1. What is the Clearwater Program?

The Clearwater Program is a comprehensive planning and engineering effort to provide for cost-effective and environmentally sound wastewater management services and recycled water supply for the Sanitation Districts’ Joint Outfall System (JOS) through the year 2050.Under the Clearwater Program, the Sanitation Districts will be preparing a new Master Facilities Plan (MFP), an associated Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS), designing facilities recommended by the MFP, and ultimately constructing these facilities.

2. What is expected to be included in the Master Facilities Plan?

The MFP will evaluate the long-term needs of the JOS for the next 40 years.The MFP will address wastewater conveyance and treatment, solids processing, biosolids management, and effluent management for the JOS.A major component of the MFP will be to evaluate the possible construction of a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall to convey effluent (treated wastewater) from the Sanitation Districts’ Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) in the City of Carson to the Pacific Ocean.

3. What is the schedule for the Clearwater Program?

The anticipated schedule for the Clearwater Program is as follows:

Community Outreach/Participation 2006 – 2020
Facilities Planning/Preliminary Engineering 2006 – 2010
Environmental Documentation (EIR/EIS) 2007 – 2010
Final Design* 2010 – 2012
Construction* 2012 – 2020
*The schedule for final design and construction is for a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall if that alternative is selected and may vary depending on the outcome of the facilities planning and environmental documentation processes.

4. Have you already decided to build a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall?

No.The Sanitation Districts are in the initial stages of a facilities planning effort for the entire JOS.One component of this effort will be to evaluate our aging infrastructure.We are concerned about the condition of the existing tunnels that convey effluent from the JWPCP to the ocean.The tunnels were built in 1937 and 1958 and have not been inspected since 1958.Therefore, the JOS Master Facilities Plan will be analyzing a range of alternatives to address this concern, including the need for a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall.

5. How much would a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall cost, and how would it be funded?

It is estimated that a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall would cost approximately 1‑2 billion dollars.The Sanitation Districts would be pursuing state and federal grant funding sources, as well as low-interest loans and bonds, to help finance construction.Over time, the ratepayers in the Sanitation Districts’ JOS service area would pay off the loans and bonds through connection fees and annual service charges.

6. Whom would a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall serve?

A new tunnel and a new ocean outfall would primarily serve the residents, businesses, and industries of the 73 cities and unincorporated Los Angeles County areas that comprise the Joint Outfall System.

7. Can the existing tunnels be inspected and repaired without incurring the $1-2 billion cost of constructing a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall?

The Sanitation Districts are currently investigating the feasibility of inspecting the existing tunnels, but it is evident that such an operation, if possible, would present immense technical challenges and high risks. In order to thoroughly assess the condition of the existing tunnels, each tunnel would need to be inspected in a dry state, which would require constructing new facilities to hydraulically separate the tunnels to make them independent and temporarily diverting approximately two-thirds of the wastewater currently treated by the JWPCP.To put this into perspective, a diversion of at least 200 mgd would be required, which is the equivalent amount of wastewater generated by a city of 2 million people.At this time, the Sanitation Districts have not been able to identify a means of diverting this much flow to allow for an inspection.

8. Since San Pedro and Wilmington are located outside the Sanitation Districts’ service area, how will these communities benefit from a new tunnel and a new outfall?

These communities would benefit from having a more reliable infrastructure in their vicinity.Without a new tunnel and a new outfall, an emergency response to the existing system would mainly affect San Pedro and Wilmington.Specifically, the failure of the existing tunnels could affect Wilmington Drain, Machado Lake, and the Los Angeles Harbor, the only alternative discharge locations for JWPCP effluent.Also, effluent from the Terminal Island Treatment Plant (TITP) could potentially be conveyed through a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall, thus removing the discharge from inside the breakwater in Los Angeles Harbor.In a broader sense, the MFP will examine the possibility of accepting dry weather urban runoff flows into the treatment plant(s), potentially reducing the discharge of urban runoff into Los Angeles Harbor and along the coast.

9. What are some of the benefits that the Sanitation Districts have provided the communities in the immediate vicinity of the JWPCP, including Carson and Wilmington?

