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reached 85% of the initial design capacity, the commission would institute a program to expand and/or <br />upgrade the treatment system beyond the initial design capacity. This trigger point is now being reached <br />for several of the unit process capacities. <br /> <br />In the mid-1990s, the regional wastewater treatment facilities were modified to improve their <br />performance, and the commission recognized that the facilities were experiencing capacity limitations <br />relative to original design specifications. As a result, additional expansions would be needed to <br />actualize the projected 2004 design life. In 1996, the commission responded with a directive to produce <br />a master plan to evaluate short-term and long-range improvements necessary to improve facility <br />operations and meet increasing capacity and evolving performance demands. The MWMC Master Plan <br />was completed in 1997. Although it is not as comprehensive as the 2004 Facilities Plan, it did provide <br />analysis of historic flows, pollutant loads, and reporting data to identify capital improvements needed to <br />resolve shortfalls in the capacity for biosolids processing and peak flow management. <br /> <br />Later in 1997, the commission adopted the Biosolids Management Plan, which was derived from a <br />Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) and engineering evaluation processes. This plan reflects the <br />commission' s adoption of strategy to resolve shortfalls in biosolids processing capacity and is based <br />upon an evaluation of available technologies, cost effectiveness, reliability, and public acceptance. The <br />biosolids dewatering facility (completed in 2001), the ongoing maintenance of drying beds, the <br />composting operation, the cooperative land application on private farms, and the development of the <br />Biocycle Farm are the beneficial results of the commission's adopted biosolids management strategy. <br /> <br />To address the peak flow capacity issues, the commission, the City of Eugene, and the City of <br />Springfield adopted the WWFMP in 2001. The objectives of this plan were to eliminate overflows and <br />basement flooding and provide the most cost-effective means to mitigate flows in excess of system <br />capacity. The plan developed a sophisticated hydraulic model that was calibrated and refined with <br />actual system performance over several years of the study. The Wet Weather CAC reviewed a wide mix <br />of solutions and recommended the policies and capital improvements included in the WWFMP, and the <br />plan remains the guiding policy document in setting the cities' annual CIP for sanitary sewer <br />rehabilitation and replacement, as well as the commission's capital improvements and operations for <br />addressing peak flows. <br /> <br />Timing <br />Planning projections indicate that important capacity limitations and needs for upgraded treatment <br />capabilities will be realized in the relative short-term future. In addition, optimization of the various <br />capital projects to meet multiple objectives and maximize the capabilities of existing infrastructure <br />requires an integrated and synchronized process for design and construction. This process needs <br />appropriate lead-time in order to ensure that the necessary projects can be designed, built, and brought <br />on-line in time to meet regulatory deadlines and increased demands on the wastewater system. The <br />significant financial needs presented by the magnitude of the Facilities Plan Project List also require <br />careful planning for adequate cash-flow and implementation of revenue generation processes. <br /> <br />While the commission is assigned the responsibility of planning for plan upgrade/expansion, and for <br />constructing, operating, and maintaining them, the MWMC 2004 Facilities Plan and 20-Year Project <br />List are being forward to the governing bodies for consideration, as it will in result expanded capacity <br />and provide for community growth through 2025. Therefore, the commission is formally requesting that <br />the governing bodies acknowledge their concurrence with the 2004 Facilities Plan. The City of Eugene <br />has a scheduled work session on May 19, a public hearing on June 14, and council action on June 28. <br /> <br /> L:\CMO\2004 Council Agendas\M040519\S040519A. doc <br /> <br /> <br />