Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II

Stricter permit for San Diego wastewater plant

If enacted, EPA could issue a special discharge permit for San Diego’s Point Loma plant. The permit would set strict TSS limits: 12,000 metric tons per year at first, 11,500 by Dec 31, 2029, and 9,942 by Dec 31, 2031, plus 60 mg/L as a 30‑day average. It would require at least 80% TSS removal monthly and 58% BOD removal yearly, keep the outfall ≥300 feet deep and ≥4 miles offshore, and meet other secondary limits except for BOD and TSS. The city would provide 10 straight years of ocean monitoring before each application, keep an ongoing monitoring program, add pretreatment, and get State sign‑off and an ocean discharge review. EPA would set milestones before Dec 31, 2039; if reuse is allowed, the plant would produce at least 83,000,000 gallons per day for potable reuse by that date; the city could still apply for a standard secondary treatment permit; and the bill would define key terms.