LAKEPORT — The City of Lakeport received a cease and desist order and a connection restrictions notice from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley Region (CRWQB) Friday.
According to the notice, effective immediately, no new structures may connect to the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District collection system except those authorized by a building permit issued prior to Jan. 18. The areas involved are all of the city of Lakeport south of 16th Street and county areas in the South Main Street/Soda Bay Road areas.
According to the Water Control Board, the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District owns and operates a wastewater treatment facility that serves approximately 5,150 residents in the City of Lakeport. This wastewater treatment facility is regulated by Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) orders No. 98-207. This order allows a monthly average discharge.
According to the notice, the wastewater treatment facility has shown a history of sewage spills that resulted in violations of these WDR”s orders. In addition, the discharger”s water balance shows that there is inadequate storage or disposal capacity under the permit flow rate. Because the volume of influent exceeds the amount that the discharger”s wastewater system is capable of disposing or storing, the order was issued.
“We will respond to the board”s actions,” said Richard Knoll, acting Lakeport City Manager. “We plan on presenting evidence and discussing the options at the formal public meeting.”
A formal public meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., March 15 and 16 at the CRWQB office, located at 11020 Sun Center Drive No. 200 in Rancho Cordova. All parties and interested persons may speak at the meeting.
Copies of this order can be obtained via telephone by contacting Guy Childs at (916) 464-4648. To obtain a copy via the internet visit the CRWQB central Web site at www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley.
The notice is also available at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St., and on the City of Lakeport Web site under the “utility department documents.
Contact Rene Morales at rmorales@record-bee.com.
