iv.l.1 utilities - sewercityplanning.lacity.org/eir/nbc_univplan/deir/files/iv.l.1...iv.l.1...

City of Los Angeles NBC Universal Evolution Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report November 2010

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WORKING DRAFT - Not for Public Review

Table of Contents L.1 Utilities - Sewer

1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1832

2. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ................................................................................... 1833 a. Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................ 1833

(1) Integrated Resources Plan/Water Facilities Plan ......................................... 1833 (2) City Ordinance No. 166,060 (also known as the Sewer Allocation

Ordinance) ................................................................................................... 1835 b. Regional Conditions ............................................................................................ 1836 c. Local Area Conditions .......................................................................................... 1837 d. On-Site Conditions .............................................................................................. 1840

3. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS .................................................................................. 1840 a. Methodology ........................................................................................................ 1840 b. Thresholds of Significance .................................................................................. 1841 c. Project Design Features ...................................................................................... 1842 d. Project Impacts .................................................................................................... 1844

(1) Construction Impacts .................................................................................... 1844 (2) Operational Impacts ..................................................................................... 1844 (3) Impacts Under No Annexation Scenario ....................................................... 1847

4. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS .......................................................................................... 1848

5. PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES AND MITIGATION MEASURES ........................... 1852 a. Project Design Features ...................................................................................... 1852 b. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................ 1852

6. LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AFTER MITIGATION .................................................... 1852

Table of Contents


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List of Tables

156 Project Wastewater Flows .................................................................................... 1845 157 Total Cumulative Wastewater Flows (2030) ......................................................... 1849 158 Cumulative Wastewater Flows to the Valley Relief Sewer (2030) ........................ 1850 159 Cumulative Wastewater Flows to Lankershim Boulevard (2030) ......................... 1851

List of Figures

215 Existing Sanitary Sewer Lines .............................................................................. 1839 216 Proposed Major Sanitary Sewer Lines ................................................................. 1843


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IV. Environmental Impact Analysis L.1 Utilities - Sewer

1. Introduction

The following section addresses potential environmental impacts related to sewer services and is based on the Wastewater/Sewer System Technical Report prepared by Incledon Consulting Group (2010) and the NBC Universal Evolution Plan – Hyperion Service Area Wastewater Flow Projections Technical Memorandum prepared by CH2M HILL (2010). The full reports are included in Technical Appendices N-2-1 and N-2-2 to this Draft EIR.

The analysis of utility impacts focuses upon the relationship between supply and demand. In general, the supply side involves both the availability of a resource and the ability to convey the resource. The demand side involves both the net incremental demand generated by the Project and the cumulative demand of all future consumers.

Utilities, in general, include both consumption aspects, where a resource is consumed by the Project, and generation aspects, where a waste product is created that requires disposal. Sewage is an example where water is the consumption aspect and wastewater is the generation aspect. Wastewater flows are therefore related to water usage. In the case of sewage, the ability to dispose of the material is a function both of wastewater treatment capacity (which must occur by law prior to ultimate disposal) and conveyance (which usually is a gravity-driven underground pipeline system) capacity.

The analysis below describes the sewage disposal system, including physical characteristics and existing reserve capacities. It then calculates the additional demand (sewage generation) created by the Project, and evaluates the result in comparison to future available wastewater treatment plant and pipeline capacities in the City of Los Angeles (City) Hyperion Service Area.

IV.L.1 Utilities - Sewer


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2. Environmental Setting

a. Regulatory Framework

(1) Integrated Resources Plan/Water Facilities Plan

The City’s sewer system is subject to Section 201 of the federal Clean Water Act. According to the Clean Water Act, the City must adopt a facilities plan in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Rules and Regulations, 40 CFR, Section 35.917.

The City prepared a Wastewater Facilities Plan in 1982 and updated it in 1991. The 1991 Wastewater Facilities Plan update planned for facilities through the year 2010 and currently regulates wastewater facilities in the City. In 1990, to respond to the problem of insufficient sewer capacity, the City adopted Ordinance No. 166,060, which is discussed in detail below. In summary, Ordinance No. 166,060 established sewer permit allocation regulations for projects that discharge sewage into the Hyperion Treatment System.

As a follow-up to these plans and programs, the City adopted the Integrated Resources Plan in 2006. The Integrated Resources Plan incorporates a new City-prepared Wastewater Facilities Plan for facilities through 2020, as the City was faced with the task to meet future wastewater needs of more than 4.3 million residents expected to live within the City by 2020. The Integrated Resources Plan serves to renew the information prepared in the 1991 Wastewater Facilities Plan update, while also considering the City’s recycled water and urban runoff system needs. Specifically, the Integrated Resources Plan was developed to accompany the projected increase in wastewater flow over the next 20 years while maximizing the beneficial reuse of recycled water and urban runoff, thus optimizing the use of the City’s existing facilities and water resources. Demographic (population and employment) projections and data sources used in the Integrated Resources Plan were based on the SCAG 2001 Regional Transportation Plan, as well as the 2004 Regional Transportation Plan, which estimates that the population of Los Angeles would reach almost 4.3 million people in 2020.447

In order to meet the needs of increased wastewater generation, the City chose to expand its current overall treatment capacity and to maximize the potential to reuse

447 The SCAG 2008 Regional Transportation Plan growth forecast estimates that the population of Los Angeles would reach nearly 4.2 million people in 2020, which is lower than the 2004 growth forecast for the City of Los Angeles.



