Water Treatment

Decision

•Stakeholders’ Panel
•August 6, 2009

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 Stakeholders’ Panel
Your role
– Understand Tacoma Water’s treatment decision
• Why we must act
• Options
• Benefits & risks
• Impacts
– Help shape communication messages
– Provide feedback to the Public Utility Board

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 Why Additional Treatment?
Tacom a’s G re en Ri ver wat er sup ply i s
un fi lter ed
– Failing to me et an y o f 1 2 leg al requirem ents
(crit eria t o remain unf il tered) trig gers f iltratio n
Fed er al la w r equi re s:
– Treatment o f Cr yptos por id iu m in unf il tered
sur face w at er sup pli es t o:
• Reduce incidents of cryptosporidiosis – a
gastrointestinal illness caused by ingestion of
Cryptosporidium
• Reduce exposure to other pathogens like Giardia that
can co-occur with Cryptosporidium
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Green River Treatment Plant Location

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 Treatment Option 1 – UV Light

How ul tr avio let li gh t works

– Ultraviolet (UV) light treatment exposes
disease-causing organisms to high levels of
photon energy at particular wavelengths
sterilizing organisms’ reproductive DNA,
making them unable to replicate and cause
disease in humans. 

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 Utility Impacts - UV Treatment
Be nef its
• Regulatory compliance
• Lowest initial capital &
operational costs
• If clearwells are constructed,
associated water storage
would improve reliability &
emergency response
Ri sks
• Filtration might be required
later
• Can create significant
operational challenges
• Future water supply may
have increased organic
material with higher
disinfection byproducts –
UV will not be beneficial.
• Provides no response to
changing water quality
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 How UV Light Impacts You
Co st Be nefi ts Ri sks
• Approximately • Protects public • No reduction in
$70 million health through disinfection byproducts
(-30% /+50%) additional • No benefits for taste,
• System-wide rate disinfection smell, or appearance
increase between • Legal • Filtration may be
5-10% compliance required later causing
even higher rates
• Yellow water will
continue to seasonally
occur, be visible to you
and impact private
filtration systems.

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Treatment Option 2 - Filtration
How fi ltr ati on works
– Adding specific chemicals to the water supply
causes particles and harmful organisms like
Cryptosporidium to stick together into larger
particles that are captured in a six-foot filter of sand
and sand-like material. After filtering chemicals,
contaminants and sediments, we would disinfect,
then serve clean water to you.

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 Utility Impacts - Filtration
Be nefi ts
• Legal compliance
• Broad protection of
public health
• Positions utility to meet
future regulations
• Handle a wider-range of
water quality issues
• Increase reliable supply
from the Green Rive
• Ability to respond to
problematic water quality
Ri sks
• Rate increase to customers
• Waste removal = more $
• Some operational
complexity
• Increases competition for
$ among other water
system needs
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 How Filtration Impacts You
Co sts Be nefi ts Ri sks
• Approx. $140 • Broad public health • Higher impact
million protection on rates than
(-30%/+50%) • Reduces sand/silt in UV
• System-wide system & cost for
rate increase flushing
approx. 15-20% • Reduces yellow water
• Increases available
water during fall &
early winter
• Legal compliance

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 Schedule
Conclusion of Installation deadline
Cryptosporidium w/2-year extension
monitoring (10/08) (4/14)
City Anticipated
Council operation of
Public budget & Fish Passage
outreach rates from Howard
Public Utility Board
& RWSS Partner
decision (1/10).
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Environmental Treatment
Water review, Water plant
Treatment Treatment Plant construction
pilot testing design &
Advertise
consulting RWSS Partners = Covington
Water District, City of Kent &
services RFP for Lakehaven Utility District 11
decision process
 Schedule
2008 – Treatment plant design &
– Conclusion of Crypto permitting begins
monitoring 2011
2009 – Environmental review begins
– Water treatment pilot testing 2012
begins
– Treatment plant design &
– Hire consultant to help examine permitting ends
options
2013
– Public outreach/education
– Construction begins
2010
2014
– Public Utility Board & RWSS
Partner decision – Environmental review ends
– City Council budget & rates – Installation deadline w/2yr ext.
approval 2015
– Water treatment pilot testing – Anticipated operation of Fish
ends Passage at Howard Hanson 12
 Summary
Tacoma Water must build additional treatment
facilities to meet new federal requirements. The
Public Utility Board will decide between
filtration and ultraviolet light treatment. Either
option will significantly impact rates.
 
The Stakeholder panel plays a key role in
providing feedback to help the Utility Board
make its decision.
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 What’s Next?
Next Stakeholders’ Panel Meeting
Monday, August 31, 2009
11:30 a.m. to 1 p .m.

Agenda
– Public Outreach Plan
– Messaging/sample print collateral

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