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Union Sanitary District’s Treatment Plant and Collection System Win Statewide Awards

USD recently received two statewide awards from the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) for outstanding performance in 2009. The District won awards for “Plant of the Year” and “Collection System of the Year.” USD owns and maintains 778 miles of sewer lines in the Tri-City area, and our 30-million gallon per day Alvarado Wastewater Treatment facility is located in Union City.

“The awards recognize accomplishments in regulatory compliance, innovative practices, cost effectiveness and other evidence of superior operations,” says David Livingston, Plant Manager. “The Plant has received many local awards over the years for treatment plants which process 20 million gallons or more daily, but this is the first time we’ve won the statewide honor and it’s a tremendous achievement.” CWEA is the state industry association for wastewater professionals, with 9,000 members.

The Collection System of the Year award is the District’s fifth statewide win for large collection systems (over 500 miles) since 1987. “We’re the only agency to have won five times, and we’re proud to receive this recognition from our industry colleagues,” says Andy Morrison, Collection Services Manager. “Our employees make this possible – they all care about providing great service to our customers while protecting public health and the environment.”

Earlier this year, USD received both of these awards at the local level from CWEA’s San Francisco Bay Section, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties, and part of San Mateo County. The Bay Section awards automatically enrolled the District in CWEA’s statewide competition. For the statewide competition, the District was visited by Awards Committees which inspected Plant Operations and Collection Services.

In addition to the achievements of the operations staff, the activities of the District’s Fabrication, Maintenance and Construction (FMC) group were an important element of the Plant award inspection, as that group maintains and repairs the thousands of pieces of equipment necessary for wastewater treatment, such as pumps, compressors, valves, generators, mechanical drives and gear boxes. Morrison credits the FMC team’s contributions as instrumental to the Collections Services’ win as well. The Awards Committee was impressed with USD’s innovative preventive maintenance program and the extensive documentation available to employees on the District’s internal website. “All three groups work together – it’s a coordinated effort,” says Robert Simonich, FMC manager. “To win both Statewide Awards in the same year is a great tribute to the collaboration of our skilled, dedicated employees.”

Watch an Excerpt from the PBS Documentary "Liquid Assets"

They are out of sight and out of mind, but America's water systems are a vital part of everyday living. Penn State Public Broadcasting recently produced a 90-minute documentary, "Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure," which highlights America's essential infrastructure systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater. These complex and aging systems - some in the ground for more than 150 years - are critical componenets for basic sanitation, health, public safety, economic development, and a host of other necessities of life.

Exploring the history, engineering challenges, and political and economic realities in urban and rural locations, the documentary provides an understanding of the hidden assets that support our society. 

Watch a sixteen-minute overview of "Liquid Assets." When you follow the link, click on the image to begin playing.

Union Sanitary District Wins Purchasing Award

USD recently won the National Purchasing Institute’s (NPI) Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award. The award recognizes the District’s Materials Management Team for demonstrating excellence in the principles and practices of procurement. This is the third consecutive year that USD has received the award. USD is one of only 20 Special Districts in the United States and one of only 41 government agencies in California to achieve the award for 2009.

USD obtained high scores in 19 different performance areas evaluated by the NPI. The criteria are designed to measure innovation, professionalism, e-procurement implementation, productivity, and leadership attributes of the procurement arm of an organization.

“Our Materials Management Team is dedicated to obtaining goods and services that provide the best value to USD and our customers,” says Richard Cortes, Business Services Manager. “They also continue their proactive involvement in the District’s emergency preparedness efforts, strategic planning and use of technology to increase efficiency. This award recognizes the many contributions they make to help the USD fulfill its mission to protect our communities and San Francisco Bay.”

Newark Resident Wins Free Sewer Service For A Year

Reading about one’s sewer system doesn’t usually bring hearts and flowers to mind, but for Leann Hellewell, a little light reading may pay off in the romance department. Hellewell is the winner of USD’s “Win Free Sewer Service for a Year” newsletter contest, so she can use the money she’s saving to help fund a festive February 14 th .

Hellewell, a Newark resident since 1982, will receive a check to offset the residential sewer service charge of $276.04 that was billed along with her property tax this year. She’s not sure of how she’ll spend her winnings yet, but “we’re going away Valentine’s weekend,” she says. “Maybe I’ll use it toward that!”

The contest was a feature in the fifth annual issue of USD’s “Customer Focus” newsletter, which was delivered to all residents and businesses in the Tri-City area in October 2009. The newsletter is published to inform the District’s customers about the utility and the services it provides.

