The House overwhelmingly passed Congressman Scott Peters’ Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II, which will increase and protect the region’s water supply while utilizing cost-effective technology to save ratepayer money. This legislation simplifies the City of San Diego’s permitting process to better operate the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant, and protects the certainty of the City’s Pure Water Program to further reduce the amount of wastewater discharge in the ocean.
Read more about the bill in thisĀ November 24th piece by CBS8, posted below:
House passes Petersā Ocean Pollution Reduction Act
By Chris Gros
November 24th, 2020
SAN DIEGO āĀ A bill written by Congressman Scott Peters that aims to reduce pollution in our oceans has been passed by theĀ United States House of Representatives.
TheĀ Ocean Pollution Reduction ActĀ helps the city avoid a secondary treatment waiver application. That specific application is something that is normally necessary for water recycling programs.
According to the bill, if certain conditions are met at the cityās Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant then San Diegoās process to operating the Pure Water Program will be simplified. For its part, San Diego needs to produce 8.3 million gallons of water per day by 2036.
If that happens then the city can apply for a five-year permit in a similar way instead of spending taxpayer dollars on another waiver application.
Congressman Scott Peters and Mayor Kevin Faulconer both touted the bipartisan support the bill has in Congress. Peters said, āScientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have long said that forcing San Diego ratepayers to pay billions of dollars to upgrade the Point Loma facility to a secondary level would be a waste of money. Because the enhanced advanced treatment the plant currently provides along with its 4.5-mile-long outfall does not harm the ocean environment.ā
During the vote, the bill only received four votes against it. The bill will now advance to the Senate and if passed it will head to the presidentās desk to be signed.