6.19 UTILITIES – WASTEWATER

Impact Sciences, Inc. 6.19-1 St. John’s Seminary Residential Community EIR 0037.030 June 2017

6.19 UTILITIES – WASTEWATER

6.19.1 OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY

The proposed project is located within the service boundary of the Camrosa Water District (CWD), the main

provider of wastewater disposal service in the area. CWD currently does not provide wastewater services to the

project site. Project demand for wastewater service could be met by current CWD facilities, and impacts would thus

be less than significant.

6.19.2 LITERATURE AND DATA REVIEW

Project-related Studies

The following project data was used:

Penfield & Smith. “St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study.” 2010.

Other Data Sources

The following other data sources were used:

• Camrosa Water District. Industrial Waste and Sanitary Service Ordinance 22-06: Regulating and Controlling Sewage Liquid Waste and Industrial Waste Discharges. 2006.

• Camrosa Water District. Ordinance 40-10: Rules and Regulations Governing the Provision of Water and Sanitary Services. 2010.

• Camrosa Water District. Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Standards. n.d.

• Camrosa Water District. Draft Integrated Facilities Master Plan. February 2011.

• Camrosa Water District. 2015 Urban Water Management Plan. 2015.

6.19.3 METHODOLOGY

Analysis was conducted using wastewater generation rates provided by the CWD to determine the

amount of wastewater that would be generated by the proposed project.

6.19 Utilities – Wastewater


6.19.4 APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

Federal Regulations

No federal regulations regarding wastewater services exist that would apply to the proposed project.

State Regulations

The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards

(RWQCBs) are the principal state agencies with primary responsibility for the coordination and control of

water quality. In the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act1 (Porter-Cologne), the California State

Legislature declared that the “state must be prepared to exercise its full power and jurisdiction to protect

the quality of the waters in the state from degradation.” Porter-Cologne grants the boards authority to

implement and enforce water quality laws, regulations, policies, and plans to protect the state’s

groundwater and surface waters.

The proposed project is located within the Los Angeles Region of the California Regional Water Quality

Control Board (Los Angeles RWQCB), which provides guidelines for sewage disposal from land

developments. The guidelines provide an explanation of the principal statutory authority and

administrative procedures under which the RWQCB will fulfill its responsibilities to protect against

pollution, nuisance, contamination, unreasonable degradation of water quality, and violation of water

quality objectives, as each may occur from the disposal of sewage from land developments.

Local Regulations

Camrosa Water District

Camrosa Water District (CWD) ordinances define the district’s service area, set fees, and design

requirements, and regulate industrial discharges.2 CWD also provides design and construction standards

for sewer connections and standard generation rates for estimating the wastewater generation of

development projects.3

1 State Water Resources Control Board, “Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act” California Water Code,

Division 7. Water Quality, effective January 1, 2008. 2 Camrosa Water District. Industrial Waste and Sanitary Service Ordinance 22-06: Regulating and Controlling

Sewage Liquid Waste and Industrial Waste Discharges. 2006; Camrosa Water District. Ordinance 40-10: Rules and Regulations Governing the Provision of Water and Sanitary Services. 2010.

3 Camrosa Water District. Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Standards. n.d.



6.19.5 EXISTING CONDITIONS

Regional Setting

Wastewater generated within the City of Camarillo is treated by the Camarillo Sanitary District and the

CWD.

