Charge: PacificaToilets Flushing Pacific
Pacifica treatment plant may not have studied system capacity since 1982.
By JACKSON WEST
Updated 2:45 PM PST, Thu, Oct 29, 2009
Even though Pacifica's city manager reported operational problems with the city's wastewater treatment plant as far back as 1993, raw sewage may have been leaking into the Pacific since 2005.
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board is threatening $2.3 million in fines for "illegal discharges" stemming from a more recent event in January of 2008.
The complaint alleges sewage travelling through the Calera Creek Wetlands and past Rockaway Beach directly into the ocean.
Pacifica closed beaches at the time, but allegations also include untreated wastewater leaking from manhole covers in town as 6.9 million gallons of partially treated waste water overflowed the system.
The city has already paid fines of $586,000 stemming from earlier incidents in 2005 and 2007.
Jackson West has considered moving to Pacifica because of the beaches, but this is certainly discouraging.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Oct 29, 2009 2:01 PM PST
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