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Home My WebLink About1.0 Staff ReportExhibits for the City of Rifle WWTF Site Application 01/08/07 Staff Report Comments from Jim Rada, Environmental Health Manager, Garfield County ) 2) West Rifle Service Area: Located east of the West Rifle Secondary Service Area. Included in this area is the UMTRA site (proposed 19cation of the RRWWRF). There is a large amount of future development expected for this area, including light industrial, commercial, and some mixed residential uses. 3) Rifle Core Service Area: This area lies north of the Colorado River and below the west rims of Graham Mesa and is currently served by the City's wastewater collection and treatment facilities. There is an estimated 305 acres of potential development within this area that will average between three and four units per acre of density. 4) Hubbard Gulch Service Area: This area is currently undeveloped, but future growth is anticipated. 5) Rimrock Service Area: This area consists of annexed lands. No infrastructure exists but can be in place quickly. This area has previously approved high density subdivisions. 6) Graham Mesa Service Area: This area includes Highlands East, Pastures, Arabian Heights, North Pastures, Homestead and Promontory Subdivisions. Currently this area is experiencing growth and it is expected to continue. 7) South Rifle Service Area: The Rifle South Wastewater Treatment Facility is located within this area. This area also contains the Rifle Village South Subdivision which has little "in-fill" development anticipated. 8) Powers Ranch Service Area: This area has the highest potential for development within the City of Rifle. 9) South Rifle Business Park Service Area: This area is currently served with both City sewage collection and water distribution. This area is experiencing development activity consisting of both commercial and light industrial uses. Annexation and total build-out is expected. 10) Airport Service Area: This is the area adjacent and including the Garfield County Airport. Development activity is expected in this area due to the expanded infrastructure. III. Phasing Construction of the facility will be phased to eliminate building unnecessary capacity until it can be utilized. The City of Rifle is proposing two possible phasing options. Option A -Two Phases The existing North and South WWTF have flows around 0.866 MGD.and 0.131 MMGD. 2 j (0.997 MGD combined) The first phase of Option A would be for 2.00 MGD. With the planning process for the second phase beginning at 80% capacity (1.60 MGD), and construction commencing at 95% (1.90 MGD). At current flows the City would not began construction of the second phase until an increase of 0.90 MGD. Option B -Three Phases This option separates the construction into three phases. Based on current flows the facility would be at approximately 74% of the first phase capacity. CDPHE Site Application Guidelines require the planning for the second phase to begin at 80% capacity (1.08 MGD). Construction would begin at 95% capacity (l.28MGD), which calculates to an increase of 0.28MGD. This report recommends Option "A" due to economic concerns, and the unpredictability and explosiveness of the energy market. · IV. Alternative Sites A total of five potential sites were examined including the two existing facility sites, and three proposed sites. 1) Rifle North WWTF 2) Rifle South WWTF 3) UMTRA Site 4) Pipeline Site/Exit 87 East 5) Railroad Site/Exit 87 West 6) Webster Hill site 3 ) ) Both of the existing WW1F sites were eliminated due to lack of adequate acreage. A change of the land use at the Railroad site resulted in it also being eliminated. The Pipeline and Webster Hill sites are privately owned and would more than likely require the City to proceed with a condemnation proceeding to take ownership. The UMTRA site is recommended by this report. The City currently owns the property and meets the setback policy of the CDPHE. The UMTRA property is located within the City limits and wastewater treatment plants are allowed under current zoning. V. Issues and Concerns A. Role of the Board of County Commissioners: State Statutes: C.R.S. 25-8-702(2)(a-c), and the "Regulations for Site Applications for Domestic Wastewater Treatment Works", defines the parameters by which the Water Quality Control Division ("Division") shall review and approve or deny a site application for a wastewater treatment works. The Division is required to determine that each site location is I) consistent with the long range, comprehensive planning for the area in which it is to be located; 2) that the plant on the proposed site will be managed to minimize the potential adverse impacts on water quality; and 3) must encourage the consolidation of wastewater treatment works whenever feasible. The Applicantis required to obtain a recommendation of approval, denial or no comment from the Garfield County Board of Health and County Board of County Commissioners and various other local and regional agencies. Therefore, Garfield County's involvement in the process is to determine whether or not the proposed wastewater treatment work is consistent with "the long-range comprehensive plan for the area as it affects water quality and any approved regional wastewater management plan for the area". B. Garfield County Comprehensive Plan: The UMTRA site is located within the municipal boundaries of the City of Rifle. It is identified as City/Town in the Garfield County Comprehensive Plan. C. Hazards: Two natural hazards have been identified on the proposed site. );> DOEN anadium Site: Two rectangular areas are identified. The first and smallest of the two is a"no disturbance area". Due to contaminated soil and groundwater this area can not be disturbed in any way. The second area is identified as a '.'limited disturbance area". Surface grading and excavation to any depth is allowed on this site providing that soils and groundwater management procedures are followed. The "limited disturbance area" will be partially occupied in the proposed second phase of option "A". );> Floodplain: The proposed site was identified to be within the 100-year flood plain in the published 1987 maps. Due to the contaminated soils a dike was built to protect the site from a flood event. The site has not been remapped. 4 ) D. Other Staff Comments Management: The proposed sewage treatment facility will be owned, operated, and maintained by Rifle. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: CDPHE does not review site applications until all of the local entities have made their recommendations. This application is consistent with the State's consolidation policy. VI. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Garfield County Board of Health recommend APPROVAL of the proposed site application. 5 Page 1of1 Craig, I have reviewed the materials submitted by Schmusser/Gordon/Meyer regarding the referenced project. I have only one comment regarding the statement below taken from Page 20 of 75 of the Site Application document: 22.4(1)(b)(ii) Proposed site location .... The second rectangle is much larger and is called the limited disturbance area; this area can be disturbed for surface grading and can be excavated to any depth provided contaminated soil management procedures and dewatering procedures are followed when the cobble area is reached. The RRWWRF will not be located in either of these areas, with the exception of the second phase being partially located in the limited disturbance area. I was unable to locate any information with regard to soil management and dewatering procedures that are to be followed when contaminated material is reached during excavation of phase 2. I assume that DOE is closely tuned in to this project but would recommend that the County ask to be informed of any relevant soil management or groundwater dewatering required by DOE and any environmental monitoring that will take place during the course of construction. Thanks for the opportunity to review this information. Jim Rada, REHS Environmental Health Manager Garfield County Public Health 195 W 14th Street Rifle, CO 81650 Phone 970-625-5200 x8113 Cell 970-31 9-1579 Fax 970-625-8304 Email jrada@garfield-county.com Web www.garfield-county.com 113/2007