During normal operations, the Yolo County Central Landfill (Landfill) generates leachate and other liquid waste. The landfill also accepts other liquid wastes such as septage, chemical toilet wastes and industrial wastewater generated in unincorporated areas. These liquid wastes are stored and treated in the landfill's surface impoundments and disposed of by evaporation. Historically, during heavy rainy season the volume of liquid waste has occasionally exceeded the evaporation capacity of the surface impoundments and required offsite disposal of some liquid waste. Since 1991, the Landfill has discharged its excess leachate to the adjacent Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) operated by the City of Davis (City) for treatment and disposal.
On May 21, 2013 the Board of Supervisors approved a five-year agreement between the City of Davis and the County of Yolo to establish special industrial rates for disposal of leachate. Under this agreement the City accepts leachate for treatment at a fixed charge by special contract provided the waste does not violate any pretreatment standard. The amount charged by the City pursuant to the special contract reflects, as close as is reasonably practicable, the cost the City incurs in providing, operating, and maintaining the facilities serving the contracting industrial user.
Under the proposed amendment to the existing agreement, the Landfill agrees to pay to the City a rate of $3.18 per 100 cubic foot of wastewater discharged by the Landfill to the WWTP (“Contracted Rate”). The Contracted Rate is based upon the City’s cost of operating and maintaining the WWTP, which comprises approximately 60% of the standard sewer rate for industrial discharges, and the fact that the Landfill does not use the City’s collection system to transport its leachate to the WWTP.
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