Agenda - 06-29-2000-9f - Laserfiche WebLink

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37 Approval of a pumping station For Richmond Hills also represents something of a precedent setting situation. That is, if the County approves a pumping station for Habitat for Humanity, if may have difficulty denying proposals to use pumping stations in other subdivisions being developed by private developers. Currently, there is at least one other major subdivision in the Efland that is in the planning stage and that may propose the use of a pumping station to obtain sewer service from the Efland sewer system. The Facts and circumstances I have cited above lead me to resist the use of a pumping station to provide sewer service to the Richmond Hills subdivision. I would prefer that service be provided by means of a low pressure STEP system, in which each home would have an individual septic tank and pump tank and the collection system would consist of small diameter low pressure force mains. Such system would provide a number of advantages, including: 1) lower initial construction costs; 2) the likelihood that pump station failure sewerage spills - if any -would be smaller and much less likely to trigger regulatory action; 3) reduced public operation and maintenance costs; and 4) greater waste storage capacity (in on-site pumping and septic tanks) in the event ofwide-spread system malfunction. A STEP system would not be without drawbacks, however. The STEP technology is not entirely familiar in this area and would require same adjustments to standardized operating and maintenance procedures. Perhaps the most problematic facet of using STEP technology would be the necessity for economically disadvantaged households -~ those being assisted by Habitat for Humanity - to pay the operating and maintenance costs for the individual pumping stations. The cost of repairing/replacing a pump could easily come to several hundred dollars, although such costs should be incurred very infrequently (12 years ago Orange County installed three individual household grinder pump stations as apart of the original sewer system project and none of the pumps has yet needed replacement or repair). There is no question that the Richmond Hills project is an important component of the effort to implement County affordable housing strategies. Furthermore and notwithstanding my reluctance to integrate new pumping stations in the Efland sewer system, the Efland system (if it is developed to the extent of the existing system master plan and if the Buckhom EDD and the Perry Hills community are incorporated into the system) may ultimately contain at least five pumping stations in addition to the existing main pumping station. Policy decisions such as determining the relative importance of affordable housing goals and strategies in comparison to concerns about the County's assumption of pump station related liabilities, setting precedents, etc., are beyond the scope of my office. However, I anticipate that the County's commitment to address affordable housing needs will take priority over sewer system operational exigencies, particularly since it is probable that a Richmond Hills pumping station would eventually be just one of several. In accordance with my assumption that: a) Orange County will allow Richmond Hills to be served by a wastewater system consisting of a gravity collector system and a central pumping system; and b) the County will assume ownership and operational responsibilities for the system; I have no objection to the subdivision layout shown on the preliminary plan proposal. However, I do make the following recommendations: 1) all final subdivision approvals be made contingent on the County Engineer's approval of the wastewater collection/pumping system design, including layout, grade and alignment, equipment (standby power generation, alarm telemetry) and materials/hardware, etc.; b) all gravity sewer piping, manholes and appurtenances be constructed in roadway shoulders, parallel to and at least