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Attachment 89 1700 Convention Center Drive. Miami Beach, FL 33139 http:\\ci.miami-beach.fJ.us CITY OF MIAMI BEACH C'ty of Miami Beach Telephone 305-613-7010 Facs'mile 305-673-7782 G.O. BOND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING South Pointe Area Neighborhood March 27, 2000 at 6:30 p.m, Police Department Community Room " AGENDA I. WELCOME II. INTRODUCTIONS ~ III. G.O. BOND FUNDED PROJECTS A. SOUTH POINTE PARK B. MERIDIAN AVENUE C. W ASIDNGTON AVENUE I3RD STREET D. STREETSCAPE MASTER PLAN PRESENTATION- . Scott Mingonet, URG E. SOUTH POINTE PARK PRESENTATION- . Kevin Smith, Parks and Recreation Director . Aida Curtis, Curtis and Rogers IV. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION V. WATER, SEWER, DRAINAGE PRESENTATION VI. ADJOURNMENT NEXT MEETING: May 2000 (TBA) ,- . ..,.' ','- .~,,-" -'--'-"-"''''-- NEIGHBORHOOD MAP r- ~ . ! 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Bond Neighborhood Meeting Report r- > Neighborhood: South Pointe Meeting DatelLocation: March 27, 2000IMiami Beach Police Station-Community Room Presenter: Alexandra Rolandelli Attendees: See attached list SUMMARY OF INPUT: General Issues I) Expand mailing list/notification efforts for future GO Bond and related meetings 2) Present an update report on the terms of the Smith and Wollensky restaurant lease, addressing, the restaurant's rights relative to: · Use of the baywalk for chairs and tables, blocking pedestrian/ADA access · Number of parking spaces allocated to restaurant vs public use Priorities r- I) South Pointe Park Master Plan: · Create separate paths for pedestrians and rollerbladers and bikers, segregated by landscaping , · The size of the baywalk and pathways should be accessible to the City's cleaning equipment (specifically mechanized sweepers) · Remove all shaded shelters/pavilions to discourage homeless/vagrants · Establish park rules/hours of operationlsignage · Relocate the observation tower building to a different location · Relocate storage of beach patrol equipment to a less obtrusive building or relocate altogether · Increase parking within the park, Examine possibility of building a 2-story parking structure camouflaged with landscaping · Enhance park maintenance and security patrols. . Increase trash receptacles · Require a temporary/immediate and permanent directional signage program · Request public charrette in May specifically to address Park improvements M:ISCMB\TEMP\SPOINTE_GO,DQC r w' .a. "eW ,,, yew ".,."I.a"e South Pointe A rea R . JOIN eS/dents US ON ",?arch 27, 2000 at 6:30 p.m. Miam- . I Beach' P - . ohce D FIrst Floor: 110 epartment , 0 Washin t For more inform _ 9 on Avenue atlon cont Victo act: r Varela at 305.859.8220 Frank Del V< ecchio at 305 6 . 72.2486 We 1001 f with { orward t . _ you to furth 0 worldng prioritize our n e~ develop and projects fro e'ghborhood million Gem the City's $92 neral Ob - Bond Iss ligation ue. r- South Pointe Area (generally south of 5th Street) Biscaynq Boy ~ . . 1 . ". u. : LlnolnRd j < ". ". "a . ". ". . ~ ~ . "" ! I . ~ ". ~ ~ ". . " ~ u. ,,. ~ ". I ,. Atlanlic I. O~n 7. , r- ,c' "". .., r South Beach Neighborhood Improvements Flamingo Neighborhood Improvements 632. Area-wide street improvemenl (Municipal Mobility Plan Project #. 33, and ~S. requires ::341, ccordinallon with Project '37). Funding includes trafftc calming planning, stltlctures and 342, moniloring, sidewalk improvements. street pavement, lighting, bike facilities. landscaping and 343, irrigation, and increased on-street parking concepts. Capital costs based on righi-of-way related 411 projects proposed through the Flamingo Neighbortlood Charrette in 1997. T8D -Neighborhood Planning Process February - September 2000 West Avenue I Bay Road Neighborhood Improvements 6:32, Area-wide SltHt improvement (Not listed in Municipal Mobility Plan Project Bank, requires T8D -Neighborhood Planning :341. coordinalion with Projects #:33, and #35). Funding includes traffic calming planning, slnlctures Process :342, and monitoring, sidewalk improvements. street pavement. lighting, bike facilities, landscaping and F b S b 2000 343. imgalion, and increased on-street parldng concepts. e ruary. eptem er 4" Venetian Causeway Master Plan Phase '-Venetian Islands :340 Inftaslnlcture and landscaping improvements frff Venlltlan Islands, including San Marino. Df Lido. Authorized amendment of Rivo Alto, and Belle Istands. and a section from Alton Road to Island View Parll:. Includes existing contract with Urban sidewalk, Ct.IrtI and gutter, lighting, landscaping, traffic conttof device Improvements, and gateway. _ treatment Phase 1 improvements include island sidestreets (NOllisted in Municipal Mobility DeSign Group / Klmley Hom Plan Project Bank, requires coordinatio~.with MMP Project '32) Associates for AlE professional services ~ Venetian Causeway Master Plan Phase II-Causeway SIT InfraSlruClure and landscaping improvements for the Venetian Causeway, from the Dade Boulevard intersectlon to the City Line. includes sidewalk, Ct.Irtl and gutter, lighting, landscaping, trafflc control device improvefryenls, and gateway treatment. Phase 2 improvements are for the causeway only. (Municipal Mobility Plan 132, requires coordination with MMP Project '30) T8D -Neighborhood Planning Process February - September 2000 Star, Palm, Hibiscus Islands Enhancement iSJ3 TraMe enhancements, landscaping, signage.llgt'lllng, and paril improvements to Slar, Palm, and Hibiscus Islands. T8D .Neighborhood Planning Process February. September 2000 Lincoln Road Improvements 620 Improvements to !.incoln Road 10 upgrade lighting, pools. fountains, and other amenities for the purposes of repladng malfunctiOfling and/or unservlcable equipment with equipment that can provide for better maintenance and performance. Oversight Committee recommended to amend existing contract. 3/6/2000 Meridian Avenue Extension Streetscape new Streetscape,landscape, lighting, for reopening of MeridIan Avenue from 1st Street to 2nd Street. Not covered under RDA funding. (Coordinate with Munidpal Mobility Plan Project #42) T8D -Neighborhood Planning Process February. September 2000 Washington and Third Street Public Plaza new Provide aesthelfc improvements at the pump slallGn locallon 10 int89rate with a public plaza improvement al intersection ofWashingtOf1 Avenue, Third Slteet. and Euclid Avenue Oversight Committee recommended to amend existing contract. 