The Water Quality Assessment Division shall be maintained and properly staffed. The City will continue to develop qualified laboratory personnel to test and monitor water quality. The Water Quality Assessment Division will continue to function as the primary source for the testing of all water quality parameters. ISSUE: Wellfield Protection All of Tampa Bay Water s water supply sources are located outside of the St. Petersburg city limits. Protection of these water supply sources is critical to assuring a safe and reliable potable water supply. OBJECTIVE PW8: The City shall pursue protection of potable water resources by reviewing, commenting, attending public hearings and taking other appropriate action either individually or in cooperation with Tampa Bay Water on development and land use changes which negatively impact Tampa Bay owned well fields or other owned water resources. PW8.1 PW8.2 PW8.3 Based on State Policy (8)(b)10, the City, either individually or in cooperation with Tampa Bay Water, shall continue to review the Hillsborough County and Pasco County Aquifer Recharge Subelements and submit formal comments and concerns regarding protection of quantity and quality of ground water. The City either individually or in cooperation with Tampa Bay Water, shall encourage SWFWMD to complete the regional inventory of prime recharge areas and supports the use of the inventory as a means to review and determine consistency of the affected municipalities, counties, and regional planning agencies. The City supports Hillsborough County's comprehensive set of land use regulations and performance standards for development activities proposed within areas of high aquifer recharge/contamination potential (Conservation and Aquifer Recharge Element, Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan, PW-9

10 Objective 4, Policy 4.4) and shall review and comment on these regulations and standards. PW8.4 Within the cone of influence of Tampa Bay Water s wellfields located in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties, the following criteria shall be recommended: a) No landfills of any nature; b) No septic, sewage or industrial sludge disposal; c) Septic tanks shall be limited to one per acre and shall be required to have five feet of unsaturated soil between the bottom of the drainfield and the top of the wet season water table; d) No storage, disposal or discharge of any hazardous constituents; e) All underground storage tanks shall have secondary containment or be raised above ground; f) Any domestic wastewater treatment plant shall be a Class 1 facility, with a 24-hour Class A operator. Domestic wastewater discharges shall be by spray irrigation only and shall be subject to all the treatment and monitoring requirements of DEP's reuse rule, F.A.C. Chapter g) Underground facilities for the transportation of waste water, or pollutants defined in Section (a), F.S. shall be subject to the following G-1 Rule Leakage criteria: i) Transportation of domestic raw waste water - leakage of no more than 50 gallons per inch per mile; ii) Transportation of pollutants in Section (12), F.S. or any contaminant in Section (1), F.S. shall be constructed to ensure no leakage into the soil or ground water. PW-10

11 ST. PETERSBURG TEN-YEAR WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES WORK PLAN (in 000's) FISCAL YEARS FACILITY Sources of Funds: Bond Proceeds 5,531 2,097 3,529 3,437 3,446 9,638 10,658 7,140 4,291 7,182 Earnings on Investments ,126 1, Transfer from Operating Fund 1, ,648 1,801 1, ,278 Connection Fees/Meter Sales 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 1,320 TOTAL SOURCES 8,585 4,282 6,076 5,961 5,972 13,732 15,010 10,602 7,031 10,654 Requirements: Cosme WT Plant ,532 1, ,763 7,707 3, ,937 Oberly Pumping Station 5, , Washington Terrace Pumping Station Water Maintenance 3,225 3,220 3,240 3,535 3,580 4,625 5,170 5,215 5,510 5,555 Reclaimed Water TOTAL REQUIREMENTS 8,585 4,178 5,787 5,545 5,429 12,206 13,052 9,023 5,859 8,697 Inflation factor* TOTAL REQUIREMENTS 8,585 4,282 6,076 5,961 5,972 13,732 15,010 10,602 7,031 10,654 * 2.5% budgetary inflation factor added annually PW-11 7/29/08