Hellewell appreciated learning about USD’s partnership with Washington Hospital Healthcare System and Haller’s Pharmacies to sponsor permanent dropoff locations for safe medicine disposal to help keep pharmaceuticals out of the Bay. “I’ve always wondered where to get rid of medications,” she commented. She also enjoyed an article featuring USD’s Capital Improvements Projects Team (CIP). The article focused on the CIP Team’s efforts to safeguard USD’s infrastructure and listed projects planned for the coming months. The newsletter also featured news about USD’s Alameda County Green Business certification, tips for protecting the environment, financial information, and the District’s latest awards.

Newsletter readers were encouraged to visit USD’s website and complete an online survey that entered them into the contest. A computer program randomly chose Hellewell’s entry number as the winner.

USD Mechanics Thanked For Rescuing Dogs

The Chadha Family with USD Mechanics Chris Nicoletti, Mat Grabowski and Louis Rivera

Three Union Sanitary District employees were recently honored for their efforts to rescue two dogs that were stranded in Alameda Creek in October. The dogs’ owners, the Chadha family of Union City, brought their pets to the District’s administrative offices in Union City to visit their rescuers.

USD Mechanic Mat Grabowski was performing maintenance on USD’s main sewer lines near Alameda Creek in Union City when he spotted two dogs standing shoulder-deep in the water. Mat attempted to coax the dogs out of the creek and honked the horn of his vehicle, but it became clear that the smaller dog was stuck and sinking into the soft mud and silt of the creekbed. The stranded dog’s companion wouldn’t leave him behind as he struggled, his head repeatedly sinking into the water.

Mat’s coworkers, Louis Rivera and Chris Nicoletti, called the Union City Police and were told that a missing dog report had just been phoned in. The dogs’ owner, Balvinder Chadha, who had been searching for them after he discovered that they had gotten loose, came upon the group. The larger dog, Spike, was intent on protecting his distressed friend Leo and kept rescuers at bay. Balvinder worked to get the protective dog out of the way. "Somehow I was able to lure Spike out and grab him," he said. Mat tied himself to the bumper of his vehicle, dove into the creek and swam out to Leo while his coworkers held on to the line. “I saw that Leo was just about spent,” he explained. Balvinder’s extended family, which had gathered alongside the creek, watched Mat push and lift Leo out of the mud inch by inch until Balvinder could pull the dog to safety.

“It was just like a Disney movie,” Balvinder said of Mat’s actions. “He jumped right in and swam in the cold, dirty creek water. If those guys hadn’t seen the dogs…they would have drowned.” The family brought Leo, Spike and Spike’s sibling, Max, to watch as Balvinder told the story to USD employees. The family presented the mechanics with a hand-drawn Thank You card signed with their pets’ pawprints. The mechanics gave Spike an award certificate for acting as Leo’s protector and best buddy, and presented the dogs with inscribed collars.

Read more about the Dog Rescue online in The Argus.

USD's Autumn 2009 Newsletter is Online

The District's newsletter was distributed to all residences and businesses in Fremont, Newark and Union City in late October. Read the online version to find out about our efforts to "Go Green" while protecting infrastructure and providing outstanding service at low rates. The popular "Tips for Protecting the Environment" section offers useful information that customers can use to help safeguard the environment and San Francisco Bay. The Newsletter Contest is now closed, and a winner will be announced in early January 2010.

USD is Working to Keep Customers and Employees Flu-Free

We're taking steps at the District to keep our customers and employees healthy during cold and flu season. Please use the following precautions when you visit the District or any other public space:

• Cover your coughs and sneezes. Don't cough or sneeze into your hands - use your upper sleeve or cover your nose and mouth with a tissue, then throw the tissue into the trash. Tissues are available at the District for your use.
• Clean your hands thoroughly, expecially after you cough or sneeze. If you cannot wash your hands right away, hand sanitizer is available for your use.
• If you are sick or have a fever, call us at (510) 477-7500 to conduct business by phone. Limit your contact with others to protect them from infection.

For more information and tips for staying healthy, check the Centers for Disease Control website.

City of Union City Recognizes USD for Pharmaceutical Disposal Program

USD was recently recognized by the City of Union City for is partnership with Washington Hospital Healthcare System and Haller's pharmacies to provide a program that allows residents to safely and responsibly dispose of expired or unwanted medications at their convenience.