Over the years, the Sanitation Districts have provided land for the Wilmington Jaycees Athletic Complex, Boys and Girls Club, and the Carson Depot Commercial Center.The Sanitation Districts have also constructed new sidewalks; added street trees and landscaping; erected ornamental fencing; virtually eliminated plant odors; and built a natural gas fueling station for public use.The Sanitation Districts are currently restoring a 17-acre marshland at the corner of Sepulveda and Figueroa, which will include parking and viewing area for visitors.The Sanitation Districts purchased the old Fletcher Oil Refinery site and have removed the refining equipment and oil storage tanks.New landscaping and block walls will be constructed around the perimeter of the property.The site is being cleaned up to remove soil and groundwater contamination left by the refining operation and in the future will be used for new regional wastewater treatment facilities.

10. How would tunnel construction affect me, my home, and my community?

If a new tunnel is deemed necessary, the Sanitation Districts would construct it utilizing state-of-the-art tunnel boring machines (TBMs).The new tunnel would mostly be located within the public rights of way approximately 200 feet below ground surface, so there would be no noticeable vibration or noise.The most visible element of a tunnel project would be the presence of a 4- to 8-acre construction shaft site, which would be needed to lower the TBMs and construction material into the ground, remove soil from the underground excavation, and provide labor access during construction.The shaft site would be screened with view/sound walls as necessary to minimize any visual and noise impacts.There could be traffic-related impacts associated with a construction shaft site.However, depending on where a shaft site is located, it may be possible to rely on trains or barges to bring materials to and from the construction site.The EIR/EIS will be assessing the overall impacts of the project and proposing appropriate mitigation measures.

11. How would a new tunnel and a new ocean outfall be sized?

A new tunnel and a new ocean outfall would be sized based on the findings of the MFP.At a minimum, a new tunnel would need to be large enough to accommodate peak flows at the JWPCP through the year 2050 planning horizon.However, other variables would need to be factored in, including projected population growth, water conservation, and reuse.Tunnel design, construction, access requirements, and operational considerations will also impact the size of the tunnel.In an effort to increase reliability, conserve energy, and reduce operating costs, the Sanitation Districts prefer to convey as much flow by gravity as possible, which could result in a larger tunnel.

12. Do the existing tunnels have the capacity to accommodate future projected flows at the JWPCP?

No.In fact, the existing tunnels are currently at their limits in terms of handling the peak wet-weather flows at the JWPCP.This was demonstrated in the storm of January 4, 1995, when the 670-mgd peak capacity of the existing system was reached.Future population growth will lead to more wastewater being produced in the JOS, and the MFP will evaluate the quantity of wastewater to be treated at the JWPCP.

13. How was the wedge-shaped study area for a new JWPCP tunnel and a new ocean outfall established?

The zone, or study area, was established to avoid the City of Los Angeles' ocean discharge to the north and Orange County’s ocean discharge to the south, and to remain on the continental shelf to the south and west.

14. What street(s) would the tunnel be going under?

With respect to selecting a possible alignment for a new tunnel, the Sanitation Districts would utilize long, contiguous public rights-of-way (e.g., streets) between the JWPCP and the coast to the extent feasible.Streets meeting this criterion that are being considered in the early stages of the planning process include Wilmington, Frigate, Figueroa, Harbor, Pacific, Gaffey, and Western.The final proposed tunnel alignment would be selected based on numerous factors such as environmental impacts, public input, engineering considerations, and cost.Again, because the tunnel would be constructed approximately 200 feet below ground, street level impacts are anticipated to be minimal or non-existent.

15. How deep would a new tunnel be? How far out into the Pacific Ocean would the new outfall discharge?

In order to minimize or eliminate impacts at the ground surface (e.g., noise, vibration, and utility conflicts), the Sanitation Districts would propose deep tunnel construction utilizing state-of-the-art tunnel boring machines (TBMs).The depth of a new tunnel would fluctuate because of variations in the overlying topography, but, in general, a tunnel could reach depths of 200 feet or more below the ground surface.It is anticipated a new ocean outfall would extend to the continental shelf, at least 1.5 miles off the coast to an ocean depth of approximately 200 feet.

