Providing Ratepayers more Value

By Marcia A. Johnson

Examples of achievements such as Private Lateral Grant Program, Pipebursting Program and Cured in Place Pipe

I was instrumental in creating the current Lateral Replacement Grant Program put into place almost 3 years ago. This program has provided $1 million for grants to homeowners so far to encourage them to first get their laterals inspected and then replaced if needed. The amount of the grant is up to $4,000 or half of the amount for lateral replacement, whichever is less. Approximately 294 residents have used the Grant Program to date. This is a model program in Marin County.

Additionally, when RVSD does a pipe replacement project in a residential area, each home is visited with information on the Program. This allows the opportunity for the work on the mainline in the street to be coordinated with lateral replacements at the same time. Plus, as part of mainline replacement, the lower lateral is automatically replaced as needed.

I serve on RVSD's Standing Committee on Private Sewer Lateral Compliance that is considering additional methods to encourage more homeowners to replace their laterals. This has included information about our Grant Program in every newsletter the District sends out and website information on the program. It is important to raise public awareness about this issue as a first step. We are about to look at potential ways to perhaps loan homeowners the funds or a portion of the funds necessary for replacement with repayment through property tax bills over a period of time. A representative from the Board of Realtors recently came to a Committee meeting to share with us their concerns on the lateral issue.

There are approximately 200 miles of laterals in the District and this is a serious environmental issue that homeowners do not like to think about. Most homeowners also do not like to dig a hole in the ground and basically bury money by replacing their sewer lateral. Or homeowners are completely unaware of the status of their own lateral pipe or the fact that they even own a lateral pipe.

The first year our program was in effect we allocated $250,000 towards the grants, the second year $500,000 and both of these amounts were applied for by homeowners and fully spent. For the third year, which is the fiscal year we are in now, there was opposition to this program and the allocation was reduced back down to $250,000. Unfortunately, due to the decrease, this amount ran out after half of the year so there are no more grant funds available until after the start of the new fiscal year in July, assuming that agreement can be reached for further funding. I would like to increase the amount for the grant program in the coming budget year.

I strongly believe in this program and also believe that it has been a success for the ratepayers in the RVSD.

Pipebursting Program

We have been focusing on creating more value for the ratepayer dollar. For example, we created a Pipebursting Pilot Program using Bothin Road in Fairfax. The Pipebursting method allows pipe to be replaced without digging an open trench down the street. It is substantially less expensive than open trenching. As a result of the success of the Bothin Road Project, RVSD formed its own Pipebursting Crew that has a goal of replacing up to one mile of pipe per year using this method. Our own crews' cost for one mile of pipe is about $800,000 vs. using an outsider contractor for about $1.4 million per mile. This provides more value to the ratepayer.

Since pipe replacement work is continuous in any sanitary district, just like painting the Golden Gate Bridge, the crew will have work ongoingly into the future.

Cured in Place Pipe

Additionally, we are using a method called CIPP (Cured in Place Pipe) when applicable to the repair location. This method applies a new hardened surface to the inside of the pipe, thus adding about 25 more years to its life. Again, this cannot be done in all locations, but where we can it is less expensive and less intrusive to a neighborhood than open trenching.