Community members and local officials gathered with Ross Valley Sanitary District to celebrate the completion of upgrades at Pump Station 14 in Larkspur. The event took place on July 19 at the pump station on Doherty Drive, next to Hall Middle School.
Ross Valley Sanitary District (RVSD) was presented with the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) Wastewater Collection System of the Year Award in the category of “small system.”
“Greg has made a tremendous difference during his time at the Ross Valley Sanitary District,” said Board Member Mary Sylla. “When he came on board, the district was mired in controversy and subject to regulatory sanctions. Because of his work, RVSD is now a role model in the region, using proven technology along with management best practices to ensure our wastewater stays in the pipes, and out of the waterways. We wish him the best in his new endeavor and look forward to following his career – and future successes.”
The RVSD Board will begin the process of recruiting for a new General Manager immediately.
The agency is committed to continuing its progress, which has included rehabilitation of over 35 miles of gravity sewer lines, modernization of pump stations, a 95 percent reduction in wet weather sewer overflow volumes, and a capital program with over $50M in varying phases of construction. The RVSD private sewer lateral replacement program is among the most successful in the Bay Area, with over 1,400 private laterals replaced and $3.5M in grant funds allocated.
As Board President Doug Kelly explained, “I am sad to see Greg Norby leave because he has done such a stunning job of turning the Ross Valley Sanitary District around in the last five years. Frankly, we were headed in the wrong direction on many fronts and we are now in a good place, thanks to his leadership. I wish him the very best and I know that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has just hired a truly talented professional.”
RVSD financial resiliency was enhanced with steady rate adjustments, with 95 percent of new rate review to infrastructure reinvestment, and formal reserves and cash balance targets.
A 2014 special California State Audit sponsored by Marin-area Assemblyman Marc Levine helped identify best practices for board governance, financial controls, ethics, and sustainable staff compensation practices. All of the State recommendations were implemented.
“RVSD offers an example of how local utility agencies can apply best industry practices in technical and business processes, combined with governance standards to meet the challenges of reinvesting in the aging infrastructure we rely on for public health, safety, and quality of life,” said Norby. “Our customers, and the public at large, are more likely to support this reinvestment when they understand the value for the money and have confidence that the limited public resources are put to good use.”
Additional RVSD advancements include a GIS-based mobile work order system, satellite-linked distributed monitoring stations and condition assessment technology which has delivered increased operations efficiency, such as a 50 percent improvement in gravity line cleaning.
In his new role as an Assistant General Manager with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Norby will oversee San Francisco’s wastewater and storm water operations, capital improvement programs, flood resilience program strategies, climate change and sea level rise initiatives.
About Ross Valley Sanitary District: Established in 1899, Ross Valley Sanitary District is dedicated to protecting public health and preserving the environment. The District provides customers with high quality wastewater utility service through a system that has no avoidable sanitary sewer overflows, at the lowest sustainable cost. RVSD’s service area includes: Fairfax, San Anselmo, Ross, Larkspur, Bon Air, Sleepy Hollow, Kentfield, Kent Woodlands, Oak Manor, Greenbrae and Murray Park. RVSD operates and maintains 200 miles of collection sewer lines and 19 pumping stations which collect, pump and transport wastewater to Central Marin Sanitation Agency for treatment. For more information, please visit http://rvsd.org.
RVSD General Manager Greg Norby will become a newAssistant General Manager with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.