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recycled water through groundwater replenishment in future years, if practicable. According to the Integrated Resources Plan, the only water reclamation plant capable of providing recycled water for replenishment is the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in the Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys. As identified in the Integrated Resources Plan, the Hyperion Treatment Plant can currently serve approximately 450 million gallons per day of wastewater, while the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant can serve approximately 80 million gallons per day.448 With an expected 18.7 percent population growth to occur in the City, the City in accordance with the Integrated Resources Plan will increase capacity at the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant to convey roughly 100 million gallons per day of wastewater by 2020.449

These improvements, along with new sewer pipelines, would ensure that untreated wastewater is not discharged to rivers or the ocean, thereby protecting the environment. As stated above, the Integrated Resources Plan also promotes maximizing recycled water reuse through groundwater replenishment, which is considered a valuable potential benefit, since it would allow the City to reduce the need to import water from other regions. However, the Integrated Resources Plan states that if the City does not implement groundwater replenishment by the time additional treatment capacity is needed, then the expansion of wastewater treatment capacity would occur at the Hyperion Treatment Plant rather than at the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. This would result in additional wastewater capacity levels at the Hyperion Treatment Plant and improved sewer facilities and pipelines.

In November 2006, the City Council certified the Final EIR for the Integrated Resources Plan. The City of Burbank filed suit against the City challenging the conclusions in the Final EIR involving construction of a new 5.75-mile underground sewer conveyance, known as the Glendale-Burbank Interceptor Sewer. The Superior Court ruled in favor of the City of Burbank and found the Integrated Resources Plan EIR lacking in five areas relating to the Glendale-Burbank Interceptor Sewer that need to be clarified or corrected. In response to this ruling, the City Council: (1) Decertified the Final EIR; (2) Suspended the Glendale-Burbank Interceptor Sewer portion of the Integrated Resources Plan pending adequate environmental review consistent with the Court’s final decision; (3) Recertified the Final EIR (excluding references to the Glendale-Burbank Interceptor Sewer portion of the Integrated Resources Plan); and (4) instructed the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation and other relevant staff to conduct the necessary environmental review of the Glendale-

448 About Wastewater – Treatment Plants” http://www.lacity.org/san/wastewater/factsfigures.htm. 449 City of Los Angeles Integrated Resources Plan, Facilities Plan, Volume 1: Wastewater Management,

July 2004 (Revised November 2005).



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Burbank Interceptor Sewer portion of the Integrated Resources Plan and correct deficiencies in the EIR that were identified in the Court’s decision, prior to any re-approval of the Glendale-Burbank Interceptor Sewer portion of the Integrated Resources Plan.

In general, implementation of the Integrated Resources Plan would enable the City to adequately convey wastewater to the treatment plants with minimal potential for sewage spills which results in the protection of public health and safety. It would also enable the City to treat future wastewater flows in a way that protects public health and safety and meets regulatory requirements, thereby protecting the environment, in general, and surface waters, in particular.450

(2) City Ordinance No. 166,060 (also known as the Sewer Allocation Ordinance)

City Ordinance No. 166,060 was adopted in 1990 and established specific regulations for projects that discharge into the Hyperion Treatment System. The ordinance established an annual sewage allotment of 5.0 million gallons per day, of which 34.5 percent (1.725 million gallons per day) is allocated for priority projects, 8 percent (0.4 million gallons per day) for public benefit projects, and 57.5 percent (2.875 million gallons per day, with a monthly allotment of at least 0.24 million gallons per day) for non-priority projects (of which 65 percent of this allocation is for residential projects and 35 percent for non-residential projects).451

Before the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety formally accepts a set of plans and specifications for a proposed project for plan check, the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation must first determine if there is allotted sewer capacity available for the project. The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation will not make such a determination until the Department of Building and Safety has determined that the proposed project’s plans and specifications are acceptable for plan check. If the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation determines that there is allotted sewer capacity available for

450 City of Los Angeles Integrated Resources Plan, Integrated Resources Plan Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations, September 2006, page 33.

451 Priority Projects are projects which meet certain criteria specified in Section 4 of the ordinance, such as a residential or commercial/industrial project located within both a Community Plan Area and a Master EIR Area with a jobs/housing ratio of 1.74 or more for residential or 1.10 or less for commercial/industrial, an emergency trauma center and/or non-profit hospital, an affordable rental housing project, and a single family dwelling, to name a few. Public Benefit Projects are determined by the City Council as projects that will benefit the public health, safety or otherwise provide a public benefit. Non-Priority Projects are granted allocations in the order of their applications.



