Environment Committee Meeting of April 17, 2025: Pure Water Program Updates and Contract Approvals
Environment Committee Meeting of April 17, 2025: Pure Water Program Updates and Contract Approvals
The San Diego City Council Environment Committee met on April 17, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m. PDT under Chair Elo Rivera. The committee considered a consent agenda, received an informational update on the Pure Water Program, and voted on four action items related to the program. All votes were unanimous (3-0).
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approval of committee minutes from February 13, 2025.
- Item 2: Award of agreement with Tetra Tech Incorporated for as-needed environmental planning consultant services (up to $3 million).
- Item 3: Award of consultant agreement to Kleinfelder for engineering services for the Miramar Water Treatment Plant residuals redirection project ($5.324 million, 80 months).
- Item 4: Award of Hawthorne Machinery contract for lease and maintenance of heavy-duty equipment for Miramar Landfill ($25.346 million over 5 years for 11 pieces of equipment).
- Item 5: Withdrawal from the Water Conservation Authority.
- Item 6: Approval of agreement for consulting and outreach services for organic waste recycling programs.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Cesar Javier (District 9 resident) expressed concern about a home business (Sarah Mix Manufacturing) operating in a residential zone, alleging air pollution and health impacts. He criticized city officials for absenteeism and called for pollution reduction.
- Blair Beekman discussed tech placement issues during 2024 Hillcrest LGBTQ events and urged community involvement in emergency tech placement processes.
- Terry Ann Skelly (community volunteer) highlighted cigarette butt litter in Pacific Beach, citing a study by SDSU’s Policy Research Center for Tobacco and Environment. She advocated for smoke-free public place policies to protect Mission Bay's marshlands.
- Abby Crawley (Eagle 360 volunteer) asked about progress on the city's Climate Action Plan circular economy goal, noting animal agriculture’s contribution to emissions and water use.
- Peggy Walker (CalPIRG) urged support for California Assembly Bill 762 to ban disposable vapes and e-cigs, citing hazardous waste (plastic, lithium batteries) leaching into waterways.
- Judy Strang supported smoke-free and vape-free public place policies, stating they are self-enforcing and improve public health.
- A caller (Joy Centre) criticized water rate structures, arguing that conservation leads to higher per-unit costs, and urged the committee to address the Water Authority’s outdated system.
Consent Agenda Public Comment:
- Cesar Javier criticized the consent agenda contracts, questioning whether city employees could perform the work and alleging corruption.
- Blair Beekman spoke to item 1 (minutes), urging the committee to consider community energy alternatives to SDG&E, citing San Francisco’s advocacy.
- A caller addressed items 2, 3, and 5, questioning the Tetra Tech contract’s workforce diversity, the residuals project’s sewer connection, and the Water Conservation Authority withdrawal, calling the demonstration garden a “blindfold.”
Public Comment on Information Item 11 (Pure Water Update):
- Cesar Javier called for pure water and criticized the city’s handling of water issues, linking to national security.
- Blair Beekman expressed cautious optimism about pure water and urged stronger ties with Mexico regarding the Tijuana River Valley.
- A caller praised the Pure Water team and expressed concerns about pipeline connections and grant losses.
- Courtney Brown (Staff Attorney, San Diego Coastkeeper) supported the action items, emphasizing the long-term benefits of Pure Water, though noting affordability concerns from the county water authority’s policies.
Public Comment on Discussion Items 7–10:
- Cesar Javier repeatedly accused the city of corruption and monopoly, demanding more scrutiny and trust in the process.
- Blair Beekman (item 9) questioned how the conveyance system could be applied to the Tijuana River Valley and called for regular binational conversations.
- A caller (item 10) asked about ADA compliance for curb ramps and praised the committee’s discussion on streamlining and progressive design-build.
- Another caller (item 10) alleged that the Pure Water project is a “cash cow” and accused the city of racketeering and money laundering.
Pure Water Program Update (Information Item 11)
Public Utilities Department staff presented a six-month update on Pure Water San Diego, the city’s largest infrastructure project. Key updates included:
- Schedule: Phase 1 is 70% complete. Intermediate substantial completion of the North City Pure Water Facility is expected late 2025, with delivery of purified water to Miramar Reservoir beginning mid-2026 at 7.5 million gallons per day (MGD), ramping to 30 MGD by early 2027. This timeline is ahead of NPDES permit commitments.
- Construction: 12 major projects underway; 19 miles of 28 miles of pipeline installed; 11 of 14 tunnels completed; Marina Pump Station at 75% completion; Friars Road westbound lanes reopened.
