Business Plan Summary

Transcription

1 Owner: Business Plan Summary Program Environmental Services Service grouping Wastewater & Treatment Service Wastewater Removal and Storm Water Management Type Public Service Ron Standish, Director, Wastewater & Treatment, Planning, Environmental & Engineering Services Strategic Priority Environmental Leadership Financial & Staffing In $000s Operating budget 2010 Actual 2011 Revised Budget Purpose Expenditure: 72,125 71,363 Protects the environment, both natural and built, Non-tax revenue: 0 0 through the management and treatment of Net (tax wastewater and stormwater and contributes to supported): 72,125 71,363 health of the citizens and to a cleaner and healthier 2010 Revised 2011 Revised Capital budget Budget Budget river system not only within the city boundaries but throughout the Thames River watershed as a whole. Expenditure: 79,334 56,740 Key processes Engineering Non-tax revenue: 42,923 27,833 Net (tax supported): 36,411 28,907 Staffing FTEs: Percentage of expenditures budget (all rate sources): Annual per household cost of net budget ($): To plan, design and manage the construction of projects relating to the sanitary and storm sewer systems, drainage systems and treatment plants in an effective and efficient manner. Works that are managed can be classified into: lifecycle replacement, service improvements, and growth related projects % Outsourced percentage 60% Sewer Operations To ensure wastewater flows are collected, controlled and conveyed to treatment plants and water courses, including work to minimize risk of blockages. To minimize negative impacts to the environment through spills response. Wastewater Treatment Operations To treat wastewater in compliance with Regulations for an environmentally safe return to the watercourses including maintenance of the facilities. % % Outsourced percentage 10% Outsourced percentage 0% Page 1 of 7

2 Regulatory/Policy landscape Service Delivery method Mandatory Legislative New council direction, new regulations, legislative changes Water Opportunities Act, 2010 Current state of this service The City of London wastewater infrastructure has a replacement value over $3.6 billion within the two collection systems and six treatment plants, 36 pumping stations and 108 stormwater management systems. In decades past, the level of investment in renewal was not optimal for this aging infrastructure. The capital works required to properly sustain, improve and grow the system are significant. An infrastructure gap was identified through the 20 Year Sewer System Plan and this plan continues to be updated annually to reflect the approved budget and changing capital priorities. The treatment process is currently being operated at the limit of capabilities. The quality of the effluent discharged is significantly better than typically achieved through secondary treatment and in fact approaches tertiary quality. National benchmarking plots London within the top tier for performance for the quality of the effluent for secondary plants and middle range for cost. There has been a significant change in the philosophy of the lifecycle and replacement of underground infrastructure. Extending the lifecycle of existing sewers through relining delays full replacement for many years and provides good value for investment. For sewer replacement works, trenchless construction has supplanted the traditional excavation method where applicable. These new methods require additional equipment but generate significant savings in material and labour costs and are less socially disruptive. These techniques do require higher calibre workmanship leading to the need for a more technically competent workforce. Stormwater management infrastructure is required to meet regulatory requirements and City design standards as well as consideration to be developed as an amenity to meet Natural Heritage System requirements of the City. It is anticipated that the Ministry of the Environment F-5-5 guidelines for wet weather treatment will be met at the Vauxhall pollution control plant by the end of Recent enhancements to economy, efficiency and effectiveness The Wastewater and Drainage Engineering Division s flow monitoring program continues to move toward wireless equipment, both our actual flow monitors and rain gauges. Wireless equipment provides efficiencies in two main areas; quality control and staff time savings. Going wireless will save staff time that was otherwise spent in traffic control, confined space entry and physically downloading stored data in the field. Staff time savings can then be reallocated to data analysis and prioritizing future capital works. A new private drain connection (PDC) replacement process was implemented in Upon the conclusion of the year, the City realized a 20% cost reduction based on the average PDC replacement cost. Based on the 50/50 cost sharing arrangement, this reduction represents a $1,300 saving to the property owner and the City. Page 2 of 7