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the project, then the Department of Building and Safety will accept the plans and specifications for plan check upon the payment of plan check fees. If the project is eligible to receive an allocation as a non-priority project, and the monthly allotment has been used, then the project may be placed on a waiting list for the next month’s allocation. At the request of the project’s applicant, the Department of Building and Safety may accept the project’s plans and specifications as acceptable for plan check even if the project has been placed on the waiting list and a sewer permit has not yet been obtained from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, with the understanding that the project will not be able to connect to the City’s wastewater system until capacity is available and a sewer permit issued.

b. Regional Conditions

Wastewater within the City and the western portions of the County (including the Project Site) is handled by the Hyperion Treatment System. The Hyperion Treatment System is owned and operated by the Los Angeles Department of Public Works and includes treatment plants, outfalls, and numerous sewer connections and major interceptors. Treatment plants within the Hyperion Treatment System include the Hyperion Treatment Plant, the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, and the Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant. The Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant and the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant are wastewater reclamation plants that treat to tertiary levels and discharge wastewater generated within the Hyperion Service Area, effectively removing or extracting flows and thereby reducing wastewater flows at the Hyperion Treatment Plant. Wastewater from the western portions of the County and the greater City metropolitan area is treated at the Hyperion Treatment Plant, which is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. This plant has the capacity to treat approximately 450 million gallons per day of wastewater for full secondary treatment and currently treats approximately 362 million gallons per day.452 As such, the Hyperion Treatment Plant is currently operating at approximately 80 percent of its capacity, with an available capacity of approximately 88 million gallons per day.453 The treated water from the Hyperion Treatment Plant is discharged through a 12-foot diameter outfall pipe extending five miles offshore into the Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 200 feet.

Incoming wastewater to the Hyperion Treatment Plant initially passes through screens and basins to remove coarse debris and grit. This is followed by primary treatment which is a physical separation process where solids are allowed to either settle to the bottom of tanks or float on the surface. These solids, or sludge, are collected, treated, and

452 “About Wastewater – Treatment Plants.” – http://www.lacity.org/san/wastewater/factsfigures.htm. 453 Ibid.



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recycled. The portion of water that remains, the primary effluent, is treated through secondary treatment using a natural, biological technique. Living micro-organisms are added to the primary effluent to consume organic constituents. These micro-organisms are later harvested and removed as sludge. After treatment is completed, the water is discharged offshore as discussed above. As this treated effluent enters the Santa Monica Bay, it is diluted at a ratio of over 80 parts seawater to one part treated effluent. Monitoring occurs throughout the treatment process and after effluent is discharged into the marine environment.

The sludge that is collected at the plant is aerobically digested in order to reduce volume and to produce valuable methane gas for energy recovery. Excess water that remains in digested sludge is eliminated through centrifuge dewatering equipment. The resultant material is well-suited for reuse in a variety of beneficial methods: as an agricultural soil additive; compost; as a fuel source in an energy recovery system; or as a chemically treated soil substitute for landfill cover.

The Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant uses a conventional activated sludge process with dual filters to produce a tertiary effluent which meets the State of California’s most stringent requirements for recycled water use. The Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant has a wet weather design flow capacity of 80 million gallons per day and serves the Western San Fernando Valley.454 All of the waste streams (sludge) from the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant are returned to the main sewer for final treatment at the Hyperion Treatment Plant. Although the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant design flow capacity is 80 million gallons per day, it currently treats an average rate of approximately 64 million gallons per day.455 The City provides recycled water from the Donald Tillman Water Reclamation Plant throughout its service areas for irrigation or industrial purposes.

c. Local Area Conditions

Wastewater flows in the vicinity of the Project Site drain to a central point located adjacent to the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel and discharge to the La Cienega and San Fernando Valley Relief 72-inch diameter sewer pipe (Valley Relief Sewer), which has an average existing flow rate of 142.92 million gallons per day. The Valley Relief

454 City of Los Angeles Integrated Resources Plan, Facilities Plan, Volume 1: Wastewater Management, July 2004 (Revised November 2005).

455 Phone conversations with John Mays, City of Los Angeles, Tillman Treatment Plant, on September 21, 2007 and March 19, 2008.



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Sewer is operated by the City and is shown on Figure 215 on page 1839. South of the Project Site, within the Sierra Bonita right-of-way, the Valley Relief Sewer splits into two parallel 42-inch sewers, which ultimately transmit wastewater to the Hyperion Treatment Plant.

All areas of the Project Site connect to the City’s sanitary sewers, either directly, if coming from City portions of the Project Site, or after passing through gauging stations, if coming from County portions of the Project Site. The sanitary sewer flows from the southern areas of the Project Site flow to the south and enter into a 12-inch diameter City sewer located in an easement next to the Hollywood Freeway (U.S. Route 101). This sewer flows west and enlarges to a 15-inch diameter sewer near the Lankershim Boulevard off-ramp, outside of the Project Site. This 15-inch diameter sewer flows west to Lankershim Boulevard where it joins to an 18-inch diameter sewer, also owned by the City. This 18-inch diameter sewer flows northerly along Lankershim Boulevard until it joins with a 21-inch sewer, also located within Lankershim Boulevard. The wastewater subsequently enters into a 27-inch sewer located within the Project Site, and continues into a 24-inch diameter sewer that flows east, the majority of which is located in an easement parallel to the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel (approximately 300 feet of the sewer is within the Project Site). This sewer then flows easterly until it discharges into the Valley Relief Sewer. The sanitary sewer flows from the western areas of the Project Site flow to the west and enter into the City sewers located in Lankershim Boulevard, as described above, before discharging into the Valley Relief Sewer. The sanitary sewer flows from the central areas of the Project Site flow northerly to the connection to the Valley Relief Sewer. Sanitary sewer flows from the eastern area of the Project Site flow northerly into two connections to a City-owned 12-inch diameter sewer located in Barham Boulevard that also eventually discharges into the Valley Relief Sewer after crossing the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel. The local sewer lines currently serving the Project area are illustrated in Figure 215.

