Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Utilities, on behalf of the Division of Water, to enter into an annual cooperative agreement with Columbus Public Health to provide funding for the Healthy Homes Program. The Healthy Homes Program within Columbus Public Health seeks to help residents with lead poisoning prevention programs, hazardous product storage, indoor air quality, and related issues with the intent of creating a safer and healthier home environment.
In 1991, the EPA enacted the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The LCR requires tap water testing. For the past fifteen (15) years, the Columbus Division of Water and Columbus Public Health partnered in a national pilot program to help eliminate lead exposure in homes. That program expired in 2015. However, both the Division of Water and Columbus Public Health desire to continue the program as a matter of public health. The goals of the program are for the Health Department to provide risk assessment services in reported cases of excessive levels of lead in children under six (6) years of age via confirmed laboratory testing, and provide educational and preventive lead exposure services in the community.
The risk assessments include residential water sampling to determine the extent, if any, of whether or not drinking water from the home is a source of lead exposure. Details of the services to be provided by Columbus Public Health are contained in an agreement (memorandum of understanding) dated November 24, 2015. The Division of Water has contributed $300,000.00 per year to this program since 2001. Revisions to the agreement will be evaluated again in 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT: This is an annual expenditure and the Division of Water has allocated $300,000.00 for this project in the 2016 operating budget.
$ 300,000.00 was spent for this project in 2014.
$ 300,000.00 was spent for this project in 2015.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a cooperative agreement with Columbus Public Health, for participation in the Healthy Homes Program, for the Division of Water, and to authorize the expenditure of $300,000.00 from the Water System Operating Fund. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Water has partnered with Columbus Public Health in the Healthy Homes Program for the past fifteen years; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Division of Water desires to continue to partner with Columbus Public Health to protect public health; and
WHEREAS, the Division of Water desires to enter into a cooperative agreement (memorandum of understanding) with Columbus Public Health for participation in the Healthy Homes Program; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Division Water, Department of Public Utilities, to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a cooperative agreement (memorandum of understanding) with Columbus Public Health, for participation in the Healthy Homes Program, for the preservation of public health, peace, property and safety; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be and is hereby authorized to enter into a cooperative agreement (memorandum of understanding) with Columbus Public Health on behalf of the Division of Water for participation in the Healthy Homes Program.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $300,000.00 or as much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from Water System Operating Fund 6000 in object class 03 Services per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.