[A. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:18]
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL MEETING CALLED FOR AUGUST 13TH. PLEASE CALL THE ROLE .
>> AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGES FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER
GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. >> THANK YOU , PLEASE BE SEATED.
ALL RIGHT, AGAIN, WELCOME EVERYONE. MR. GARZA , I
[3. Items from Council:]
UNDERSTAND WE DO NOT HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, REMINDERS OR ANY PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS THIS WEEK.>> CORRECT . >> AND ON THE COUNCIL, MS.
BUTLER . >> FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR CROCKER FOR CALLING THIS SPECIAL SESSION OF THE WATER SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR CONCERNS WITH ME DIRECT THE. THE UNCERTAINTY THAT WATER NOTICES CREATE FOR HOUSEHOLDS, RESTAURANTS AND OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY . THE FEEDBACK SOLIDIFIES HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE, AS COUNCIL UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THE ISSUE IS. I WOULD LIKE MR. GARZA TO COMMENT ON THE BOIL WATER ORDER AND HOW MET RESIDENTS CAN DO JUST DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THEIR CREDIT. AND FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT WAYS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL FOOD INDUSTRY IN OTHER BUSINESSES WHO HAD SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FROM THE WATER BOILS AND ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER .
>> TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, AS WE SHARED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, WE WERE ROLLING OUT THE $10 CREDIT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF AUGUST. WE HAVE 4 BILLION CYCLES THAT GO OUT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ROLLED OUT THE FIRST CYCLE . THAT $10 CREDIT SHOULD BE PART OF THE FIRST CYCLE OF BILLS AND THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKES A MONTH. ONCE WE GET THROUGH BILLING CYCLES TWO , THREE, AND FOUR , WE GET THROUGH ALL OF THE BILLING CYCLES. IT IS FOCUSED ON THE SMALLER SIZED METERS THAT ARE INTENDED TO BENEFIT , IF YOU WILL, SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT AS
>> AND I WANT TO -- THANK YOU. THEY ARE SHOWING ME THE WAY IT APPEARS ON THE BILL AS IT APPEARS AS A NEGATIVE UNDER OTHER . THAT'S A WAY TO CONFIRM THE $10 CREDIT IS APPLIED . GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ITEMIZED LIST AND IT WILL SHOW UNDER OTHER, -10 FOR THE CREDIT. AS IT RELATES TO YOUR SECOND REQUEST, OBVIOUSLY THAT NECESSITATES PREPARATION AND TIME AND WE CAN GET TO THAT AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING .
[1. Water System Review Subcommittee Update. Duane Crocker, Mayor]
>> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS?
>> OKAY, I HAVE NO CARDS FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION AND WE JUMP RIGHT INTO THE WORK SESSION. THAT IS A WATER SYSTEM REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE. I WILL BEGIN WITH SOME PREPARED REMARKS AND A FEW THINGS DEALING WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S WORK . THEN , WE WILL HAND IT OFF TO MR. GARZA WHO WILL TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO SOME OF THE DATA AND SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE WANT TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC . I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS PARTICIPATING AND EVERYONE WHO IS TUNING IN FOR THIS SPECIALLY CALLED MEETING. AS WE ARE AWARE, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THROUGH TWO SEPARATE BOIL WATER NOTICES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. AS COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER ACKNOWLEDGED, WE UNDERSTAND HOW FRUSTRATING AND UNSETTLING THOSE EVENTS HAVE BEEN. NOT ONLY FOR RESIDENCES, BUT BUSINESSES LIKE.
[00:05:03]
EVEN A TEMPORARY ISSUE CAUSES HARDSHIP AND WORRIES FOR FAMILIES. THESE CONCERNS ARE VALID, WITHOUT A DOUBT . THEY DESERVE CLEAR ANSWERS AND MEANINGFUL ACTION . I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT THE SAME TIME THAT WILL LONG WITH THESE CONCERNS, MUCH OF THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION, PARTICULARLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY INCOMPLETE OR INACCURATE INFORMATION . IN MANY INSTANCES, BY COMPLETE SPECULATION . WE UNDERSTAND AND I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE FOR QUICK ANSWERS, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BUT COUNCIL WORKS WITH VERIFIED FACTS AND NOT SPECULATION SO THE SOLUTIONS ARE WELL-FOUNDED, LASTING, AND MEANINGFUL . IN MY VIEW, DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS SITUATION, IT REQUIRES A CAREFUL AND THOROUGH REVIEW OF WHAT HAPPENED. TO LOOK AT WHY IT HAPPENED AND HOW WE CAN PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.SPECULATION, UNSUPPORTED OPINIONS AND RUMORS DO NOT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY WELL AT ALL . INSTEAD, PROPER AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE IS NEEDED AND IT REQUIRES MORE THAN THE ADOPTION OF THE LOUDEST NARRATIVE . THIS IS WHY I FORMED A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND TASKS THAT SUB COMMITTEE WITH TAKING A MEASURED, STRATEGIC , AND METHODICAL APPROACH TO INVESTIGATING THESE ISSUES. THIS APPROACH MEANS OUR CONCLUSIONS WILL BE ON VERIFIED FACTS AND NOT ASSUMPTIONS AND THAT THERE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE COME FORWARD WITH OUR REALISTIC AND EFFECTIVE . SO, THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING IS TO PROVIDE CITIZENS AND COUNCILMEMBERS WITH THE UP DATE ON THE PROCESSES AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND THE FINDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REACHED. THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAS IDENTIFIED THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE WATER ISSUE LEADING TO THE BOIL WATER NOTICES . INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE CAUSES WILL BE PROVIDED AS PART OF TONIGHT'S UPDATE . IN ADDITION, WE WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT'S OPERATIONS. THE DAILY OVERSIGHT OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE UNDERWAY. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SUBCOMMITTEE . WILL YOU ADVANCE THIS PRESENTATION?
>> I AM TRYING TO, CAN YOU MOVE IT?
>> THERE WE GO. >> THERE IT IS. SO, THIS IS THE MAKEUP OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE. IT IS MYSELF, DR. ANDREW YOUNG, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER SCOTT . CITY MANAGER GARZA WHO IS MANNING THE CLICKER. AND CLEM -- KIM GILL ARE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND ARE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR . WE HAVE BEEN AIDED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF STAFF AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR ANALYSIS.