According to the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, the existing 18-, 24-, 72-, and dual 42-inch sanitary sewers are operating at 19 percent, 39 percent, 53 percent, and 34 percent of their capacity, respectively.456 The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation does not have gauging information available for the other sanitary sewer lines at this time.

456 Correspondence from Adel Hagekhalil, Division Manager, Wastewater Engineering Services Division, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, April 4, 2007.

Not to Scale

Figure 215Existing Sanitary Sewer Lines

Source: Incledon Consulting Group, 2010.

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The County provides no wastewater services for the Project Site or vicinity and has no wastewater infrastructure serving the Project Site or vicinity. All wastewater collection and treatment for the Project Site and vicinity is provided by the City.

d. On-Site Conditions

The Project Site is served by on-site, private, gravity flow sanitary sewers. The primary on-site sanitary sewer system lines (6 inches and larger) are illustrated in Figure 215 on page 1839. Private wastewater flows from County areas of the Project Site must pass through gauging stations before entering into City-owned sewers. Wastewater flows originating from areas of the Project Site located within the City do not have to pass through gauging stations. All sewage flows generated at the Project Site ultimately flow into the Valley Relief Sewer, which crosses the Project Site in a north-south direction, approximately mid-point across the Project Site, as shown on Figure 215 on page 1839. The central and western portions of the Project Site connect to the Valley Relief Sewer via a series of smaller on- and off-site lines as described above.

In 2000, the City and the Applicant entered into a wastewater agreement which provides for the City’s unused wastewater system capacity to be made available to the Applicant as its wastewater discharges increase. This agreement has a 30-year term.

The existing total average and peak daily wastewater discharge from the Project Site is 0.91 million gallons per day and 1.63 million gallons per day, respectively. In terms of flow rates, the Project Site under existing conditions has a flow rate of 1.40 cubic feet per second under average conditions, and 2.52 cubic feet per second under peak conditions. The average flows were based on actual metered domestic water demand volumes. Peak wastewater flow rates were calculated using a formula provided by the American Society of Civil Engineers Gravity Sanitary Sewer Design and Construction Manual.

3. Environmental Impacts

a. Methodology

The analysis below addresses the impact of the Project on existing on-site and off-site sewer facility capacities and identifies necessary improvements needed to



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accommodate the Project’s demands. The estimated wastewater generation of the Project is based on wastewater generation factors developed by the City.457

Based on the existing capacity of the on-site sanitary sewer system and the Project Site’s future demand, the analysis presents an assessment of the impacts to the sanitary sewer system, including, but not limited to the City’s downstream trunk sewer and treatment plants.

Data regarding the existing physical features and capacity of the system was obtained from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation.

b. Thresholds of Significance

The City of Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds Guide (2006) requires the wastewater analysis to address issues relating to the capacity of the sewer lines that would serve a project and the impacts of the project on treatment plant capacity. Based on the criteria set forth in the City of Los Angeles CEQA Thresholds Guide (2006), a project would normally have a significant wastewater impact if:

The project would cause a measurable increase in wastewater flows at a point where, and a time when, a sewer’s capacity is already constrained or that would cause a sewer’s capacity to become constrained; or

The project’s additional wastewater flows would substantially or incrementally exceed the future scheduled capacity of any one treatment plant by generating flows greater than those anticipated in the Wastewater Facilities Plan or General Plan and its elements.

In addition, for purposes of this analysis, the Project would have a significant impact if:

The construction of new or upgraded wastewater distribution infrastructure would result in a substantial obstruction of vehicle and/or pedestrian access.

457 The projected wastewater generation of the Project was also estimated based on wastewater generation factors developed by the County. See Incledon Consulting Group, Sanitary Sewer Area Study, 2010 (Appendix N-2-3 of this Draft EIR).



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c. Project Design Features

To accommodate the increase in wastewater flows resulting from Project implementation, several new major sewer lines (6-inches and larger) would be constructed. The general locations of the proposed lines are illustrated in Figure 216 on page 1843. The proposed changes to sewer lines specifically include, but are not limited to, additional 8-, 10- and 12-inch sewer lines in the Mixed-Use Residential Area; an additional 16-inch sewer line off-site that would run parallel to the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel along River Road and would connect to an existing stub of the Valley Relief Sewer; and removal and reconstruction of some of the existing 12-inch sewer lines along Universal Hollywood Drive. In addition, to comply with the County plumbing code limitations on private sewer systems crossing multiple lot lines, sewer lines in the County portion of the Project Site would be designed such that they do not cross multiple lot lines, an entity would be formed to allow centralized operation and maintenance of the sewer lines, or other appropriate measures would be implemented to the satisfaction of the Department of Public Works to comply with the plumbing code.

