The facilities planning documents that Gibbs & Olson most commonly prepares are state-approved reports that document that a proposed public works project will meet state and federal rules and regulations with respect to health and safety, water quality, and sustainability.  The planning documents not only ensure compliance, they also serve as a working document for local officials when addressing long-term capital improvements, financing, and operation and maintenance of public works systems. 

The planning documents we are experienced with include:

• General Sewer Plans and Facility Plans, prepared in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-240 Submission of Plans and Reports for Construction of Wastewater Facilities, respectively.  These plans must be approved by the Department of Ecology (DOE). 
• Water System Plans prepared in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-290 Drinking Water Regulations and approved by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). 
• Stormwater Master Plans and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans
• Six Year Transportation Improvement Plans, prepared in accordance with Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 35.77.010 and RCW 36.81.121. 

For the most part, these documents address a 20-year planning period and provide recommended capital improvement plans.  The information is used as a guide in making future public works system expansion and improvement decisions as well as providing a mechanism for funding those improvements.  Required components of these reports, especially with regard to water system and general sewer plans, include: 

• Gather and update existing background and service area information
• Establish basic planning data (future service area, future population to be served)
• Develop existing and future demand/loads on system
• Define limitations of system and goals for system
• Statements regarding compliance with local, state, and/or federal regulations
• Evaluate existing system and evaluate improvements required to meet future conditions
• Water quality evaluations, as needed
• Evaluate financial options
• Develop an implementation schedule for recommendations
• Conduct public meetings/hearings
• Develop an operation and maintenance program
• Develop a six-year capital improvement schedule
• Develop a financial program

Additional planning is available through facility plans, pre-design reports, and/or project reports.  These reports describe why a project is being proposed and includes engineering design calculations showing how the project will meet its objectives.  Components of these plans include:

• Identify specific design criteria and sizing calculations
• Identify potential sites and discuss advantages and disadvantages
• Develop flow diagrams showing general layout of various units of the proposed facility
• Staffing and testing requirements for the facility
• An estimate of the costs and expenses of the proposed facility and the method of assessing costs and expenses.  The total amount includes both capital costs and also operation and maintenance costs for the life of the project, and is presented in terms of total annual cost and present worth.
• A discussion on how the new facilities will achieve compliance with state and federal standards
• A complete discussion of the facility to the extent that plans and specifications can be developed without substantial changes
• Other relevant data and discussions

• We have completed 28 state-approved plans/feasibility studies/analyses in just the last five years.  We have completed more than 90 such reports since 1990. 
• Nearly all of the above-referred to plans were completed by current members of our staff.  These experienced wastewater, water, storm water, road design, and site development engineers are assigned the project management duties on our facilities plans.
• Gibbs & Olson engineers have a good working relationship with regulators from regional, state and federal offices (e.g., DOE, DOH, Fish and Wildlife).  We bring them on board early in a project.  Established relationships and project familiarity speeds up the permitting and approval process. 
• We have been involved in numerous projects where we’ve been with the project from conception, through planning, design, construction, and start-up. 
• Gibbs & Olson has knowledge of the land, the resources, and the unique characteristics of regions across Western Washington.  This is a valuable asset in planning efforts.