DATE: April 8, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLAN
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the 2025 Sanitary Sewer Management Plan (SSMP) Update to meet the requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), including the 2022 revised Waste Discharge Requirement, for effective management of the City’s sanitary sewer system.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
On May 2, 2006, the SWRCB adopted Water Quality Order No. 2006-0003, Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) for Sanitary Sewer Systems. This order requires public agencies that own or operate sanitary sewer systems to develop and implement a SSMP, including the Spill Emergency Response Plan (SERP), which describes the organizational structure and activities the city uses to manage the wastewater collection system effectively. SSMPs must be updated every five years. The City’s current SSMP is from 2020 and requires an update.
On December 6, 2022, the SWRCB adopted revised WDR Order No. 2022-0103-DWQ, which superseded the previous requirements and updated statewide standards for sanitary sewer system management and reporting.
On December 18, 2024, City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Water Works Engineers (Water Works) to provide on-call design services for water capital improvement projects. On August 19, 2025, the Water Utilities Department issued a task order under this PSA for Water Works to complete the required audit for the city’s existing SSMP and to prepare the 2025 SSMP Update in compliance with the revised WDR.
The objective of the SSMP is to establish and implement measures to properly manage, operate, and maintain the City’s wastewater collection system in order to reduce the risk of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), protect public health and water quality, and ensure regulatory compliance. The SSMP identifies cost effective strategies to minimize infiltration and inflow, highlights capital improvements to the sewer system, and supports effective asset management of the City’s sewer infrastructure. The 2025 SSMP has been prepared consistent with the requirements of the revised WDR.
Water Works completed the audit of the existing SSMP in February 2026, and the audit was uploaded to the California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) system. The 2025 SSMP Update was also completed in February 2026. Water Works will assist the city with re-certification and final submittal to the SWRCB.
The Final SSMP must be formally adopted by the governing body of the sanitary sewer system prior to certification and submittal into CIWQS, along with the associated resolutions.
The adoption of the 2025 SSMP will:
1. Support cost-effective operation and management of the City’s wastewater collection system;
2. Document current plans and procedures for managing, operating, and maintaining sewer system assets;
3. Reduce the risk of sanitary sewer overflows (SSO);
4. Help prevent SSOs from reaching waterways;
5. Minimize and mitigate potential adverse impacts from SSOs; and
6. Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no recommended modifications to the management of the sanitary sewer that would increase operating costs. Therefore, adoption of the 2025 SSMP Update will have no fiscal impact.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Utilities Commission approved staff’s recommendation at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 17, 2026.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Mabel Uyeda, Water Engineering Manager
Approved by: Frederick Mayo, Water Utilities Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff report
2. Resolution
3. Oceanside SSMP Update