CWD provides wastewater service to 7,500 sanitary service connections in a service area spread over 31

square miles; wastewater collection services are provided in the central portion of the district and to

California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) and the County of Ventura.4 The wastewater service

area includes the portion of the City of Camarillo east of Calleguas Creek, west of Morongo Drive, and

north of Highway 101 extending to Worth Way. CWD also provides services to California State

University Channel Islands, RAIN Project Transitional Living Center, Casa Pacifica, Las Posadas, Casa

Esperanza, and Villa Calleguas.5 The district inspects and approves plans for all public main wastewater

lines and laterals within public rights-of-way. The City of Camarillo Department of Building and Safety is

responsible for laterals on private property within the City.6

CWD operates one water reclamation facility (WRF) located at 1900 South Lewis Road. Figure 6.19-1,

Camrosa Wastewater Service Area, illustrates the service area and shows the location of the WRF. This

facility has a capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day7 (mgd) and treats an average daily flow of 1.4 mgd.8

Wastewater collection systems convey flow to the CWD WRF, which is located south of the City. At the

WRF wastewater is treated to tertiary standards and used for crop irrigation or stored in the WRF’s

detention ponds. During wet periods when demand for irrigation water is low, treated water is

discharged to Calleguas Creek. The most recent discharge occurred in 1998.

Local Setting

The proposed project site is near the northernmost limit of the CWD’s wastewater service area, at Worth

Way to the east of the proposed project site. An 8-inch stub-out located approximately 1,200 feet

southeast of the proposed project’s primary entrance is the sewer connection nearest to the project site.

4 Camrosa Water District, About Camrosa, https://www.camrosa.com/about.html, accessed 11/30/2016 5 Camrosa Water District, Industrial Waste and Sanitary Service Ordinance 22-06: Regulating and Controlling Sewage

Liquid Waste and Industrial Waste Discharges, (2006) 39. Ordinance 40-10: Rules and Regulations Governing the Provision of Water and Sanitary Services (2010) 23.

6 Camrosa Water District, Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Standards, (n.d.) 1-7. 7 Camrosa Water District, Draft Integrated Facilities Master Plan Section 7: Sanitary Service Facilities, (February 2011),

26. 8 Camrosa Water District, Draft Integrated Facilities Master Plan, (February 2011) Table 7.23.

https://www.camrosa.com/about.html

Project Site

Camrosa Wastewater Service AreaFIGURE 6.19-1

SOURCE: Camrosa Water District and Impact Sciences, Inc., November 2016

0037-030•12/16



Project Site

The proposed project site is currently not connected to the CWD wastewater system. The existing

buildings are served by an on-site septic system.

6.19.6 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE

In order to assist in determining whether a project will have a significant effect on the environment, the

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, City of Camarillo Threshold Guidelines (adopted

from the State CEQA Guidelines, Appendix G) identify criteria for conditions that may be deemed to

constitute a substantial or potentially substantial adverse change in physical conditions.

Under the following thresholds, a project may be deemed to have a significant impact if it would

• exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable Regional Water Quality Control Board;

• require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of

existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects; and

• result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider, which serves or may serve the

project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project’s projected demand in addition to the

provider’s existing commitments.

6.19.7 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Impacts

The proposed project would not exceed the wastewater treatment requirements of the applicable

RWQCB. The proposed project consists of a senior citizen housing development of 300 residential units

on approximately 45 acres of an 88.45 acres site. Project implementation would result in wastewater

generation connections to the existing CWD wastewater systems that are in place.

It is not anticipated that the proposed project would result in wastewater generation in excess of

currently CWD-system capacity; therefore, no new facilities would need to be constructed.9 Accordingly,

9 Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, (2010) 3.



the project would not exceed wastewater treatment requirements of the Los Angeles RWQCB and

impacts would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures

No mitigation is required.

Residual Impacts

Impacts would be less than significant.

Require or result in the construction of new water or wastewater treatment facilities or expansion of existing facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental effects.

Impacts

Capacity

The proposed project would connect to an existing 8-inch sewer line across Upland Road at Hillridge

Drive, which would require an approximately 1,200-foot extension of the proposed project’s sewer line.

The existing 8-inch main would convey project wastewater to the CWD WRF, which has a design

capacity of 1.5 mgd and existing average daily flows of 1.4 mgd. The remaining design capacity of the

WRF is 0.1 mgd.

