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Council approves 10‑year dam‑safety program agreement framework and $100M as‑needed ceiling
Summary
The council approved staff’s request to authorize a 10‑year as‑needed program management agreement (not‑to‑exceed $100 million) with GEI Consultants to support dam assessments and regulatory compliance; staff said roughly $1 billion of long‑term dam work is expected.
San Diego’s City Council unanimously approved July 16 a staff request to authorize the mayor to execute an as‑needed program management agreement to support the city’s dam safety program.
Public Utilities Department staff told council the city manages 11 dams and two potable water tanks that fall under the California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD). Tiffany Kirk, assistant deputy director for the dam safety program, said the city’s dam infrastructure has an average age of about 92 years and that six dams had condition ratings of fair, poor or unsatisfactory. DSOD has imposed water‑height restrictions on four reservoirs while repairs proceed.
To accelerate assessments, regulatory compliance and construction delivery, PUD recommended an as‑needed, 10‑year agreement with GEI Consultants for program planning, condition assessments, specialized engineering, regulatory compliance and program management support with a not‑to‑exceed value of $100 million. Staff said the figure reflects projected long‑term workloads and industry cost estimates; they also estimated the total capital need across the dam portfolio could be about $1 billion over coming decades.
Councilmembers emphasized two priorities: protecting public safety and protecting ratepayers. Councilmember Woodburn asked whether the program would evaluate whether individual dams remain necessary to the city’s water supply. Staff said optimization of the system — including assessments of whether to repair, replace or remove specific assets — is part of the proposed program and that any recommendation to build new infrastructure would return to council for approval.
Christian Silva, the city’s Eco Opportunity Contracting manager, said subcontracting goals will be set at the task level once scopes are defined, and those goals will be mandatory within the Eco Opportunity Contracting program.
The agreement is structured as an as‑needed services contract; staff said individual task orders will be issued as projects and funding are identified. The council approved the staff recommendation unanimously (9‑0). Staff said they have secured some federal funding and are pursuing loans and grants to offset rate impacts; PUD will return to council with additional project‑level contracts and budgetary requests as work is scoped.
Next steps: Staff will execute the as‑needed agreement, issue task orders for priority assessments and repairs, pursue financing and return with project‑level approvals and funding requests.