- Financing: $1.2 billion in construction contracts awarded; $94 million expended (in line with 70% completion); $143 million in pool contingency used.
- Outreach: 97 construction inquiries addressed, 16 tours, 10 community meetings; door hangers and social media updates provided.
- Project Labor Agreement: Targeted worker hiring goal of 10% exceeded by 7%; 23% of hours worked by city resident apprentices; 60% of hours by county residents.
- Regulatory: No new local limits required after evaluation of 250+ compounds; the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act 2 (OPRA 2) was reintroduced by Congressman Scott Peters to formalize Point Loma permitting.
- Operational Readiness: Hiring plan tied to construction schedule; operators require new advanced water treatment certification; training academy underway.
- Phase 2 Planning: Updating assumptions from 2012; scenario planning; stakeholder engagement ongoing.
Committee members asked about project delivery methods, risk allocation, and cost controls. Chair Rivera emphasized the need to identify self-imposed policy slowdowns and explore alternative delivery methods like progressive design-build (not currently in the city’s mini-code). Staff noted a second round of streamlining measures is being drafted and that a mini-code change for progressive design-build may be presented to the council in the coming month.
Discussion Items
Item 7 – OCIP Extension (Owner-Controlled Insurance Program): Authorized the mayor to extend insurance coverage for Phase 1 by up to five years and add $9.7 million (total not to exceed $38 million). Estimated savings of $4–6 million compared to contractor-provided insurance. Approved unanimously.
Item 8 – AECOM Amendment (Marina Pump Station and Conveyance Design): Authorized a fourth amendment adding $2.8 million and 24 months (total agreement $24.5 million, extending to November 2028) for design modifications, change order support, and startup assistance due to unforeseen conditions (e.g., dewatering challenges). Approved unanimously.
Item 9 – Change Orders for Marina Conveyance North Street Restoration: Authorized change orders up to $20 million (not-to-exceed) for resurfacing 20 lane miles, including bike lanes, curb ramps, and medians along Genesee Avenue. Costs split between Public Utilities ($12.6 million) and Transportation ($7.4 million) to leverage contractor presence. Approved unanimously.
Item 10 – HDR Engineering Amendment (North City Conveyance System): Authorized a third amendment adding $1.5 million and 33 months (total $13.9 million, extending to November 2028) for design changes, including ADA curb ramp upgrades due to new state requirements, unforeseen utilities, and sedimentation in the reservoir. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All action items (items 7–10) were approved unanimously (3-0).
- The information item (Pure Water update) was received and discussed.
- The next regularly scheduled Environment Committee meeting will be on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 1 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Instructions on how to comply. We'll continue to work with you all to see if we can get through this and do the best we can. Um and and uh and sort of um navigate our way around a really new landscape. But today afternoon, everyone, uh welcome to the environment committee meeting of April 17th, 2025. Our committee liaison Sarah Jordan will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting. Sarah, please proceed. Thank you, Chair Elo Rivera. Well, members of the public are able to attend the meeting in person. This meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. All right, thank you, Sarah. With that, I'll call the environment committee meeting of April 17, 2025 to order. If you would please call the role. Also attending the meeting today is City Attorney Representative Nicole Dino, Mayoral Representative Randy Wilde, and IBA Representative Jordan Moore. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of the committee room and place it on the speaker slip box at the table at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link, which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252. And when prompted, input webinar ID 161-907-2156 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak to a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a called participant by selecting star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. All right, thank you, Sarah. All right. We've got a quorum. Uh just a little bit of housekeeping before we get started here. We're taking our agenda out of order, beginning with consent items one through six. We'll then hear our information item 11, followed by discussion items seven through ten. With that, let's take up non-agenda public comment. Sarah, please proceed. Thank you, Chair La Rivera. Per rule 2.7 on agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of this committee. Each speaker will have two minutes to share their testimony. We'll begin with in-person testimony. Perita Javier and Cesar Javier. If you can please approach the elector, and you will each have two minutes, and you will be followed by Blair Beekman. Look at the chair, okay. Focus on the chair. Okay. The residents of Choyas Parkway, Leia, Stringview, Salta, Boise, Mina, Lemona, 51st Streets, West Bank of Choyas Creek of District 9, certified and report that the home business uh 5238 Stromview Drive, Sarah Mix Manufacturing and Calne Industrial Operation has been operated since December 17, 1984, and renewed December 31st, 2024 in our community, designated as residential zone, ceramic scale industrial activity, is known as produce toxicity, polluting the air we breathe, and impacting health and safety of residents, especially children and seniors with existing medical condition. Read the names. Read the names. Read the names. The names are Cesar Javier, pretty happier.
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