3/612000 r 57,400.000 51,800,000 53,844,150 51,827,000 5600,000 5300,000 5200,000 5100,000 South Beach Parks and Beaches Improvements 10th Street Auditorium I BeachfrontAud. (Beach Patrol Hqrts) 554 Renovate 10th 51 Audilorium I Beach Patrol Headquarters, including ADA requirements, painting, and restoration of deteriorated facilities. South Shore Community Center 553 Renovation and reconstruction of complete facility, with new landscaping, irrigation. signaga, and playground Flamingo Park 542, New pool, renovate all sports facilities, lot Jot. landscape, and slgnage. Proposed GO Bond 637 components include: perimeter aluminum picket fencing, security lighting, football field renovations, new bleachers. tracJc resurfacing, completion of tennis court Improvements, court Ilghting, pew shade pavilllon, and a new ilTigation system. Renovation and buffering for eompalibITily of lhe Property Maintenance Facility In Flamingo Par1l: is funded separately. Flamingo Park Pool. Expansion new, Additional funding fOr construction of new pool to have 4 additlonallsnes. Lap pool enlargement 542 will be approximately 28 ft.by 751110 be added to I coordinated with conslnJctlon of new pool listed under Flamingo Parte improvements, CIP # 542 r- Lummus Park 544 Renovate restroom, renovate :serpentine sidewalk, new playground equipment, landscape. & irrigation. Proposed GO Bo'hd components Include additional landscaping. and wid,ening of the sidewalks on the eut side o(Ocean Drive. Island View Park 530, Playground surface, landscape & Irrigation. Prop~ed GO Bond components Include :security 637 lighting. perimeter aluminum picket fenclng, and shade pavilllon. Palm Island Park' 533, Repair existing shade pavilllon, new basketball courts, new playground equipment. accessible 637 routes. Proposed GO Bond components include court and :security lighting. and refurbishment of tenniseourts. Belle Isle Park Improvements new Proposed GO Bond funding to provide playground, landscape, irrlgallon, sile fumishlngs. pedesbian, and lighting Improvements South Pointe Park Improvements 603 Improvements 10 South Polnte Parte. Collins Park 550 ConslnJd parte improvmenls: walkways, lighting, landscape, amenity. elc. Garden Center Renovation 613 Renovatlons to building and ADA compliance r- Issued RFQ for Professional AlE Services 1/13/2000 Amended existing contract with REG Amended existing contract with Carr Smith Corradino Amended existing contract with Carr Smith Corradino Amended ,existing contract with BermeUo Ajamil Amended existing contract with REG Amended existing contract with REG Issued RFQ for Professional NE Services 1/13/2000 Amended existing contract with Bermello Ajamil TBD - Cultural Campus Plans Issued RFO for Professional NE Services 1/1312000 $690,000 $1,360,000 $2,500,000 $400.000 $1,100.000 $150,000 $75,000 $600,000 $2.000.000 $1,800,000 $1.500,000 r ~ ... ... Washington Avenue/ Third Street Looking South Proposed View SOUTH POINTE STREETSCAPE lQ ~ -n Kimley-Horn ........ _ r , and Associates, - \ \ .. """'" - .-- ... Washington Avenue! Third Street Looking East Plaza View ~ Washington Avenue! Third Street Look}ng West Plaza View r ~. SOUTH POINTE STREETSCAPE lO ~ _ n Kimley-Horn ........ _ , ~ and Associates, .. Washington Avenue/ Third Street Looking South Plaza View T "Vashington Avenue/ Third Street Looking North Plaza View " r ;:..;.;~< ~ SOUTH POINTE STREETSCAPE lD ......... -n Kimley-Horn ...... _ , , and Associates, -=- (' r r 'JlYry _/A'II KOCH _.LA11 ~ 29 ~, , ... - . ..- ..- E -- -- -- . . . ..b ~ --r ---;---@ . A '5' cP (T.,...I=') . ",,...r--i . -,-,-- , -- ~'--~--~ ~:::-~~~"-~- ~:-~~~,~< -:=,.~ ~ t r- r- C---! I I FOR P A T-I>=~-Q"" ......-:.-'---- -'--,-:..:;.'. , I - , " Ll't:-Li I-~ -.--.-- I NOT To-.:.$~~j;'_"':-;.-.-'_6 -::--~-..:_ _~_f ~. '~__L1.....tJ:i IT""I1 L- dl'l_ ~~~~~~-_~::~~~!-~,~C~ :~~_~~-~~~_:~ _, , @~;::~1~5~~:-i~-~~~i:'~~ -, '" , , -----r-- , , .____._l....__ .-- IS' Q IS- o -,..., .' . 0' . !:_. r-inJ, " ~ 0 -~--'-=-:-~~ g -, ' , . '----- I J F 1 . .. 3RD ST & WASHINGTON AVE ENLARGEMENT PLAN PLAZA AN 0 In.,,,... uRG URG MSM ~. ." --~ '=30' _r:>o:t.I... , l-lardscape- Paving Designation I6l 2-3/8' depth Appian-stone paver! In Pink color". 1500/612'. .alternating runnins bond patt.ern. See UJa5hi"9ton Aver'lue T~prcal Sidewalk. LiJ~out and Det.all Soa $heel LA 2.4. ~ 2~3/8' depth Applan-!lOne pavers In Fir'lk color. 12:2>'/30' ,alternating running bond pa:.tern. See Washingt.on Avenue T!:tplcal Sidewalk. l-a~out and Detall50d shee-t LA 24. ~ 2-3/8' depth 6eor"gla Applan-!tone pavers In custom Colormlx. T-pattern. See Third Street PldZd Enlarc:emel"lt and Detail :'<3 sr,eel LA 24 fQ] 3-118' depth C:eorg1a A,7'Plan-stone paver5 In custom Colormix. i-pattern. See Tt.ird Street Plaza El"!largement. dr'ld RoCldwd::i Plans. ~ Colored concrete sldewa lie. with tooled Joints dr'1d !leht breom finish 50' x :;' t~prcal F'cHterr'l. See Tnird St.ree:. Plaza Enl.aree:-oent and Det.atl 2 sheet LA 24, IE] Colored concret.e ~ldec.Jalk with tooled Jolnt.s and Ilc;ht. broom finish i.E>' x :;.' t.~plcal pat:.er'n. See Washington Avem.e Tsplcat 5Id';wa!k La~out. arlo' Deta!l 2 $r:ee~ LA 24. ~ Colored conc,ete slde:.ualk with tooled 101n:'5 and 11cht broom rini~h 4' x 4' and 4' x 35' t~pIC.31 pattern. See Third St~e.et. iSprcal Sloewallc.. La~out. and Detar: 2 sreet LA 24. g Colored conc.~ete side!.:Jalk wi:.i'1 4:;' scere jaint.s ar1d liClht. b,oem finish. ;,-' x 5' t\..:==,lcal patte:-n. 5~e Washincton Ave. ar ihirc:! 5...iu:::;>lcal Side:.J.Jailc.. Lawo:...:t a~ci ;:)e:'611 2 5~ee~ LA 24. -' -. .. CD Colored conc:-ete sldewa tk. with cent.rol lalnts and lic:r.t. bream finish. See Washir19l0n Aver".ue Ext.enslOr1 Pla::a Enlargeme:"l:' ar1d Det.all :2 ar :;'2 5,~eet LA :~. [g] 2-3/8' d-.arcoal paver !et In a soldier caur~e. See LUashinetOI"l Aver'lue ~t.er.~,]cn Pia::a Enlaree~ent. and Oe:.a11 So8 shee:. La 24. ., , \ ..,..,,~.. ~.~,.,... [g~ t j l ~~~. ~..;:;:,.-~ ~~~~Ji. ~*~~~. I!:J -'. ..~= REFER TO SI--EFT LAI2 FOR LFC:;FND [K ~- URlU RESOURCE GROUP .............."...........""".". CJ=n Kimley.Hom and Associates Inc. e,_ ' , U dR':' GO 10 g 9 J ') '. . 111 ,. P P - [It .. II '" ,. .. P !It [It . ,. . . II . . . II lit . . . /I . . . . . . I I I . . . . . . . . . t ,. r- /""' /""' m South Pointe Park. a 17 acre regional park at the southern most point of the island.. is one of Miami Beach's 'most scenic parks and one that has received a great deal of attention from the "South Pointe Park Charrette" held in 1995, facilitated by the urban planning firm of Duany, Plater-Zyberk. Echoing many goals set forth by the Charrette, the Master Plan seeks to unlock the beauty of the park, by allowing views, circulation and a public presence to occur in the East-West axis of the Park_ The Master Plan opens up the Western edge of the Park to face onto the future plaza at the terminus of Washington Avenue. On the Eastern edge, both the large artificial dune and the boardwalk will be removed By opening the East-West axis through the Park, a more scenic and inviting Park will be create, providing a sweeping view from Washington Avenue Plaza through the Park to Ocean Plaza and the Atlantic beyond. South Pointe Park is the passive park of South Beach and the waterfront gateway to the city, offering panoramic vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and the Miami skyline. The pedestrian promenade, paralleling Government on the Southern edge of the park, will be defined with' stately palms, forming a grand ocean entrance to the City. The promenade will wrap around the tip of Miami Beach, connecting the Park to the Miami Beach Marina via the future Bay Walk. The Northern edge of South Pointe Park, formed by large scale condominium development, will be buffered by plantings and, where appropriate, will allow direct access from the condominiums into the Park, in an effort to activate this park edge. The passive nature of the Park, as set forth in the Charrette, will be enhanced in the Master Plan to include large areas of green lawn with canopy trees and shade pavilions for picnicking and, for added green space, the stables and amphitheater/storage building will be removed. To support the anticipated increase in Park attendance, the Master Plan incorporates a park managers office, a moderate increase in parking, a new tot lot, and new restroom buildings. The existing coastal dune community, currently disturbed by the boardwalk, will be reconstructed to tie into the hardy dunes located just North of the Park, creating one cohesive dune system. W I- Z o c.. :I: I- ::> o en ID --'--,--' ~ ;:J ~ iQ g . . . . . . - . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I . . . . . . . t t . . . . . . . ; t I r- ~ r e.AY WALl<. WA5loo11NOT T eel )(T!NSfON eE""'" ATLANTIC OCEAN AODITICNAL Tl . !IGNAGE . SITE RJRNITURE .. SEOJ,.lrr LIGI-lTlNG .IRRIGATlCN Ti-l~T MASTER PLAN CITY OF MIA,MIIIEACH MABlE" PL....NNING FO.. PARKS &.!tECIIEAnON BONO PROGRAM,SITES 0' 40'10' 1eO' *,0' EB i"\..i."1..-- ~~~l~ORctc.~~~"Dl~~R~ m w !z o n. :r t- ::l o (J) - T,. -~-..-.--~ REMOVE 'STAeLES'IOe5ERYATICN rOl.eR AI"1R4ITI4EATER,MAINTEN.4NCE eulL.DINC:s AND ~5T~OM5 Si-OAOE SI-lc R L..AUN Will-! 5l-1ADE TR!::E5 NEW ~STROCM NEW MAINTENAJ'..ICE ~U1LDINC:I eXISTING RESTAURANT )(lIO' ~.ol._1NI:i TO ,~ TOT (1' ~ lNC~~) c:;,ove:~ CUT PROMENA NCW !TR AN PARI< 1 = OPeN LAl1.N R!:MOV!: EARTI-I MOUNOJPILOT"S l-l0U5EIR55TROCMloesE~A lION TCUEIIlt C 5l-lACE $1-lEl. TERS N T TWlA 5Sre 5UFiFAC1NG AUN WIT'"' $oIADe 51-lAClE 51oo1EL TE~ OCEAN fl'LAZA Pl(:ECONSTRJCTICN (~Move: ~OARDWALI<.) ADD FI$I-lING "'-A TFOI'MS ,... A. Q; A. r- ,r- '1:::"'.[ f: :~,( t;( FREQUENTLY ASKED QUES1'IQNS i i','i':"!:'", "'. ABOUT NEIGHBORHOO~~_ . '1l!!~'~!!~I':~~~ii~ My community has ftooding and is not lUustrated as a priority drainage a~ ,,\\,~" ~jle~~t,.tJtilrmwater is.ues being addressed in this program? ' "d "W "i !l,'i', ,:,;~, ';~~"~Tr\ t, , , , ' ,: " ,_, ""'_ '. _'~H;.'t~;":r,',;:; :H,", ,:,):A~:';J"t'::1i:~tji~ In 1997, the City and its Consulting Engineer, CHZMIDLL, completed aCom~Ci;~tI4~ti"~terPlan. One of the components of the plan was to identify and rank areas in the City wl1ere,~tql'l'll~tc:r'. '" ~ critical. Criteria forranking inclllded components of both flood level of service (reducillg'~~~!Iloldii:' ity level of service (improving the quality of the water being discharged int() Biscayne Bay)~ ~ ';'Hi: i:;';; ';" >::f,,; :,j~f Four major criteri" were used to rank each of the 172 stormwater basin$ihC~~;!,'i) potential, citizens' complaints, and city staff rank. In addition, other i$S\le$incl~:~tli(l. , artd critical evacuation corridors were also considered. After reviewi1l3 eac\:! of 1h~'i~~~t" factor, each of the l72stormwater basins was ranked to identify locations requirin~:~~,,: ,top 37 drainage basins (areas) were identified as the priority areas where the City ~~~i.1 ,and pollution reduction. The 37 "priority drainage basins" are shaded tan on th~ in~~ifl ;i h~] ..",h~:': f~::l: ;Jl+::~iit The City recognizes that drainage is an issue in virtually every community. Ifa cOlll~U~ib',~$~ as being a "priority drainage basin" it does not mean that drainage is not of cone4tt;. ';,Ai~djl:io~l improvements will occur in non-priority areas during future phaSes ofwork'!\i,"'" :,fd'f"!!""~",i ; ,:,. ;,.~. ',., ' "j' ;,';,<","', ,:,,:;; :t-,;:'" My street bas stofm sewers and we still have puddles wben it rains. Why? ';II:;1',t., 'ri~;)h), The City of Miami Beach is faced with very difficult stormwater issues includillg"~flJl~IIt;';11j"t;:!' ',;~' ','l \r;'~')' "'iih:;t.: b,~ ~:,,: >~i:~:!' (;~~'P:l ~:~"~~!" The elevation of the island is less than 7 feet above average sea level, Whil.Iti~I~;;<f# ~"I~~llS 3 feet (ll'Iarginal storms can produce tide elevations in excess of 4 feet above aVl1rage ~:!Ill'iI~Uh,i' :;iJiil~:H~j~~', . Groundwater is located within 2 to 3 feet below ground SUrface.',;;'it.iH"1"j'i:':;i,~,'~!i?' 'TIle City experiences very intense rainfall (Storms with rainfall in excessof2 ~~~,ij~~~.weekIY during the summer) !, ,::wI,,,,!v,,:,vdc',:':'IH''IIf' , ,'. . ' r'!I;J,::.~::,),'t::-;'f:,!!'r:"q~ff~~\1:i:~'::;:~:ti':k,'f The City is virtually illlpervious -- most of the rainfall puddles ratherthan~in~hitP:t~~oQn<!~U" ; . .' '?"';'lrriH'i::~~.i.'r~:j:!~:~'f.~:~,:j~~,:;,?:t~'ir}~)~-~l;~:, The island is nearly flat with little grade or changes in elevation to assist with the 11l1)~~etit,pf'~~r runoff, ; .: .;::.~ Iii:;1 ::,'.:!,';";:::i:'-:_';i,..,:f'i:! ;J;:':.;'.;#':'~'.';;' :~~,~::,<. :l.:~'i'~-~ N41w laws require "treatment" or on-site disposal rather than discharging s.tol'rl1W~~ofty~'~eBBY, , ,,':,:': ',.} :'::~ll;j,:.I!r :t-;~if~";~:f:~"~ 3r;~ '",::~,~'::i~(!~! Be:cause of these factors, puddles and some standing water must be looked upl>n'IIl!~;~. "i ',!" . ~obding? or serious drainage problems.!!' Lil;' 'I'" h'i' I,ll i" .'.-.,..,.....,,'.'.... '....., :! '~: (;: :i ,y',i"!';:!P , mi~~1:'1' j~-:: Too City of Miami Beach adapted Flooding Level of Service (LOS) criteria d~v~IflP~,[b)'~ . ,QfTransPQrtation anel Miami-Dade County. Based on these criteria,thtee clllSsi~~'~":" . including Principal Arterial (Level A), Minor Arterial (Level B), and Residential (~'~!,,': mandates that roads remllin passable under design conditions. Using the Floodillg ~~,~"~ri" . each road within Miami Beach was classified as a user Level A, B, or C.f:loQdil!$i~. ~~ the roadway remains, passable (less than 8-inches of water above the crown Ofthe~~~'~ ~ ~."" Aroad, a IO-year storm for a Level B road, and a JOO-year stonn for a Level C road't~~~l: ' . to the anticipated return frequency of a storm of a specific magnitude (i.e., "i:~ frequently). Future design improvements to the City's stonn drainage systern'CO~k . and the meeting the Flooding LOS criteria. The primary goal of the drainage s~r: '" roadways passable as defined by the Flooding LOS criteria. . ;::. "H!i, ;'::;':' '1:;,}f.l.l.,HJi,)ir' ;' "~,;.!'.:";;;,.t...,'11: ; I .. . .,'. . . i:::) .'. ,,' ,'J,: """'''~.''''.r~','' .."",~".'~' ~,-,..".~ ""=., ,,", "", ", .,,,, """ .,.""" .". """ "... ," , ", ... ',," , ,~~ ... "., Despite meeting the Flooding LOS, it would be considered unacceptable to have storm water above the crown,of.road for an extended period oftime. The newly designed storm sewers will meet the Flooding LOS and facilitate the ultimate removal of the stormwater from the roadways. Unfortunately, it may take many hours to completely remove the storm water because of high groundwater or tide elevations. > Some standing water, puddles, and saturated swales must therefor be considered part of living on the island and nuisances that can not be overcome. Given the serious drainage challenges and a finite amount of money, some drainage issues will always exist even after drainage improvements have been constructed. Q. What can we expect after drainage improvements are made in the priority areas? A. In the priority areas, the storm water collection and disposal system is being completely reconstructed. New collection systems including catch basins and pipes will be replaced or supplemented. In addition, the existing disposal systems currently consist of pipes leading to the bay. These systems will be totally redesigned to incorporate drainage wells, exfiltration trenches, and swales to provide on,site disposal and to reduce the pollutants being discharged into the bay. It should be realized that even after the improvements are