Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
November 19, 2007
4. Water Quality
REGULATION:
Pay $585,000 fine, official tells council -
SEWER PLANT EXPANSION:
Future growth demands sewer plant expansion - Chico Enterprise Record
REGULATION:
Pay $585,000 fine, official tells council
By Kevin Clerici, staff writer
"This will bring some closure," Don Davis, the city's utilities manager, said of the settlement, which the City Council is being asked to approve when it meets at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 501 Poli St.
The city was cited two years ago by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board for a series of violations as it repaired damage to above-ground storage tanks at the sewage facility near
In August, the regional water board's executive officer agreed to let the city put $300,000 of the reduced, $585,000 fine toward a local environmental project on the board's approved list,
The Surfers Point project will divert contaminated urban runoff away from a storm-drain system flowing into the ocean and send it instead to the sewage plant for treatment.
The money for the fines would come from the city's capital improvement budget. Public Works Director Ron Calkins said the payment would not affect current projects.
The city could contest the penalty by sending only partial payment based on what it believes is a correct penalty, a figure closer to $100,000, officials said. But the regional water board has stated it would refer the matter to the state attorney general if the city fails to comply. #
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/nov/17/pay-585000-fine-official-tells-council/
SEWER PLANT EXPANSION:
Future growth demands sewer plant expansion
By Jenn Klein, staff writer
Work is beginning on a $38.5 million project to expand the capacity of
Quené Hansen, a project manager in the city's Capital Project Services department, said the expansion of the Water Pollution Control Plant is necessary to meet the needs of the projected population growth.
"Eventually you get to the size where you can't flush your toilet anymore, so we need to do the expansion to meet with the General Plan," Hansen said.
When complete, the capacity of the plant will go from 9 million gallons a day to 12 million gallons a day. It's expected to take 750 days to finish.
"It's probably one of the largest capital projects we've ever undertaken, if not the largest," Hansen said.
Hansen said the expansion is funded from an enterprise fund and development impact fees. She said it will have no impact on the city's General Fund, which is the account experiencing financial challenges.
The city raised development impact fees earlier in the year with the expansion of the water plant in mind.
The Water Pollution Control Plant is already noted for its environmentally-friendly and sustainable features, and Hansen said the project will add to those elements.
The city will improve the wetland habitat and expand an existing bird-watching area, Hansen said. Workers will also install a co-generator, which will convert the methane gas produced during treatment to electric energy.
Work officially began on the treatment plant Oct. 29. Hansen said workers are now in the process of doing prep work to get the site ready for heavier construction.
For safety reasons, the plant will be closed to the public during construction.
The existing solar array at the water plant is the world's largest ground-mounted solar tracking facility at a wastewater treatment plant. The system provides about 40 percent of the facility's energy needs, has saved around 55 percent in utility bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 743 metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to city figures.
The last expansion to the water plant, which started in 1997, took the plant to its current capacity. Hansen said the 1994
http://www.chicoer.com//ci_7501793?IADID=Search-www.chicoer.com-www.chicoer.com
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