SINCE ITS CREATION, THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S WORK CLOSELY, NOT ONLY WITH THIS STAFF AND THIRD PARTIES. WE HAVE REVIEWED OPERATIONS, SYSTEM DATA AND WE HAVE REVIEWED PERSONNEL WITH DIRECT KNOWLEDGE. THIS PROCESS IS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED WITH THE GOAL OF FINDING FACTS, IDENTIFYING ROOT CAUSES AND ENSURING DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH ACCURATE AND COMPLETE INFORMATION. THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS FOLLOWING A NEARLY DEFINED AN ANALYTICAL BASIS. HERE IS THE COMMITTEE'S APPROACH. PHASE ONE WAS A WATER SYSTEM OVERVIEW AT INITIAL BRIEFING . DURING THIS PHASE, WE FINALIZED THE SCOPE OF THE WORK TO BE DONE AND WE ANALYZED AND IDENTIFIED THE RIGHT PROCESS TO BE FOLLOWED IN OUR ANALYSIS OF THESE ISSUES . WE REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED RESOURCE MATERIALS REVOLVE PENDING INVOLVING WATER QUALITY CONCEPTS INCLUDING MATERIALS REGARDING NITRIFICATION WHICH YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT SHORTLY . WE LOOKED AT AND REVIEWED EXISTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT ADDRESS NITRIFICATION AND OTHER ISSUES IN THE OPERATION OF THE WATER SYSTEM. WE RECEIVED, AS PART OF PHASE ONE, AN INITIAL BRIEFING ON THE BOIL WATER INCIDENT. THAT INCLUDED AN INITIAL TIMELINE , OR TIMETABLE, RATHER ALONG WITH SUPPORTING DATA . ALONG WITH THAT, COMMITTEE MEMBERS IDENTIFIED AND ASKED QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE TIMELINE, RELATIVE TO THE DATA
[00:10:05]
AND TO THE RELATIVE OCCURRENCES . WE ALSO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESPONSES TAKEN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT AROSE . THAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND DATA THAT WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PERFORM A THOROUGH AND PROPER EVALUATION OF THESE ISSUES. THE COMMITTEE WENT THROUGH AN ON-SITE TOUR OF THE WATER TREATMENT FACILITY. DURING THAT TOUR , ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WERE ASKED REGARDING THE ONGOING PROCESSES . INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO STAFFING, WATER SAMPLING, TESTING PROCESSES, AND TESTING EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED. PLEASE ADVANCE .>> WE THEN MOVED INTO THE SECOND STAGE WHICH WAS FAXED FIGHTING AND -- FACT-FINDING AND DATA COLLECTION. WHAT WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED AS PART OF THIS PHASE WAS A FINAL INCIDENT AND TIMELINE WHERE EACH BOIL WATER INCIDENT WAS COMPILED USING DATA INFORMATION . AND THE COMMITTEE USED OPERATIONS INCLUDING TESTING LOGS , PRE-AND POST WATER CONDITION AND QUALITY DATA . EACH OF THOSE RECORDS, WE WILL WALK THROUGH BY STAFF WITH US TO IDENTIFY THE ASPECTS OF THOSE RECORDS AND WHAT THE RECORDED DATA LOOKED LIKE IT MEANT IN WHAT WE SAW . IN ADDITION, THE COMMITTEE ACHIEVED INFORMATION GATHERED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH WATER TREATMENT PLANT EMPLOYEES. THE THIRD STEP IN THE PROCESS, THEN IS A SYSTEM PROCESS OVERVIEW . NOW, THIS SYSTEM IS ONGOING , BUT WE HAVE SAID DISTANTLY EXPLORED AND CONSIDERED THESE ISSUES AS THEY RELATE TO CONTRIBUTING CAUSAL FACTORS OF THE BOIL WATER NOTICES. THERE WILL BE FURTHER WORK DONE TO COMPLETE THIS STEP IN THE PROCESS, BUT WE HAVE COMPLETED ENOUGH OF THIS WORK TO GIVE SOME ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND CAUSATION INFORMATION TONIGHT . THE NEXT STEP WAS A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND THE GOAL THERE WAS TO DETERMINE WHAT WERE THE CAUSES AND WHAT WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS . AS I INDICATED, THIS STEP HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND WE WILL SHARE THE SPECIFICS WITH YOU SHORTLY. THE FINAL STEP IN THE PROCESS, TO BE COMPLETED DOWN THE ROAD, IS TO FINALIZE THE REPORT AND ADDRESS THE SITE GOING FORWARD. IT THE FINAL COMMITTEE 'S WORK WILL BE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FINAL REPORT WHICH WILL INCLUDE A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE INCIDENCE AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE RELATING TO THESE INCIDENTS . IT WILL REVIEW PRACTICAL EVIDENCE BASED CONDITIONS FOR A REVIEW OF THE WATER SYSTEM . TO REITERATE, THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S WORK IS ONGOING AND PROCEEDING . FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE EXPECTED REGARDING EQUIPMENT, REGARDING TECHNOLOGY , AND REGARDING OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS. AS MENTIONED, AT THIS PART OF THE PROCESS, THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS CONFIDENT WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION AND A GOOD ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THE RECENT BOIL WATER NOTICES . CONTRARY TO ONE UNINFORMED STORYLINE THAT HAS EMANATED FROM THE RUMOR MILL , THE CAUSES WERE NOT THE RESULT OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM AND WERE RATHER OPERATIONAL IN NATURE .
SPECIFICALLY, THEY STEM FROM A BREAK DOWN OF COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND A FAILURE OF PERSONNEL TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO WATER TESTING DATA THAT INDICATED TROUBLE AND THE LACK OF TIMELY IMPLEMENTATION OF A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN SET FORTH IN THE OPERATING PROCEDURES . THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE PROBLEMS WE ARE SEEING . IN SHORT, IN BOTH INSTANCES , THE ISSUES EXPERIENCED WITH THE WATER SUPPLY COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED THROUGH ATTENTION TO DATA, EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING AND EFFECTIVE ADHERENCE TO ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS. THE ISSUES THAT LED TO THE BOIL WATER NOTICES WERE, SIMPLY PUT , DUE TO HUMAN ERROR . I CALLED THIS MEETING TONIGHT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THESE FACTS AND
[00:15:02]
SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD BASED ON ESTABLISHED FACTS RATHER THAN ON GUESSES . I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO MR. GARZA WHO WILL WALK US THROUGH DETAILED ANALYSIS, SURE SUB PAINTING -- SHOW SUPPORTING DATA AND GIVE THE FINDINGS IN THE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS.>> THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW . IT HAS BEEN A BUSY FEW WEEKS SINCE THE OCCURRENCE OF THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE AND THE CREATION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE STARTED MEETING THAT SAME WEEK . THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALL TOOK VERY SERIOUSLY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE. THE INFORMATION THE MAYOR HAS PROVIDED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE , WE HAD READY BECAUSE WE HAD INITIATED BEFORE THE FORMATION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE, OUR OWN INTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS AND OUR OWN INVESTIGATION, IF YOU WILL . WHETHER THE COMMITTEE HAD BEEN CREATED OR NOT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND FIND WAYS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING
AGAIN. >> IT IS NOT , I AM NOT LYING .
>> OKAY , AS THE MAYOR SUGGESTED , THE COMMITTEE, UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP BROKEN THE SIX PHASES. THE FIRST WAS THE EDUCATIONAL PHASE AND AS THE MAYOR SUGGESTED, IT INCLUDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE TREATMENT PROCESSES AND IT INCLUDED A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE TRANSITION FROM GROUNDWATER . IT EXPLAINS WHY CERTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE IS AND WHY THE WATER FIRST GOES TO WATER PLANTS THREE. I WILL EXPLAIN LATER WHAT THAT PROCESS IMPLIES. WE HAVE HAD CHANGES THAT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND ONE QUESTION WE GET OFTEN IS, IS THE CITY ADDING FLUORIDE TO THE WATER SYSTEM? WE HAVE NOT ADDED FLUORIDE IN OVER SIX YEARS AND WE SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL WHERE THAT USED TO TAKE PLACE, AS AN EXAMPLE . WE WALKED THEM THROUGH AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS WHILE FOCUSING ON THE CHLORINE AND FREE CHLORINE WHICH JUST CONCLUDED WITH THE CHLORINE CONVERSION . WITH THAT, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE CHLORINE CONVERSION IS SOMETHING WE DO WANT AN ANNUAL BASIS. THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THE TC Q WEBSITE LOOKS LIKE WITH THE CHLORINE CONVERSION. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS EVERY YEAR SINCE THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT WAS OPEN AND ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO. IT IS PART OF NORMAL MAINTENANCE . I WILL EXPLAIN NITRIFICATION BUT DOING A CHLORINE CONVERSION ALLOWS THE SYSTEM TO BASICALLY CLEANSE ITSELF . AT A MINIMUM ONCE A YEAR TO ELIMINATE NITRIFICATION THAT MAY HAVE BUILT UP DURING THE YEAR.
>> YES ? >> THAT REQUIRES PERMISSION?
>> WE DO GET PERMISSION AND THERE IS AN AND INFORMATION TO HOSPITALS AND DIALYSIS CENTERS AND SUCH. WE COORDINATE WITH TCQ
. >> WE THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS. JUST A CALM -- A COUPLE OF COMPONENTS .
THIS YEAR'S CONVERSION BEGAN JULY 12TH AND LASTED THROUGH AUGUST 11TH. THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT AS I MOVE FORWARD.
>> NITRIFICATION CONVERTS AMMONIA AND SIMILAR COMPOUNDS INTO NITRATES . THE NORMAL WAY OF TREATING WATER IS USING CHLORAMINES WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF CHLORINE AND AMINE -- AMMONIA . ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS IS THE CHLORINE GETS LEFT TO LINGER WITH OTHER COMPONENTS, IT COULD LEAD TO NITRIFICATION AND THAT COMBAT IS THE CHLORINE RESIDUAL . A GOOD WAY TO THINK OF THIS IS THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A CHLORINE RESIDUAL, WE NEED TO KEEP NITRIFICATION UNDER CONTROL .
THAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT . ONE WAY TO DO IT PROACTIVELY IS
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THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CONVERSION THAT TAKES PLACE ONCE PER YEAR . IN ADDITION TO THAT AND THIS IS STRAIGHT FROM THE TCQ WEBSITE , THERE ARE STEPS TO PREVENT NITRIFICATION . SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE SAMPLING AND I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH CHANGES IN SAMPLING . IT FACILITATES FOLLOWING A NITRIFICATION ACTION PLAN WHICH I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH IN A MINUTE. ONE THING THAT CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASED NITRIFICATION IS A REDUCTION OF WATER USE WHERE BASICALLY THE WATER IS NOT CONSUMED AND IT HELPS TO ROW THE NITRIFICATION . THERE IS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TO CONTROL NICE OCCASION SUCH AS FLUSHING FIRE HYDRANTS. I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT. THERE IS SOME WITH INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS CAST-IRON PIPES WHICH CAN CONTRIBUTE TO NITRIFICATION. TO SOME EXTENT, I BEGINNING TO FORESHADOW AND SO HAS THE MAYOR WHERE WE HAD SOME ISSUES THAT DIDN'T ALLOW US THE ABILITY TO PREVENT NITRIFICATION.>> NOTHING, JAMES. NEXT SLIDE, JAMES, PLEASE.
>> SO THIS IS -- I HAVE A FEW SLIDES TO TALK ABOUT THE NITRIFICATION PLAN WHICH IS BASICALLY TO KEEP NITRIFICATION UNDER CONTROL. THERE ARE SEVERAL PLANS RANGING FROM HOW OFTEN AND HOW YOU COMPLETED . ULTIMATELY, WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU MAINLY, AS IT RELATES TO THE PLAN IS IT HAS TRIGGER POINTS.
THE PLAN IS DESIGNED IN A COLOR-CODED MECHANISM THAT TELLS YOU AND TELLS US WHAT TO DO AND WHICH SCENARIO . SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT HAVE YELLOW FLAG ALERTS AND RED FLAG ALARMS . IF I KEEP GOING, YOU WILL SEE THERE IS GREEN WHICH SIGNIFIES NORMAL OPERATIONS. PENDING THE RESULTS OF THE NITRIFICATION TESTS DETERMINES HOW YOU PROCEED . THE YELLOW FLAG , EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THESE COLORS AND WHAT THEY MEAN. YELLOW MEANS WARNING . IF WE WERE TO TEST FOR NITRIFICATION AND IT FALLS IN THE YELLOW CATEGORY, THE PLAN SPECIFICALLY OUTLINES WHAT TO DO IN THAT SCENARIO. IT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE FLUSHING FIRE HYDRANTS OR FLUSHING THE SYSTEM WHICH CAN BE DONE AT THE FIRE HYDRANT OR WATER TOWERS BUT IT IS ESSENTIALLY FLUSHING THE
SYSTEM . NEXT SLIDE , PLEASE. >> IT VERY CLEARLY CONVEYS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET TO THE RED FLAG CORRECTION . YOU WILL SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PLAN THAT THE FREE CHLORINE CONVERSION IS AND WHEN THAT RED FLAG ACTION . IF YOU THINK OF THIS IN TERMS OF LEVEL OF SEVERITY, RIGHT? BASICALLY WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING AND MOVING UP THE FREE CHLORINE CONDITION BASICALLY TOLD US WE REACHED A LEVEL READ IN THE NITRIFICATION ACTION PLAN AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO SENDING THE
BOIL-WATER NOTICE . >> SO, TO THE MAYOR'S. , WE COMPARED TIMELINES AND THIS CONTAINS A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION TO THE TIMELINE I SHARED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO.
ON JULY 3RD , WE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A CUSTOMER NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF JOHN STOCK CALLING ABOUT A CONCERN ABOUT PH LEVELS. AS STAFF ALWAYS DOES WHEN RECEIVING THESE TYPES OF CALLS, WE SENT AN OPERATOR AND THE OPERATOR TESTED THE PH LEVELS AND THEY CAME BACK NORMAL . THAT WAS NOT SATISFACTORY TO THE CUSTOMER AND THE CUSTOMER DID ADVISE AT THE TIME TO STAFF THAT THEY WOULD BE PROVIDING A COMPLAINT TO TCQ AND ITS RELATIVE TO WHY TCQ ENDED UP ON THE SITE ON JULY 8TH. THE ISSUE WAS AN ISSUE ON THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THE LINE AND NOT THE PUBLIC SYSTEM AND WE RESOLVED THAT PLACING A BACKFLOW VALVE AT THE METER AND IT WAS UP TO THE OWNERS TO FIGURE OUT THEIR PROBLEM ON THEIR SIDE OF THE METER . THE ISSUE WITH THE FIRST TCQ NOTICES WHY TCQ WAS THERE . THEY CONDUCTED A WATER TESTING
[00:25:03]
AT THE SITE AND THAT IS THEY ONLY CHECK FOR PH LEVELS AND IT WASN'T A THOROUGH TEST FOR WATER QUALITY AND TCQ DID DO THAT . THAT'S WHEN THEY BEGAN THE CLOCK ON A 24 HOUR NOTICE TO US TO BASICALLY GET THE CHLORINE RESIDUAL WITHIN RANGE .>> WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE THROUGH LOCALIZED FLUSHING. YOU MAY RECALL THAT IT WAS AN ESCALATED RESPONSE WHEN WE STARTED REALIZING THE SEVERITY OF THE NITRIFICATION IN THE SYSTEM. WE'VE BEEN PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP AND MYSELF AND MANAGEMENT AND EVEN CONVERSATIONS I HAVE WITH YOU ON THAT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, WE SIMPLY THOUGHT THAT FLUSHING WOULD DO THE TRICK . WE REALIZE THE LEVEL OF NITRIFICATION WAS SEVERE. WE REALIZED WE WERE IN THE RED CATEGORY. E BARS ILLUSTRATE THAT THE NITRIFICATION WAS PRETTY SEVERE WHICH LED TO THE CHLORINE CONVERSION BEING THE ONLY SOLUTION . THE DOWNSIDE IS IT TOOK TIME AND WE WERE UNDER THE DAYS. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONCE YOU COMPLETE THE CHLORINE CONVERSION PROCESS, IT IS A START BUTTON AND YOU BASICALLY GO BACK TO THE GREEN. AS A REMINDER , THE CHLORINE CONVERSION PROCESS HAPPENS OVER 30 DAYS AND IT IS NOT INSTANTANEOUS .