USD and its partners provide permanent dropoff sites for the Tri-Cities. Bring your expired and unused medications to the following locations for FREE safe disposal:

Wastewater treatment plants like Union Sanitary District's are designed to handle normal household wastes. Pharmaceuticals flushed into the sewer system can pass into San Francisco Bay, where they may have an impact on fish and wildlife. Union Sanitary District will pay for the medicines to be hauled away from safe disposal drop-off locations and incinerated.

Cough medicines, creams and other liquids can be disposed of in their original containers. Remove pills from medicine bottles before disposal and black out personal information before placing empty containers in your recycle bin.

For more information, call USD at (510) 477-7621, or visit www.baywise.org.

USD Wins North America Purchasing Award

Union Sanitary District (USD) recently won the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing’s (NIGP) Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award for excellence in public procurement. The award recognizes the District’s Materials Management Team for meeting the “highest sustained standards of quality and efficiency in government. “ Only 108 agencies out of the NIGP’s 2600 members throughout the United States and Canada have achieved this distinction.

USD obtained high scores in 13 different performance areas evaluated by the NIGP. The criteria are designed to measure innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement implementation and leadership attributes of the procurement arm of an organization.

“Our Materials Management Team is dedicated to obtaining goods and services that provide the best value to USD and our customers,” says Richard Cortes, Business Services Manager. “They are also proactively involved in the District’s emergency preparedness efforts, strategic planning and use of technology to increase efficiency. This award recognizes the many contributions they make to help the USD fulfill its mission to protect our communities and San Francisco Bay.”

USD Wins Union City Chamber of Commerce "Community Spirit" Award

On July 15, the District received Union City Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Community Spirit Award for Best Green Business. USD's administrative complex was certified by the Alameda County Green Business Program in April.

In order to have our administrative buildings certified as “green”, we were required to have audits of and meet benchmarks for our water efficiency (inside our buildings and outside with landscaping), our energy efficiency, our practices in our auto shop, our solid waste reduction and recycling efforts, and how we store hazardous materials. This entailed inspections by:

• Alameda County Water District
• PG & E
• Allied Waste
• City of Union City’s recycling coordinator and its hazardous materials inspector
• Ourselves! Union Sanitary District audits runoff to the storm drain system and a business’ potential to pollute for the Alameda County Green Business Program in Fremont, Newark and Union City. Our Environmental Compliance inspectors applied the same rigorous standards to their inspection of USD as they would to any Green Business applicant.

The "Best Green Business" is a new category for the Union City Chamber of Commerce Spirit Awards, and USD is proud to be its first recipient. We congratulate our fellow award winners in the business, education and government categories and appreciate the Chamber's recognition of our efforts to protect our communities and the environment.

USD Awards Certificates of Merit to Tri-City Industries

On May 14, 2009, Union Sanitary District’s Board of Directors awarded Certificates of

Merit to 32 industries located in Fremont, Newark and Union City.

The District annually awards Certificates of Merit to those permitted industries within

its service area that maintain 100% compliance with all wastewater discharge

requirements. In addition, these industries consistently comply with and implement

pollution prevention measures, maintain a cooperative working relationship with the

District and demonstrate continuing awareness and understanding of environmental

issues and requirements. Several of the recipients received this honor for

consecutive years of continued compliance.

The following 32 industries received Certificates of Merit for calendar year 2008:

Fremont
Amgen – Fremont Analog Semiconductors Applied Materials #2 Applied Thin-film Products Brush Wellman-Electrofusion Products Clean Sciences Technology Cordis Corporation Cyantek Corporation Finisar Corporation G.E. Sensing Infrastructure Gemfire Corporation USA Global Plating, Inc. Global Publishing, Inc.	Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc. IMT International Intematix Corporation Microwave Technology, Inc. New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. Pantronix Corporation Santur Corporation Seagate Technology LLC #3 Solyndra, Inc. Tri-Cities Waste Management Washington Hospital Healthcare Western Digital Technologies

Union Sanitary District Wins Prestigious U.S. EPA Award

Union Sanitary District has won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s first-place national award for its outstanding achievements in industrial pretreatment and pollution prevention. Alexis Strauss, the EPA’s Water Division director for the Pacific Southwest region, presented the 2008 National Clean Water Act Recognition Award for Outstanding Pretreatment Program to USD’s Board of Directors and the District’s Environmental Compliance Team on Monday, November 10th, 2008 at the District’s administrative offices in Union City.

“This award is well-deserved recognition of the District’s leadership in working with local businesses, industries and the public to reduce pollutants that could harm San Francisco Bay,” says Michael Dunning, USD’s Environmental Compliance manager. “Our pharmaceutical take-back and mercury reduction programs are examples of creative strategies we use to help protect our communities and the environment.”