CWD sewer design criteria state:10

Sewage flows shall be determined from maximum potential population of the tributary area. Unless otherwise approved, the following criteria shall be used:

If the number of housing unit[s] is known:

• 3.64 persons/SFD (Single Family Dwelling) 100 gallons/capita/day (gcpd); and

• 2.15 persons/MFD (Multiple Family Dwelling) 100 gcpd.

This design criterion provides for a conservative estimate of wastewater generation as it assumes a

household size greater than the City of Camarillo average of 2.65 people per household for single-family

dwellings. Furthermore, as the project is a senior citizen housing development, it is expected that

household size would be even lower than the average of the City, generating approximately 2 residents

10 Camrosa Water District, Design and Construction Standards, 2-1.



per household. Table 6.19-1, Project Wastewater Generation, provides estimated wastewater generation

for each of the proposed project’s development concepts.

Table 6.19-1 Project Wastewater Generation

Land Use Dwelling

Units Dwelling Density

Generation factor (gpcd)

Wastewater Generation

(gpd) Residential Development

300 2 persons per DU (600 residents)

100 60,000

gpcd = gallons per capita per day; gpd = gallons per day Source: Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, August 2010

A sewer study11 was prepared to determine the proposed project’s sewer generation loads and the

potential impact on the existing sewer conveyance system. This sewer study analyzed two scenarios for

the proposed project, a 260-unit medium-density scenario, and a 338-unit high-density scenario. Based on

the analysis, the medium and high-density scenarios generated a sewer load of 69,608 gpd and

86,080 gpd, respectively.

As shown in Table 6.19-1, the wastewater generated by the currently proposed project would be less than

the sewer load analyzed in the sewer study and less than the WRF’s remaining capacity of 0.1 mgd

(100,000 gpd). Wastewater generated by the proposed project would, therefore, be able to be

accommodated by the current capacity of the WRF. Impacts would be less than significant.

Conveyance System

The proposed project would connect to an existing 8-inch sewer line which currently serves residences in

the Hillridge Drive area. As described above, a sewer study was prepared to determine the proposed

project’s potential impact on the existing sewer conveyance system. For a conservative analysis the sewer

study analyzed the flattest pipeline sections within the existing CWD sewer system, which are the most

constrictive portions of the gravity sewer system, for the anticipated peak flow.12 The CWD design

constraint for peak flow of sewer pipes less than 12-inches in diameter is half capacity. The CWD design

constraint for peak flow of sewer pipes greater than 12-inches in diameter is two-thirds capacity. The two

scenarios presented in the sewer study resulted in a larger generation load on the existing CWD system

than those calculated by the proposed project.

11 Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, August 2010. 12 Penfield & Smith, Sewer Study, (2010) 2.



The sewer study analysis of the highest peak flow sewer rates (86,080 gpd) indicates that, with the

exception of two 8-inch pipes in Hillridge Drive, all affected sewer lines would remain within the CWD

design constraints. The two 8-inch lines that exceed the design constraint requirement exceed the

requirement by 0.6 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. The study concluded that the amount of excess

capacity at peak flow for the 8-inch pipes is negligible and that implementation of the project would be

within the realm of acceptable engineering principles.

The sewer study recommends that no improvements to the existing collection system would be

required.13

The proposed project would result in less generation of sewer loads on the existing system than those

analyzed in the sewer study. Consequently, the recommendation would remain the same and no

improvements to the existing collection system would be required. Impacts would therefore be less than

significant.

Pump Station

As mentioned above, the proposed project would need to extend a sewer line approximately 1,200 feet

from the primary entrance east and then south to connect with the existing sewer line within Hillridge

Drive. The elevation increases approximately 20 feet from the primary entrance to the existing sewer line

in Hillridge Drive. The elevation change would not allow flow to naturally be feed by gravity. As a result,

the proposed project would construct a pump station west of the primary entrance to move wastewater

under pressure to the Hillridge Drive connection point to begin gravity feed flow of wastewater. The

future pump station would be dedicated to CWD for operation and maintenance. As a result, potential

impacts to the sewer conveyance system would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures


Residual Impacts


13 Penfield & Smith, Sewer Study (2010), 3.



Result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider, which serves or may serve the project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project’s projected demand in addition to the provider’s existing commitments.

