Sewage spill closes beach at Aliso Creek
Mary A. Castillo
The South Coast Water District reported a 1,000-gallon sewage
spill at Aliso Creek to the Orange County Health Department, the
State Office of Emergency Services and the San Diego Regional Water
Quality Control Board.
The spill was discovered at 7:40 a.m. Wednesday by an Orange
County Park Ranger, District Public Information Officer Linda
Homscheid said.
About 560 gallons of the waste entered the creek and the ocean
waters before Sanitary Operations personnel stemmed the flow. Orange
County Health Department officials posted “No Swimming” signs 1,000
feet on either side of the creek at Aliso County Beach.
The spill resulted from a pumping failure at the Aliso Creek lift
station that pumps wastewater from Dana Point and South Laguna to the
Coastal Treatment Plant in Aliso Canyon. The lift station was fully
operational by mid-morning.
“We’re still working on what caused the pumping failure,”
Homscheid said.
The water district expects to provide a complete and final report
to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Last month the regional board served the water district with an
administrative civil liability complaint alleging violations in
complying with general waste discharge requirements and a section of
the California Water Code. The water district has not released a
formal response to the complaint, Homscheid said.
The board of directors has discussed the complaint in closed
sessions and is working with the regional board, she said. The water
district will formally answer the complaint on Jan. 23 in
anticipation of a hearing on Feb. 5.
If the water district waives a public hearing or is found to be
guilty of the violations, it may be liable for up to $136,100 in
fines.
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