Sweetwater Authority committee backs $258,000 JPW contract amendment for PFAS outreach and schedules three community workshops

The Sweetwater Authority Legislative Affairs and Communications Committee voted unanimously Jan. 16 to recommend the full board approve an amendment to the JPW communications contract, adding $183,000 and raising the contract ceiling to a not-to-exceed $258,000 to fund PFAS-related outreach through calendar year 2025.

The recommendation, moved by Director Carlos Castaneda and seconded by Director Morrison, passed with all three committee members voting in favor. The committee also reviewed JPW’s proposed Phase 2 outreach program: three community workshops, a community advisory work group meeting and ongoing monthly communications tied to forthcoming quarterly water testing results.

The contract amendment covers communications work tied to Sweetwater Authority’s PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) response, including community workshops, translations, multicultural outreach, an education video, social media, mailings and a public inquiry hotline. Committee members discussed the outreach goals, metrics and cadence for follow-up with residents.

JPW consultant Jenny said the program emphasizes outcomes over outputs and described the outreach as a way to “build trust” — calling trust-building efforts “deposits” into what she described as a “trust bank.” JPW staff and Sweetwater Authority officials said they will compile comments from the workshops into a report and post follow-up information online.

Committee members pressed for plain-language materials and translation services. Committee discussion and staff remarks identified several specific outreach commitments: three in-person community workshops (National City library on Feb. 3, Chula Vista main library, and Bonita Sunnyside Library on the 19th), a Community Advisory Work Group meeting (noted as Tuesday the 28th), translated materials in Spanish and Tagalog, and an intent to provide monthly updates and a final outreach report by December. Staff also said the Authority maintains a PFAS-dedicated email and a voicemail hotline and commits to responding to public inquiries within two business days.

The committee discussed how to reach residents beyond traditional channels. Director Yamani and other members suggested sharing flyers and communications through city PIOs, district offices, school parent email lists and librarians, and using the Authority’s billing and e-bill lists in addition to social media and local news outreach. JPW and staff noted that email cycles for billing materials can take several weeks but confirmed plans for targeted e-blasts and social posts once flyers are finalized.

Staff said the outreach will present testing results in context — explaining parts-per-trillion levels, EPA reporting requirements and the distinction between reporting and mitigation — and that mitigation options, if needed, will have costs and funding implications the Authority is researching. The committee agreed to place the outreach update on the full board agenda under regular action and to place the contract amendment on the consent calendar for the board meeting unless a director requests it be pulled for discussion.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Recommend the full board support amending the JPW communications contract to increase the not-to-exceed amount by $183,000 to a total not-to-exceed $258,000 for calendar year 2025 (PFAS outreach). Mover: Director Carlos Castaneda. Second: Director Morrison. Vote: Castaneda — yes; Morrison — yes; Yamani — yes. Outcome: approved.

What the Authority says next Staff and JPW will begin Phase 2 outreach, hold the scheduled workshops and the community advisory meeting, continue quarterly PFAS testing and post results and compiled public comments online. The committee asked staff to return updates at future meetings and recommended the full board receive the outreach update at the next board meeting.

Context Sweetwater Authority has been monitoring PFAS in its water system and previously initiated Phase 1 outreach focused on initial education and correcting misinformation. The JPW contract amendment funds expanded community engagement, translation services and materials development as the Authority continues testing and evaluates possible mitigation options. The Authority emphasized it is researching funding options and that mitigation, if required, will carry costs that could affect ratepayers but that no mitigation decision was made at the committee meeting.