completed, the new system will operate under the Flood LOS Criteria previously explained. The new system will provide for vehicular passage under design storm condition and will not insure that standing water never exists. The goal of the new systems will be to prevent storm water from endangering lives and personal property and to keep the roads passable for the design conditions. Q. In areas not identified as priority stormwater areas will any drainage improvements be implemented? A. Yes. Two scenarios exist for communities that are not considered priority drainage basins and include providing localized drainage relief or installing a totally new drainage system. If a specific neighborhood has only minor infrastructure improvements (water & sewer) and ifthe roadways will receive minimal streetscape improvement, only limited drainage improvements will be considered. In such areas, drainage improvements will address localized flooding issues. Examples of this type of improvement may consist of adding or moving catch basins or adding a drainage well to address flooding at a single intersection. In areas that are not stormwater priority areas, there is still a possibility that an entirely new drainage system will be installed. If infrastructure improvement activities are extensive and lor if roads will be reconstructed, an entirely new drainage system may be installed. This type of improvement may not be identified until the middle of a project and will be motivated by issues other than drainage. Q. If I observe standing water that makes roads impassable, what should I do? A. Call the Public Works Department ofthe City of Miami Beach. The City will send a crew to investigate the reasons behind the problem. Resolving the flooding may consist of cleaning a catch basin or eliminating debris from an outfall pipe. To prevent maintenance issues like this from creating flooding problems, take the initiative to keep the catch basins & grates clean in front of your house; never blow lawn trimmings or leaves into the storm drains, and don't regrade swales along road right,of,way. If you have "shedding trees" in your community and you observe clogged catch basin inlets call the Public Works Department to pcrform the necessary maintenance. Q. We have just recently re-Iandscaped the swale area of our home. Will stormwater construction projects effect our beautification project? A. Potentially. The swales in front of your home may be part of the road right,of,way and legally belong to the City. Ideally, stormwater accumulates in the swale areas and percolates or soaks into the ground. Using these systems, stormwater is ?disposed? on site and does not impact the quality ofthe water in Biscayne Bay. Many homeowners have encroached onto the swales and have mounded the areas to keep them dry and to permit parking even during rainstorms. Additionally, some residents have extensively planted these areas which prevent stonnwater from collecting or soaking into the soil. In either scenario, if the swales are not functioning to assist the drainage system, the City may regrade the right-of-way to restore the storm water storage and disposal functions. This may result in the removal of existing plantings, walls, or parking areas. Overhcad to Underground Conversion Proccdures . Request is usually generated from Homeowner's Association (HA). The HA makes a written request to the City indicating the specific location for the desired underground. > . The City then forwards the request to the utilities (FPLlBellSouth/CA TV) with a site plan or any maps associated with the area specified. . FPL wiIl submit a non-binding ballpark estimate, a non-refundable deposit amount necessary to secure the binding cost estimate, and a copy of the FPL tariff 6.300-6.330 to the City. (Approximately 4-6 weeks) This estimate wiIl not include streetlights (FPL can provide standard or decorative streetlights) nor will it include landscape restoration (this will be the residents' and the City's responsibility). . At this point, the City needs to detennine if there are any future projects that are scheduled for this area that might cause a conflict. (Ex. Drainage projects, water and sewer projects, etc.) . Once the City has received a response from all the utilities, they wiIl submit them to the HA in a package and copy each of the utilities. . [fthe HA decides to proceed with the undergrounding, then they will contact the City. The City will then schedule a pre-design meeting and invite all the parties involved. In this meeting, it is important to review the FPL tariff and stress the HA responsibility to obtain and record easements from the residents affected. . Once FPL, BellSouth and Cable TV have received the non-refundable deposit, the design wiIl commence (Approx. 3-6 months). . In the design stage if any of the utilities have questions, they should be directed through the City's project manager. (This is the time to discuss the location ofthe facilities.) . Binding cost estimates by the utility companies wiIl be submitted in writing to the City. . The City wiIl then prepare the total estimate based on the utility companies' estimates and any additional works required by the HA, and wiIl provide this to the HA as a total cost not to be exceeded in the assessment of the properties. These costs are calculated based on the assumption that each utility is working independently; therefore, each utility needs to present a cost including trenching. Joint trenching should only be pursued once the HA has agreed to go forth with the undergrounding. The credit wiIl be determined later on. . The HA wiIl need to determine how they plan to assess the residents and take any measures necessary to receive the approval from their residents. . The HA wiIl need to submit in writing to the City the acceptance to proceed and the commitment to pay by the property owners, through a signed petition or County administered vote. . When a majority vote or petition is presented to the City, with a commitment by the HA to implement the undergrounding of existing services by the property owners, the City wiIl pass a Resolution to approve the project and establish the special assessment and identify the funds to commence the undergrounding project. . The work wiIl then be scheduled and construction will begin. COMMUNICATION will playa major role in ensuring that everyone's needs are met. M,\$CMBlTEMPIf1>l.SIGN2.WPD STREET IMPROVEMENT estimate of probable cost ( 400 feet - city block) ( 70 feet right-of-way) CONSTRUCTION COSTS SIDEWALK: (5 feet x 2 sides) CURB/GUTTER/VALLEY STREET LIGHTING: (new. 4 each side) HANDICAP RAMPS: ( 4 ) MILLING & STREET RESURFACING: PAVEMENT MARKING: TREES / LANDSCAPING: ( 4 trees each side) ENGINEERING / SURVEYING / PLANNING: $ 24,000. $ 13,600. $ 48,000. $ 4,000. $ 12,000. $ 3,000. $ 10,000. $ 10.000. TOTAL: $ 124,600. 18,690. ~ 15 % CONTINGENCY: GRAND TOTAL (approx:) $ 143,290. Note: infrastructure improvement or other utilities costs ( to be determine )... ~ ~ YOUR CITY (r WORK FOR 10u J", ,\-,.. 'l;,", .of." '-\,.~.)