3 Future direction of this service During the 2011 budget development process, Council chose to deviate from the existing sustainability rate plan and pursue a zero percent rate increase. As a result, Council endorsed a revised sustainability rate plan to achieve financial sustainability. A more in-depth review of the consumption reductions is leading to the conclusion that in order to reach financial sustainability the rates must be implemented as follows: % % 2018 and beyond 3% Sewage treatment is stringently regulated and that will continue to bring both financial and operational challenges. Effluent criteria are based on limits to quantities discharged that do not increase as total flows increase. This requires the treatment process to produce lower concentrations over time and thereby limit loading on the river. Minimum standards must be complied with for the drainage basin as a whole which is significantly influenced by factors beyond sewage treatment. Administration has identified a number of opportunities to leverage the use of technology to improve servicing to the City while reducing costs. The Biosolids project is an example of Administration pursuing innovative business solutions with the most current technology available. This project proposes the use centrifuge technology to produce dryer cake and eliminate the use of paper pulp such that additional capacity can be gained from the existing fluidized bed incinerator. Target completion and implementation of this project is anticipated by mid Inter-basin water transfer regulations which deal with the drawing of water from one basin and transfer to another are being reviewed by the province. London s water sources are Lake Erie and Lake Huron and discharge is to the Thames River. This issue is being monitored and input is being given by the Regional Water Boards to ensure that London is not put in a position that would require either deviation from regulations resulting in penalties or the untenable situation of having to transport sewage back to the defined originating basin. The development of strategic routine catch basin cleaning and sewer flushing programs, utilizing extensive staff knowledge and experience and the integration of available technology. A reduction in administration time, effort and better utilization of existing resources are anticipated. Future direction of this service correlates to the National Water & Wastewater Benchmarking Initiative. Awareness and education programs will be initiated with the goal of influencing/increasing sewer service life, i.e. maintenance homeowners can do, what should not go in the toilet, and enhanced by-law enforcement with respect to fats, oil and grease. The public needs to be engaged to understand how they as individuals can affect the system and associated maintenance costs. Within the city there is a need for further reduction of basement and surface flooding to alleviate public and private property damage. A proactive approach to dealing with global climate change impacts will put London in an Environmental Leadership position. Page 3 of 7

4 Objectives next 4 years Complete Growth Management Implementation Strategy (GMIS) Projects Initiate design and construction of stormwater management, sanitary and treatment works in accordance with the timetable of the updated GMIS. Expected completion year 2028 Division responsible Wastewater & Drainage Engineering Actions Initiate Design and Construction of GMIS Projects Outcomes and measures Works constructed Reline Sanitary and Storm Pipes Reline all of the sanitary and storm pipe greater than 100 years old that are suitable for relining by 2012 with the exception of trunk sewers. Expected completion year 2012 Division responsible Construction Administration Actions Identify pipes that need relining and tender out the works Outcomes and measures Work completed Update Design Standards for Climate Change Update design standards in response to climate change studies by 2014 Expected completion year 2014 Actions Update the design standards Division responsible Wastewater & Drainage Engineering Outcomes and measures Revised design standards to be applied to development and reconstruction projects Emerging issues and challenges Environmental Greater focus on reducing inflow and infiltration and resulting bypasses and overflows for municipalities across Canada is likely to become a more significant and costly issue in years to come as a result of Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidelines. Other Making available the resources required to meet the objectives of GMIS because this is a new set of works for which the service area has only been responsible for since August Other Modifying the financial plan to mitigate the loss of revenue due to reducing water demand. Page 4 of 7

5 Other Outcomes affecting public engagement activities based on Citizen Engagement Strategy Working Group Service changes with financial impact (+/-) Statistics and performance measures A Activity measures Number of meters of sewer installed 16,200 16,200 7,800 6,500 9,500 11,000 10,500 11,000 Number of meters installed is a direct function of Life Cycle Replacement budget. 12,700 Number of PDC's replaced represents PDC's replaced by Sewer Operations and through construction projects onwards represents an estimate of the number of PDC's to be replaced by Sewer Operations only. Sanitary sewer flushed (km) The reduction in sanitary sewer flushing reflects a change in the level of service to once every two years. Storm sewer flushed (km) Page 5 of 7

6 Rehabilitated / relined (km) reflects the ISF and City funding. Future years reflects City funding only. Volume of wastewater treated (billion litres) B Efficiency measures Annual cost of sanitary sewer flushing 526, , , , , , , , ,000 The variances are related to the estimated increases in costs due to inflation. Average cost per household per year The average cost is a function of the volume used and the projected rate increases. Residential consumption (per cubic meter) Average residential consumption is declining due to water conservation. Page 6 of 7

7 C Effectiveness/Quality/Satisfaction measures Percentage of flooding complaints addressed Compliance - Number of MOE effluent violations Percentage of BOD removed / treated Page 7 of 7