Some existing on-site sewer lines in the Business, Studio, and Entertainment Areas would be replaced with larger lines to accommodate the increased wastewater flow as areas of the Project Site are further developed. Prior to the development of a new building, the capacity of the on-site sewer lines serving the building would be examined and replacement or new sewer lines would be installed as necessary. If the annexation/ detachment proposed as a part of the Project occurs, all wastewater collection and treatment would continue to be provided by the City, as described above. Further, the proposed sewer lines in the County areas would continue to be required to pass through a gauging station before passing through a City-owned sewer.

New sanitary sewers in City portions of the Project Site would be designed to conform to the standards of the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. New sanitary sewers in the County areas of the Project Site would be designed to conform to the standards of the County of Los Angeles Sanitation District.458 The City would continue to serve the Project Site’s sanitary sewer demands via the Valley Relief Sewer and the Hyperion Treatment Plant. The Applicant would construct the additional on-site sanitary sewer system improvements required to support the additional development per these standards.

458 The majority of differences between the City and County standards are minor. Such minor differences between the City and County standards include bedding installation requirements, house lateral connections, and slight differences in manhole diameters and the size of manhole frames.

Page

Source: Incledon Consulting Group, 2010.

Figure 216Proposed Major Sanitary Sewer Lines

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As discussed in detail in Section IV.L.2, Utilities - Water, the Project would implement a comprehensive program of water conservation measures that would also serve to reduce the Project’s demand on the wastewater system.

d. Project Impacts

(1) Construction Impacts

No significant increase in wastewater flows from the Project Site is expected as a result of construction activities. Most of the additional sanitary sewer facilities needed to serve the Project would be constructed within the Project Site itself. However, there would be some construction off-site along River Road to install a sewer line that would serve to connect the Mixed-Use Residential Area sewer to the City’s Valley Relief Sewer. This 16-inch sewer line would be located between the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel and the Project Site’s northern edge. In addition, there would also be off-site construction within Lankershim Boulevard when the proposed 12-inch sewer in Universal Hollywood Drive is connected to the 18-inch City sewer in Lankershim Boulevard. Construction impacts (street, traffic detouring and control, and impacts to other utilities) would be limited to trenching for the sanitary sewer lines and would be temporary in nature. Therefore, the construction of sanitary sewer lines would not have any significant impacts for the Project Site or adjoining properties.

(2) Operational Impacts

The proposed Project would increase the average and peak daily wastewater flows from and within the Project Site. Table 156 on page 1845 outlines the proposed wastewater flows that would result from Project implementation. The discharges listed in Table 156 are based on the City’s sewer generation rates which are derived from daily domestic water demand rates.459 As shown, the total average and peak wastewater generated by the Project would be 0.90 million gallons per day and 1.61 million gallons per day, respectively. Flow rates under the proposed Project would be 1.39 and 2.49 cubic feet per second under average conditions and peak conditions, respectively.460 Although the Project would implement water conservation measures, to be conservative, the reductions in wastewater flows as a result of these measures were not incorporated into this analysis.

459 Correspondence from Fatema Akhter, Water Resources Development Group, City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, July 16, 2007.

460 Average flow is used to determine capacity and peak flow is used to determine pipe sizing.



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Table 156 Project Wastewater Flows

Land Use Category

Size (unit) (net new

development)

Sewer Generation Rate (gallons per

day/unit /1000 sq. ft.) a

Wastewater Generation (million

gallons per day)

Wastewater Flow Rate (cubic feet

per second) b

City of Los Angeles Residential 2,937 units 160/unit 0.470 0.727 Residential Retail c 115,000 sf 408/1,000 sf 0.047 0.073 Community Serving 65,000 sf 408/1,000 sf 0.027 0.041 Child Care Center d (100 children) 8/child (0.001) (0.002) Studio 48,020 sf 80/1,000 sf 0.004 0.006 Studio Office 232,552 sf 180/1,000 sf 0.042 0.065 Entertainment (42,240) sf 180/1,000 sf (0.008) (0.012)

Subtotal 0.581 0.899 County of Los Angeles

Studio 259,929 sf 80/1,000 sf 0.021 0.032 Studio Office 199,774 sf 180/1,000 sf 0.036 0.056 Child Care Center d 150 children 8/child 0.001 0.002 Entertainment 187,895 sf 180/1,000 sf 0.034 0.053 Entertainment Retail c 39,216 sf 408/1,000 sf 0.016 0.025 Amphitheater e (50,600) N/A (0.012) (0.019) Office 495,406 sf 180/1,000 sf 0.089 0.138 Hotel f 500 rooms 260/room 0.130 0.201

Subtotal 0.315 0.488 Total (average) 0.896 1.387

Total (peak) g 1.609 2.490 Note: For purposes of analyzing Project wastewater flows, the sewer generation rates provided by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of

Sanitation are used, which results in a greater projection of wastewater generation and is thus more conservative for purposes of analysis. For the City’s analysis of the overall Hyperion Treatment Plant capacity, in the City’s Integrated Resources Plan, the City uses the wastewater generation rates of 78 gpcd and 23 gpcd for residential and employee populations. Utilizing the Integrated Resources Plan rates, the Project’s wastewater flows would be 0.646 million gallons per day, which is less than the projected wastewater flows using the Bureau of Sanitation rates.

