The "Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II" amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to set new discharge and monitoring requirements for the Point Loma Plant in San Diego, including specific limits on pollutants and a mandate for potable water reuse.
Scott Peters
Representative
CA-50
The Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II amends permitting requirements for the Point Loma Plant in San Diego, setting new limits for discharge of total suspended solids into marine waters. The bill requires the plant to maintain its deep-ocean outfall system and meet specific reduction targets for pollutants by certain dates. It also mandates the production of at least 83,000,000 gallons per day of water suitable for potable reuse by December 31, 2039, and continued ocean monitoring to ensure compliance. Alternatively, the plant can submit an application that complies with standard secondary treatment requirements.
Ocean Pollution Act II: San Diego's Point Loma Plant Gets New Discharge Rules—Here's What It Means for You
The Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II focuses on San Diego's Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant, laying out new rules for how it can discharge waste into the ocean. Basically, the plant can keep operating, but with some significant strings attached aimed at cleaning up its act over time.
Making Waves: New Limits on Ocean Discharge
The bill, straight up, allows the EPA to issue permits for the Point Loma Plant to continue discharging into the ocean—but only if it meets a bunch of new conditions. One big one: the plant has to stick with its current deep-ocean outfall system. That means any waste is released at least 300 feet deep and 4 miles offshore (SEC. 2). Think of it like this: if you're going to dump waste, at least do it far out and deep, where it hopefully does less damage. The bill also sets increasingly strict limits on the amount of "total suspended solids" (that's basically tiny particles of gunk in the wastewater) the plant can release:
- Now: No more than 12,000 metric tons per year.
- By December 31, 2029: Down to 11,500 metric tons.
- By December 31, 2031: Only 9,942 metric tons allowed.
Plus, there's a 30-day average limit of 60 milligrams of solids per liter of water (SEC. 2). Imagine your coffee with way too much creamer that never dissolves – that’s what they’re trying to avoid in the ocean.
Real-World Ripples: From Construction to Conservation
So, what does this mean for everyday folks? For starters, anyone in construction or industries that produce wastewater might want to pay attention. Stricter rules on discharge could mean upgrades to how businesses handle their waste, potentially increasing costs. The bill requires the plant to remove at least 80% of those suspended solids every month and 58% of "biochemical oxygen demand" (that's a measure of how much oxygen the waste sucks out of the water) annually (SEC. 2). Less oxygen means less life in the ocean – so this is a key target.
On the flip side, there's a push for water reuse. By December 31, 2039, the plant has to show it's producing at least 83,000,000 gallons of water per day that's clean enough for drinking (SEC. 2). That's a win for water conservation, especially in a drought-prone state like California. If you're a farmer or landscaper, this could mean more access to recycled water down the line.
The Catch: Enforcement and Flexibility
Now, here's where it gets tricky. The EPA Administrator gets a lot of leeway in determining "other effluent limitations" (SEC. 2). That means they have some power to decide what's acceptable, beyond the hard numbers. The bill also requires 10 years of ocean monitoring data to prove the discharge is meeting requirements, and the plant has to keep monitoring the ocean (SEC. 2). But, who's checking the checkers? That's always the question.
And, if the plant can't meet these specific requirements, there's a plan B: they can apply under the standard "secondary treatment" rules (SEC. 2). This could be seen as a loophole, or a practical fallback – depends on how you look at it.