CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
6/23/2025
1 SUBJECT:
Re-Certification of the Sewer System Management Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Move to adopt a Resolution approving the re-certification of the Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) for the City of Pacifica
STAFF CONTACT:
Eddie Pastrano, Collection System Manager
(650) 738-4660
[email protected]
Louis Sun, P.E., Deputy Director of Public Works-Wastewater (650) 738-4660
[email protected]
Melissa Tigbao, P.E., Director of Public Works
(650) 738-3767
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The Wastewater Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) is a collection of work plans and directives functioning as a guiding and operational document for the City’s sewer collection system. The SSMP details the Goals, Organization, Legal Authority, Operations and Maintenance Program, Design and Performance Provisions, Spill Emergency Response Plan, Sewer Pipe Blockage Program, System Evaluation, Capacity Assurance, Capital Improvements, Monitoring, Measurement and Program Modifications, Internal Audits and Communications Program. The SSMP is located on the City of Pacifica website under the Public Works Department Wastewater Division Collection Group section.
Because of the evolving nature of the requirements affecting the City’s sewer collection system, the SSMP has been periodically updated since the City first certified the SSMP back in 2011:
• The City certified the first version of the SSMP at the February 28, 2011, City Council Meeting, in response to California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs). WDRs require each public agency that owns or operates a sanitary sewer system to meet specific requirements, including the development and implementation of a system-specific SSMP. • The City’s wastewater collection system is subject to Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) during severe storm events. An SSO is any overflow, spill, release, discharge, or diversion of untreated or partially treated wastewater from a sanitary sewer system. Due Pacifica City Council 2
June 23, 2025
to the number of SSOs occurring in the City, in May 2011, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) to the City. The CDO was negotiated and signed in 2011 and required the City to update portions of the SSMP and re-certify the document by December 1, 2012. The City fulfilled this requirement and the Council re-certified the updated SSMP at the November 13, 2012, City Council Meeting.
• The City certified the second version of the SSMP at the October 28, 2019 City Council Meeting, in response to a notice of an intent to file suit from California River Watch (“CRW”) as described below.
Because of new policy, the State Water Board adopted Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, Water Quality Order No. 2022-0103-DWQ (Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order). The Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order requires public agencies that own or operate sanitary sewer systems to develop and implement sewer system management plans (SSMP) and report all sanitary sewer spills to the State Water Board’s online California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) Sanitary Sewer System Database.
The new policy also requires re-certification every 6 years and an audit of SSMP every 3 years, and the City of Pacifica is due for re-certification and audit this year.
Staff recommends that the City Council re-certify the Sewer System Management Plan as described herein.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
Council may choose not to re-certify the Sewer System Management Plan; however, such action will result in delay to meet the State Water Board Sanitary Sewer System General Order.
Staff does not recommend this alternate action.
RELATION TO CITY GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
Approval of the agreement is consistent with the following Council adopted Goals:
• Stewardship of City Infrastructure and Maintaining a Safe Community: The recertification of the Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) will provide updated guidelines and fulfill City’s regulatory requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The approval of the SSMP is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Pacifica City Council 3
June 23, 2025
This action has no fiscal impact upon the Wastewater Enterprise fund. The fiscal impact of implementing the elements of the SSMP have been included in the 2024-25 Adopted Budget.
ORIGINATED BY:
Public Works - Wastewater Division
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Attachment 1 - SSMP re-certification documentation (PDF) Pacifica City Council 4
June 23, 2025
RESOLUTION NO. ____-2025
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA APPROVING THE
RE-CERTIFICATION OF THE SEWER SYSTEM MANAGEMENT PLAN (SSMP) WHEREAS, the Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) is a collection of work plans and directives functioning as a guiding and operational document for the City’s sewer collection system; and
WHEREAS, the City certified the first version of SSMP on February 28, 2011, and the City Council re-certified the SSMP again on October 28, 2019; and WHEREAS, the California State Water Resources Control Board Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) for Sanitary System, Water Quality Order No. 2022- 0103-DWQ requires public agencies to re-certify every 6 years and an audit every 3 years; and NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Pacifica does hereby approve the recertification of the Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) for City of Pacifica in compliance to the Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems, Water Quality Order No. 2022-0103-DWQ (Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order). • • • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 23rd day of June, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_________________________________
Sue Beckmeyer, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ _________________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney