San Diego Region - Enforcement Actions for March 2011

Enforcement Actions for March 2011

During the month of March 2011, the San Diego Water Board initiated the following enforcement actions:

Administrative Civil Liability Orders (1)
Investigative Order (2)
Notices of Noncompliance with Storm Water Enforcement Act of 1998 (1)
Staff Enforcement Letters (6)
Total (10)

A summary of recent regional enforcement actions is provided below. Additional information on violations, enforcement actions, and mandatory minimum penalties is available to the public from the following on-line sources:

State Water Board Office of Enforcement webpage

California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS)

State Water Board GeoTracker database

In addition to the summary information provided below, access to information on violations, enforcement actions, and mandatory minimum penalties (MMPs) is available to the public from the State Water Resources Control Board Internet webpage at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/enforcement/

 

ADMINISTRATIVE CIVIL LIABILITY (ACL) ORDERS

Santa Margarita Water District, Rancho Santa Margarita
ACL Complaint No. R9-2011-0023 against the Santa Margarita Water District was issued on March 10, 2011. The Complaint recommends a liability of $1,731,970 be imposed for violations resulting from a 2.29 million gallon sewage spill to Tijeras Creek, Arroyo Trabuco Creek, and the Pacific Ocean that occurred between March 23 and March 26, 2011. A hearing has tentatively been scheduled for June 8, 2011.

 

INVESTIGATIVE ORDERs (IO)

City of Oceanside, Sanitary Sewer Collection System
IO No. R9-2011-0035 was issued to the City of Oceanside on March 10, 2011. The IO directs the City of Oceanside to submit a technical report pertaining to the investigation of a 5.5 million gallon discharge of untreated sewage to Buena Vista Creek, Buena Vista Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean that occurred in December 2010 from a ruptured 15-inch gravity sewer main near Haymar Drive in Oceanside. The technical report is due April 11, 2011.

City of La Mesa, Sanitary Sewer Collection System
IO No. R9-2011-0040 was issued to the City of La Mesa on March 28, 2011. The IO directs the City of La Mesa to submit a technical report pertaining to the investigation of discharges of approximately 1.31 million gallons of untreated sewage to Alvarado Creek and Chollas Creek that occurred in December 2010 from four locations. The technical report is due May 6, 2011.

 

NOTICES OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH STORM WATER ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1998

Diamond Concrete Supply, Inc., San Diego
A Notice of Noncompliance was sent on March 11, 2011 to Diamond Concrete Supply Inc. for failure to enroll in the statewide General Industrial Storm Water Permit Order No. 97-03-DWQ, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit No. CAS000001 Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) for Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activities Excluding Construction Activities. The Notice is the first to inform the discharger that, pursuant to Water Code section 13399.30(a)(2), failure to enroll will subject it to mandatory penalties. A second Notice will be sent after 30 days if the discharger fails to enroll. If a Notice of Intent to enroll is not submitted within 30 days of the second Notice, the violation will be subject to a mandatory penalty of not less than $5,000 per year of noncompliance plus staff costs pursuant to Water Code section 13399.33.

 

STAFF ENFORCEMENT LETTERS (SEL)

U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Southern Region Tertiary Treatment Plant
An SEL was issued to the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Southern Region Tertiary Treatment Plant, on March 4, 2011 for one violation of the discharge specification for color in Order No. R9-2009-2011 during January 2011.

Eastern Municipal Water District, Temecula Valley Regional Water Reclamation Facility
An SEL was issued to the Eastern Municipal Water District on March 23, 2011 for one violation of the daily maximum discharge specification for manganese in Order No. R9-2000-165 for the Temecula Valley Regional Water Reclamation Facility that occurred during January 2011.

U.S. Navy, S.E.R.E. Camp, Warner Springs
An SEL was issued to the U.S. Navy on March 23, 2011 for one violation of the 12-month average discharge specification for total dissolved solids in Order No. 93-11 for the S.E.R.E. Camp that occurred during September 2010.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido
An SEL was issued to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly Wild Animal Park) on March 8, 2011 for one violation of the daily maximum effluent limitation for chloride in December 2010.

South Orange County Wastewater Authority, Multiple Facilities
An SEL was issued to the South Orange County Wastewater Authority on March 23, 2011 for numerous violations of Order No. 97-52 (Waste Discharge and Water Recycling Requirements for the Production and Purveyance of Recycled Water by Member Agencies of the South Orange County Reclamation Authority, Orange County) at two of its member agencies’ facilities that occurred in January 2011.

  • The Moulten Niguel Water District Regional Plant was cited for one violation of the 12-month average discharge specification for manganese.

  • The South Coast Water District Coastal Treatment Plant was cited for one violation of the 12-month average discharge specification for manganese.

San Diego Gas & Electric, Sunrise Powerlink Suncrest Station
On March 18, 2011 a copy of a compliance inspection report was provided to the San Diego Gas & Electric for its Sunrise Powerlink Suncrest Station construction site. The inspection was conducted on March 2, 2011 by the State Water Resources Control Board to determine compliance with the facility’s Clean Water Act section 401 Water Quality Certification. However, the report identifies concerns with the facility’s compliance with the statewide construction general storm water permit, Order No. 2009-0009-DWQ. Identified concerns include the discharge of very turbid water and the location and installation of inadequately-sized best management practices.