05-18-12 BPU RPT 06 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

W A T E R E N E R G Y L I 1 k RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES OW& Board Memorandum PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: May 18, 2012 ITEM NO: B SUBJECT: WATER RESEARCH FOUNDATION FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVALUATING THE COST OF TREATMENT FOR HE]CAVALENT CHROMIUM [Cr(VQ] ISSUE: That the Board of Public Utilities consider approval of an application for a grant through the Water Research Foundation (WRF)to evaluate treatment of Hexavalent Chromium [Cr(VI)] in our water system. RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board of Public Utilities recommend that the City Council: 1. Approve the submission of a grant application through the Water Research Foundation to evaluate the treatment of Hexavalent Chromium [Cr(VI)] in the City's water system; and 2. Commit funding of up to $200,000 to meet the terms of the grant, if awarded. BACKGROUND: The California Department of Pub4c Health(CD PH)is in the process of establishing a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Hexavalent Chromium [Cr(V[)] as a result of the recent establishment of the 0.02 part per billion (ppb) Public Health Goal(PHG)set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Nationally,the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA)is conducting a Cr(Vi)risk assessment and has also listed Cr(V[) on its Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule(UCMR3)to determine if a national standard is needed. Several factors are required to be considered before a state and federal standard may be established for Cr(VI). These factors include human health effects, analytical measurement capability, occurrence in drinking water sources, treatment feasibility and technological availability and costs for removal. Both the CDPH and USEPA realize that a significant knowledge gap exists in all the factors that are critical for developing a state and federal standard for Cr(V[). Treatment cost for Cr(VI)removal will be the driving factor in determining a standard for Cr(VI). A recent treatment cost study conducted in Glendale California concluded that the cost to treat high levels of Cr(V[)would exceed the combined cost of all the current drinking water regulations. Although this study is important to assess the treatment of high levels of Cr(VI),it does not accurately depict the average water system with low to moderate levels of Cr(V[). On May 2, 2012, the WRF issued a request for proposals to conduct additional studies to determine the cost of Cr(VI)treatment at low to moderate levels. The City of Riverside falls into this category with low levels of Cr(VI)and total Chromium which is 25 times lower than the current State MCL. Riverside's low level Cr(Vi) and total Chromium sources would provide critical data in establishing an accurate cost estimate for treating Cr(VI) at low levels. Riverside proposes to utilize recently developed Cr(VI) technologies to evaluate removal of Cr(VI) at [ow levels and determine the cost of removal. This data will then be shared with CDPH to aid in the development of a Cr(VI) MCL. The maximum funding available for this program is$500,000 with a minimum contribution equaling one-third of funds requested. Staff would like to respond to this proposal for an amount up to the maximum funding opportunity. The City is seeking project partners that would contribute funding and or in-kind services to help meet or supplement the City's contribution. The proposal is due June 1, 2012.