Crunch time for sewer plant

As Colusa’s new wastewater treatment plant takes shape, the city faces nearly $500,000 in state fines for violations at the old plant.

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board has proposed a $489,000 penalty for violations of wastewater treatment standards accumulated over an eight-year period beginning in January 2000.

Frank Garofalo, the city’s water and sewer superintendent, said four of the six ponds used to filter the sewer water were taken off-line to make space available for the new construction about three months ago.

Operating the old plant at one-third of its normal capacity has hampered the filtration process, Garofalo said. That could expose the city to further fines if the board rules to enforce the penalties.

The Colusa City Council held a special study session Tuesday to discuss the potential fine. The council accepted City Manager Robert Hickey’s recommendation to ask the board to roll those fines into the construction costs of the new wastewater facility.

That option is available under a 2006 law authored by state Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley, which permits fines to be redirected toward construction costs for water facilities.

“Traditionally, that’s the way it works,” Councilmen Tom Reische said. “In the past, the board has excused fines if the city is spending the money to remedy the specific problems or violations. And I am certain that we are doing so,” he said.

Reische admitted the fines don’t “look good on paper,” but said officials are not overly worried because the city’s new sewer treatment project is on schedule.

Colusa has been cited for 191 effluent limitation violations, 107 of those considered serious. They include violations in the levels of ammonia, coliform bacteria and the turbidity of treated water.

Hickey described the bureaucratic process, saying the city has received a draft notice of the proposed fines and will now prepare a response.

“Right now we’re talking to their staff,” Hickey said. “The actual fine must still be approved and then the city will receive the actual (fine) notice. Then we’ll have to respond to that.”

Wendy Wyels, a spokeswoman for the Central Valley board, said Tuesday that after the board receives the city’s response, it could take up to two months to issue the actual fine.

Hickey said that the new $19.7 million wastewater treatment plant project is on schedule to begin treating water in August and should be complete by the March deadline. The project is also under budget, he said, increasing the likelihood the board would approve the fine rollover.

That doesn’t make it a done deal. City Attorney Steve Rudolph warned the council that the water board could deny the city’s request. “The board can increase the fine, or our request could be only partially granted,” Rudolph explained.

“So far, everyone is doing an excellent job trying to get the project done as soon as possible,” said Justin Harrison, a construction inspector with Eco: Logic, the firm hired to design the new plant.  He said construction workers are doing everything they can to have the plant ready to begin treating water by late August or early September.

Changes in 1999 to federal and state clean water mandates have resulted in severe fines for many rural north state communities such as Williams, Live Oak and Colusa.

“It’s a tough problem for all small towns,” Hickey said. “But, the board does recognize that the fix is under way in Colusa.”

Contact Rob Parsons at 458-2121 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.