~i~ "~~1,f~ ~~;:~ ,"",'. .1,," 'X, 'N City moves forward Rebuilding water and sewer systems Miami Beach Commissioners want you to picture what could happen if you turned on your faucet and no water came out. Or your toilet couldn't flush. That's what they saw when the city's Year 2000 ComprehensIve Plan, updated in 1994, revealed 'water and wastewater systems dan- '~gerous'y.' aged, Inadequate and fragile. The Commission took actiOI1 and in 1995 passed a SS9mll- lion bond Issue to begin the first phases of the work. The second .bond issue, to be .:,- sold sometime within the next few months, will pay for ongoing work on the water and waste- water systems to be phased in graduaffy in order to minimize disruptions to service. 'The master plan Identified about $105 million of critically needed improvements, so we alwa.ys knew there would be additional bond Issues," explains Finance Director Trlsh Walker. '"We just didn't want to borrow more money than we needed at the time, but we're ready to launch into the next phase," Work is nearing completion or all funds <He committed for projects identified in the first bond issue, which addressed the most crucial problems in the water and waste. water systems. Improvements to the drinking water system include replacing under.sized pipes to accommodate adequate water pres- sure for fireflow, the amount of Deteriorated pump station (on- trol equipment is being replaced by above ground state-of.the art elec- trical controls. This change will ensure that drinking water is avail. able in almost any situation. Failing fifty-year old welded.steel water tanks are also being replaced with pre-cast concrete tanks. Repairs to the city's waste- water system include upgrading pipes, pumps and telemetry at pump stations. An important and cost. saving meas- ure is a program to reduce inflow and infiltration of rainwater through cracks or open seams into the city's wastewater system. That "wasteful waste" amounted to about eight mil. lion gallons of water per day and had been costlng the city an addi- tional S3 million annually for wastewater treat. ment. The work completed te) date already shows an annual savings of $2 million to the city, because the amount of inflow/infiltration has alre<ldy been reduced by 3.5 mllllon gallons a day. Mayor Nelsen Kasdin Commissioner Nancy Liebman After sb years we Commissioners had no choice. For rhe health and safety of our residents we were compelled to fix problems that were never addressed. Due to our climate and the age of those underground pipes, the systems could have failed. We are taking action before that can happen. CommlWng to the program was a big ufldertaklng, but we knew It was our responsibility to act proac- tive/y (or the good of our residents and business owners rather than retroactively in a crisis. 50 in 1995 we Issued S59 million in bonds and launched Q comprehensive program of improving and strengthening our water and sewer systems. water needed at fire hydrants to extinguish a fire. Water pipes throughout the city will be rehabili. tated to remove minerai build-up and prevent bacterial cont<lmination. Above. below ground Bonds buy improvements In the November 2,1999 election, voters gave resounding approval to three general obligation bond issues totaling S92 million. Those funds are to be used for above ground projects that indude: . renovations to fire stations and new fire trucks and rescue equipment . Improved recreation facilities, equipment, access and lighting at our parks and beaches . neighborhood improvements such as streetscapes, traffic calming, lighting, sidewalks and traffic conttol devices These general obligation bonds are repaid from ad valorem millage dedicated specifically to pay for the new principal and interest on the bonds. Bonds to pay for under, ground improvements to the water, wastewater and stormwater systems are revenue bonds, and they are repaid on a pro rata basiS from the fees charged to utility customers. The second bond issue for continued work on critical water and sewer proj- ects is expected to come before city commissioners early in 2000. (See related stories inside.) Citizens will have the opportunity at public meetings in their neighbor- hoods to discuss alternatives for streetscapes and other improvements. The city will then coordinate the above and below ground work into one project, including streetscape, water, sanitary sewer and storm water Improvements. The process will assure that major above ground improvements can be put in place as soon as work is completed on under. ground utilities. It will also prevent duplication of effort and cause less disruption on thecity's streets. Example of Streetscape WAUC~_ IIOAD MEOWl ~_lIlIMU CURS CURP CURp. ClN:~'f.< i'i9~~HOW - PA~~Bg~H SIDES;:~, The Drinking Water System Chances are, you don't use 40- year-old pots and pans to cook with. And you wouldn't want your neigh- borhood fire department using 40- year-old trucks and hoses. Bu! did you know that the water you drink and the water Ihal.stands ready to put out fires in your home or business is traveling through pipes thai are at least four decades old? Improving the system by replacing those old pipes and elim- inating the threats they pose toour drinking water supply and our safety is Wl;>;U under way. Since 1995 the city has aggressively made improvements to insure that homes, hOlels and other busi. nesses never go without water or have their water use restricted. The problems exist because the city'S water system deleriofilted over the years. Resul!s of the antiquated water system range from reduced water pressure which threatens fire. flow to discoloration and possible bacterial contamination of water. The aging, unlined casl iron pipes have developed heavy coatings of mineral deposits that contribute to deteriora. tlon of the pipe walls, leaving them vulnerable to rupture at any Ume. "'Miami Beach is a barrier Is,",nd SUI" roLlnded by saltwa- ter, so h can't sink its own wells," explains Assislant City Manager Matthew Schwartz. '"We need to buy our fresh drinking water from the Miami.Dade County Water " Sewer Department, or WASo." Water travels The city's rUsted steel water tanks are being frOm the mainland to replaced by low-maintenance pre-stressed Miami Beach through <<!ncrete tanks. This .and other measures four huge city. owned will assure your drinking water supply. maim, pipes that cross the MacArthur. maintenance costs and can be built Venetian, Julia Tuttle, ilnd 79th Street for slightly more than the cost of Causeways. Miami Beach also owns repainting and repairing the rust- and maintains the system of pipes the lng 40.year-old tanks that were in Water travels through to reach homes service. All of these improvements and businesses. will assure that current and future Older pipe tends to become needs are met. 