16. Would a new tunnel and a new outfall result in more air pollution in the Harbor area?

Any increases in air pollution would be limited to the construction phase of a tunneling project, not the long-term operation.Tunnel construction could result in vehicle and dust emissions at the tunnel shaft sites.The Sanitation Districts would assess these and any other impacts associated with the project in an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) and adopt mitigation measures to eliminate or reduce such impacts to the extent feasible.

17. Would a new tunnel and a new outfall result in more local traffic?

It is anticipated that approximately 50-100 trucks would be required each day to transport construction materials and excavated material to and from the tunnel shaft site during the construction phase of the project.To put this in perspective, the Ports of LA and Long Beach generate approximately 16,000 truck trips per day in the Harbor Area.As part of the environmental impact analysis for this project, the Sanitation Districts would determine potential traffic impacts and would propose appropriate mitigation.Furthermore, the Sanitation Districts will explore utilizing barges and/or trains during construction, significantly reducing the number of required truck trips.

18. Would you need to take any private land for the project?

The Sanitation Districts would try to build the project in public right of way to avoid the need to take any private land.It is possible that the Sanitation Districts would need subsurface easements for portions of a tunnel project.If easements are needed, the Sanitation Districts would compensate the property owner at the fair market value of the easement.The Sanitation Districts might also need land for temporary occupational right of way.Again, the property owners would be compensated at fair market value of temporary occupation.

19. How will the MFP address the future use of recycled water to assist Southern California during this prolonged period of drought?

The Sanitation Districts are strong proponents of the use of recycled water (commonly referred to as water “reuse”), and have been aggressively marketing its recycled water for over 40 years.This past year, over 80,000 acre-feet of our recycled water was beneficially reused for a variety of purposes including groundwater replenishment, landscape and agricultural irrigation, industrial applications, and wildlife habitat enhancement.(An acre-foot serves the approximate needs of two families for one year.)Even so, a significant portion of the recycled water is still being discharged to the Pacific Ocean via concrete-lined rivers and flood control channels.As part of the facilities planning effort, the Sanitation Districts will be seeking to identify new users and reuse sites for the remaining available recycled water being produced at the upstream water reclamation plants (WRPs).

20. Will water conservation efforts reduce the need for additional effluent management capacity?

Over the past decade, water conservation efforts have delayed the need for additional facilities, and to some extent, it is anticipated that this trend will continue into the future.The Sanitation Districts recognize the environmental and economic benefits of water conservation and support the efforts of water supply agencies to increase use of water conservation fixtures, such as high efficiency toilets.The MFP will be assessing the overall impact of water conservation on flow projections.

21. In the Palos Verdes Peninsula we have an active landslide and our homes and roads are continuously shifting.How can you guarantee that this construction will not trigger another event or make an existing situation worse?

It is unlikely that the Sanitation Districts would route a tunnel alignment that crosses an active landslide area.If an alignment were chosen in the vicinity of an active landslide, appropriate geotechnical engineering considerations and environmental mitigation measures would be implemented.

22. If a new tunnel alignment were to cross earthquake faults, what could be done in the event of a failure?

A new tunnel would be designed and aligned in a manner that would minimize seismic impacts.Prior to construction, the local geology would be well characterized to assure that a new tunnel would cross a fault in the safest possible way.Furthermore, the tunnel itself would be engineered to allow for movement caused by an earthquake.The new tunnel would be more resistant to seismic damage than the existing tunnels and provide far more reliability for disposal of the treated wastewater than currently exists today.

23. What are the plans for the existing tunnels and ocean outfalls, if new facilities are built?

The two existing tunnels and the four existing ocean outfalls are valuable public assets.In combination with any new facilities, the existing tunnels and ocean outfalls provide redundancy and operational flexibility for this critical wastewater infrastructure into the future.The Sanitation Districts plan to inspect and, if necessary, repair the existing tunnels.The condition and performance of the four existing ocean outfalls will be evaluated as well.However, a project to repair the existing tunnels and ocean outfalls is beyond the scope of the Clearwater Program and would require future studies and environmental analyses.