Valley Times Quesitons & Answers

By Daniel M. "Danny" Akagi

The following is from a Valley Times Questionnaire

2. What are your plans to improve the district's diversion rate? I plan to improve the District's solid waste diversion rate through fully implementing construction and demolition (C&D) recycling, and increasing participation in the residential recycling/green/food waste programs. These programs are relatively new, and require behavioral changes by our customers. Two basic motivations influencing participation in these programs are past behavior and training, and economics. We have all been trained to toss food scraps and soiled paper waste in the garbage. Combining this material with the green waste is new and can be disturbing to customers. Economics drive how contractors handle C&D material. However, I believe further education will show contractors and their clients that C&D diversion is can be accomplished for a reasonable cost. Further, I plan to explore the potential diversion through implementing commercial recycling, and recycling at sporting (such as Castro Valley Youth Soccer League) events. I support efforts to seek and procure alternative sources of funding (such as our successful effort for residential food scrap composting) to increase diversion and properly handle wastes. We will be seeing additional constraints on how we handle wastes. We've recently seen this with E-waste, and will likely see restrictions on how we handle fluorescent lights and other products in our daily lives.

3. How can the treatment of waste water be improved? In developing the project, the plant was examined and "stress tested" to determine needed improvements to meet tighter discharge standards. The major components were designed and subjected to value engineering and constructability reviews, as well as review by the regulatory agencies. The low bid for the project is $24.8 million, and was very close to the Engineer's Estimate. The project team is highly qualified for a project of this size and complexity. This project will improve waste water treatment and allow the Castro Valley and Oro Loma Sanitary Districts to meet current and foreseeable treatment requirements for discharge to San Francisco Bay.

4. The district is now organizing public committees for the district. How should the public become involved with the district? The public should take advantage of several ways to become involved and communicate with the District, with public committees as one way of becoming involved with the District. The traditional and very effective way to become involved with the District is to participate in the election process through thoughtful selection of the board members. The board's meetings are open to the public and offer opportunities for the public to speak on issues and have written correspondence addressed in the light of the public. Public participation is actually a two way affair. Our General Manager is tasked with daily public outreach through contacts with the business community, service organizations, school district, and county government. In the 9 years that I've served on the Board, the Board membership has included a core of well known residents in the community spanning a range of ages and life experiences. The Board members seek public involvement through the same contacts as well, and includes contacts through the soccer league, scouting, little league, and local churches. Advisory committees provide the District with an opportunity to seek information from the public. This allows the District to brief and query the committee on more complex issues such as solid waste, recycling, impacts of fee adjustments, additional services, and other public policy issues.

5. What would you change? What new programs would you like to see implemented by the district? I believe the District has been able to convert itself from a little known government agency to an agency that takes proactive steps to meet its responsibilities, look after concerns of the community, and become an industry leader. This has been accomplished through many small changes. I would like to see solid waste recycling, landfill diversion, and simple litter control become normal behavior, similar to educating our children. The District's role in achieving this is through education and making participation easier for the customer. The District needs to control infiltration and inflow of rainwater and groundwater into the collection system. I would like to see a program implemented in concert with the lateral grant program to address inspection, testing, and repair of laterals.