'tubercutated," or lined with mineral deposits on the interior wall, caus. ing corrosion and loss of water pressure. The oldest sections of pipe, which are six.inches indiame' ter, are being replaced with eight. and 12-inch pipes which meet mod' ern engineering standards, thereby relieving the city's water pressure problems and assuring adequate fireflow, the water pressure needed to douse a major fire. Remedies for the problems These pipes, plus the water stor- age tanks and pumpiny stations that contain motors and emergency gen- erators were in danger of failing. Continuing Improvements include modernization of water booster pump stations, and replacement of obsolete storage tanks. Wherever possihll.', instead of digging up and replacing pipe, min- erai build-ups inside will be routed out and pipes will be relined with cement. New water mains will be installed in places where pipes are too corroded to be cleaned and relined. An estimated 15 miles of galvanized iron mains will be replaced with newer materials such as ductile iron and pve pipes. Pump stations present different challenges. Many of them are located below the ground, making them vulnerable to flooding. All have out.of-dale electronic Circuit. ry. To remedy these problems, new eleclrical systems and eml.'rgency generators are being installed in aboveground buildings to assure opl.'ration under any circumstance and in all weather conditions. A new water booster station is also pro- posed for Terminal Island. It will improve pressures and fireflow capabilities in the central and south sections of the city durlng normal operating conditions and will func- tion as a back-up in case other sta. tions become non-operational. The city's four 50-year-old water tanks had deteriorated and were on the brink of failure. Two of the old welded steel tanks have already been replaced by tanks made of pre.stressed concrete. These new tanks require 101'1'~r The Sanitary Sewer System You probably don't think about the water you flush down the toilets and drains in your house each day. After all, that's the idea behind indoor plumbing. Wastewater that leaves your house or business flows down thE;> drain Into larger under. known as "inflow/infilttation" or "1/1," had been causing losses to the city of somE;> $3 million dollars a year. (Please see Stopping wasteful WQstl.', back page.) The major overhaul of the city's waste. water system to reduce the worst VI problems Is well on its way, providing the most immediate dollar savings to the city. T h , trouble is that the citywide network of 170 miles of sanitary sewer pipes is decaying due to its age. In fact, more than half the pipes are 40 years old or older, and some are more than 70 years old. Certain areas of the city are still using mains laid during the Fisher-Col1lns era. Those old pipes, many of which lie below sea level, have corroded and deteriorated. Equipment out-of-date The electronic equipment in the pump stations Is also out.of.date, as some of it has been in place since the 1940s. SinCe most homes didn't have lV In the decades when the sewer system was first installed, it's easy to imagine how outdated all the electroniC equipment is in the pump stations. The threat of flooding presents fur. ther problems. Electrical and elec' tronic equipment housed underground means pump stations can short out, causing serious and eXlensive disruption of Service. 5uch a sanitary sewer system failure could mean a backup of raw sewage in the streets. Cracks in sewer mains could also allow sewage to escape. '}~~.~f ;:~:, ,I, rl'l" , ,. 1: .~.. ,/ . ! .~ . " i,,\ .. .'. .'; , k::'..-~.;t~~~ ~. ~/.' '~J~. I' .~1 YI leaks like this in our sanitary sewer system cost the dty $3 million a year in unnecessary sewage treatment charges. ground pipes. From there it travels through several pumping stations, preventing raw sewage from back- ing up. Eventually that wastewater travels to the Miaml.Dade County treatment plant on Virginia Key. In Miami Beach, however, our wastewater or sanitary Sl!wer sys. tem Is facing critical problems that won't easily go away. Without the aggressive citywide work pro. gram that's taking place, the wastewater could become a health nuisance and an offensive aboveground presence. In the wake of a 1994 study that exposed the deteriorated state of the city's wastewater system, updat- ing obsolete pump stations and pipes is underway. Still more needs to be done. The second phase includes the building of a new mas- ter booster stalion in the South Pointe area required to improve the function of the entire system. Inflow/Infiltration More of the critical repair need. ed for the wastewater system Involves reducing the amount of rain and groundwater that seeps In through broken pipes or open seams and cracks. This problem, Tt "'f outdated and underground electrical control systems at the pump stations are flooded, the city's pumps could be out of order for an extended time," says Armando Pen!z, Vice President of Camp Dresser & McKee, the firm In charge of program manage- ment for the Infrastructure improvement program. Additionally, thl.' communica. lions system that runs the pumpSta- tlons is almost Inoperable. The old system was, by the nature of the 30- year-old equipment, at the end of its usefulhfe. The City of Miami Beach took a crit- ical look at the entire system. New pumps and electronics will be added, but maybe most importantly, the elec- trical equipment will be brought aboveground and housed in structures so it won't be underwater in case of a major storm surge. Now, the pumps will be able to move the wastewater to take care of any situation. They will be state.of.the an to function well into the ,* future and the flows can be adjusted to '.1. fit an area's wastewater demands. '. Those upgrades are coming none too soon. Miami Beach often faces unique threats from our tropi. cal weather patterns. Pumps dam- aged by a hurricane storm sorge' could stop working during emergen. cies. Last year's devastating hurrl.:- canl!S served as a reminder that' Miami Beach was lucky to have escaped a storm surge once again. But the city needs to be prepared! S. rain busin A" ofst dan', when sea 0 to fOI .. clty( tem, utilit' Coun tem \ fundE area bills. your Th major sary of at order bond estab storrr tlone< remo' whid Latei for M stanT S" Com~ been agem 1",purd ";)'.:'.Dilde .:i:',.;," flow! , , throl caus Th. Buc of dl , <h, who ha> <h' .d I of, D., drir .' The Stormwater System Street Hooding after a heavy rain mi\kes some residential and busine~s areas nearly impassable. As a result, we're generally aware of sturm sewers only when they don't operate as they should. Yet when the sun comes out and the sea of rainwater subsides we tend to forgl!t about the problem. Before 1996, even though the city operated the stormwillN sys, tern, it (dml' under the umbrella utility managed by Miami.Dade County. Improvements to the sys. tern were on a pay as you go basis funded by stormwater fees, which are a component of monthly utility bills. [See related story Where does your money go? below.) Then it became apparent that major improvements were netes- sary which would require passage of a bond issue 10 pay for them. In order to be able to sell those bonds, Miami Beach needed to establish its own independent SlOrmwater utility. The city peti- tioned Miami.Dade County to be removed from the county's system, which was accomplished in 1996. Late In 1997 authority was granted for Miami Beach to create its own stormwater utility. Since that time a Comprehensive Master Plan has been prepared to address the man. agement of stormwater. The plan identified 37 major areas, or drainage b<l.sins, within the city where flooding is excessive and pol. lutants are being carried inlO Biscayne Bay. In addition, the plan identified improvements to the maintenance of the existing system, calculated costs associated with sys. tem modifications and prioritized the proposed improvements. Afler the study was completl'd