JOS Facilities Plan The 2010 Master Facilities Plan for the Joint Outfall System (JOS) was published in 1995 and resulted in upgrades to the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) that were completed in 2005. The Clearwater Program Master Facilities Plan will serve as a blueprint for operation of the JOS for many years to come and will address the following areas: Public Health and the Environment The primary purpose of the Clearwater Program Facilities Plan will be to assure continuation of a system that is protective of public health and the environment. Population Growth The six water reclamation plants in the JOS and the JWPCP will be analyzed and assessed to determine their ability to accommodate projected population growth, including industrial demands and wet weather needs. Water Reuse An analysis and development of strategies will be undertaken to increase opportunities for the reuse of recycled water. With a projected growth in population and diminishing available resources, including the increasing cost of importing water, sound environmental policy includes greater reuse of recycled water.		The 2010 Facilities Plan will be updated with the Clearwater Master Facilities Plan (right).
Aging Infrastructure Evaluating the aging infrastructure is crucial. The existing tunnels, under the Palos Verdes Peninsula, were built in 1937 and 1958 and have not been inspected in over 50 years. Because the system has reached its design capacity, both tunnels are in use every day. Neither one can be taken out of service. A new tunnel and ocean outfall would allow diverting flow from the old tunnels, taking them out of service for inspection and, if necessary, repairing them. New Tunnel and Ocean Outfall The facilities planning process may identify a strategy to reduce the amount of wastewater flowing to the JWPCP in Carson.Engineers and environmental consultants, however, predict that in all likelihood, a new tunnel and ocean outfall may be necessary. Advantages A new tunnel and ocean outfall will provide the following benefits to both the local and regional communities: Ability to inspect and, if necessary, repair the existing 53- and 74-year-old tunnels to keep them operational. Improved seismic reliability. Elimination of the flow capacity bottleneck in ocean discharge system, lessening the likelihood of releasing treated effluent into the Wilmington Drain or untreated sewage into the Dominguez Channel should a major storm event overwhelm the treatment capacity of the JWPCP in Carson. Lessens the likelihood of flooding the JWPCP in Carson, which would take months to restore operations.		Constructing one of the original tunnels from Carson to the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Possible Alignment (Location) Multiple alignments within the 90 square mile tunnel and outfall study area (shown right) have been researched and analyzed by environmental and geotechnical engineers. Four feasible alignments (shown right) have been identified.The outfalls would be located either on the Palos Verdes Shelf, around 1-1/2 miles offshore, or on the San Pedro Shelf, approximately 8 miles beyond the breakwater, depending on the alignment. (The edge of the ocean shelf is where the ocean floor dramatically drops off and is the limiting point that the outfall can extend into the ocean.) Construction If the facilities planning process and environmental studies conclude that a new tunnel and ocean outfall should be built, state-of-the-art underground construction methods such as a tunnel boring machine (TBM) will be used. TBMs avoid open trench construction by boring through the earth deep beneath the ground surface, thereby minimizing traffic disruptions. The only visible activity will be at a shaft site (a construction point for the lowering of the TBM and other supplies/materials into the ground and for the extraction and exportation of the excavated dirt and rocks).Shaft sites are typically shielded from surrounding areas by high sound walls. Cost & Schedule The estimated cost to construct a tunnel/outfall in today’s dollars would range from $550 million to $1.4 billion, depending on which alignment is ultimately built. The Draft Facilities Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Clearwater Program are expected to be available for public review in February 2012. During the public review period, the Sanitation Districts and the Army Corps of Engineers will conduct a series of public hearings. The Final Plan and Final EIR/EIS are scheduled for completion 6 months after release of the draft documents. If the decision is made to construct a new tunnel and ocean outfall, final design will take approximately 3 years, and construction will take an additional 5-8 years, depending on the alignment selected. Public Participation The Sanitation Districts want and need your participation in this important process, particularly since wastewater management is vital to public health and safety.Please let us know what you think. Together, we can work to protect and improve our environment for tomorrow's generation. Please register here for bulletins and updates or contact us with your comments, suggestions or questions. Back to Top		Study area for new tunnel and outfall system. Four feasible alignments for new tunnels and outfalls. Current schedule projects releasing the draft EIR/EIS in February 2012. The Clearwater Program has public outreach as the cornerstone of the facilities planning effort.