San Diego and several other local cities must pay an $11.4 million fine for a sewage spill in January 2023 that released 9.9 million gallons of wastewater at 30 locations between Point Loma and San Diego International Airport.
San Diego officials say the spill, which was blamed on heavy rains and sewer pump malfunctions, did not significantly impact any biological resources within San Diego Bay or along the bay.
San Diego’s share of the fine is $7.5 million. The remaining $3.9 million will be split among the city’s 12 partner agencies in the Metro Wastewater Joint Powers Authority.
Those agencies include the county government, Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Poway, Del Mar, Coronado, Imperial Beach, the Otay Water District and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District.
Those agencies will pay pro-rated portions of the $3.9 million based on their share of the sewer system’s overall capacity.
Heavy rains on Jan. 16, 2023, created heavy inflow at Pump Station #2, a large pump station across Harbor Drive from Spanish Landing that handles roughly 80% of the sewage pumped to the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant.
San Diego officials are blaming the problem on the heavy inflow, which they described as a five-year storm event, and a failed sensor that triggered all pumps to shut down.
Since the spill, the sensors have been replaced, and the pumps have been reprogrammed. In addition, crews have repaired two of the eight pumps that were not working even before the sensor malfunction.
The payout, which was coordinated by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, will go to the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account.
San Diego approved the deal March 18.
