IMPLEMENTING EPA ONSITE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES IN MALIBU, CALIFORNIA. A CASE HISTORY

Abstract

Management of onsite wastewater is an important local issue. The United States EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) has outlined five models of onsite management in guidelines for localcommunities to decide which level and which components of each level are appropriate for localcircumstances. The City of Malibu, California, is implementing the first three of these models(inventory of onsite system, management through maintenance contracts, and managementthrough operating permits) on a risk-based approach. The City of Malibu has a population ofapproximately 13,000 people with 23 miles of coastline and world renowned beaches. There areroughly 6,000 onsite systems in Malibu located along the coast, in canyons, or upland sites.Approximately 400 of these systems are either commercial or serving multifamily (greater than 2units) residential dwellings. Advanced treatment systems have been utilized within the past sixyears and the city initially utilized a maintenance contract approach for managing these systems.How does a community of this size effectively manage onsite systems and apply the EPAguidelines? The City of Malibu has made those decisions and is currently in the second year ofimplementing their management program. The City is now implementing a state grant funded program to improve coordination between theRegional Board and the City of Malibu using shared information and promoting bettercommunication regarding onsite wastewater treatment systems where there is overlappingjurisdiction. The City is developing a web-based information management program to facilitatethe process of managing onsite systems. Malibu has three levels of onsite wastewater treatment system management: Model 1 (inventoryand voluntary homeowner management) for all onsite systems in the City; Model 2 (maintenancecontracts) for existing and functional advanced treatment systems serving single family andduplex residential properties; Model 3 (operating permits) for all commercial and multifamilyoccupancies and new, repaired or renovated advanced treatment systems. The goal is to phase outthe maintenance contract program, and eventually have operating permits for all systems basedon risk. This approach can be replicated by other communities especially in coastal areas wherethe need for water quality protection is high and onsite systems are viewed as a long termsolution for wastewater management.