HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutionRESOLUTION NO. 2013 —
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY
SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT OF A LONG-RANGE REGIONAL WATER
REUSE PLAN AND SECONDARY EQUIVALENCY FOR
POINT LOMA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
WHEREAS, the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant ("PLWTP") is a
regional facility in the Metro Wastewater System, operated by the City of San Diego, permitted
to treat 240 million gallons of wastewater per day to an Advanced Primary Level, serving a 12
member Joint Powers Authority that comprises approximately 35% of the total flow in the Metro
Wastewater System/ PLWTP; and
WHEREAS, the Clean Water Act of 1972 requires that wastewater be treated to
achieve certain protections before ocean discharge and the permitting of wastewater treatment
plants, and wastewater treatment plant permits must be renewed every five years; and
WHEREAS, the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act COPRA") of 1994 allowed the
City of San Diego to apply for modified permits allowing PLWTP to continue operating at an
Advanced Primary Treatment Level while meeting or exceeding all general and specifically
negotiated regulatory obligations including ocean protection requirements; and
WHEREAS, the current modified permit for the PLWTP expires on July 31, 2015,
and City of San Diego staff must finalize a strategy and begin the extensive work required to
secure the next permit in or around January 2014; and
WHEREAS, in order to secure "non -opposition" for modified permits from
environmental stakeholders, the City of San Diego agreed to and successfully prepared
verifiable estimates of the cost to convert the current 240 million gallon per day (mgd) PLWTP to
Secondary Treatment Levels, conducted a comprehensive external scientific review of ocean
monitoring implementing all recommendations for an enhanced ocean monitoring program, and
built 45 mgd of water reclamation capacity in the form of the North City Water Reclamation Plant
and the South Bay Water Reclamation Plant; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Diego has 20 years of ocean monitoring data
demonstrating that the Advanced Primary PLWTP consistently protects the ocean environment;
and
WHEREAS, the City of San Diego has successfully completed a 1 mgd
Advanced Water Purification Demonstration Project producing water that is far superior in
quality to raw water currently delivered to local reservoirs, and produces potable water of a
quality similar to distilled water; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Diego's survey indicates that percentages of those
favoring Advanced Treated recycled water as an addition to the drinking water supply have
increased from 36% in 2004 to 73% in 2012; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Diego has also achieved significant legislative
progress associated with the Advanced Water Purification Demonstration Project to advance
both indirect and direct potable water reuse projects; and
Resolution No. 2013 —
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WHEREAS, the San Diego region forecasts the need for billions of dollars in
ratepayer revenue to fund imported water supply projects to address transportation constraints
and supply challenges, including a locally owned Colorado River pipeline and plans for at least
three ocean desalination plants, all of which will require significant capital, operating, and
energy expenditures; and
WHEREAS, it is possible to develop a long-range regional water reuse plan
(Long -Range Regional Water Reuse Plan) to divert at least 100 mgd of flow from PLWTP
largely to water reuse projects resulting in new, local water supplies, including potable water,
and a smaller secondary equivalent PLWTP with reduced Total Suspended Solids mass
emission rates equivalent to those of a 240 mgd secondary treatment PLWTP; and
WHEREAS, this proposed Long -Range Regional Water Reuse Plan will avoid
billions of dollars in unnecessary capital, financing, energy, and operating costs to upgrade a
facility that already meets or exceeds all general and specifically negotiated regulatory
requirements for ocean protection; and
WHEREAS, successful implementation of this proposed Long -Range Regional
Water Reuse Plan also creates the potential to avoid or downsize currently planned water
transportation and supply projects; and
WHEREAS, this proposed Long -Range Regional Water Reuse Plan to maximize
local water reuse to create a new, local, sustainable water supply while offloading PLWTP to
secure acceptance of a smaller secondary equivalent treatment plant is a fiscally prudent,
environmentally sound critical regional priority.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
National City as follows:
Section 1: That City Council supports developing a Long -Range Regional Water
Reuse Plan that includes the most cost effective water reuse options, including potable reuse,
within the Metro Wastewater System's service boundary.
Section 2: That City Council supports developing a Long -Range Regional Water
Reuse Plan with the goal of realizing a smaller secondary equivalent PLWTP to avoid spending
billions of dollars in ratepayer monies for an unnecessary upgrade to Secondary Treatment,
instead potentially funding the creation of new water supplies, including potable water reuse.
Section 3: That the City Council supports developing a Long -Range Regional Water
Reuse Plan to maximize opportunities to create new, local sustainable water supplies thereby
creating opportunities to avoid or downsize billions of dollars in future water supply projects.
Section 4: That the City Council supports pursuing long-term acceptance of a
smaller secondary equivalent PLWTP that continues to protect the ocean environment while
avoiding billions of dollars in capital, financing, energy and operating costs for an unnecessary
conversion of the PLWTP to Secondary Treatment.
Resolution No. 2013 —
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PASSED and ADOPTED this 1st day of October, 2013.
ATTEST:
Michael R. Dalla, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Claudia Gacitua Silva
City Attorney
Ron Morrison, Mayor