>> THIS IS A MAP I SHARED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO HIGHLIGHTING THE AREA TO SAY IT WAS IN THE LOW PRESSURE PLAYING AREA JUST SOUTH OF MOCKINGBIRD . IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SOME WHITE ISOLATED TO AN AREA , BECAUSE OF ITS AREA, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ARTICULATE . IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ARTICULATE DEVELOPING A MAP . IT MADE IT CHALLENGING TO IDENTIFY THE AREA TO BE IMPACTED BUT WE HAD TO DO IT FOR THE WHOLE'S SYSTEM FOR THE BOIL-WATER NOTICE. IT ENDED UP LASTING SIX DAYS AND THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT. WHY WAS NITRIFICATION ABLE TO PERMEATE THAT DEGREE . WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? COULD IT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED? YOU HEARD THE ANSWER IS YES TO THAT BUT I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH HOW THAT IS THE CASE. AS A REFRESHER, THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO PREVENTING NITRIFICATION. I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT WE BASICALLY FOUND AS IT RELATES TO THESE ELEMENTS. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID WAS LOOK AT THE ALL -- LOGS . I WANT TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE THINGS HE BECAME EVIDENT EARLY ON IS HOW MANUAL AND PAPER INTENSIVE THAT THE PROCESS IS AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT . YOU ARE LOOKING AT A NICE CHART THAT COULD EASILY BE REVIEWED AND YOU CAN EASILY DRAW CONCLUSIONS BY LOOKING AT THIS CHART . THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE DO NOT PRODUCE CHARTS LIKE THIS . THE SYSTEM IS A WRITTEN LOG PUT IN A BINDER . IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO CATCH A TREND, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FLIP THROUGH PAGES TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO KIND OF VISUALIZE A TREND . NOW, STILL DOABLE AND EXPECTED OF INDIVIDUALS TO DO THAT, BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR IT IS NOT TECHNOLOGY LIKE YOU ARE SEEING NOW. IT IS A HISTORY GOING BACK TO MARCH WITH CHLORINE RESIDUALS AT THE DIFFERENT WATER TOWERS. WE WANTED TO SEE WHERE THERE TRENDS THAT WERE MISSED. I HIGHLIGHT TOWER THREE BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE THAT TOWER THREE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS BASICALLY LOW FOR A LONGISH PERIOD OF TIME . AND AS WE LEARNED , THE THRESHOLD FOR TCQ WAS 3.5 . YOU CAN SEE TOWER THREE DATING TO MAY OR JUNE HAD DIPPED BELOW THAT 3.5. YOU SEE THERE IS AN OVERALL DECLINE, THOUGH , AND CHLORINE RESIDUAL THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM . THIS IS WHAT COULD HAVE, IN THEORY, BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SIGNS OF
[00:30:03]
NITRIFICATION AND SIGNS FOR AND LAMENTING THE NITRIFICATION PLAN . WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS TOWER THREE IS THE AREA THAT FEEDS WATER TO THAT CENTRAL PART OF TOWN THAT WAS IMPACTED BY THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE. YOU WILL NOTICE HERE , ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL MENTION IS WE SWITCH TESTING THE TOWERS FROM A WEEKLY LOG TO A DAILY LOG . YOU WILL NOTICE HERE TOWARD THE LATTER HALF OF JULY THAT THIS DATA IS DAILY DATA AS OPPOSED TO WEEKLY. AS SYMBOL OF THE CHANGES THAT MIGHT SOUND, THAT ALLOWS US TO TRACK CHANGES RATHER THAN HAVING DATA THAT'S WEEKLY. NOW, NATURALLY , LOOKING AT DATA AND THE LOGS , WE LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS WITH WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO REVIEW THE LOGS AND WHY WAS IT DISMISSED? ONE OF THE WAYS IS TO CONDUCT A FORMAL INTERNAL INVESTIGATION . WE ASKED HR TO SPEARHEAD THAT. THEY CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH EMPLOYEES AND CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS THEMSELVES. THAT BASICALLY BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE THERE WAS A CLEAR COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN AMONG STAFF THAT OBVIOUSLY LED TO NOT IMPLEMENTING THE NITRIFICATION PLAN IN A TIMELY MANNER . IT CAME OUT THAT WHILE WE HAVE SOME OPERATING PROCEDURES, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE MISSING . WHAT DO YOU DO WITH NUMBERS BELOW THE REQUIRED LEVEL? THERE IS NOT A CLEAR BLACK-AND-WHITE PROCESS FOR STAFF TO FOLLOW . IT IS BEEN SOMETHING THAT IS PASSED FROM EMPLOYEE TO EMPLOYEE BUT NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE WAY IT NEEDS TO. THERE WAS A CLEAR PATH TO MANAGEMENT. AT THE CULTURAL ELEMENT AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, THERE IS A LOT TO PLANT MANAGEMENT WHICH IS COUNTER TO WHAT I EXPECT. I THINK WE COULD EXPECT PEOPLE BE EMPOWERED TO MAKE DECISIONS AND BRING ISSUES TO LIGHT TO PREVENT THINGS FROM HAPPENING THAT HAPPENS. ONE THING THAT CAME OUT WAS THE REALITY OF BEING SHORT STAFFED AND WHAT IT HAS ON THE OPERATION . ONE THING THAT HELPS REDUCE NITRIFICATION IS FLUSHING AND WHEN WE ARE SHORT STAFFED, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH THE FLUSHING SCHEDULE. REALLY QUICKLY, AN OVERVIEW ON THE STAFFING . THERE IS 15 POSITIONS AT THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. IT STARTS WITH THE MANAGER, A CHIEF OPERATOR AND WE HAVE AN INFORMATION AND TECHNICIAN THING AND CONTROLS TECHNICIAN AND WE HAVE SEVEN OPERATORS . THAT'S THE AREA I WANT TO FOCUS ON BECAUSE IT IS ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE THAT TESTING AND SAMPLING FALLS INTO PLAY. WHAT YOU SEE IS SORT OF THE PHYSICAL COMPONENT OF THE PLANT . THE TESTING AND THE SAMPLING AND REPORTING , ALL OF THAT FALLS ON THE OPERATORS. ONE THING ABOUT THE OPERATORS , AND I ASKED THE OPERATORS TO PULL HISTORY ON THEM. FOR TENURE , ON AVERAGE WITH THE FOLKS WE HAVE, IT AVERAGES OUT TO 3.5 YEARS WITH US . THAT TELLS ME THAT AS WE HAVE LOST EXPERIENCE OPERATORS, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A VERY CLEAR OPERATIONS MANUAL THAT HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND FOR SOMEBODY NEW TO REALLY KIND OF FOLLOW WHAT THE PROCESS OUGHT TO BE. I WANT TO HIT A LITTLE BIT ON VACANCIES . SO, YOU WILL SEE HERE WE HAVE FOUR VACANCIES AT THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. WE DO HAVE A KEY VACANCY IN THE MANAGER POSITION AND THAT VACANCY OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE AND A KEY POSITION WE NEED TO FOCUS ON FILLING . I INCLUDED THE UTILITIES DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS ON THIS . WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT WHENEVER THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT IS SHORT STAFFED AND THEY NEED THE MANPOWER, IF YOU WILL, TO HELP WITH FLUSHING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER, THEY LEAN ON THE UTILITIES FOR ASSISTANCE. WHILE IT ISN'T THEIR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY, THERE IS A BACKUP . IF THE BACKUP IS DEPLETED, THEMSELVES, THEN IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE THAT COVERAGE . SO, I ASKED STAFF, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT WAS FULLY STAFFED.[00:35:02]
IRONICALLY, IT WAS EARLIER THIS YEAR BUT IT DOESN'T TELL THE FULL PICTURE. THE BIG PICTURE IS OUT OF THE LAST 30 MINUTES, THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT HAS BEEN FULLY STAFFED SEVEN OUT OF THE LAST 30 MONTHS. THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE ISSUES WITH VACANCIES AT THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT . THE INTENT OF PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION IS NOT TO MAKE EXCUSES , IS TO PROVIDE THE FACTS SO WE CAN DELIVER A STRATEGY ON HOW TO IMPROVE THEM . IT IS, OBVIOUSLY AT THE END OF THE DAY MY JOB AS CITY MANAGER TO FILL THE VACANCIES AND TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR THE EMPLOYEES SO THEY HAVE OF THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WRONG AND OUR POINTS OF WEAKNESS IS NECESSARY SO WE COME OUT STRONGER . WITH THE SYSTEMS AND PROCESS OVERVIEW, I ALLUDED TO THE CHANGES IN SAMPLING. ONE WAS THE SHIFT IN CHANGING TESTING WATER TOWERS FROM WEEKLY TO DAILY . AND THEN THERE IS TESTING FOR NITRIFICATION ITSELF . THAT CURRENTLY TAKES PLACE EVERY 90 DAYS . AS WE HAVE LEARNED, A LOT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN A 90 DAY WINDOW . WE HAVE CHANGED TESTING FOR THE NITRIFICATION TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT TCEQ REQUIRES. THEY REQUIRE TESTING EVERY 90 DAYS AND WE HAVE CHANGED THAT TO A WEEK THE PROCESS TO BECOME MORE PROACTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE WITH THIS TESTING TO ENSURE THINGS DON'T FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.ONE WAY IS TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY. LATER , YOU WILL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT SOFTWARE BUT INSTEAD OF WRITING READINGS INTO A BOOK THAT ONLY ONE OR TWO PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO, THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A SYSTEM THAT TRANSLATES THE DATA INTO A SHARED ELECTRONIC FILE SO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CAN HAVE INFORMATION AS WELL. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WATER CONSUMPTION PIECE . RECALL , WE HAVE A HIGH PRESSURE PLAYING AND A LOW PRESSURE PLAIN. THE AIRPORT IS PART OF THE BOIL WATER ORDER. TOWERS THREE AND FIVE ARE THE MAIN ONES . FIVE IS DOWN HERE, BUT THEY ARE THE MAIN ONES THAT FEED THE LOW PRESSURE PLAYBACK. WHEN IT COMES -- PLAIN . WHEN IT COMES , WE LOOK AT HOW MUCH OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN WE KEEP USING? IT SAVES MONEY ? WHAT WE DID TO THE LOW PRESSURE PLAIN, THERE IS A WHOLE OTHER STEP AND STORAGE AREA OF WATER THAT TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE WATER LEAVING THE PLANT AND ENTERING THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE WATER IN THE LOW PRESSURE PLAIN GETS LOW QUICKER AND SIT SLOW LONGER . OBVIOUSLY THE WATER IN THE TANKS JUST STANDS STILL . WHEN THE WATER IN THE TANKS STANDS STILL , IT CAN FEED NITRIFICATION . ULTIMATELY , WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED IS THE LOW PRESSURE PLAIN IS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE COMPARED TO THE HIGH PRESSURE PLAIN. IT COULD HELP US PRIORITIZE CHANGES WE WANT TO MAKE TO THE SYSTEM.
>> JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, TOWER THREE .
>> LET'S LOOK AT HOW MUCH WATER WE WERE PROCESSING OUT OF THE PLANT. THIS SHOWS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BASICALLY FOR JUNE AND JULY . THE RED LINE IS THIS YEAR'S TREATED WATER IN THE BLUE LINE IS LAST YEAR. YOU CAN SEE AT CLEAR REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF WATER OUT OF THE WATER PLANT THIS SUMMER. THIS COULD BE DUE TO A COUPLE OF REASONS. ONE , OF COURSE, WE HAD A LOT OF RAIN .
WHEN IT RAINS, OF COURSE WE ARE NOT IRRIGATING AS MUCH WHICH LIMITS THE WATER OUT OF THE PLANT . THE ONE THING THAT WAS INTERESTING AS WE WERE UNDER CERTAIN DROUGHT CONTINGENCY STAGES. IT IS KIND OF A PARADOX AS IT RELATES TO HOW TO CONSERVE
[00:40:05]
OR BOIL WATER. ON THE ONE HAND, WE KNOW THE WATER NEEDS TO MOVE THROUGH THE SYSTEM TO PREVENT NITRIFICATION. DURING DROUGHT CONTINGENCY STAGES, WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE NOT TO IRRIGATE .AND WHEN IT RAINS, PEOPLE ARE NOT DOING IT BECAUSE IT RAINED.
WITH THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RAIN IN VICTORIA AND IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE RIVER . IN THIS INSTANCE WE WERE UNDER STAGE III FROM MAY 13 TO JUNE 13 . WE WERE CONSERVING WATER DURING THAT TIMEFRAME . AT THE SAME TIME, IT RAINED HERE AS WELL WHICH PROVIDED AT DOUBLE WHAMMY OF DROPPED CONSUMPTION IN THE SYSTEM . AGAIN, WHEN YOU DROPPED CONSUMPTION , PEOPLE ARE NOT USING IT AND THAT WATER STAYS IN THE SYSTEM WHICH FEEDS NITRIC HAITIAN . SO WE BEGIN THIS SORT OF START TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT TCEQ THEMSELVES TELLS US ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
>> ANOTHER ELEMENT WE KNOW AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE . STAFF PUT TOGETHER A MAP SHOWING THE CAST-IRON LINES WHICH IS ROUGHLY 60 MILES REPRESENTING 50% OF THE LINES IN THE SYSTEM . THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THOSE ARE LOCATED . IT'S NO SURPRISE THEY ARE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF TOWN AND, THE CENTRAL AREA OF TOWN . STAFF WENT AHEAD AND PUT RECENT PROJECTS ON THERE . FOR EXAMPLE, COLLEGE PARK AND BONAIRE, THE LINES WERE REPLACED THIS YEAR. ANOTHER WAS COMPLETED IN 2024.
SO, WE ADDED A COUPLE OF PROJECTS RECENTLY COMPLETED AND THEN A COUPLE IN THE CURRENT CIP WINDOW WHICH IS AIRLINE AS WELL
AS CRESTWOOD AND VINE. >> ENDO, SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST OIL WATER ORDER THAT THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO BUT WAS BACKED UP BY INVESTIGATION AND THE EXERCISES WE WENT THROUGH . WE CAN CONVEY IT WAS DUE TO LOW CONSUMPTION OF WATER AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, LACK OF FLUSHING AND MAINTENANCE. I MENTIONED THAT STAFF STRUGGLES TO KEEP UP WITH FLUSHING SCHEDULES BECAUSE OF SHORT STAFF. THAT WOULD COME BACK WITH THE LOW CONSUMPTION. RIGHT? OF COURSE THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE ACTION PLAN AND WE BELIEVE THAT PLAN SHOULD OF STARTED BE ENACTED AT THE BEGINNING OF JUNE WHICH OF COURSE WAS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH PRIOR TO ISSUING THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE IN JULY . I MENTIONED THE LACK OF CLEAR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. WE BELIEVE THAT MORE CLEAR OPERATING PROCEDURES COULD HAVE ELEVATED THAT ISSUE AND THE ISSUE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO MORE PEOPLE WHICH COULD HAVE INCREASED THE CHANCES OF SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT IT.
AND, SOME OF THIS IS REPETITIVE AND I WON'T REPEAT IT .
OBVIOUSLY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED FOR THE REASONS I HAVE DESCRIBED . IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE STEPS FOR THE SECOND?
>> BEFORE WE GO ON, IN REGARDS TO TESTING , WHERE THERE EVER ANY POSITIVE BACTERIA TESTING RESULTS?
>> NO, SIR . >> THANK YOU . THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO KNOW . >> OKAY , SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND LEADING UP, IF YOU WILL, TO THE SECOND BOIL WATER NOTICE . REMEMBER THE CHLORINE CONVERSION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IMMEDIATELY . THERE IS A REASON WHY THE CHLORINE CONVERSION PROCESS TAKES ALMOST A WHOLE MONTH. THE IDEA IS WE ARE BASICALLY GETTING THE WATER THAT HAS THE FREE CHLORINE THROUGH THE WHOLE SYSTEM, ORGANICALLY . RIGHT? WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO FLUSH EVERYWHERE TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, WE COULD BE, IN THEORY, JUST WASTING WATER . IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT OVER 30 DAYS, THE SYSTEM WILL NATURALLY CHANGE OUT THE WATER WITHIN ITSELF . SO, NATURALLY, AREAS IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE SYSTEM ARE HARDER TO REACH BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT TURNING ON THOSE FAUCETS. THEY ARE NOT IRRIGATING
[00:45:01]
AND IT MAY BE A DEAD-END LINE . THERE IS A PROCESS TO GET THE WATER WITH THE FREE CHLORINE IN IT THROUGH THE WHOLE SYSTEM .SO, STAFF WAS DOING THAT . SO, IN THE EARLY MORNING OF AUGUST 6TH , STAFF WENT TO THE AREA BY THE AIRPORT TO FLUSH . TO TRY AND IMPROVE AND TRY AND GET THE WATER WITH THE FREE CHLORINE TO THAT AREA . HOWEVER , BEFORE THEY LEFT THAT AREA , THEY COULD NOT REACH A CHLORINE RESIDUAL THAT FELL WITHIN STANDARD .
COINCIDENTALLY , TCEQ MADE US AWARE THAT SAME MORNING THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A COMPLAINT NEAR THE AFFECTED AREA THAT IN THE ABSENCE FROM -- OF DETAILS FROM TCEQ WAS RELATED TO THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE BUT COINCIDENTALLY HAD THEM ON SITE ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 6TH NEAR THE AREA WHERE THE STAFF WAS ATTEMPTING TO CATCH UP WITH FLUSHING. SO, IMMEDIATELY , SIMILAR TO THE FIRST SITUATION , THE INSPECTOR FROM TCEQ THAT CAME ON SITE , GRANTED US 24 HOURS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM .
ONE HOUR LATER, TCEQ DECIDED NOT TO GRANT THE 24 HOUR GRACE PERIOD THEY HAD GRANTED THE FIRST TIME AND THAT THEY NORMALLY GRANT IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IN THE FIRST SEVERAL HOURS OF MEETING WITH TCEQ AND CALLS WITH TCEQ , IT WAS ULTIMATELY FINALIZED BY THEM WE WOULD NEED TO ISSUE THE BOIL WATER NOTICE IMMEDIATELY. NOW, SIMULTANEOUS TO OUR EFFORT TO TRY TO COLLABORATE AND WORK WITH TCEQ, STAFF WAS WORKING TO FLUSH THE AREA TO GET IT WITHIN COMPLIANCE. ULTIMATELY, HOW THIS ENDED UP SHAKING OUT, THE BOIL WATER NOTICE AT 5:40 ON AUGUST 6TH, BY 6:00 P.M. , WE HAD RESTORED THE CHLORINE RESIDUAL IN THE AREA TO COMPLIANCE. THEN, OF COURSE , WHENEVER YOU ISSUE A BOIL-WATER NOTICE, YOU ASK WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO GET OUT OF IT . WE RECEIVE CONFIRMATION FROM TCEQ ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 7TH. THEY CONFIRMED THEY WOULD COME IN AND CONFIRM THE RESIDUAL AND THEN WOULD REQUIRE TESTING SAMPLES AND AS EVERYBODY LEARNS DURING THE FIRST BOIL-WATER NOTICE, TAKES 24 HOURS FOR THE RESULTS. THEY CAME OUT AND TESTED SAMPLE SITES AROUND THE AIRPORT AND WENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM TESTING RANDOM SPOTS AT THE EXTREMITIES OF THE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THE CHLORINE RESIDUAL WAS BEING MET THROUGH THE ENTIRE SYSTEM . WE ULTIMATELY RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT FROM TCEQ ROUGHLY 24 HOURS AFTER WE RESOLVED THE ISSUE. THEN, WE HAD TO WAIT 24 HOURS TO RESEND THE BOIL WATER NOTICE AFTER TESTS CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO MORE IN THE SYSTEM . OF COURSE, THE FACT THAT THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT AND CLEARLY ISOLATED AND THE FACT WE HAD RESOLVED THE ISSUE BY 6:00 P.M.
, THE DAY OF, WE FELT CONFIDENT IN CONVEYING AND SHARING THE MAP . WE FELT CONFIDENT IN OUR COMMUNICATION THAT THE SYSTEM WAS FINE, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD TO ISSUE THE BOIL WATER NOTICE AT THE DIRECTION OF TCEQ . KEY POINTS RELATED TO THE SECOND THAT THE CHLORINE CONVERSION WAS IN PROCESS ON AUGUST 6TH . WE FINISH THE CHLORINE CONVERSION A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO. ONE COMPONENT WAS THAT TCEQ DENIED OUR REQUEST FOR THE 24 HOUR GRACE PERIOD ALTHOUGH THEY INITIALLY APPROVED IT. OUR RESPONSE MATCHED TO THE SHORTER TIME FRAME. I KNOW PEOPLE AND SOME OF YOU ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PRESS BRIEFINGS AND ANOTHER CREDIT ? A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SITUATION.
IN THE FIRST BOIL-WATER NOTICE, WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD LAST FOR FIVE DAYS . THE PRESS BRIEFINGS HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT THE SITUATION EXTENDED FOR LONGER THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS .
NOW, OBVIOUSLY , AFTER IT HAPPENED TWICE , RIGHTFULLY SO, EVERYBODY IS ASKING, HOW COULD THIS BE? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
[00:50:02]
. I KNEW IMMEDIATELY ON AUGUST 6TH , ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CONVERSATION WITH TCEQ THAT AFTERNOON . OBVIOUSLY AFTER WE HAD TO ISSUE THE SECOND BOIL-WATER NOTICE, IT WAS GOING TO CREATE A SENSE OF URGENCY WITH YOU AND WITH EVERYONE. WE BEGAN INTERVIEWING EMPLOYEES AND WE KNEW WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE CLEAR ANSWERS VERY LIKELY. SO , HR DID IT'S THING . HR INTERVIEWED EMPLOYEES IN A QUICK TURNAROUND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO LEAD TO THE SECOND BOIL WATER NOTICE . SIMILAR THINGS STARTED, BUT SOME NEW THINGS THAT CAME UP WERE RELATED TO THIS RELIANCE ON INFORMAL HANDOFFS. IT ILLUSTRATES THE NEED FOR BETTER OPERATING PROCEDURES. WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE HAD A OVERNIGHT SHIFT THAT CAME OFF SHIFT AT 7:00 A.M. AND THINGS WERE NOT ADEQUATELY CONVEYED. SO, THE NEW SHIFT , DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY GO BACK TO THE AREA TO COMPLETE THE FLUSHING EXERCISE. IN ADDITION , THE SHIFT DURING THE DAY DID NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE STAFFING COMPARED TO -- I GUESS THE WAY I COULD WORD THAT IS THEY ARE OPERATORS DURING THE DAY BUT ONE WAS SPECIFICALLY IN TRAINING AND WAS NOT NECESSARILY FULL-BLOWN AT A POINT IN THERE ON BOARDING PROCESS WHERE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SENT OUT ON THEIR OWN. WHAT THAT BROUGHT TO LIGHT WAS THIS ISSUE OF, WELL, WHERE DOES THE HELP COME FROM. IF THEY CAN'T GET OUT TO FLUSH, EVEN IF THEY KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE FLUSHED,WHERE DOES THE HELP COME FROM? >> IT COMES FROM THE UTILITIES DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THERE ARE NO OPERATING PROCEDURES ON HOW TO GET THE HELP AND IT ALL CAME DOWN TO PLANT MANAGEMENT AND THE DEFERENCE TO PLANTS MANAGEMENT KEPT COMING UP . IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHANGE THE CULTURE AT THE PLANT SO EVERYONE FEELS EMPOWERED AND THERE ARE CLEAR PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THINGS ARE FOLLOWED THROUGH. I WILL GET INTO THAT MORE HERE IN A BIT. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT UNDER THE SECOND BOIL-WATER NOTICE TO HIGHLIGHT THINGS REGARDING FLUSHING. THERE ARE 200 BLUE DOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY . EACH BLUE DOT, PER TCEQ REQUIREMENT , NEEDS TO BE FLUSHED MONTHLY.