a Sewer generation rates provided by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. b 1 cubic foot per second = 0.646272 million gallons per day. c Reflects a weighted average of 60% retail and 40% restaurant – “full service indoor seat.” For the restaurant use, assumes 3

seats per 100 square feet of floor area d Assumes one child per 100 feet of floor area. e Amphitheater sewer rate based on reduction of 3,021 seats at 4 gallons per day/seat. f The Bureau of Sanitation’s sewer generation rate for hotel use is 130 gallons per day/room. As the hotel is likely to include

banquet and related facilities, an additional 130 gallons per day/hotel room is assumed for purposes of this analysis to provide a conservative estimate and to account for the additional water used by the banquet and related facilities. Therefore, the total hotel demand rate used in this analysis is 260 gallons per day/hotel room.

g Peak flow rate = 1.78 times the avg. flow rate in million gallons per day raised to the power of 0.92 per ASCE Sewer Design Manual.

Source: Incledon Consulting Group, Wastewater/Sewer System Technical Report 2010.



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With respect to capacity in the City’s Valley Relief Sewer, the Project’s 1.39 cubic feet per second average flow would make up less than one percent of the line’s capacity.461 Since the Valley Relief Sewer is currently operating at 53 percent of total capacity and the 42-inch sewer lines are operating at 34 percent capacity, there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the Project’s increased wastewater flows. When compared to existing gauging data for the City’s parallel 42-inch sewers, the proposed average daily net increase with the Project equates to approximately five percent of the current average flow rate.

With regard to the existing sewer line in Barham Boulevard, Project development would actually have a beneficial effect on this line as the Project would not add any new flows to this line and the existing on-site flows generated by the on-site child care center would be eliminated upon the relocation of the child care center to a different location on-site that does not flow to the existing line in Barham Boulevard. As such, the Project will have a less than significant impact to the City’s main off-site sewer lines serving the Project Site. In addition, all new on-site sewer lines would be sized to adequately accommodate increased flows from the Project so that no on-site existing sewer lines would be operating at capacity.462

Whereas the City’s implementation of the provisions of the Sewer Allocation Ordinance assures that sufficient capacity is available at the Hyperion Treatment Plant at the time a building permit is issued by the City, the Integrated Resources Plan provides the forecast of long-term conditions. In the 2005 Integrated Resources Plan, the City analyzed the further expansion of the Hyperion Treatment Plant and with expansion up to 500 million gallons per day could be treated at the Hyperion Treatment Plant. Based on a current treatment capacity of 450 million gallons per day, the Project’s 0.90 million gallons per day of average flow would represent approximately one percent of the 88 million gallons per day remaining capacity at the Hyperion Treatment Plant.463

461 Correspondence from Rowena Lau, Sanitary Engineering Associate, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, April 26, 2007.

462 The increased wastewater flows from the Project based on the County methodology would also have a less than significant impact. See Incledon Consulting Group, Sewer Area Study, 2010 (Appendix N-2-3 of this Draft EIR).

463 The current effective treatment capacity of the three treatment plants that serve the Hyperion Service Area is 544 million gallons per day, including the 450 million gallons per day treatment capacity of the Hyperion Treatment Plant. NBC Universal Evolution Plan – Hyperion Service Area Wastewater Flow Projections, CH2MHill, 2010.



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The City concluded in the Integrated Resources Plan that expanding Hyperion Treatment Plant capacity to 500 million gallons per day would be completed once the service population has increased to the point where it is necessary. Based on recent decreases in population in the service area, in addition to conservation efforts, this improvement is not anticipated to be necessary until approximately 2020. When considering the Integrated Resources Plan forecast, it is important to note that the previous Integrated Resources Plan forecasted the Hyperion Treatment Plant reaching capacity at a much earlier date. Increased water conservation efforts and reduced population forecasts are the factors that caused the date Hyperion Treatment Plant capacity is reached to be extended further into the future. As future Integrated Resources Plans are prepared and adopted, these same, or yet other unknown factors, may extend capacity to 2030 or beyond. In order to fully evaluate Project impacts, an analysis was done that extended the forecast of the 2005 Integrated Resources Plan to 2030 (see Appendix N-2-2 of this Draft EIR). Based on this extended forecast, the Hyperion Treatment Plant system would be able to accommodate the wastewater flows from Project development occurring between 2020 and 2030. Under all projected scenarios, the Hyperion Treatment Plant system would have sufficient wastewater treatment capacity, with remaining excess treatment capacity, to treat the wastewater flows from the Project Site in 2030. As such, the Project would not exceed the future scheduled capacity of any one treatment plant by generating flows greater than those anticipated in the Wastewater Facilities Plan or General Plan and its elements. In addition, the City, based on current Hyperion Treatment Plant operating conditions, has indicated that the Hyperion Treatment Plant has adequate capacity to provide treatment for the additional wastewater flows from the Project Site.464 Therefore, Project impacts on the Hyperion Treatment Plant system capacity are concluded to be less than significant.

(3) Impacts Under No Annexation Scenario

If the proposed detachment/annexation does not occur, all wastewater collection and treatment would continue to be provided by the City. As all wastewater facilities serving the Project Site are maintained by the City of Los Angeles, there would be no change in the nature of the Project’s impacts from those described above, except that the replacement sewer line constructed along Universal Hollywood Drive would not require a gauging station where it joins the City sewer in Lankershim Boulevard. The gauging stations that would be required under the No Annexation scenario would vary as jurisdictional boundaries would not change. A gauging station is only needed when the line connects across property located in a jurisdiction other than the City of Los Angeles (i.e., the County of

464 Correspondence from Adel Hagekhalil, Division Manager, Wastewater Engineering Services Division, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation, April 4, 2007.



Page 1848


Los Angeles in the case of the proposed Project). As total wastewater flows under the No Annexation scenario are the same as those of the Project and all wastewater collection and treatment would continue to be provided by the City, impacts with regard to wastewater flows would be less than significant under the No Annexation scenario, as is the case with the proposed Project.

4. Cumulative Impacts

The potential need for future development projects to require upgraded wastewater lines to accommodate wastewater generated by these projects is site-specific and as such, would be appropriately addressed during the review and approval process for each project. Moreover, as off-site improvements are very limited in nature, the potential for concurrent construction is very low. As such, cumulative construction impacts are concluded to be less than significant.

With respect to cumulative operational wastewater impacts, the forecasted growth within the Hyperion Service Area would result in an increase in wastewater generation as illustrated in Table 157 on page 1849. The overall Hyperion Service Area is used for the cumulative analysis, as it encompasses all three of the City’s wastewater treatment plants and covers a more broad geographic area than the Hyperion Treatment Plant, consistent with projected SCAG forecasts for the region. In order to fully evaluate impacts of anticipated growth as a result of future development, the forecast of the 2005 Integrated Resources Plan was extended to 2030.

Based on the Hyperion Service Area’s effective treatment capacity of 544 million gallons per day,465 a cumulative wastewater generation of 503 million gallons per day under average conditions, and including wastewater flows from the Project, would represent approximately 92.5 percent of the 544 million gallons per day effective treatment capacity of the Hyperion Service Area in 2030. Under all projected scenarios, the Hyperion Service Area will have sufficient wastewater treatment capacity, with remaining excess treatment capacity, to treat the wastewater flows from future development, including the Project. Based on this extended forecast, the Hyperion Service Area would be able to accommodate the wastewater flows from future development, including the Project, occurring between 2020 and 2030. Therefore, cumulative impacts on the Hyperion Service Area capacity are concluded to be less than significant.

465 NBC Universal Evolution Plan – Hyperion Service Area Wastewater Flow Projections, CH2MHill, 2010.



Page 1849


With respect to capacity in the City’s Valley Relief Sewer, cumulative wastewater flows from areas that are tributary to the Valley Relief Sewer, as shown in Table 158 on page 1850 are forecasted to be 28.5 million gallons per day under average conditions and 39.3 million gallons per day under peak flows when combined with the Project’s flows. The increase under average conditions equates to approximately 19.9 percent of the current average flow rate and the increase under peak conditions equates to approximately 27.5 percent of the current average flow rate of the Valley Relief Sewer. As the Valley Relief Sewer is currently operating at 53 percent of capacity, sufficient additional capacity is available to accommodate these increased cumulative flows and a less than significant cumulative impact would result.

With respect to capacity in the City sewers located in Lankershim Boulevard, forecasted growth from areas that are tributary to the Lankershim Boulevard sewers, including the Project, would generate approximately 1.7 million gallons per day of wastewater under average conditions and 3.0 million gallons per day under peak flows, as shown in Table 159 on page 1851. The average flow increase equates to approximately 245 percent of the current average flow rate of the 18-inch Lankershim Boulevard sewer line and 26.0 percent of the current average flow rate of the 24-inch Lankershim Boulevard sewer line. As these two sewer lines are operating at 19 percent capacity and 39 percent

Table 157 Total Cumulative Wastewater Flows (2030)

Size Sewer Generation Rate

(gallons per capita per day) Wastewater Generation (million gallons per day)

Forecasted Cumulative Growth

Residential 4,702,859 81 381 Employees 2,540,439 24 61

25 a 35 b

Cumulative Total (average) 501.8

Proposed Project Total (average) 0.896

Cumulative plus Project Total (average) 502.696 a Average Industrial and Contract Flows. Only industrial flows greater than 10,000 gallons per day

are included as major point discharges in the City’s Sewer Flow Estimating Model and represent the vast majority (75% in 2007).

b Average groundwater infiltration for 2005 is calculated in the City’s Sewer Flow Estimating Model by an increase above 1992 values of 0.5 percent per year.

Source: NBC Universal Evolution Plan – Hyperion Service Area Wastewater Flow Projections,

CH2MHill, 2010.



Page 1850


capacity, respectively, there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the increased flows and no significant impact to these sewer lines would occur. With forecasted growth, the 18-inch sewer would operate at 65.6 percent capacity and the 24-inch sewer would operate at 49.2 percent capacity. While forecasted off-site growth may increase flows in the existing Barham Boulevard line, Project development would at most have no increase in flows in this line, and is likely to reduce flows in this line, as described above. As such, the Project’s cumulative impacts on the Barham Boulevard line are concluded to be less than significant. Furthermore, future development projects would be required to implement water conservation measures, similar to the Project. To be conservative, these measures were not incorporated into the cumulative analysis of wastewater impacts presented above.

