AR 040406 MOU - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ITEM #17 CITY OF COLTON AGENDA REPORT FOR COUNCIL MEETING OF April 4, 2006 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: ERIC FRASER, WATER & WASTEWATER DIRECTOR DEAN DERLETH, CITY ATTORNEY SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF A MEMORANDUM UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS RELATED TO THE "WHITE PAPER" FOR CLEAN-UP OF PERCHLORATE IN GROUNDWATER DATE: MARCH 23, 2006 BACKGROUND: Colton is one of four water purveyors in the western portion of San Bernardino County that has been significantly impacted by perchlorate contamination. The City joined with the other three purveyors — Rialto, Fontana Water Company, West Valley Water District — and the County of San Bernardino to form the Rialto -Colton Basin Technical Committee to identify a strategy for restoring water supplies and cleaning up the groundwater. The strategy has been identified and outlined in detail in a "White Paper' entitled "Proposed Initial 5 -Year Groundwater Cleanup Approach; Rialto - Colton and Neighboring Basins; San Bernardino County, California." A copy of the proposed White Paper is attached. The "White Paper," which is essentially a funding mechanism, outlines a technical approach to achieve the groundwater cleanup. The "White Paper" identifies the cost of this technical approach, including investigation, capital improvements and five-year operating and maintenance costs. The four water purveyors and the County agreed that it would be to all of the parties' advantage to work together in trying to receive funds from the federal government to clean up the groundwater. If the parties applied separately for federal funds, then their applications would essentially compete against each other and each party might not get the amount needed to achieve their goals. Because the perchlorate contamination is a basin -wide concern, the success or failure of each party in securing federal funds for cleanup will affect the other parties. In light of this interconnection between the parties, the water purveyors and the County agreed to make a cooperative effort to secure federal funds for the groundwater cleanup. The White Paper spells out how the requested funds will be used by Colton, as well as by the other parties. In particular, the White Paper explains how the funds will be applied to restore water supplies and clean up the groundwater.