CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
April 21, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted by: Chris Diggs, Water Resources Director
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE 2025 SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLAN RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
Approve the 2025 Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) in Attachment No. 1; and, Direct staff to submit the approved document to the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The recommended action will keep the City in compliance with the Statewide Waste Discharge Requirements General Order for Sanitary Sewer Systems Order No. WQ-2022-0103-DWQ, which requires an update to the SSMP by May 2025, and every six years thereafter.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $250 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $250 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact with the approval of the SSMP.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
The City Council has approved updated SSMP’s per Permit due dates since 2008.
DISCUSSION:
The Water Board issued a new General Order for sanitary sewer systems with the effective date of June 5, 2023. One of the requirements of the order was to update the City’s SSMP and to incorporate additional information. Some of the changes include updated sanitary sewer maps, changing due dates to conduct internal audits from every two years to every three years, SSMP updates every six years versus every five years; updating Spill Response Plan, and other documents related to the City’s sewer collection system. The goal of the SSMP is to provide a plan and schedule to properly manage, operate, and maintain all parts of the City’s sanitary sewer system, and to reduce and prevent spills, and to contain and mitigate spills that occur.
The 2025 SSMP includes the following:
Enhancements to the existing preventative maintenance program; including a system performance analysis that includes a 10-year system performance analysis.
Additional Spill Categories for reporting
An updated Spill Emergency Response Plan that was completed May of 2024 Mandatory Annual report for calendar year efforts to prevent spills Update to the Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Program to the Sewer Pipe Blockage Control Program Identified sewer system design improvements and capital improvement projects.
The City had no spills in 2024, and an average of 2.6 spills over the last five years. The reduction in spills indicates the City’s maintenance staff and capital improvement programs have yielded positive results. In effort to reduce costs, staff has updated the SSMP to meet the requirements of the Order. Additionally, staff updated the Sewer Ordinance to strengthen the department’s efforts on minimizing spills.
Upon approval by City Council, staff will electronically submit the updated SSMP to the Water Board, and have it available on the City’s website located within the Water Resources Department page.
Prepared by:
Julie Carver
Environmental Compliance Supervisor
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment No. 1 – 2025 Sewer System Management Plan
Approve 2025 Sewer System Management Plan