With regard to local connections, each project that contributes to the forecasted off-site growth, similar to the proposed Project, would be required to improve or replace substandard or deteriorated utility lines per the requirements of the respective local jurisdiction (e.g., City of Los Angeles). Furthermore, similar to the Project, each project that contributes to the forecasted off-site growth would be required to comply with water conservation programs of the local jurisdiction and the State. As such, cumulative impacts with regard to local connections are less than significant.

Table 158 Cumulative Wastewater Flows to the Valley Relief Sewer (2030)

Size (unit)

Sewer Generation Rate (gallons per

day/unit/1,000 sq. ft.) a

Wastewater Generation (million gallons

per day)

Wastewater Flow Rate (cubic feet per

second) b

Forecasted Cumulative Growth c

Non Residential 30,205,333 sf 80/1,000 sf 2.416 3.738 Residential 157,562 units 160/unit 25.210 39.008

Cumulative Total (average) 27.626 42.746 Total (peak) d 37.708 56.347

Proposed Project Total (average) 0.896 1.387

Total (peak) d 1.609 2.490

Cumulative plus Project Total Total (average) 28.522 44.133 Total (peak) d 39.317 60.837

a Sewer generation rates provided by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. b 1 cubic foot per second = 0.646272 million gallons per day. c Based on the SCAG 2004 Regional Transportation Plan demographic forecast for the area served by the Valley Relief Sewer. d Peak flow rate = 1.78 times the avg. flow rate in million gallons per day raised to the power of 0.92 per ASCE Sewer Design

Manual. Source: Matrix Environmental, 2010.



Page 1851


The No Annexation scenario would not alter the type, amount, and location of proposed development on the Project Site. Additionally, all wastewater collection and treatment, as well as the maintenance of all wastewater facilities serving the Project Site, would continue to be provided by the City of Los Angeles. As such, the cumulative impacts described above would also apply to the No Annexation scenario. As such, all wastewater from the Project Site under the No Annexation scenario would continue to flow through the Hyperion Service Area, which would have sufficient wastewater treatment capacity to serve the cumulative development under the No Annexation scenario. Further, cumulative wastewater flows to the City’s Valley Relief Sewer would be identical to those under the proposed Project (i.e., 28.5 million gallons per day under average conditions and 39.3 million gallons per day under peak flows when combined with the flows under the No Annexation scenario) and capacity would be available in the Valley Relief Sewer to accommodate these additional flows. Similarly, the City sewers located in Lankershim Boulevard would have sufficient capacity to accommodate cumulative growth under the No Annexation scenario, while the Barham Boulevard line would experience a reduction in flows from the Project Site under the No Annexation scenario, as is the case with the proposed Project. As such, cumulative impacts with regard to wastewater facilities, as with the proposed Project, would be less than significant.

Table 159 Cumulative Wastewater Flows to Lankershim Boulevard (2030)

Land Use Category

Size (unit)

Sewer Generation Rate (gallons per day/

unit/1,000 sq. ft.) a Wastewater Generation (million gallons per day)

Wastewater Flow Rate (cubic feet per second) b

Forecasted Cumulative Growth c

Non Residential 1,241,667 sf 80/1,000 sf 0.099 0.153 Residential 4,156 units 160/unit 0.665 1.029

Cumulative Total (average) 0.764 1.182

Total (peak) d 1.390 2.151

Proposed Project Total (average) 0.896 1.387

Total (peak) d 1.609 2.490

Cumulative plus Project Total Total (average) 1.660 2.569

Total (peak) d 2.999 4.641

a Sewer generation rates provided by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. b 1 cubic foot per second = 0.646272 million gallons per day. c Based on the SCAG 2004 Regional Transportation Plan demographic forecast for the area that flows to Lankershim Boulevard. d Peak flow rate = 1.78 times the avg. flow rate in million gallons per day raised to the power of 0.92 per ASCE Sewer Design

Manual. Source: Matrix Environmental, 2010.



Page 1852


5. Project Design Features and Mitigation Measures

a. Project Design Features

Project Design Feature L.1-1: Prior to the development of a new building, the capacity of the on-site sewer lines serving the building shall be examined and replacement or new sewer lines shall be installed as necessary.

Project Design Feature L.1-2: Gauging stations shall be installed in the proposed sewer lines in the County areas of the Project Site for wastewater flows to pass through before entering a City-owned sewer.

Project Design Feature L.1-3: New sanitary sewers in the City areas of the Project Site shall be designed to conform to the standards of the City’s Bureau of Sanitation. New sanitary sewers in the County areas of the Project Site shall be designed to conform to the standards of the County of Los Angeles Sanitation District. The Applicant or its successor shall construct the additional on-site sanitary sewer system improvements required to support the additional development per these standards.

b. Mitigation Measures

As Project impacts during construction and operations are less than significant, no mitigation measures are required. In addition, the water conservation measures identified in Section IV.L.2, Utilities - Water, would also serve to reduce the Project’s sewer flows.

6. Level of Significance After Mitigation

Project impacts during construction and operations with regard to conveyance infrastructure and Hyperion Service Area capacity are less than significant under both the Project as proposed and the No Annexation scenario.

iv.l.1 utilities - sewercityplanning.lacity.org/eir/nbc_univplan/deir/files/iv.l.1...iv.l.1...

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