Woodacre – San Geronimo Wastewater Recycling Study
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
. Draft Project Report Woodacre – San Geronimo Wastewater Recycling Study Prepared for: Marin County Community Development Agency Environmental Health Services Division 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 236 San Rafael, California 94903 By: Questa Engineering Corporation 1220 Brickyard Cove Road, Suite 206 Point Richmond, California 94801 DRAFT March 2017 All County publications are available in alternative formats (Braille, Large Print, or CD), upon request. Requests for accommodations may be made by calling (415) 473-4381 (Voice) 473-3232 (TDD/TTY) or by e-mail at [email protected]. Copies of documents are available in alternative formats, upon request. Draft Project Report Woodacre San Geronimo Wastewater Recycling Study Marin County, California Prepared for: Marin County Community Development Agency Environmental Health Services Division 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 236 San Rafael, California 94903 Prepared by: Questa Engineering Corporation 1220 Brickyard Cove Road, Suite 206 Point Richmond, California 94801 Tel: 510.236.6114 Fax: 510.236.2423 www.questaec.com Questa Project no. 1600073 DRAFT March 2017 Funding for this project has been provided in full or in part through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the State Water Resources Control Board, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of a study regarding the feasibility of constructing a community sewer system and tertiary water recycling treatment facility for up to approximately 360 developed properties currently served by onsite wastewater systems (septic systems) in the San Geronimo Valley area of Marin County. The Study Area encompasses the low-lying and more densely developed portions of the communities of Woodacre and San Geronimo (Figure ES-1). Woodacre and San Geronimo are located in the San Geronimo Creek watershed, tributary to Lagunitas Creek which is listed as impaired for pathogens, nutrients, and sediment. The Tomales Bay Pathogen TMDL of 2005 identifies lower San Geronimo Creek as the second greatest source of fecal coliforms entering Tomales Bay, after Walker Creek, and requires the County of Marin to take action to address failing septic systems. Inspections of existing septic systems in the winters of 2004-05 and 2007-08 in Woodacre found a high percentage (77%) of homes had marginal or failing systems. Water quality monitoring in Woodacre Creek by the Tomales Bay Watershed Council (TBWC) during the same time period found generally high levels of total and fecal coliform, nitrates and ammonia, as well as methylene blue active substances (MBAS), a component of detergents. This led to their identification of Woodacre as a high priority for correction of failing septic systems, the formation of a local homeowner steering group (Woodacre Flats Wastewater Group), and eventually the initiation of a wastewater feasibility study for the “Woodacre Flats” area sponsored by the County of Marin with funding from the local community, the County, the U.S. EPA. The “Woodacre Flats Wastewater Feasibility Study” was completed by Questa Engineering Corporation in July 2011, identifying and evaluating wastewater improvement alternatives for approximately 150 parcels in the most problematic areas of the community affected by high groundwater, drainage, clayey soils, small parcel size and age of systems. The study identified two promising options: (1) a local community leachfield option with limited capacity for properties in Woodacre; and (2) a wastewater recycling alternative centered around the San Geronimo Golf Course that could potentially support a larger number of homes, including and extending beyond Woodacre. The water recycling alternative was favorably received by the community and forms the basis for this follow-on study of a project that could serve homes in both the Woodacre and San GeronimoDRAFT communities. EXISTING WASTEWATER DISPOSAL PRACTICES There are no public sewers serving the Woodacre-San Geronimo study area or other parts of the San Geronimo Valley. All properties in the study area rely on individual onsite septic systems for sanitary waste treatment and disposal. This typically includes a septic tank for collection and settling of solids, with some type of leaching system for disposal (percolation) of the liquid into the soil. Most of the properties in the area were developed prior to the adoption of current County Codes. Gravity systems are most common, although more recent development has included the use of alternative systems, such as mounded and pressure distribution dispersal fields and advanced treatment units. Questa Engineering Corporation ES-1 1600073_Draft Project Report / March 2017 Nicasio Valley Road San Geronimo Creek San Geronimo Golf Course S ir F r an ci s d. Dr lv a ke B San Geronimo Woodacre San Geronimo DRAFTValley Drive Woodacre Creek ± 1,600 800 0 1,600 Feet DATE: 12/12/2016 PROJECT: WOODACRE WW PROJECT NO.: 1600073 STUDY AREA FIGURE DRAWN: DD ES-1 APPROVED: NH There are many existing septic systems in the Woodacre and San Geronimo communities with unknown construction features, indicating the likelihood of an antiquated or questionable design that differs significantly from modern codes and practices. Review of County records shows less than half of the developed properties have septic system permit information on file with Marin County EHS. In 2004-2005 voluntary (confidential) septic system inspections conducted as part of a County-wide outreach effort (“Septic Matters Program”) found roughly two-thirds of the systems inspected in Woodacre to have marginal to unacceptable operating conditions due to many of the following conditions and factors: • System age, pre-dating modern standards and codes • Small systems, undersized for current uses • Additional living units, placing increased demand on sewage disposal systems • Small parcel size with high intensity of development and limited remaining area for sewage disposal • Restricted access to yard areas for system maintenance and repair • Unpermitted repairs and greywater systems • Shallow depth to groundwater, including seasonal saturation at or near ground surface • Shallow soils and marginal soil permeability • Close proximity to streams and local drainages File and field reviews conducted as part of the 2011 study of Woodacre Flats revealed information consistent with the above findings. Additional review of septic system file information and site conditions for the properties in the San Geronimo portion of the study area showed many of the same septic system constraints and practices. Although not located within the Woodacre-San Geronimo study area, it is important to note that there are some existing larger-flow wastewater systems, in the range of 5,000 to 10,000 gpd design capacity, providing onsite wastewater treatment and disposal for development on properties bordering or near the study area. These wastewater systems, which employ advanced/secondary treatment and onsite disposal using pressure distribution and/or drip dispersal methods, include Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Lagunitas School, and French Ranch development. These systems are regulated under waste discharge requirements issued by the Regional Water Board and operating permits issued by the Marin County EHS. SERVICE AREA Wastewater improvement projectsDRAFT are planned and developed around a given geographical area termed the “service area”. The service area provides the basis for estimating wastewater facility requirements, project alternatives and costs. Delineating the service area is often an iterative process, whereby initial boundaries are assumed for feasibility analysis, and subsequently adjusted in response to findings, recommendations and other factors, which is the case for this project. 2011 Woodacre Flats Study Area The 2011 Wastewater Feasibility Study for Woodacre Flats addressed a service area encompassing approximately 150 mostly residential parcels in the low-lying portions of the community of Woodacre. Out of the study came the identification of a wastewater recycling alternative centered around the San Geronimo Golf Course that could potentially support a larger service area, which was favorably received by the community. Questa Engineering Corporation ES-2 1600073_Draft Project Report / March 2017 Woodacre-San Geronimo Service Areas The current study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of a community wastewater system to serve a larger study area, including additional homes in Woodacre Flats plus homes in a portion of San Geronimo located in similar valley areas near the Golf Course. The study area encompasses developed properties believed to be in most need of wastewater improvements and where residents have expressed the greatest level of interest in studying possible sewerage alternatives. There are a total of approximately 360 developed parcels within the larger study area, with about two-thirds in Woodacre and one-third in San Geronimo. The approach to this project does not anticipate a condition or requirement for mandatory connection to community wastewater facilities for all properties in the study area or for any particular properties. It does, however, include the limitation that the facilities be planned and implemented to serve existing developed properties, with allowance for a modest amount of