minutes

South Bay Irrigation District

January 20, 2003

The Board of Directors of South Bay Irrigation District held a regular meeting on Monday, January 20, 2003, at the Sweetwater Authority Administrative Office, 505 Garrett Avenue, Chula Vista, California. President Pocklington called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

· ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Doud, Pocklington, Wolniewicz, Welsh and Wright.

Directors Absent: None.

Others Present: General Manager Bostad, Operations Manager Rogers, Sophie Akins for Legal Counsel Peggy Strand, and Board Secretary Marisa Farpón-Friedman.

· PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Director Welsh conducted the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

· OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT (Government Code Section (54954.3)
There was no comment from the public.

· CHAIR’S PRESENTATION

ACTION AGENDA

1. PRESENTATION BY MARY ANN MANN, DIRECTOR OF WATER QUALITY, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
Source Water Assessment.

Ms. Mann said that Drinking Water Source Assessment is an evaluation that uses a specific set of procedures to determine human activities that could impact water quality of the drinking water source, which would be either surface water or groundwater source. These assessments came about in 1996 as part of the amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act on the federal level and require that each state develops and implements a source water protection program. California has required Watershed Sanitary surveys for surface water sources in the past, but these source water assessments are more detailed. The Source Water Assessment requires a vulnerability analysis while the watershed surveys do not. The required elements of a source water assessment are: a basic delineation of groundwater basin and the watershed protection; completion of an inventory of possible contaminating human activities, not natural activities such as natural erosion or landslides; a Vulnerability Analysis; finally, the findings must be made available to the public and this is done through our Annual Consumer Confidence report. Ms. Mann explained the Vulnerability Analysis process, which, she said, is probably the most important part of the source water assessment.

The law requires that the California Department of Health Services do the source water assessments. They have the primary responsibility, but with 16,000 water sources in California and only a budget of about $325 per source, they have developed a very detailed procedure that they can do quickly and also they have requested larger water systems to do their own assessments for existing sources. Large water systems are required to do the assessments for any new sources. Because of the new well in National City, we had to do an assessment and we hired Montgomery Watson Harza to do the groundwater portion and our staff will do the surface water assessment. Doing our own assessments allows us to improve their accuracy. With the Health Department’s approval, we may be able to modify the risk level of different contaminant bases on our source water protection measures, which would allow us to control the language of the risks to our ratepayers in the Consumer Confidence Report.

Ms. Mann then explained different zones that had to be established with the groundwater supply. The well site control zone, 50 feet radius around the well, already required by the California Water Well standards and we already had pretty much the 50 feet established around each well. Three new protection zones had to be established for each source, and we ended up with three groups: National City Wells, San Diego Formation, and Alluvial wells. Zone A is designed to protect the water supply from microbial contaminants, viruses, and direct chemical contamination; Zone B5 is designed to protect chemical contamination between the two and five-year time travel; and Zone B10 for chemical contamination and long-term protection of the source, between the five-year and ten-year time.

The findings at the National City Wells were that it is most vulnerable to confirmed leaking of underground storage tanks. We have been tracking two of the tanks for a couple of years now and doing MTBE monitoring to make sure that there has not been any contamination of our sources. These wells are also considered vulnerable to repair shops, photo processing, dry cleaners, gasoline, etc. We are also vulnerable to freeways, state highways, and parking lots in the malls.

The San Diego Formation Wells vulnerability assessment showed that we are vulnerable to freeways and state highways. The USGS maps showed also a golf course, but these maps have not been updated since the 1970s and the golf course that they showed is actually where Plaza Bonita is now. Because we had someone do the assessment for us instead of having the Health Department do it, this can be removed from the list. We are also vulnerable to the KOA campground because they have wastewater handling facilities.

The Alluvial Aquifer is more vulnerable to contamination because these are shallower. Possible contaminating sources are gas stations, dry cleaners, National Guard armories with underground tanks, other non-regulated tanks, body and repair shops, freeways, state highways, and the Plaza Bonita mall parking lot. None of these possible contaminating activities have been associated with any contaminants found in the wells. This is an important element that we can bring out in the Consumer Confidence Report.

For the Surface Water Supply we also have to establish Protection Zones. Zone A is for viral microbial and direct chemical contaminants, similar to the Groundwater Supply. Zone B prevents chemical contamination in the water supply and is 2,500 from the Perdue plant intake. We must report anything within the entire watershed because that helps us to protect from chemical contamination and keeps the supply protected in the longer term.

For Zone A, our most vulnerable zone, we must report any contaminating activity within 400 feet of the area around Sweetwater Reservoir along the Sweetwater River, around Loveland and up through the top of the watershed. Basically any activity that occurs on the shoreline of Loveland is considered as bad as something that occurs on the shoreline of Sweetwater Reservoir.

