HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/21/2026 Item 7b, Duffy
JIM DUFFY <jimd@tenoverstudio.com>
Sent:Monday, April
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:SLO City Council Agenda - item (7B) - Private Sewer Laterals
Mayor and Councilmembers,
I want to express my strong support for staff’s recommendation regarding private sewer laterals and wet-weather
capacity management.
During major rain events, inflow to the wastewater treatment plant can increase up to five times normal levels due
largely to stormwater entering the sanitary sewer system. A disproportionate share of this problem comes from a
relatively small number of failing private sewer laterals, which place long-term strain on City infrastructure,
increase the risk of spills, and expose all ratepayers to regulatory penalties and rising costs.
The existing offset program does not solve this problem in a durable way. It shifts responsibility to new homes and
ADUs, which contribute very little actual sewer flow, rather than addressing the aging infrastructure that is driving
the systemwide risk. That approach is neither fair nor sustainable as the city grows.
Staff’s proposal is a more prudent long-term strategy. It targets the root cause of the problem, gradually removes
the worst sources of infiltration from the system, and does so in a predictable way tied to property transfers. Over
time, this reduces peak flows, protects existing public investment, and avoids far more costly treatment plant
upgrades or enforcement actions.
By maintaining sewer studies for larger projects while removing unnecessary barriers for small builders and
homeowners, the City is balancing system reliability, housing goals, and fiscal responsibility. This is smart asset
management, and it positions the wastewater system to perform more reliably for decades to come.
I urge you to support staff’s recommendation.
Thank you.
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