HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7228 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7228 p'1
#,VTSOW,0 November 17 , 1987
X04 so P,- To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
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X Subject: PROPOSED TEXAS SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
On November 24, 1987, the Texas Water Commission will conduct a
public hearing on the subject proposed standards. The proposed
revisions to the existing standards include substantive changes in
response to directions from the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency and the provisions of the recently amended Federal Water
Pollution Control Act. Inasmuch as adoption of these standards
will have tremendous cost and economic development implications
for Fort Worth and others with wastewater treatment
responsibilities, I would like to briefly summarize this situation
and seek direction concerning possible policy statements by the
City of Fort Worth.
Few would take exception to the noble goals of the water pollution
control legislation yet many technical and economic issues have
arisen. The Texas Municipal League has worked closely with the
Texas Water Commission over the past several months to seek an
approach to the required rulemaking effort that considers "good
science and sound economics ." Virtually billions of dollars are
at stake for local governments, and input into the process is
crucial to insure that the issues are resolved and that the
regulations are adopted in a manner that both objectives are
accomplished.
The proposed regulations include the incorporation of
implementation procedures for the anti degradati on p ol i cy,
intermittent stream policy, and portions of the toxic materials
control policy. The antidegradation policy basically states that
water quality standards cannot be relaxed once established. Th e
intermittent stream policy in essence requires fishable water
quality standards for streams which normally wouldn't support
aquatic life without the presence of sewage effluent due to
periods when the normal stream would be dry. The toxic materials
control policy will require bi omonitori ng and adopt i on of
necessary water quality standards for toxics to assure that
sensitive aquatic life will be protected.
The implementation of statewide biomonitoring in the next four
years will cost approximately $450,000 each year for 50 major
domestic dischargers. The new provisions for toxic regulations,
antidegradation and general criteria will also require additional
costs by local governments in order to upgrade existing wastewater
treatment facilities. Preliminary cost estimates indicate that
capital costs to upgrade existing facilities to meet the general
criteria could range from $1.8 billion to $3.5 billion depending
upon the aquatic life subcategory. Annual operating costs for
existing facilities could increase $13.7 million to $74.3 million
OOL in order to comply with the general criteria.
-ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No.— 7228 p.2
November 17, 1987
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
�o�, 44�2�
Subject: PROPOSED TEXAS SURFACE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
For our area, of great concern are the proposals to designate the
segment of the Trinity River which receives Village Creek effluent
to contact recreation and the inclusion of numerical toxic
material standards in the water quality standards. It is
questionable whether this segment of the Trinity River could
permit safe contact recreation even without the presence of sewage
plants much less with sewage discharges. The antidegradation
policy will virtually preclude this segment from reverting back to
its existing noncontact recreation designation should later
studies prove that contact recreation is impracticable or
impossible. The proposed toxics material standards are not based
on sound scientific data of the Trinity River but rather national
criteria developed by EPA. Again it is questionable that even
with the proposed stringent requirements that the upper Trinity
River would support high quality aquatic life. In addition the
proposed toxic control strategy may have serious ramifications for
industries in our area.
Many technical and professional groups are now formulating
responses to present at the November 24 public hearing. Because
of the tremendous economic development implications associated
with the proposed standards it appears that those interested in
such issues locally should be made aware of the proposed
regulations and be prepared to offer constructive direction at the
public hearing.
This informal report is listed on Tuesday' s Pre-Council Agenda for
discussion. At that time, the staff will have a proposed
resolution for your review and comment. Ad opt i on of the
resolution will then be scheduled on the November 24th Council
Agenda.
6&,,�Do uglas Na man
City Manager
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ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS