Chapter 2 - Background Information
This chapter provides basic planning and physical environment information as context for discussion in the following chapters. The Wastewater Utility uses community trends in land use, population and demand for sewer service as the basis for projecting wastewater (also known as sewage) flows and future wastewater infrastructure and program needs. The physical topography dictates to a certain extent the types of sewer collection and conveyance systems that are most appropriate for each basin within the Sewer Service Area.
This chapter also gives an overview of the state and federal regulatory environment associated with planning, constructing, operating and maintaining a wastewater system; a brief discussion of other plans that relate to water-based resources in this community; and some of the agreements in place among the LOTT Clean Water Alliance (LOTT) partners that relate to wastewater. LOTT stands for Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and Thurston County, the four LOTT partners.
2.1 Sewer Service Area
The City of Olympia is located on Budd Inlet at the southern end of Puget Sound. The Utility's Sewer Service Area (see Figure 2.1) includes:
• 20 square miles inside the City limits,
• Its Urban Growth Area (UGA) (approximately six square miles in unincorporated Thurston County),
• The Evergreen State College,
• Several areas in the Cities of Tumwater and Lacey for which service agreements have been executed, and
• A small area outside its western urban growth boundary which received sewer service before the boundaries were established under the Growth Management Act.
Appendix J includes a larger scale map showing the Sewer Service Area.
Many neighborhoods and individual lots within the City and its UGA are still using septic systems, also known as onsite sewage systems (OSS). See Chapter 4 for a discussion of OSS, and current City and Thurston County regulations regarding them.
The Sewer Service Area is divided into six major basins, also shown in Figure 2.1, to facilitate planning strategies. Chapter 5 discusses each basin in more detail, including the characteristics and challenges associated with each of them.
View Figure 2.1 Sewer Service Area and Regional Basins
2.2 Population and Land Use
Population and Demand for Sewer Service
Population data in this Plan is based on data published by the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) and electronic source data obtained from the TRPC. Historic population for the City of Olympia is shown in Table 2.1. Table 2.2 and Figure 2.2 show population forecasts. Given current wastewater policies and regulations, the vast majority of new population in Olympia will be served by sewer.
|
|
2005 |
2010 |
2015 |
2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
City |
43,330 |
46,513 |
51,020 |
52,490 |
|
UGA |
10,980 |
11,797 |
11,910 |
12,370 |
|
Total |
54,310 |
58,310 |
62,930 |
64,860 |
|
|
2020 |
2025 |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
City |
55,170 |
60,770 |
65,670 |
68,460 |
71,900 |
|
UGA |
12,680 |
13,260 |
14,270 |
15,940 |
16,710 |
|
Total |
67,850 |
74,030 |
79,940 |
84,400 |
88,610 |
View Figure 2.2 Historic Population and Projections
Land Use Trends
From 2013 to 2018, construction activity has been steadily increasing. In Olympia, near term growth projections indicate steady growth in residential and commercial construction. In 2018, 35% percent of new home construction was single family residential and 65% multifamily, based on the number of equivalent residential units.
Projected Growth Patterns
While there are no clear trends as to growth in one particular area of the City, Thurston County Regional Planning Council data on housing starts and population indicate that growth in the near term (one to six years) will continue to be focused in urban areas, rather than rural areas of Thurston County. While most new housing starts will continue to be single family residential, there will be an increase in the density of housing and numbers of multifamily housing units constructed, especially in the UGA.
2.3 Wastewater Flows
Demand for sewer service is calculated using a value called an "Equivalent Residential Unit" (ERU). ERUs create a common base for estimating the amount of wastewater generated from both residential and commercial sources. Olympia uses data provided by its utility billing section and LOTT to calculate the number of ERUs served and the average winter wastewater flow per single family residence. These calculations generate an average winter wastewater flow of about 130 gallons per day per single family residence.
ERUs are used to plan infrastructure needs and define billing rates. Combining these typical wastewater flows with projections of future connections allows us to evaluate wastewater system capacities and needs. Projected growth data provided by the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is used to compute the projections of future ERUs in Table 2.3.
|
|
2015 |
2020 |
2025 |
2030 |
2035 |
2040 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Single Family ERUs |
13,115 |
13,631 |
14,770 |
15,498 |
16,326 |
17,286 |
|
Multi-Family ERUs |
7,160 |
7,909 |
8,989 |
9,717 |
10,580 |
11,611 |
|
Commercial |
6,214 |
6,792 |
7,461 |
7,909 |
8,387 |
8,610 |
|
Total ERUs |
26,489 |
28,332 |
31,220 |
33,124 |
35,293 |
3,7507 |
|
% Increase |
N/A |
7% |
10.2% |
6.1% |
6.5% |
6.3% |
1Based on growth projections from TRPC, and data from LOTT and the City’s Utility Billing.
Table 2.4, summarizing recent historical flows, indicates that wastewater generation has been fluctuating since 2013. Steady wastewater generation even as Olympia's population grows reflects the effectiveness of water conservation practices. For more information regarding basin-specific flows, including wet weather flows, see LOTT's most recent Annual Capacity Reports. For more information about Olympia's water conservation efforts, see the 2015-2020 Water System Plan.
|
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Average Daily Base Wastewater Flow, MGD |
4.14 |
4.31 |
4.25 |
4.52 |
4.34 |
|
Average Peak Hour Flow, estimated MGD2 |
24.8 |
26.7 |
26.4 |
28.0 |
26.9 |
1Source: LOTT 2017 Annual Capacity Reports.
2Based on LOTT’s calculation for Olympia of 6.2 as the average ratio of Peak Hour Flow to Base Flow.
2.4 Physical Setting
Water Resource Inventory Area
The City’s entire Sewer Service Area is within Water Resource Inventory (WRIA) Area 13 - Deschutes. This includes the portions of the Sewer Service Area within the Eld Inlet and Henderson Inlet watersheds on the west and east sides of Olympia. The Washington Department of Ecology’s initial intent for the WRIAs was to complete drainage basin-specific assessments in order to better understand the relationships between climate, surface water and groundwater in a given area. Elements of the initial assessment, completed in 1995, and the extensive documentation and ongoing research that has followed, include water withdrawals and allocations, hydrology, water quality, and riparian values such as fisheries habitat.
Past and ongoing efforts related to water quality and habitat in WRIA 13 include, but are not limited to, establishing seasonal instream flow requirements for the Deschutes River, and characterizing water quality degradation and how to limit or reduce it. Water quality issues and constituents of interest include temperature, pH, fine sediment, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliforms, and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These have had an adverse effect on the health of the lower reaches of the Deschutes, as well as most of the urban watersheds within the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater.
As a result, the Department of Ecology, with stakeholder input, is in the process of establishing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for some of these constituents, under a process established by Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. This process has a direct relationship to the issues of OSS management (see Chapter 4), discharge of treated effluent into Budd Inlet, and potentially groundwater recharge of treated water (see the LOTT discussion in Section 3.6). In 2015, a TMDL was completed for the Deschutes River. The Deschutes TMDL requires the City to take action related to reducing fecal coliform and nutrients. The Budd Inlet, Capitol Late and direct tributaries portion of the TMDL is still in progress.
In addition, the Henderson Inlet Watershed Management Area has been established to address ground and surface water issues that have impacted shellfish and other species. A TMDL for Henderson Inlet was completed in 2008. Actions required by the City included addressing both fecal coliform and nutrients. A TMDL was also completed for Totten, Eld and Little Skookum Inlets in 2006. Green Cove Creek is a tributary to Eld Inlet. It did not require any actions by the City. See Chapter 4 for further information.
Geology and Soils
Geology in Olympia and the rest of Thurston County is the result of glacial activity in Puget Sound. Receding glaciers left the land dotted with lakes, ponds and materials called glacial till or glacial drift, deposited during successive glacial periods. This material varies from fine particles to large rocks and is generally permeable, with the capacity to absorb the 50-plus inches of annual precipitation.
However, soil characteristics present challenges for both gravity sewers pipes and OSS. The 1990 Soil Survey of Thurston County Washington identified 30 types of soil within the urbanized Thurston County UGA (U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, 1990). Only about one percent of the county land area has soils that meet all criteria for ideal functioning of OSS (Sandison, 1996). Soils in most of Olympia's UGA are either too porous, too close to groundwater, or too close to underlying impermeable layers to allow ideal onsite treatment of wastewater. During winter months, many soils are occasionally or consistently saturated.
Construction of gravity sewer pipes is influenced by soil texture, depth to the water table, and linear extensibility (shrink-swell potential), which can influence soil stability. Depth to the seasonal high water table, flooding and ponding may restrict the period when excavation can be done, and slopes create more difficulty when using machinery. The areas with unfavorable soil conditions may limit installation of deep sewer pipes without major soil reclamation, special design or expensive installation procedures.
In some portions of the City's Sewer Service Area, especially west and southwest of Ken Lake, there is very little soil on top of the impermeable basalt layer. Soils there are inappropriate for OSS and installation of gravity sewer pipes is difficult and expensive.
See Chapter 4 for more information on soils and groundwater, and their impacts on OSS.
Topography
Thurston County's topography is characterized by coastal lowlands and wooded prairies up to the Cascade foothills. In general, Olympia's topography slopes to downtown, where the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant is located. Land elevation within and between neighborhoods varies appreciably, often creating topographic barriers for the gravity conveyance of wastewater. To overcome these barriers, the Utility operates 31 sewer lift stations and approximately 1,800 STEP systems that pump effluent from individual properties to the wastewater system. Approximately 300 privately owned and operated grinder pumps provide a pressurized service connection to the City's wastewater system.
Climate
Winter weather in Olympia is temperate, wet and generally overcast. Summer weather is moderate and comparatively dry. The average annual range in temperature is relatively narrow, from an average low of 40 degrees (Fahrenheit) to an average high of 60 degrees. Monthly average low and high temperatures vary from 32-50 degrees and 44-77 degrees, respectively.
The average annual precipitation for Olympia is 51 inches. During the wet season, generally from October to May, storms usually arrive from the southwest and continue north into the Puget Sound area. Most precipitation occurs during November, December and January (averaging 8.2, 7.9 and 7.6 inches per month, respectively), with an occasional Arctic storm that brings freezing temperatures, hail or sleet, freezing rain or snow.
Water Supply
Olympia depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply. About 70 percent of Olympia's water comes from McAllister Wellfield, located about 10 miles east of the city. Water leaves the McAllister Wellfield through a 36-inch transmission main and is pumped to the Meridian Storage Tanks about a mile west of the Wellfield. The water then flows by gravity from the storage tanks through the transmission main for an eight-mile journey to the storage tanks on Fir Street and 7th Avenue. From these storage tanks, the water is pumped and piped throughout the city.
The City has six additional water supply wells. Three are on the west side of Olympia: two at Allison Springs and one on Kaiser Road. Three wells are in southeast Olympia: one on Hoffman Road, one at Shana Park and one near the Indian Summer Golf Course. Some utility customers have their own water wells and therefore do not receive City water. The 2015-2020 Water System Plan provides complete information on Olympia's water supply.
2.5 State and Federal Regulations
Utility services are planned and implemented within a complex framework of statutes, regulations, plans and policies adopted by federal, State, County and City governments and intergovernmental agreements with neighboring jurisdictions. Below are brief discussions of the more important programs and regulations. Please click on the appropriate link for more information.
Clean Water Act and Department of Ecology
The federal Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972), forms the basis for regulatory standards regarding discharges of pollutants into surface waters. Additionally, the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. §300f et seq. (1974), protects and regulates all potential sources of drinking water, both surface and groundwater.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for enforcing the provisions of both the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, through programs such as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, authority for which has been delegated to the Department of Ecology (Ecology) in Washington State. LOTT’s Budd Inlet Treatment Plant holds the current NPDES permit that covers the City’s wastewater system. The permit is available for viewing on their website at https://lottcleanwater.org/. EPA has also delegated authority to Ecology for approval of wastewater plans and specifications. Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-240-050, Department of Ecology Requirements for General Sewer Plans, lists specific information that wastewater plans should address for submittal to Ecology for approval (see Appendix A).
Under RCW 90.48.110(2), Ecology has delegated to the City of Olympia responsibility for review and approval of engineering reports, plans and specifications for new wastewater infrastructure within its Sewer Service Area. Engineering specifications for the use and construction of sewer infrastructure are provided in Ecology’s Criteria for Sewage Works Design.
Ecology has also authorized the City of Olympia to issue permits for discharge into the wastewater system (WAC 173-208). These are regulated under the Industrial Pretreatment Program jointly administered by LOTT under its NPDES permit and the City through Olympia Municipal Code 13.20.
Growth Management Act
The City of Olympia is required by the Growth Management Act (GMA, RCW 90.48) to plan for 20 years of future growth. State-mandated growth management planning is designed to produce denser urban areas while protecting the rural character and natural resources of unincorporated areas. Consistent with the GMA, the Utility manages its infrastructure capacity to accommodate projected development within the City and its UGA. Sewer extensions outside the UGA are normally not allowed under the GMA without a rigorous demonstration of a need to address an urgent public health threat.
SEPA
SEPA, the State Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21C), requires the City to consider the potential environmental impacts of a proposal. Plans such as this one are considered non-project, or program, proposals and do not go through as rigorous an environmental review as do specific project proposals.
As a lead agency under SEPA, the City identifies the potential impacts of sewer service associated with proposed new development and measures to mitigate any potentially negative impacts. See Appendix I for the SEPA review and determination for this Wastewater Management Plan.
Washington Department of Health
The Washington State Department of Health is this state's regulatory authority for most issues related to drinking water. In addition, the Department of Health has authority for approving OSS (WAC 246-272), but has delegated the authority to approve all OSS with a design flow of less than 3,500 gallons per day to the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department. Criteria for OSS approval include minimum lot size and setbacks from sources of drinking water or other water resources. See Chapter 4 for more information.
Greywater Subsurface Irrigation Systems
The Washington State legislature recognizes the need to conserve groundwater and surface water supplies, reduce the cost of treating wastewater and use sustainable building practices to conserve potable water. The legislature determined that the Department of Health shall adopt rules for greywater reuse that do not compromise public health or cause unacceptable environmental impact.
In 2006, enacted legislation required the Washington State Department of Health to adopt rules for subsurface greywater irrigation by December 31, 2010. The rule, chapter 246-274 WAC, establishes requirements that provide building owners with simple, cost-effective options for reusing greywater for subsurface irrigation. The chapter is intended to encourage water conservation and to protect public health and water quality.
- Quoted from the Preface of the Washington State Department of Health's guidance document titled "Tier Two and Three Greywater Subsurface Irrigation Systems" (June 2012).
Tier 1 greywater systems are the simplest with up to 60 gallons per day of gravity flow. Tier 2 systems distribute up to 3,500 gallons per day, and typically rely upon pressurized flow. Allowable greywater sources for both Tiers 1 and 2 systems are bathroom sinks, showers, bathtubs and clothes washing machines. Tier 3 systems are similar to Tier 2, but typically use greywater from sources such as non-laundry utility sinks, kitchen sinks and dishwasher water.
The most likely scenario for implementing greywater reuse for subsurface irrigation is for property owners already connected to City sewer to divert some of their greywater, on a seasonal (when it is not raining or freezing) and occasional basis for watering plants.
According to 246-274 WAC, Thurston County may either adopt the new WAC by reference, or write and adopt local codes to address greywater re-use, consistent with the WAC. Until Thurston County adopts code language addressing this, greywater reuse for subsurface irrigation is not allowed.
Residents can get an onsite greywater sewage system approved under 246-272A WAC, for example if they have a composting toilet and still need to treat/dispose of the greywater. Under current City and Thurston County regulations, residents would only be able to do this in locations where it is acceptable to site OSS. However, greywater reuse is not allowed.
2.6 Local Regulations and Design Standards
Olympia Municipal Code
The Olympia Municipal Code (OMC) addresses wastewater issues in the following chapters and sections:
|
Sewer Capital Improvement Fund |
|
|
Local Improvement Districts |
|
|
Rates |
|
|
Sewers |
|
|
Wastewater System (Pretreatment) |
|
|
Subdivisions - Improvements |
|
|
Developments without Sewer Service |
Other chapters of the OMC, for example those addressing Zoning and Building Codes in Chapters 16 and 18, also include regulations that directly or indirectly address issues related to providing sewer service.
Olympia Engineering Design and Development Standards
The City of Olympia’s design and development standards regarding wastewater infrastructure are contained in Chapter 7 of the Engineering Design and Development Standards (EDDS). The EDDS are updated every year, at which time they address inconsistencies in language, new industry standards, input from local businesses and related professionals, and comments from local and state jurisdictions, private citizens and other stakeholders.
WAC 173-240, Submission of Plans and Reports for Construction of Wastewater Facilities, includes in subsection .040, Review Standards, a requirement that plans and reports be "reasonably consistent" with the Department of Ecology’s "Criteria for Sewage Works Design" manual. The City’s EDDS fulfills this requirement.
Article IV of the Sanitary Code for Thurston County
Article IV of the Sanitary Code for Thurston County includes "rules and regulation of the Thurston County Board of Health governing treatment and dispersal of sewage." Article IV protects public health through regulating the "location, design, installation, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of OSS..." through the authority granted in Chapter 70.05 RCW and 246-272A WAC. In addition, Section 21.2.8 of Article IV states that septic proposals must be "consistent with requirements in city sewerage plans…depending on the project's location." See Chapter 4 of this Plan for more information.
2.7 Related Plans
Following are a number of plans and guidance documents that relate directly or indirectly to the Wastewater Management Plan.
Olympia Comprehensive Plan
In addition to its sustainable community vision, the Comprehensive Plan makes commitments to the future through its goals and policies. Specific utility activities are guided by Comprehensive Plan goals and policies established in the Growth Management, Environment, Public Utilities and Services, and Public Education sections of the Comprehensive Plan.
Olympia Capital Facilities Plan
The City’s Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) is updated every year to reflect six and 20-year priorities for public infrastructure construction. Wastewater projects identified and prioritized by this Plan (see Chapter 10) are more fully defined, funded and implemented through the City’s Capital Facilities Planning and yearly budgeting processes.
Thurston County Sewerage General Plan
The 1990 Thurston County Sewerage General Plan for Unincorporated Urban Growth Management Area promotes the orderly growth of the urban area, addresses the ownership of sewer pipes, timing of construction, and hookup and payment policies for the unincorporated UGA.
This plan requires that areas within the short-term UGA (defined in the document) be developed with sewer service or community OSS, and specifies that areas within the long-term UGA (also defined in the document) need not be served by sewer at the time of construction. Since 1990, the short-and long-term UGAs have been combined into one UGA which, despite having somewhat different boundaries then those originally developed by 1990, is regulated under the previous policies for the short-term growth area. Under this approach, community OSS are allowed in the UGA. In the long-term, sewer service is to be provided. Properties connecting to sewer or community OSS are required to annex or sign a no-protest annexation agreement. The plan also defines circumstances under which sewer service can be extended to areas outside the UGA.
While the delineation between long-term and short-term UGAs is no longer in effect, the Thurston County General Sewerage Plan continues to guide some of the sewer policies relevant to development in the UGA, particularly when a development plan may include using a community OSS. Also see the 1992 General Sewerage Agreement for the Unincorporated Urban Growth Management Area.
Olympia 2015 Water System Plan
The City of Olympia delivers high quality drinking water to nearly 55,000 people through approximately 19,000 service connections. The 2015 Water System Plan presents both a 50-year vision and a six-year plan for efficiently using regional water resources to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water for the City's growing needs.
The Plan is used by City staff to accomplish goals around efficient use and protection of current water supplies to ensure future supplies, maintain a reliable water system infrastructure, and manage the Drinking Water Utility in a fiscally responsible manner. The Plan also highlights past accomplishments and current priorities.
Issues covered in the 2015 Water System Plan include actions to protect groundwater quality and promote water conservation, and promote the use of reclaimed water.
Reclaimed water, addressed in Chapter 7 of the 2015 Water System Plan, is part of the Drinking Water Utility's water conservation strategy to ensure regional water supplies are used efficiently. After the LOTT Budd Inlet Treatment Plant generates reclaimed water to Class A standards, the City purveys it to four Olympia customers, primarily for irrigation. LOTT also infiltrates Class A reclaimed water at its Hawks Prairie groundwater recharge facility in Lacey, outside City limits. The City's Reclaimed Water Program, begun around 2005, is implemented through Olympia Municipal Code (OMC) 13.24, state and City standards, and individual End User Service Agreements. Reclaimed water staff are also guided by a reclaimed water system expansion plan and procedures manual.
The City of Olympia, in collaboration with the City of Lacey and LOTT, constructed the Woodland Creek Groundwater Recharge Facility located in Lacey's Woodland Creek Community Park. The 4.6-acre facility recharges between 0.3 and 1.0 million gallons of reclaimed water per day. The facility fulfills water rights mitigation requirements to replenish depletions of flows to Woodland Creek. Olympia's participation in this facility pertains to the McAllister Wellfield water rights.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) requires the City to update its water system plan every six years. DOH must approve the plan for the City to be in compliance with water system planning requirements. The next update is scheduled for 2021.
1996 North Thurston County Coordinated Water System Plan
Thurston County oversees a planning process that coordinates and regulates water system services within the urban area of North Thurston County and designates Urban Water Supply Services Areas. Policies and recommendations contained in this 1996 document are intended to "encourage the effective coordination and development of water systems capable of meeting domestic and fire protection water requirements of the property owners and residents of the North Thurston urban area."
Olympia 2017 Storm & Surface Water Plan
The role of the City’s Storm and Surface Water Utility was bolstered in 1990 with the following mission:
To provide services that reduce flooding, improve water quality, and enhance aquatic habitat in Olympia. These services reflect community values, are efficient and cost-effective, and satisfy regulatory requirements and Olympia Comprehensive Plan goals and policies.
The 2017 Storm & Surface Water Plan guides the utility's action in regards to flooding, water quality and aquatic habitat management. Its illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE) program includes identifying sources of wastewater connected to the stormwater conveyance and discharge system, and eliminating them in coordination with the Wastewater Utility.
Sustainable Thurston
Developed by the Thurston Regional Planning Council, Sustainable Thurston is intended to "create a vision for how the Thurston Region will look, function and feel over the next 20 - 30 years." Finalized in December of 2013, the plan is titled "Creating Places, Preserving Spaces: A Sustainable Development Plan for the Thurston Region".
While Sustainable Thurston is not a regulatory or state-mandated planning effort, it explores many issues including the community's water resources. The plan includes identified challenges and opportunities related to water quality and OSS, as well as sewer collection, treatment and disposal. Information developed as part of this process is aiding implementation of several utility goals - for example, addressing basin-specific water quality issues, and sustainably expanding sewer service into areas within the City and its UGA which are currently undeveloped or served by OSS.
Olympia Sea Level Rise Response Plan
Downtown Olympia is currently vulnerable to flooding during high tides and storm events. With 12-inches of sea level rise, a 100 year flood event could occur every other year. To protect the 450-acre downtown area from increasing sea levels, the City partnered with the Port of Olympia and LOTT to develop the Olympia Sea Level Rise Response Plan (SLR Plan).
Development of the SLR Plan included a climate science review and a vulnerability and risk assessment. Five wastewater pump stations are vulnerable to flooding (at varying levels of sea level rise) and the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant is vulnerable to overland flooding at approximately 18 inches of sea level rise. In addition, flooding of downtown's combined sewer system could convey floodwaters to the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant and overwhelm the plant, resulting in untreated or partially treated wastewater discharging directly to Budd Inlet through LOTT's marine outfalls.
The SLR Plan provides comprehensive strategies for minimizing and preventing flooding to downtown Olympia, including the recommendation to incorporate sea level rise into other city planning documents.
This Plan's climate change goals, objectives and strategies are consistent with recommendations contained in the SLR Plan. See Chapter 9 for additional information.
Thurston Regional Climate Mitigation Plan
In 2018 Olympia entered into an interlocal agreement with the cities of Lacey and Tumwater and Thurston County to develop a regional climate mitigation plan. Phase I of the work has already been completed and resulted in the approval of a new communitywide emissions reduction goal by all project partners: To reduce communitywide emissions 45% below 2015 levels by 2030 and 85% below 2015 levels by 2050.
Phase II of the mitigation planning process will focus on developing and analyzing the strategies necessary to ensure that each partner jurisdiction hits the shared emissions targets. The Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan is expected to be completed in June 2020.
This Plan includes strategies for reducing the Utility's greenhouse gas emissions and supports implementing additional strategies consistent with the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan, when completed. See Chapter 9 for additional information.