USD’s General manager Richard Currie agrees. “We’re proud of the District’s Environmental Compliance Team. They have worked for many years to establish professional relationships with industries in our service area in order to remove pollutants at their source,” he says. “These partnerships have helped the program to excel in effectively reducing toxic pollutants that can enter the Bay.”

"Union Sanitary District is a leader in protecting water quality through its award-winning pretreatment program focused on extensive outreach to control pollutants such as copper, mercury, fats, oil, and grease at their source,” says Strauss. “USD has an outstanding program -- keeping our waterways clean and protecting the San Francisco Bay.”

The Environmental Compliance staff works with industries to set up on-site removal processes which “pre-treat” the wastewater before it is discharged to USD’s sewer system. Inspectors monitor industries through on-site visits and waste stream sampling. They also act as technical resources, advising on issues including less toxic product substitution and process enhancements. USD’s inspectors also recommend ways to recycle and conserve water.

USD annually awards Certificates of Merit to recognize industries that have met or exceeded the District’s environmental regulatory requirements. Several Tri-City industries have met these standards for many consecutive years and are listed further down on this page.

FREE Backflow Prevention Devices Available to Homeowners

A Backflow Prevention Device (BPD), also known as an overflow device, can protect your home from costly and destructive sewage backups. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) is offering FREE BPDs through its Sewer Smart program.

The Sewer Smart program was initiated by ABAG is 2003. The program educates homeowners about their sanitary sewer lateral and how to prevent a sewage backup from occurring. A sewage backup occurs when there is some kind of obstruction or blockage in the lateral (or sewer main) that causes your sinks, bathtubs, or toilet to drain slower than usual. If the backup is very severe, it can cause a backflow, which is when the sewage no longer drains out of your house but comes back up your lateral into your home.

Fortunately, this can all be avoided with the installation of a Backflow Prevention Device. A BPD installed in your sewer lateral will enable the backflow to spill outside your home instead of in it. It can prevent thousands of dollars of damage to your home.

You can learn more about BPDs and obtain a free BPD from ABAG by going to their website at www.SewerSmart.org . The BPD may be free, but a sewer permit is still required for its installation.

Union Sanitary District Recognized as "Climate Action Leader" by the California Climate Action Registry

Union Sanitary District was recently granted the status of "Climate Action Leader" by the California Climate Action Registry for voluntarily reporting its greenhouse gas emissions levels and for its efforts to decrease its greenhouse gas "footprint" on the environment.

USD inventoried its carbon dioxide emissions from sources such as motor vehicles, generators, electricity use and other wastewater treatment plant processes during the year 2006. The results were certified by a California Energy Commission (CEC)-approved independent organization to ensure compliance with Registry protocols, and submitted to the Registry for review.

"This proactive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions is another example of Union Sanitary District's efforts to be a good environmental steward," said David Livingston, the District's Treatment and Disposal Services Manager.

Tetra Tech EMI, which certified USD's inventory, listed the District's many emission-decreasing activities, such as its utilization of "sewer gas" to generate 30% of its electricity, use of electric vehicles at the treatment plant, and the introduction of hybrid vehicles to its fleet in 2002. The District is also investigating the use of fuel cells, solar power generation and alternative fuels for fleet vehicles as possible methods of further GHG reduction. "They are to be commended for their initiative," noted the certification report.

The California Climate Action Registry is a non-profit public/private partnership that serves as a volunteer greenhouse gas (GHG) registry to protect, encourage and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions. USD joined the registry in 2007.

California 's Assembly Bill AB 32, signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2006, mandated statewide caps for GHG emissions to return to 1990 levels by the year 2020. The bill requires the use of standards and protocols developed by the California Climate Action Registry as a base model for the design of the state's mandatory reporting program. USD serves on the Statewide GHG response Steering Committee, helping to develop emissions protocols and strategies specifically for the wastewater industry.

USD's Financial Information Is On The Web

You can view information about USD's finances online! Learn about where our revenues come from and the types of expenditures we make to ensure the continuation of our award-winning, reliable service to our customers. See how our charges stack up against other utility bills, and compare our rates to other Bay Area agencies and communities.

To View The District's Financial Information, click here

Restaurant Capacity Fee Reduction Program Extended

In June 2006, the District's Board of Directors extended the Restaurant Capacity Fee Reduction Program. The program was implemented in 1997 to encourage new restaurants in the Tri-Cities area. As an incentive for new restaurants, capacity fees were reduced by 50%. We hope this fee reduction contributes to the success of new Tri-City restaurants.