Impacts

As discussed previously, the CWD WRF has adequate capacity to treat the wastewater generated by the

proposed project under each development concept. CWD has indicated that the lack of an existing sewer

connection to the proposed project site is the only impediment to providing wastewater services to the

proposed project. Impacts would, therefore, be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures


Residual Impacts


6.19.8 CUMULATIVE ANALYSIS

Related projects can be found within Section 5.0, Cumulative Scenario. The CWD Sanitary Sewer Design

and Construction Standards provide generation factors for nonresidential projects in terms of equivalent

dwelling units (EDU).14 These factors are used in the following cumulative analysis.

Impacts

Cumulative projects located within the CWD wastewater service boundary would generate wastewater

that would be conveyed to the WRF. Table 6.19-2, Related Projects Wastewater Generation, uses CWD

wastewater generation and EDU factors to estimate the wastewater generation of the related projects.

Table 6.19-2 Related Projects Wastewater Generation

Project Type Square feet /

Units EDU

Factor EDU Generation Factor Wastewater Generation

Commercial1 42,630 0.2 per 1,000 sf

8.5 3.64 persons per unit; 100 gpcd

3,094 gpd

Industrial 44,186 0.2 per 1,000 sf

8.8 3.64 persons per unit; 100 gpcd

3,203 gpd

14 Camrosa Water District, Design and Construction Standards, 2-22–2-25.



Project Type Square feet /

Units EDU

Factor EDU Generation Factor Wastewater Generation

Multi-family residential

749 DU 749 DU 749 DU 3.64 persons per unit; 100 gpcd

272,636 gpd

Total 278,933 gpd DU = dwelling unit; EDU = equivalent dwelling units; gpcd = gallons per capita per day; gpd = gallons per day Source: Penfield & Smith, St. John’s Seminary Sewer Study, August 2010

Related projects are estimated to generate approximately 278,933 gpd of wastewater at buildout. As

shown in Figure 6.19-1, not all related projects are located within the sewer service areas of Camarillo.

Therefore, wastewater generation from most related projects would be diverted to other respective

agencies and would not be cumulatively considerable for impacts to CWD. Furthermore, all projects

would follow local protocol, as did the proposed project, in coordinating with respective water

reclamation agencies for a sewer availability analysis before project approval. Any associated city fees or

fees for the improvement of existing sewer infrastructure to help accommodate additional wastewater

shall be paid by the project applicant before implementation. Therefore, cumulative impacts would be

less than significant.

Mitigation Measures


Residual Impacts


6.19.9 CONSISTENCY WITH GENERAL PLANS

The City of Camarillo General Plan Open Space and Conservation Element15 provides the following goals

and policies for wastewater that apply to the proposed project. An analysis of the consistency of the

proposed project with each of the general plan goals, objectives, and policies is provided below.

Open Space and Conservation Element

Policy The city will protect the watershed, groundwater sources, fresh water treatment, storage

and distribution system, and wastewater collection and treatment system from

contamination and damage.

15 City of Camarillo, City of Camarillo General Plan, “Open Space and Conservation Element,” 2006.



Analysis: The proposed project would connect to an existing wastewater treatment plant, which

would treat project-generated wastewater to safe levels. The proposed project would, therefore, be

consistent with this policy.

Policy Strive for reclamation of municipal wastewater by treatment and sale to agricultural uses.

Analysis: Wastewater generated by the proposed project would be treated at the CWD WRF and

potentially used for agricultural irrigation. The proposed project is, therefore, consistent with this policy.

Summary

The proposed project is consistent with the City of Camarillo General Plan.

Documents

6.19 UTILITIES – WASTEWATER