WHEN YOU HAVE A STAFF OF SICK AND YOU HAVE THREE VACANCIES , YOU CAN IMAGINE THE CHALLENGE OF FLUSHING AND GETTING TO THESE 200 SITES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM . THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION INTERNALLY OF HOW DO WE GET TO 200 POINTS NEEDING FLUSHING? THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY BUT WE DO HAVE 200 FLUSHING SITES THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM. WE DO HAVE THIRD TEEN AUTOMATED FLUSHER'S . I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT AUTOMATED FLUSHER'S HERE IN A LITTLE BIT. BUT WE DO HAVE 13'S READ THROUGH THE EXTREMITIES OF THE SYSTEM TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON STAFF . AND, WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR , I GUESS, SITUATION, IS THAT AIR DINGING AREA BY THE AIRPORT ACTUALLY HAS AN AUTOMATED FLUSHER BUT THIS PROCESS DETERMINES THAT THE AUTOMATED FLUSHER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY . THAT BROUGHT TO LIGHT THERE IS NO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE THAT SECURES OR REQUIRES THAT THESE AUTOMATED FLUSHER'S ARE CHECKED EVERY SO OFTEN . WE ACTUALLY NOW HAVE ONE AND THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY BE CHECKED MONTHLY. IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING , IT GOT FIXED AND THE OTHERS WERE CHECKED AND WORKING JUST FINE . BUT, A COUPLE OF OTHER CAUSES AND IT PROBABLY GOES WITHOUT SAYING , THERE WAS A BREAK-IN RESPONSE THAT I ALLUDED TO. TCEQ ALLOWING THE 24 HOUR GRACE PERIOD AND THE CHLORINE WAS STILL IN PROCESS. DESPITE TCEQ'S DECISION TO NOT HAVE THE GRACE PERIOD, WE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS . I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO JUST SORT OF PASS THE BUCK AND SAY THE REASON WE ENTERED INTO THE BOIL-WATER NOTICE WAS BECAUSE OF THE SECOND WITH TCEQ. WE MISSED THE GAP
[00:55:02]
BETWEEN THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT COMING OFF AND THINGS NOT PROPERLY FIGURED OUT WITH THE NEW SHIFT COMING IN . WE MISSED CRITICAL HOURS THERE THAT POTENTIALLY -- WE ARE NOT SURE , BUT POTENTIALLY IT COULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE SECOND BOIL-WATER NOTICE BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE BEEN RESOLVED SOONER. WITH A FOUR OR FIVE HOUR TIME GAP, WE COULD'VE USED THE HOURS IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO REQUEST THE GRACE PERIOD. RIGHT? IF WE HAD FOUR HOURS IN THE MORNING AND HAD THE FOUR OR FIVE HOURS IN THE MORNING, WE WOULD HAVE SOLVED IT BY NOON AND THAT WOULD HAVE MADE THE CASE TO TCEQ TO AVOID THE BOIL WATER NOTICE . I THINK WE COULD HAVE HAD THAT WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING OUT THERE. SO RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS . I BELIEVE IT IS CLICHÉ BUT ULTIMATELY A BOAT BOILS DOWN TO PEOPLE, PROCESS, AND TECHNOLOGY . I ECHO THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENTS THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME INFRASTRUCTURES SUCH AS CAST-IRON LINES , IT IS IRRELEVANT TO THESE TIKI55S AND IRRELEVANT TO IT HAPPENING AGAIN. FROM MY STANDPOINT AS CITY MANAGER, IT IS PEOPLE AND PROCESS . IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE SORT OF JUST DOING ON OUR OWN AND I WILL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT . I CERTAINLY LEAN ON PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP AND ONE OPERATIONAL CHANGE WE MADE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A WATER TREATMENT MANAGER IS THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND MANAGER ON SITE AT THE PLANT. WE ARE ALSO LEVERAGING EXPERIENCE FROM SUPPLEMENTAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES THAT I WILL GET INTO HERE AND OF IT. THEY ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS THAT HAPPENS AT THE PLANT . CLEARLY, WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR OPERATING PROCEDURES AND HAVE A CULTURE OF GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY AND THEY ARE ALL IN AND ENSURING THAT HAPPENS . SIMULTANEOUS TO THAT, THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION WITH THE VACANCIES AND WE NEED TO HIRE A NEW SERVICE WATER TREATMENT PLANT MANAGER AND WE NEED RETENTION FOR THE MANAGER AS WELL AS FOR THE PLANT . ONE THING THAT I THINK HAS BECOME APPARENT THROUGH THIS UNFORTUNATE SITUATION IS THAT IT HAS MADE US ALL VERY WELL OF THE FACT THAT EVERY POSITION WITH THE CITY OF VICTORIA IS IMPORTANT . I KNOW OFTENTIMES IT'S EASY TO TALK ABOUT ONLY CERTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL , BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERY DIVISION IN EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO ENSURE WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO PAY THE UTILITIES DIVISION AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND OBVIOUSLY AT THE SERVICE WATER FACILITY . WE HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE BUT THAT WILL BE A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AT THE NEXT COMPENSATION COMMITTEE MEETING. WE DO NEED TO SUPPLEMENT STAFF AND HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS AND THERE IS IDEAS CIRCULATING INTERNALLY THAT MAYBE WE COULD HAVE A LOG OF INDIVIDUALS THAT MAYBE ARE RETIRED BUT WILLING TO COME IN ON A SHORT-TERM BASIS IF WE NEED THEM. WE ARE WORKING ON DEVELOPING MORE PLANS TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL STAFF SUPPORT IF WE NEED IT . AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CROSS TRAINING AMONG THE DIVISIONS OF PUBLIC WORKS. LIKE I SAID, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS TO DO THINGS THAT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT , THERE NEEDS TO BE CROSS TRAINING SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS CAN COME OVER TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLAN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS A PLANAND WHAT HAPPENS WITH FLUSHING? >> TO DO THAT, WE ARE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH A COUPLE OF GROUPS TO HELP US REVIEW OUR OPERATIONS MANUALS AND TO PROVIDE SOME TRAINING AND TO DO SOME ASSESSMENTS. WE , IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE AND IN RESPONSE TO THE PLANT MANAGER POSITION THAT WAS VACANT AFTER THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE, WE HAVE ENGAGED TEXAS UTILITIES AND THEIR OWNER HAS ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED . IT IS NOT A FULL-TIME
[01:00:04]
POSITION BUT HE IS SPENDING TIME AT THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT TO ASSESS OUR PERSONNEL AND HELP ASSESS PROCESSES AND HOW TO IMPROVE SOME THINGS OUT THERE TO BE MORE CONSISTENT.OUTSIDE OF THAT , WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE TEXAS OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM WHICH IS OUTSIDE OF TCEQ. IT IS AN OFFSHOOT OF TCEQ AND RUNS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE. SO THAT TEXAS OPTIMIZATION PLAN IS A RESOURCE OF TRAINERS TO GO OUT TO COMMUNITIES FOR THE ACTION PLAN AND HOW YOU GO FOR FLUSHING AND PROCEDURES . WE HAVE THEM SCHEDULED AND THEY WILL CONDUCT TRAININGS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AS WELL AS IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. I HAVE CONFIRMED EXPECTATIONS I DON'T JUST WANT THE SURFACE WATER EMPLOYEES TO GO THROUGH THE TRAINING BUT WE WANT THE TRAINEES TO GO THROUGH THE TRAINING AND QUITE OBVIOUSLY, MANAGEMENT. WE COULD DO BETTER AS MANAGEMENT AND I MEAN I LEARNED A LOT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. BUT, IN THE ABSENCE OF TRAINING AND WITH THESE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS HAPPENING , I WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLUSHING AN NITRIFICATION . FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE ARE CONNECTED, THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE THAT THINGS DON'T FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE FUTURE.
>> MR. GARZA, CAN YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE REAL QUICK?
>> I WANT TO GET CLARIFICATION FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND THE MANAGER ON SITE. WHAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IS THEY ARE NOW DAY TODAY ON SITE ?
>> CORRECT . THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL .
AND, THEY ARE ALTERNATING SPINNING PHYSICAL TIME AT THE PLANT . THE IDEA IS THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WOULD BE AT THE PLANT THROUGHOUT THE DAY . BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE MESSAGE WE ARE TRYING TO SEND TO EMPLOYEES OUT THERE IS HEARD .
THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THAT IS TO HAVE THE CONSTANT PUSH OF THE
EXPECT HAITIANS CONSISTENTLY. >> THANK YOU, I JUST WANTED TO
CLARIFY THAT . >> THANK YOU FOR THE
CLARIFICATION. >> I HAVE ALLUDED TO SOME OF THIS, BUT THERE ARE LOW HANGING FRUIT OPPORTUNITIES WE CAN PURSUE ON THE EQUIPMENT FRONT . I MENTIONED 13 AUTOMATED FLASHERS . WE COULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM SOME MORE AND I WILL SHOW A MAP OF OPPOSED LOCATIONS FOR THAT . WE ARE ALSO , GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO IN TANKS WATER MIXERS . BASICALLY, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY KEEP THE WATER CIRCULATING . IN THE ABSENCE OF US BEING ABLE TO FLUSH THE SYSTEM , BECAUSE FRANKLY IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO RELY ON FLUSHING THE SYSTEM BECAUSE WE WASTEWATER . WE NEED TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS ON HOW WE CAN KEEP THE WATER CIRCULATING TO TRY TO LIMIT NITRIFICATION BUT NOT PUTTING ALL OF OUR EGGS IN THE BASKET OF FLUSHING MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER EVERY DAY. ONE WAY IS TO EXPLORE THESE WATER MIXES THAT CAN BE PLACED IN THE WATER TOWER AND THEY ROTATE THE WATER THROUGH AND KEEPS IT FLOWING. I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT JUST HOW OLD SCHOOL SOME OF THE PROCESSES OF LOGGING THE INFORMATION ARE AT THE PLANT . THERE IS DEFINITELY A NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE IS AN OLD-SCHOOL WAY OF DOING THAT BECAUSE AS WE LEARNED IN THE COMMITTEE LEARNED, AND HEARING FROM MIKE, OUR CONSULTANT THAT IS THERE NOW , YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT BECAUSE A COMPUTER SYSTEM CAN GO DOWN. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN MANIPULATE DATA ON AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET , BUT YOU CAN'T MANIPULATE A PHYSICAL LOG. IT NEEDS TO BE A DUAL FOCUS ON CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION GETS MODERNIZED . GREG, FOR EXAMPLE, SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE THAT IN A PREVIOUS PLACE THAT HE WORKED , THAT INFORMATION WOULD GO INTO THE LOG AND THEN BE PUT INTO SOFTWARE AND THE SOFTWARE WOULD ALLOW YOU TO, BASICALLY, PREDETERMINED TRIGGERS TO BE SENT AS ALERTS . THAT IS CURRENTLY IN DESIGN AND WE ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING THAT. BUT , WELL THAT'S IN PROCESS, THEY
[01:05:03]
ARE DOING THE SHARED FOLDER APPROACH THAT I SHARED EARLIER .WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT OUR SYSTEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OTHER MODERNIZATION NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE THERE. CURRENTLY THE PLAN AND THE SYSTEM WE HAVE OUR YEARS OLD AND THE NEXT STEP IN THAT PROCESS WOULD BE TO REENGAGE THE ENGINEER AND JUST UPDATE THE PLAN. WE KNOW A LOT OF WE HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT WE WANT OUT OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO . SOME OF THAT JUST BY SITUATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED , BUT THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP
IN THE PROCESS . >> THIS IS A MAP . I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT YOU WILL SEE LITTLE TRIANGLES THAT BASICALLY ILLUSTRATE THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THOSE 13 AUTOMATED FLASHERS . YOU SEE VERY FAINTLY , THERE IS ONE BY THE AIRPORT IN THAT IS THE ONE THAT FAILED AND IS NOW FIXED . THAT IS WHY , RIGHT , GETTING OUT TO THESE AREAS IS IN FRONT AND CENTER BECAUSE THERE'S RELIANCE ON THE FLUSHER . NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE PROPOSED AREAS FOR THE FLUSHER'S AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE PURPLEISH SQUARE AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PROCURING THOSE. THEN, NEXT STEPS. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT IS CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE AND IMPROVE PEOPLE IN PROCESS . WE WANT TO FINALIZE THE ONGOING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS FROM MIKE AND FROM TCEQ. OF COURSE THERE ARE EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE IMPROVEMENTS AT IF THOSE ARE ELEMENTS I CAN SIGN OFF ON, SO BE IT. IF THEY NEED COUNCIL IMPROVEMENT , WE WILL DO THAT .
WE WILL WORK WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO FINALIZE THE REPORT AND OF COURSE TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO SOME OF THE BACKUP DATA THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL . WE DO BELIEVE THAT A FINAL WRITTEN FOR WILL SHED SOME LIGHT , TO AN EVEN FURTHER DEGREE ON AREAS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON AS WELL AS TCEQ'S ROLE . SO, WITH THAT , I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION . I APPRECIATE THAT . ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS FOR MR. GARZA? DR.
YOUNG, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE ONE.
>> NO . I MEAN WE HAVE HIT ON IT . THE TECHNOLOGY AND EVERYTHING ELSE . WE HIT ON THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION WHICH I THINK A LOT OF IT ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO AND IMPROVING THOSE PROCESSES SO THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN . I THINK THAT IS ULTIMATELY IMPORTANT . THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THERE IS MORE WORK TO COME . WITH THE PROCESS AND WITH CONTINUED WORK AND, IT WILL TAKE MONEY, UNDERSTANDABLY SO . THE COST IS YET TO BE DETERMINED . I APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND STAFF GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I AM SORRY WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
>> EVERYBODY DESERVES BETTER . >> YOU HAVE MY 100% COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL DO OUR PART AS MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT CHANGE HAPPENS. WHILE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW THAT LOOKS, I ASSURE YOU WE ARE AND WE WILL HOLD STAFF ACCOUNTABLE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN FIRING STAFF BUT ACCOUNTABILITY IS MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE CLEAR EXPECT HAITIANS AND WHEN THEY ARE NOT THAT , THERE IS CLEAR CONSEQUENCES. HOLDING EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE IS MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AT STAKE AND THAT THEY HAVE THE TOOLS AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I WILL ASSURE YOU I AM DOING MY PART TO HAVE THAT TAKE PLACE .
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I HAVE A QUESTION .
>> YES. >> HISTORICALLY, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY TCEQ AND FOUND TO BE IN COMPLIANCE ? THIS SEEMS VERY RECENT .
>> KEEP IN MIND THAT TCEQ DELVES INTO A LOT OF AREAS OF OUR OPERATION . SO, TCEQ HAS REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OF OUR
[01:10:02]
LANDFILLS AND OUR AIR QUALITY AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.SO THERE IS A LOT OF COMPONENTS INVOLVED. WE WOULD HAVE TO GO AND DO RESEARCH. YOU KNOW , TCEQ INVESTIGATES A LOT OF THINGS, AS THE MAYOR IS FINDING OUT , THEY HAVE SENT HIM A LOT OF CORRESPONDENCE. BUT, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO RESEARCH TO KIND OF PULL THAT. SPECIFICALLY, AS IT RELATES TO THE WATER SYSTEM , THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WHERE THEY COME IN AND -- I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THIS . THEY COME IN AT THE REQUEST OF A COMPLAIN AND LOOK INTO THE MATTER. AND , THEY
REALIZE THERE IS AN ISSUE . >> I DID MEAN SPECIFIC TO WATER.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT . I THINK IT SOLIDIFIES -- ALTHOUGH WE HAVE LOOKED AT MOVING FORWARD WITH WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN , I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO WHAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE IN THE PAST. ALTHOUGH IT HAS FALLEN SHORT RECENTLY, I THINK IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE DEDICATION OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK WITH OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT . WE HAVE HAD INVESTIGATIONS BEFORE AND THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS
SITUATION . >> YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU
MENTIONING THAT, THANK YOU. >> OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> MR. GARZA, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE AND THANK YOU FOR THAT DETAILED PRESENTATION . FROM WHAT WE HAVE HEARD TONIGHT, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CAUSE OF THESE TIKI55S ARE CLEAR AND THEY ARE OPERATIONAL. THEY WILL GO THROUGH THE LATER PROCESSES AND LATER STAFFS THAT WILL SHIFT THE FOCUS IS TO TARGETED PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT WILL MAKE OUR WATER SYSTEM THAT MUCH BETTER. I AM CERTAIN THEY WILL INCLUDE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS TO OPERATIONAL AND COMMUNICATION PROCESSES . THAT IS NOT TO SAY OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SYSTEM HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE IGNORED IN THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S WORK . QUITE TO THE CONTRARY , WE INTEND TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY . WITH REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD AND POTENTIAL HUMAN ERROR IN THE PROCESS . HOW CAN WE GET THAT KNOWLEDGE AND HAVE BETTER EQUIPMENT THAT REDUCES THE POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN ERROR AND ELIMINATE IF THAT ERROR DOES OCCUR . THIS WILL BE REVIEWED WITH THE SAME DILIGENT AND WE WILL REVIEW FURTHER PUBLIC UPDATES AS WE MOVE FORWARD . SO, OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CITY LEADERSHIP IS TO GATHER THE FACTS . OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A FACT INTENSIVE PRESENTATION .
YOU NEED THE FACTS TO MAKE INFORMED PRESENTATIONS -- DECISIONS. OUR INTENT WAS NOT TO ACT IN HASTE BUT TO ACT WITH PRECISION AND PURPOSE. I WANT TO THANK OUR RESIDENTS FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO RELY ON OFFICIAL UPDATES FROM THE CITY FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION. IN CLOSING , I WANT TO ASSURE THE CITIZENS OF VICTORIA THAT WE WILL GET THIS RIGHT AND WE WILL DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY . SO, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYONE ATTENDING AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TUNED IN. I BELIEVE THAT COVERS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.