2.8 Governmental Agreements
A number of agreements are in place among the four local jurisdictions that make up LOTT. Below are brief summaries of some of the more important ones.
1992 Agreement for the Implementation of the Thurston County Sewerage General Plan for the Unincorporated Urban Growth Management Area
This agreement serves as the means to implement the 1990 Thurston County Sewerage General Plan. It clarifies ownership and payment policies, procedures and responsibilities for sewer service and community OSS. The agreement anticipated "eventual interception of individual and community onsite systems" within the UGA by gradually constructing regional pipe systems and connecting residences. Key provisions of the agreement are:
• Establishing that Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater are the primary providers of sewer service and other utilities in their UGAs, with authority to establish policies and development standards applicable to the unincorporated County within their UGA.
• Procedures for the joint review and annexation of development projects within the UGA.
• Agreement by the three cities to own and operate community systems, including community OSS and STEPS, within their service areas. This provision ensures consistent wastewater services to all customers as mandated by the Growth Management Act. The agreement establishes the requirements under which the cities will accept responsibility for community systems and will serve as the permit holder for these systems.
1999 Interlocal Cooperation Act Agreement for Wastewater Management
The Interlocal Cooperation Act Agreement for Wastewater Management by LOTT was executed on November 5, 1999 and adopted by ordinance January 24, 2000. This agreement provided for a new governance structure to carry out the regional Wastewater Resource Management Plan and set the stage for consolidation of the ownership and management of all joint facilities under the management and control of a new LOTT organization. It superseded the 1976 agreement establishing the LOTT Partnership, under which ownership and operation of the joint facilities was handled by Olympia. The new facilities implemented pursuant to this agreement, together with those developed as joint facilities under the 1976 agreement, are operated for the benefit of all Partners.
Besides describing how LOTT is managed, the agreement addresses a number of issues, including collection of rates and fees, flow reduction goals, pretreatment requirements, allocation of costs, and enforcement activities.
Wastewater flows from the three local municipalities are conveyed to LOTT treatment facilities for treatment, re-use and /or discharge to receiving waters. All of Olympia's wastewater flows are treated by LOTT's Budd Inlet Treatment Plant in downtown Olympia.
The Budd Inlet Treatment Plant provides tertiary treatment including denitrification. Long-range planning for upgrades and expansions seeks to complete projects incrementally as needed by growing populations. LOTT is overseen by an elected-official Board and a technical sub-committee. At a staff level, projects and programs are well-coordinated with the local jurisdictions including Thurston County. More information on LOTT is provided in Chapter 3.
Intergovernmental Contract for Inflow and Infiltration Management and New Capacity Planning
This contract, executed in 1995 and updated in 1999, outlines a strategy for Olympia to first reduce, then limit, the amount of infiltration and inflow (I&I) entering the collection system, with financial participation from LOTT. I&I from groundwater and stormwater unnecessarily consume pipe and treatment plant capacity. The contract is included as Exhibit J of the 1999 Interlocal Cooperation Act Agreement described above. Previously, the City has had an I & I reduction program, through which it fulfilled the terms of this contract. Additional I&I reduction projects may be implemented in the future.
Agreement Regarding Joint Wastewater Flow Reduction and Water Conservation
The Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between Thurston County and the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater Regarding Joint Wastewater Flow Reduction and Water Conservation Projects was executed in October 2006 for the years 2007 to 2012, and extended through the year 2013 in December 2012. It defines the arrangements for joint management of flow reduction, especially water conservation projects at area schools. This agreement is included as Exhibit K of the 1999 Interlocal Cooperation Act Agreement described above.
Agreement Regarding Utility Mutual Aid
In September 2014, Olympia and the other LOTT partners signed an Interlocal Agreement for Sanitary Sewer Emergency Response Mutual Aid, to enable mutual assistance in the event of a sewer overflow involving assets owned by either LOTT or member jurisdictions.
Under the agreement, Olympia can be called upon to provide certain services to maintain the regional LOTT wastewater management facilities. These services vary from year to year and can include cleaning of the dump basin used by OSS service firms, structure repairs and inspections, as well as other O&M activities.
Currently, the Utility does not have adequate staffing to support programmatic O&M activities for LOTT. At a minimum, services provided to LOTT include availability of staff and equipment during emergencies.