Staff Reports - East Bay Municipal Utility District

EAST BAY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
DATE: March 7, 2013
MEMO TO:
FROM:
Board of Directors
Alexander R. Coate, General Manager
frA-
SUBJECT: Monthly Report - February 2013
HIGHLIGHTS
On February 13,2013, the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board
(RWQCB) adopted a revised National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
amendment and rescinded the cease and desist order for the Orinda Water Treatment
Plant. The District and RWQCB worked together for 3 years to amend the prior permit. The
revised permit establishes new effluent limitations based on the District's technical analysis
establishing a year-round mixing zone that extends into San Pablo Reservoir.
Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) and EBMUD have executed agreements to
implement the Yuba Accord - Freeport Point of Rediversion Project. On February 12, the
YCWA Board of Directors approved agreements for YCWA and EBMUD to cost-share on
technical and environmental work needed to complete the Yuba Accord - Freeport Point of
Rediversion Project. The proposed project will facilitate future water transfers from YCWA to
EBMUD by adding the Freeport intake as a point of rediversion to YCWA's water rights.
EBMUD faces potential impacts to revenues resulting from federal government "sequester"
cuts. Each fiscal year the District receives a direct interest rate subsidy from the federal
government related to its Build America Bonds in the amount of $8.2 million (Water Enterprise),
and $2.7 million (Wastewater Enterprise). It is estimated that approximately 5.3% of this direct
subsidy would be affected by the sequester cuts resulting in a potential FY13 loss of $436,000
and $142,000, respectively.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER RIGHTS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Regional Desalination Project. On February 5, draft results from the latest phase of the
Regional Desalination Project were presented to the partner agency managers (Contra Costa
Water District, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Santa Clara Valley Water District
and Zone 7 Water Agency). The results include analyses of potential impacts to the Bay Delta,
how to use Los Vaqueros, alternate energy options, and how to wheel the water through
EBMUD's distribution system. The next step is to draft the principles for estimating costs to
wheel water using the District's system. The results of these efforts will be shared with the Board
this summer.