This is an Information Only Report to Council intended to give a brief summary of the information that will be presented by the Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) staff and consultants at an upcoming Public Meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to describe the Risk Management Plan of the Plant and discuss offsite implications with the public related to the storage of chemicals used in the wastewater treatment process. The meeting will be held on January 24, 1999, from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Neighborhood Room of the Sunnyvale Community Center.

Currently, the Plant is revising its Risk Management Plan to comply with new requirements of the Clean Air Act and the California Accidental Release Prevention Program (Cal ARP). The Public Meeting an opportunity to convey important information to the public and is one of the requirements of the Chemical Safety Information, Site Security, and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act (PL 106-40).

The WPCP has complied with several other accidental chemical release prevention programs in the past. These include California's OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) Program and California's Risk Management and Prevention Program (RMPP). The California RMPP law was repealed in January 1997, and replaced by the Cal ARP regulation.

Two chemicals of concern are used in the wastewater treatment process. Chlorine is used to kill disease-causing organisms and for odor control. Sulfur dioxide is used to remove any chlorine remaining in the water after disinfection, in order to protect plants and animals at the point of water discharge. The chlorine and sulfur dioxide used at the Plant are received in one-ton gas cylinders and immediately placed within storage buildings designed to meet Santa Clara County's stringent Toxic Gas Ordinance.

The facility has an excellent record in preventing accidental releases in the twenty-five years that chlorine and sulfur dioxide have been in use at the WPCP. There have been no incidents related to the use of these chemicals that required the assistance of off-site emergency responders.

The WPCP will be notifying the community of the upcoming Public Meeting by print advertisements in the local newspaper and by announcements on the local cable channel. In addition, those businesses or residences located within the area identified in the Offsite Consequences Analysis report that could be affected by a worst-case scenario release of a chemical used at the WPCP, will be notified of the upcoming meeting by distribution of a printed flyer.

Prepared by:

Lorrie B. Gervin
Environmental Division Manager

Reviewed by:

Marvin A. Rose
Director of Public Works

Approved by:

Robert S. LaSala
City Manager