Our reservoirs are potentially vulnerable to sewer collection systems, septic systems, gasoline stations, chemical and petroleum processing and storage, dry cleaners, landfills, pesticides, fertilizers, urban runoff, sand mining operations, shoreline fishing at Loveland, and the riding and hiking trails at Sweetwater Reservoir. We are allowed to modify the risk levels, as long as the Health Department approves it, and we will be making that request for some of the contaminants. Sweetwater Authority has had a long history of using the multiple barrier approach to protect our supplies, which includes the watershed sanitary surveys that we have been doing since 1999. We monitor development, and our habitat management is done to protect water quality and runoff diversion systems. The most important portion of our protection is the urban runoff diversion system because it gives us protection from chemical or sewer spills and any chemicals that may be in the urban runoff. As far as monitoring the development in Sweetwater Reservoir, we collect and review county development applications, attend county planning and group meetings, review legal notices, prepare correspondence, coordinate with the county different project conditions, monitor the development approval by the county, coordinate with the developers to satisfy their conditions, and monitor the projects to make sure that they are complying.

Ms. Mann also pointed out sand mining operations, nurseries, wastewater collection and pumping stations as contaminating sources. She also noted that Sycuan Casino has a wastewater treatment facility right on the river edge. They allowed Sweetwater Authority staff to come on site and tour their facility. We made several recommendations as to what they could do to help prevent any overflows from getting into the river, and a couple of months later they had implemented all our recommendations, which was all strictly voluntary. Ms. Mann also pointed out golf courses, equestrian centers, and cattle grazing in the watershed, all of which we are monitoring on a regular basis.

Ms. Mann then answered questions from some directors regarding our geographical Information System, Urban Runoff Diversion System, collection of fees for new developments, bottled water, MTBE, and watershed protection. Following a request, a GIS map covering all our facilities will be provided to members of the Board.

2. ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN OR REORDERED TO THE AGENDA
(Government Code Section 54956.5)

There were none.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Wright, that the Board approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 16, 2002. The motion carried.

4. APPROVAL OF DEMANDS AND WARRANTS

Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that warrant numbers 9934 through 9943 be approved. The motion carried.

5. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS

A. Upon a motion made by director Wolniewicz, seconded by Director Welsh, the following resolution:

RESOLUTION 547
RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH BAY IRRIGATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
APPOINTING OFFICERS FOR 2003

was passed and adopted by the following vote, to wit:

Ayes: Directors Doud, Pocklington, Welsh, and Wolniewicz
Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: Director Wright

The Officers appointed were: William D. Pocklington, President; Margaret Cook Welsh, Vice President; Wanda Avery, Treasurer; Cary F. Wright, Vice Treasurer; and Marisa Farpón-Friedman, Secretary/Controller.

Director Wright referred to his comments reflected on the minutes of the Board meeting of December. He reiterated his disappointment that the Board had not been provided any information on the past history of Board officers before the appointments were done.

B. Upon a motion made by Director Wolniewicz, seconded by Director Welsh, the following Resolution:

RESOLUTION 548
RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTH BAY IRRIGATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
APPOINTING DENNIS A. BOSTAD AS ITS MANAGER

was passed and adopted by the following vote, to wit:

Ayes: Directors Doud, Pocklington, Welsh, Wolniewicz and Wright
Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None

6. APPROVAL OF DIRECTORS’ ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS & FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Board approve per diem for Directors’ attendance at the City of Chula Vita’s Second Public Workshop on Mid-Bayfront – January 11, 2003. The motion carried.

7. REPORT OF TREASURER

There was nothing to add to the written report.

8. OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATIONS DURING 2002

A list of the presentations to the Board during the last year was given to the Board members. It was noted that we had 10 presentations out of the 12 meetings held during the year, and that this is a worthwhile program that keeps the members of the Board well informed on water issues.

9. REPORT OF LAFCO SPECIAL DISTRICTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER

Director Wolniewicz gave his report on the last meeting held on January 17th. He said that they elected officers and extended the terms of Harry Ehrlich as President and Jo Mackenzie as Vice President for the LAFCO Advisory Committee. Some items discussed at the meeting were the distribution of cost share and the possibility of a 20 percent increase; also mentioned were the upcoming reviews of different areas, including the Tijuana River, Carlsbad, Escondido, San Marcos, La Costa, etc. They also discussed what district is going to provide what services. Answering a question from Director Wright, Director Wolniewicz said there are two vacancies in the Committee, which are not going to be filled for the time being.

10. REPORT OF LAFCO SPECIAL DISTRICTS REGULAR MEMBER

President Pocklington stated that there was no meeting.

11. REPORT OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVE

President Pocklington said that he would be reporting on the Thursday meeting at the next Sweetwater Authority Board meeting. He noted that there were not many action items on the agenda. He commented on the shutdown of the Colorado Aqueduct for 15 days to work on the canal lining. He also mentioned an editorial in the newspaper stating that Southern California absolutely needs the water transfer agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District.

He also talked about the statement made by Maureen Stapleton, that we need leadership and a little bit of adult supervision, and to an article in “The Economist” regarding the IID transfer and the use of water by farmers.

12. DIRECTORS’ COMMENTS

Director Welsh said that a water bottling plant is being financed by the Marango band of Mission Indians near Banning.

13. CLOSED SESSION

There was no need for a closed session.

14. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business before the Board, President Pocklington adjourned the meeting at 4:33 p.m., to the hour of 3:30 p.m., on February 17, 2003.