Board approves recertification of Santa Rosa\'s Sewer System Management Plan under state order

The Board of Public Utilities voted unanimously to approve the 2025 recertification of Santa Rosa Water’s Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP), meeting requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board’s statewide general waste discharge requirement.

Joe Ciaboni, Deputy Director of Local Water and Sewer Operations, told the board the updated statewide order (effective June 5, 2023) requires recertification of SSMPs every six years and expanded elements for sanitary sewer overflow prevention, reporting, audits and emergency response. The order adds a new spill category (Category 4) to capture spills under 50 gallons and requires internal audits at least every three years with documentation of evidence and metrics.

Ciaboni said Santa Rosa’s SSMP already incorporated the required changes; the city’s overflow response program includes emergency response, cleanup, source mitigation, communications and coordination with stormwater agencies. He pointed to Santa Rosa’s spill performance over January 2020–2025: the city’s average was 0.52 spills per 100 miles compared with a California average of 8.3 per 100 miles.

The certification item was moved by Board Member Mullen and seconded by Board Member Bartholow. A roll-call vote recorded Wright — aye; Mullen — aye; Bartholow — aye; Chair Galvin — aye. The resolution passed unanimously with Board Members DeWitt, Bavenport and Vice Chair Arnoni absent.

Ciaboni said staff will maintain the SSMP as a living document and use a change log to record future revisions; the updated emergency response plan is structured so it is usable as a stand-alone standard operating procedure for staff.