the cost of necessary improve- ments was ascertained to be over $40 million, exceeding the funding raised frol11 the pay as you go model. In order tu implement these improvements, a dedicated stormwater bond will be issued later this year that will be repaid by the stormwater utility user fee. As with other improvements to the drinking water and wastewater systems, a purpose of bolstering the storm water system is to main. taln the quality of life in Miami Beach. Yet like the rest of Miami- Dade County, Miami Beach is also under a mandale imposed by the Nalional Pollullon Oischarge Elimination Syslem (enforced by Ihe U.S. Environmenlal Prolectlon Agency) to improve the quality of waler being diSCharged Inl'o surrounding walerways. Miami Beach really has no choice but to make these improve. Flooding like this will be greatly reduced by long-needed stormwater improvements. ments. However, other benefits will be more immedIately apparent to citizens. In addition to decreasing the concentration of pollutants entering Biscayne Bay by providing on-site disposal, flooding in our streets will be greatly reduced. Reduced flooding also improves public safety. Emergency vehicles will be better able to get through and evacuation routes will be pass. able and not under water. Despite the proposed improve. ments, some standing water will always exist. The goal is to make flooding a mere annoYilnce Where does your money go? When you send off a check each month for the utility bill that comes to your single family home, yOU generally think of it as paying the Water bill. Actually, you are paying for four separate services. They are: Water Miami Beach Is a barrier island and has no freshwater wells of Its own. As a result, the city must purchase its water from Mlami- Dade County. The water that flows out of our laps travels through big mains across the four causeways from the mainland. The average homeowner In Miami Beach uses about 11,000 gallons of drinking water per month. Miami Beach buys its water at the rate the county charges Its wholesale customers, and the city has no say in this pric('. Because the cost of water must be includ. ed in our rate, the largest portion of city utility fees goes to Mlami- Dade County for the purchase of .~. drinking water. YOUR WATER FEE SO.l1PoIbtSotrvlu,6' "Miami Beach charges its utility customers S2.16 for each thousand gallons of water you use," says Miami Beach Finance Director Patricia Walker. "Of this amount, we pay the (ounty a total of 91 cents or 42 percent of the cost. Seventy-seven cents Is the cost of the water department operations and 14 cents is for the environmen. tal fee the county charges to man. age the quality of our water. "Ninety-eight cents of the amount is used to operate and maintain the water utility system within Miami Beach and 27 cents Is used to pay the debt service, which is the principal and Interest on the bonds for the improve- ments to the system: Sewer, or wastewater As with drinking water, most of the fee charged for wastewater - S2% - goes to Mlami-Oade County for lreatment ilnd ells. pOSill. The city pays the county to treat its wastewater after pumping it under Government Cut to the to.I.OadaCoNntyDtl'mf... SO.51 DeIo.S41",I<a'''' i".9BSy..e... 0".,allon06 "'.In'enanu $2.16 I 1,000 Gallons sewage treatment plant on Virginia Key. Says Walker, "The city charges its utility customers $3.65 for each thousand gallons of waste- water treatment and disposal. Of this amount, a total of $1.92 goes to Miami.Dade County. The charge for wastewater treatment and dis. posal is $1.66, and 26 cents is the environmental fee the county charges to manage the treatment of our wastewater. 'One dollar and sixteen cents of this amount is used to operate and maintain the sewer utility, and 57 cents is used to pay for the princi- pal and interest on the bonds for the cost of improvements to the system," she says. Storm Water This flat fee has been a separate charge on utility bills since 1993 and has not Changed since then. The monthly fee currenlly charged is 52.50 per residence, or a multi. pIe of $2.50 for businesses. The system carries away rainwater YOUR SEWER FEE SO.l6Ibd.Colln'fD1l,"'fH S1.I6Sfo..nr O".r.....u& M.ln..n...<< $3.65{1.000 Gallons /".Il" 0.. B.1l ... twr...o...,.,,____ ................-.-............__n.n.__.. .__""... 1."1Iloo: h8.. ::::;.,.~_... ;;:..-.;..;;,;,,;..o.;;;;;;....nn.__. ---... ;:::..... Uo.I ~.....- . :;;;::~':...._.... -... ,.... ;~ _'_,::::.."'" ~- .,..1O ....,<4_,,;-::.':.."7'. -..... :;::r..-_ -~:;- through a series of catch basins and pipes. Miami Beach recently formed its own stormwater utili- ty so It could control the use of Its funds and use them to secure long term financing for system improvements. After approxl. mately 540 million of bonds are sold to Imp r 0 v e d ra I n age and allevi- ate flood- ing, the fee will rise in increments over the neXI few years to about S4.90. Was.e. or garbage The charge for single family res. ldentlal garbage pickup is agreed by contract between the city and the garbage hauler. Plans for the future City utility fees were raised lale in 199B by 11 percent to build a reserve needed to sell additional bonds. That money will go to con. tinue the update of the waler and wastewilter systems In Miami Beach. The bonds should be issued some time in early 2000, and the cost of those improvements is 1~~ ... "'" -,- ...... "'-....., rather than a physical or finan- cial threat. Because Miami Beach is a barrier island surrounded by water, short of raising its elevation or Installing aberrn around its perimeter -neither of which are realistic solu. tions - some short duration flooding will continue to be a nuisance. .....,..-.. "-- .... .....,- :::::.-:-..:::::, ,",10. ~''''"'''''-J::::~, - ::::::;--......,tvoa ................-. ~ ~ ,~, I." expected to raise thl!: average monthly residential bill by 53.00 to S4.00 over the next few years. However, there are no plans to Intreas8 rates beforfl October 2000. Walker says, "The City of Miami Beach has worked to keep the oper- ating and maintenance costs of both these utility systems as low as possible. As a result, the charges for these utilities are less than we estimated when the improvements were planned," The Drinking Water System The Sanitary Sewer System The clty's rusced steel water tanks are being replaced by low-maintenance pre-stressed concrete tanks. This and other measures ground pipes. From there it travels through several pumping stations, preventing raw sewage from back. ing up. Eventually that wasteW<1ter travels to the Miami-Dade County treatment plant on Virginia Key. In Miami Beach, however, our wastewater or sanitary sewer sys- tem is faCing critical problems that won't easily go away. Without the aggressive citywide work pro- gram thaI's taking place. the wastewater could become a health nuisance and an offensive aboveground presence. In the wake of a 1994 study that exposed the deteriorated state of the city's wastewater system, updat- ing obsoletl'! pump stations and pip\!s is und\!rway. Still more needs to be done. The second phase includes the building of a new mas- ter booster station In the South Pointe area required to imprOVE the function of the entire system. Inflow/Infiltration More of the critical repair need- ed for