Consent Decree - Request for Inflow and Infiltration InspectorsMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Consent Decree - Request for Inflow and Infiltration Inspectors
DATE: October 31, 2011
Dubuque
1111- Americacity
2007
On June 27, 2011, the City of Dubuque, Iowa entered into a Consent Decree with the
United States and State of Iowa. One of the requirements of the Consent Decree is to
investigate and identify sources of inflow and infiltration (I &I) within five sewersheds.
Source identification activities include private property inspections, smoke testing, dye
testing, manhole inspections, and televising of sanitary sewer pipes. All of these
activities were conducted during 2011 for the first of the five sewersheds.
The majority of private property inspections and dye testing were conducted between
May and August 2011 by seven engineering interns. The inspection system and the
interns worked very efficiently, so much so that over one -half of the inspections planned
for the second sewershed (summer 2012) have been completed. However, only three
of the engineering interns have been able to continue working this fall, and they each
average approximately 4 hours per week due to their school responsibilities. This has
proven to be inefficient because it is difficult to maintain continuity between inspectors
and scheduling.
The proper inspections are important to relieve any storm water burden at the City
Water and Resource Recovery Center and City sanitary sewer lift stations and to
comply with the EPA Consent Decree. This is also very sensitive work because it
involves going into private homes and businesses. While it is appropriate to
supplement full -time City employees with the work of interns, I do not believe a well -
managed system can be designed around an intern only model.
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos recommends City Council authorization to create two full -
time Inflow and Infiltration Inspectors and to purchase two new vehicles for their use.
The two full -time inspectors will work with interns and part-time employees to enable
two crews to be working all year. The I &I Inspectors will increase the City's ability to
conduct sanitary sewer I &I inspections at businesses and homes in order to comply with
the EPA Consent Decree. These individuals would assist the Engineering Department
on the City's l &I Program throughout much of the year and be available during the
winter months to assist the Public Works and Leisure Services Departments with snow
removal activities. The two trucks would be used to travel between inspection
appointments, for smoke testing, and for snow removal and deicing.
The proposed positions and vehicles would be funded by 100% recharge to the
Stormwater I &I Prevention Program (CIP 7202333), Sanitary I &I Reduction Program
(7101294), and Snow and Ice Control (25054420. The annual appropriations for the
Stormwater I &I Prevention Program and the Sanitary I &I Reduction Program have been
$220,000 and $210,000 respectively.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Don Vogt, Public Works Director
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
cly
11111/
it
2007
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
SUBJECT: Consent Decree - Request for Inflow and Infiltration Inspectors
DATE: October 27, 2011
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to seek authorization to create two full -time Inflow and
Infiltration (I &I) Inspectors and to purchase two new vehicles for their use. The vehicles
chosen would be suitable for snow plowing. The I &I Inspectors will increase the City's
ability to conduct sanitary sewer I &I inspections at businesses and homes in order to
comply with the EPA Consent Decree. These individuals would assist the Engineering
Department on the City's I &I Program throughout much of the year and be available
during the winter months to assist the Public Works and Leisure Services Departments
with snow removal activities. The two trucks would be used to travel between inspection
appointments, for smoke testing, and for snow removal and deicing.
DISCUSSION
On June 27, 2011, the City of Dubuque, Iowa entered into a Consent Decree with the
U.S. and State of Iowa. One of the requirements of the Consent Decree is to investigate
and identify sources of I &I within five sewersheds. Source identification activities include
private property inspections, smoke testing, dye testing, manhole inspections, and
televising of sanitary sewer pipes. All of these activities were conducted during 2011 for
the first of the five sewersheds.
The majority of private property inspections and dye testing were conducted between
May and August 2011 by seven engineering interns. The inspection system and the
interns worked very efficiently, so much so that over one -half of the inspections planned
for the second sewershed (summer 2012) have been completed. However, only three of
the engineering interns have been able to continue working this fall, and they each
average approximately 4 hours per week due to their school responsibilities. This has
proven to be inefficient because it is difficult to maintain continuity between inspectors
and scheduling.
The two proposed I &I Inspectors will work with interns and part-time employees to
enable two crews to find illegal connections and other I/1 problems year- round. This will
prevent sanitary sewer overflows in wet weather conditions and the sanitary sewer lift
stations and the new Water and Resource Recovery Center from being overwhelmed
during storm events.
I &I inspections have been conducted with personal vehicles in the past. The drivers
were reimbursed for mileage by the City, and magnets were used to identify the
vehicles as "City of Dubuque." Approximately 3,000 property inspections were
conducted during 2011 using one, two or three teams at various times.
If the two new vehicles are approved, personal vehicles will only be used when more
than two teams are needed to conduct inspections. The two new I &I Inspectors will be
the primary drivers of the new vehicles.
The two proposed positions will work full -time for the Engineering Department.
However, they will be available on an on -call basis in the winter to assist Leisure
Services and Public Works with snow removal. Public Works recommends purchasing a
Ford or Chevy 3/ -ton, heavy -duty diesel truck. This type of truck will be sufficient to push
heavy snow loads and carry the necessary de -icing equipment. A jeep to plow trails
might be considered for the second vehicle.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend authorization to create two new full -time employees to increase the City's
ability to conduct sanitary sewer I &I inspections and to purchase two new 34-ton trucks
for use by the I &I Inspectors.
BUDGET IMPACT
After discussion with Randy Peck, I recommend that the proposed position(s) be
classified under the City's GE -26 salary grade. The annual salary range at this grade is
between $33,800 and $44,179.20. The minimum annual cost would be:
Gross Wages: 2 x $33,800.00 = $ 67,600.00
Social Security & Medicare: $67,600.00 x 0.0765 = $ 5,171.40
IPERS $67,600.00 x 0.0807 = $ 5,455.32
Total Cost: $ 78,226.72
The proposed positions would be funded by 100% recharge to the Stormwater I &I
Prevention Program (CIP 7202333), Sanitary I &I Reduction Program (7101294), and
Snow and Ice Control (25054420). The annual appropriations for the Stormwater l &I
Prevention Program and the Sanitary l&I Reduction Program have been $220,000 and
$210,000, respectively.
Public Works staff estimates the cost of each truck to be approximately $52,000 (fully
equipped with snow removal and deicing tools). One truck would be funded by 100%
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recharge to the Stormwater I &I Prevention Program (CIP 7202333), and the other would
be funded by 100% recharge to the Sanitary I &I Reduction Program (7101294).
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I request authorization to create and fill two full -time Inflow and Infiltration Inspectors
and to purchase two new 3/4 -ton trucks. The inspectors and trucks will increase the
City's ability to conduct sanitary sewer I &I inspections in order to comply with the EPA
Consent Decree and assist the Leisure Services and Public Works Departments with
snow removal and deicing.
Prepared by: Todd Shoemaker, Environmental Engineer
cc: Jenny Larson, Budget Director
Randy Peck, Personnel Manager
Todd Shoemaker, Environmental Engineer
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