ANDY LINTON_ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES_WATER WASTEWATER AD HOC TASK FORCE PRESENTATION_10.07.25.PPTX
Extracted text (via pymupdf)
8783 characters
Ad Hoc Task Force Committee Final Report & Recommendations Andrew Linton : Director : October 20, 2025 Andy Linton Director Maricopa County Environmental Services Department Ox Auxier EPS Group Process/Permit Center Subcommittee Chair Doug Kobrick Hazen & Sawyer Standards/Scope Subcommittee Chair 02 PRESENTERS 03 OVERVIEW At the 6/17/25 kickoff meeting, two subcommittees were formed & tasked with developing recommendations to streamline review processes, enhance communication, and improve regulatory clarity. Evaluation of Water/Wastewater Treatment & Subdivision Programs Process & Permit Center Subcommittee Regulatory Standards/Scope Subcommittee Recommendations Process & Permit Center Subcommittee Ox Auxier: EPS Group : Subcommittee Chair 05 Issue: LackofcommunicationregardingnewrequirementsandproceduresforSubdivision Programsubmittalscancausedelays. 01 Recommendation Status Communicate and seek input from stakeholders on new requirements and process changes via the WaterWorks Bulletin newsletter and Permit Center. Complete by 10/31/25 Develop and publish permit-specific guidance documents on the website that assist applicants with application processes and submittal requirements. Complete by 12/31/25 Schedule annual stakeholder meetings to introduce staff, review program updates, and discuss stakeholder topics of interest. Complete by 10/31/25 06 Issue: Thereviewprocessforsubdivisionprojectscrossingjurisdictionalboundariesis burdensome. 02 Recommendation Status Create a process whereby infrastructure projects within the City of Phoenix that cross Maricopa County right-of-way remain under the City of Phoenix delegation. Complete by 12/31/25 Issue: Lackofclarityregardingallowabledesign/constructiontolerances. 03 Recommendation Status Work with MAG and stakeholders to develop and publish a list of allowable design/construction tolerances. Complete by 6/30/26 07 Issue: EnhancehumansupportforPermitCenterandpermittinginquiries. 04 Recommendation Status Advertise staff contact information for additional assistance within the various Permit Center applications and auto-generated emails. Complete by 12/31/25 Rename the Permitting Services Coordinator position to the Business & Community Liaison to better convey the purpose of this position. Complete by 12/31/25 Advertise the purpose and role of the Business & Community Liaison position to customers and internal staff. Complete by 11/30/25 08 Issue: CustomersareexperiencingchallengessettingupglobalaccesstoprojectsinPermit Center. 05 Recommendation Status Develop customer training materials and online training sessions for Permit Center users, including how to set up multiple contacts. Advertise this information in Permit Center and via the WaterWorks Bulletin. Complete by 12/31/25 Explore options with Tyler Technologies to allow customers to update billing contacts after invoicing. Complete by 12/31/25 Develop a report that allows customers to see the contacts associated with applications from the same entity. Complete by 12/31/25 09 Issue: RequirementtoprovideanupdatedCapacityAssuranceletterattheApprovalof Construction(AOC)stageisunnecessary. 06 Recommendation Status Modify the application in Permit Center to not require a Capacity Assurance letter at the Approval of Construction (AOC) stage. Complete by 2/28/26 Recommendation Status Create a written guidance document that outlines when an AOPP is required. Limit AOPP submittals to requirements in the Arizona Administrative Code and the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code. Complete by 2/28/26 Issue: ThepurposeandprocessforwhentosubmitanApprovalofProposedPlan(AOPP) needsclarification. 07 10 Issue: Organizationsundergoanextensiveprocesstodevelopatreatmenttechnique,onlytobe toldthatMCESDdoesn’tlikethetechnologyselected. 08 Recommendation Status Advertise the pre-application meeting process on the website, including specific objectives and information for discussing novel treatment techniques. Complete by 3/31/26 Issue: Minormodificationsthatarediscoveredduringaninspectionmayunnecessarily triggeraNoticeofViolation(NOV). 