the wastewater system involves reducing the amount of rain and groundwater that seeps in through broken pipes or open seams and cracks. This problem, known as "inflow/infiltration" or "1/1," had been causing losses to the city of some S3 million dollars a year. (Please see Stopping' wasteful waste, back page.) The major overhaul of the city's waste- water system to reduce the worst 1/1 problems is well on its way, providing the most immediate dollar savings to the city. T h , trouble Is that the citywide network of 170 miles of sanitary sewer pipes is decaying due to its age. In fact, more than half the pipes are 40 years old or older, and some are more than 70 years old. Certain areilS of the city are still using mains laid during the Fishl:!r-Collins era. Those old pipes, many of which lie below sea level, have corroded and deteriorated. Equipment out-of.date The electronic equipment in the pump stations Is also out-of-date, as some of It has been in place since the 1940s. Since most homes didn't have TV in the decades when the sewer system was first installed, It's easy to imagine how outdated all the electronic equipment is in the pump stations. The threat of flooding presents fur' thl!r problems. Electrical and elec- tronic equipment housed underground ml!ans pump stations can short Out, causing serious and extensive disruption of service. Such a sanitary sewer system failure could mean a backup of raw sewage in the streets. Cracks In sewer mains could also allow sewage to escape. "If outdated and underground electrical control systems at the pump stations are flooded, the dty's pumps could be out of order for an elltended time," says Armando PII;rez, Vice President of Camp Dresser & McKee, the firm in charge of program manage- ment for the infrastructure improvement program. Additionally, the communica- tions system that rum the pumpsta- tions is almost inoperable. The old system was, by the natureofthl:! 30- ye<1r-old equipment, at the end of its useful life_ The City of Miami Beach took il crit- ical look at the entire system. New pumps and electronics will be added, but maybe most importantly, the elec- trical equipment will be brought aboveground and housed in structures so it won't be underwater in case of a major storm surge. Now, the pumps will be able to move the wastewater to tak.e care ofilny situation_ Thevwillbe state-of-the art to function well Inlothe future and the flows can be adjusted to fit an area's wastewater demands_ Those upgrades are coming none too soon. Miami Beach often faces unique threats from our tropl. cal weather patterns. Pumps dam- aged by a hurricane storm surge could stop working during emergen- cies. Last year's devastating hurri- canes served as a reminder thai Miami Beach was lucky to have escaped a storm surge once again. But the city needs to be prepared! Chances are, you don't u~e 40- year-old pots and pans to cook with. And you wouldn't want your neigh- borhood fire department using 40- vear-old trucks and hoses. But did you know that the water vou drink and the water that stands ready to put out fires In your home or business is traveling through pipes that are at least four decades old? Improving the system bV replacing those old pipes and elim- inating the threats they pose to our drinking water supply and our safety is well under way. Since 1995 the city has aggreSSively made Improvements 10 insure that homes, hOlels and other busi- nesses never go withoul water or have their water use restriCled. The problems exist because the city's watersvstem deteriorated over the years_ Results of the i1ntiqUilted water system range from reduced water pressure which threatens fire- flow to discoloration and pOSSible bacterial contamination of water. Thl:! aging, unlined cast iron pipes have developed heavy coatings of mineral deposits that contribute to deteriora- tion of the pipe walls, leaving them vulnerable to rupture at anytime. ''Miami Beach is a banier island sur- rounded by saltwa- ter, so it can't sink its own wells," explains Assistant City Manager Matthew S4:hwartz. '"We need to buy our fresh drinking water from the Miami-Dade County Waler ... Sewer Department, or WASD." Water travels from the mainland to Miami Beach through four huge city-owned will assure your drinking water supply. mains, pipes that cross the MacArthur, maintenance costs and can be built Venetian, Julia Tuttle, and 79th Street for Slightly more than the cost of Causeways. Miami Beach also owns repainting and repairing the rust- and maintains tne system of pipes the ing 40-year-old tanks that were in water travels through to reach homes service_ All of these improvements and businesses_ will assure that current and future Older pipe tends to become needs are met. 'tuberculated," or lined with mineral deposits on the Interior wall, caus- ing corrosion and loss of water pressure. The oldest sections of pipe, which are six-inches in diame- ter, are being replaced with eight- and 12-inch pipes which meet mod- ern engineering standards, thereby relieving the city's water pressure problems and assuring adequate fireflow, the water pressure needed to douse a major fire. Remedies for the problems These pipes, plus the water stor. age tanks and pumping stations that contain motors and emergencygen- erators were in danger of failing. Continuing improvements include modernization of water booster pump stations, and replacement of obsolete storage tanks. Wherever possible, instead of digging up and replacing pipe, min. eral build-ups inside will be routed out and pipes will be relined with cement. New water mains will be installed in places where pipes are too corroded to be cleaned and relined. An estimated 15 miles of galvanized iron mains will be replaced with newer materials such as ductile iron and PVC pipes_ Pump stations present different challenges. Milny of them are located below the ground, making them vulnerable to flooding. All have out-of-date electronic circuit- ry. To remedy these problems, new electrical systems and emergency generators are being installed in aboveground buildings to assure operation under any circumstance and in all weather conditions. A new water booster station is also pro- posed for Terminal Island. It will improve pressures and fireflow capabilities in the central and south sections of the city during normal operating conditions and will func- tion as a back-up in casl.! other sta- tions become non-operational. The city's four 50-year-old water tanks had deteriorated and were on the brink of failure. Two of the old welded steel tanks have already been replaced by tanks made of pre.stressed concrete. These new tanks require lower: You probably don't think about the water you flush down the toilets and drains in your house each dav_ After all, that's the idea behind indoor plumbing. Wastewater that leaves your house or business flows down the drain into larger under- ~.. ',i.'.'.~..'~~f:". :.~~:..~.~/..:;~ . t:Jr,L r ., , . c ,I. ,I., , 1 rl ,,' .;. . '! '/ " l'.'; .' \ '. '..I~. . .' . . .~. ....~.' -, ..: '.', , ~. '. .~.. . '. ' :,l....y".. ., _,.~.,:">__~-. -~.~. :'ifj '\" ,"" '..'..".,;. .' ""''''1 ~~.:~:-..'<.;~~-_:~. ~: ,-.,~.., ,m Leaks like this in our sanitary sewer system cost the city $3 million a year in unnecessary sewage treatment charges.