09 Recommendation Status Establish a Treatment Technique or Process Failure Notification procedure to notify MCESD of a failure and response. Complete by 12/31/25 11 Issue: Therehasnotbeenacomprehensivecostrecoveryevaluationand/oradjustmentto alignincreasedworkloadswithavailableresources. 10 Recommendation Status Develop a procedure that outlines how the department will brief the Board of Supervisors on an updated cost-recovery study every four years. Complete by 12/31/25 Start the EROP process to incorporate updated fees into the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code. Completed Recommendations Standards & Scope Subcommittee Doug Kobrick : Hazen & Sawyer : Subcommittee Chair 13 Issue: TreatmentProgramoftengoesbeyondthescopeofSafeDrinkingWaterActand CleanWaterAct.Thereareduplicativeregulatoryactivitiesforwastewatertreatment plantsbetweenMCESDandADEQ. 01 Recommendation Status Initiate an EROP case to discontinue requiring ATC/AOC for wastewater treatment plant repairs, rehabilitation, and maintenance that do not impact capacity or the point of discharge. Complete by 12/31/25 14 Issue: EngineerBulletin11isoutdatedandnolongerusedbyADEQ. 02 Recommendation Status Initiate an EROP case to remove Engineer Bulletin 11 from the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code. Complete by 12/31/25 Form a workgroup with stakeholders, including ADEQ, to create a list of acceptable standards references to guide the engineering review process. Complete by 3/31/26 Create a formal process for staff to involve the Business & Community Liaison when there are unresolved disagreements with review comments. Complete by 1/31/26 15 Issue: ThereisunnecessarycostanddelaysassociatedwiththeexpirationofwellNew SourceApprovals. 03 Recommendation Status Discontinue the practice of having expiration dates on New Source Approvals. Completed Recommendation Status Create a working group with ADEQ, MCESD, and interested stakeholders to review the Lead & Copper Rule (LCR) requirements and improve guidance documents and processes related to LCR. Completed Issue: Lead&CopperRuleclarityisneeded.Thereisalackofdirectiononhowtoprepare thesubmittaltosatisfytheengineer. 04 16 Issue: ApprovalsToConstruct(ATCs)shouldhavenoexpiration. 05 Recommendation Status Initiate an EROP case to change the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code to allow for extensions within 30 days of expiration. Complete by 12/31/25 Send an automated email from Permit Center to the applicant 90 days before the expiration date with instructions on the extension process. Complete by 1/31/26 Create clear, streamlined review processes for resubmitting expired ATCs. Complete by 12/31/25 17 Issue: TheCountyshouldpublishKeyPerformanceIndicatorstocreatepredictabilityfor customersandshowsuccess. 06 Recommendation Status Publish key performance indicators (KPI’s) on MCESD’s website and in the WaterWorks Bulletin. KPI’s will include – initial review time and volume of applications for each permit type. Complete by 12/31/25 Develop and publish in the WaterWorks Bulletin a list of the most common deficiencies and guidance to correct/prevent these deficiencies. Complete by 10/31/25 18 Issue: Therehasnotbeenacomprehensivecostrecoveryevaluationand/oradjustmentto alignincreasedworkloadswithavailableresources. 07 Recommendation Status Start the EROP process to incorporate updated fees into the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code. Completed Develop a procedure that outlines how the department will brief the Board of Supervisors on an updated cost-recovery study every four years. Complete by 12/31/25 Action Requested To consider the recommendations, accept the report, whole or in part, as submitted by the Ad Hoc Task Force and to provide guidance and direction to staff. 19 Thank You PROCESS/PERMIT CENTER SUBCOMMITTEE: Ox Auxier (Subcommittee Chair), Andrew Haas, Anthony Dudley, Art Nunez, Bill Lally, Bhaskar Kolluri, Eddie Solis, Julie Hoffman, Moses Thompson, Richard Hacker, Robert Kuta, Susan Butler STANDARDS/SCOPE SUBCOMMITTEE: Doug Kobrick (Subcommittee Chair), Andrew Haas, Alan Palmquist, Amy Peterson, Andy Kunasek, Brandon Olson, Darlene Helm, Jeff Stuck, Jeremy Abbott, Joshua Rosas, Julie Hoffman, Mark Gross, Reid Guzy, Richard Hacker, Robert Kuta, Spencer Taylor, Susan Butler, Suzanne Grendahl STAFF: Ryan Hall, Sujana Attaluri, Logan Peiman, and Andy Linton