A 340-acre landfill facility in Richmond, Calif., is releasing contaminated stormwater contaminated into nearby waters in violation of its federal water pollution permit, a conservation group says in a lawsuit filed in federal court. The West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill has consistently released stormwater and non-stormwater containing high levels of iron, aluminum, and a high pH, according to the suit.
A declaration suit filed in Superior Court in Sacramento by attorneys for some of the leading environmental groups in America accuses the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) of trying to prevent anyone in California from filing a court action challenging the bonds after the bond sales are underway. Referring to the DWR’s court filing in August, the environmental groups’ Oct. 29 suit says it amounts to the DWR writing a “blank check” to finance the project.
Years in the works, Menlo Park’s first recycled water system is up and running, carrying wastewater from local households to the Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club, where a new treatment facility cleans the water for irrigation use, keeping the golf course a lush emerald green.
The California Coastal Commission, on Nov. 6, will be considering a permit application to replace a stretch of shallow contaminated sediment at Los Cerritos Wetlands with clean sediment. Los Cerritos Wetlands, LLC, filed the remediation request with the Coastal Commission.
About 0.47 acres of the Synergy Oil Field at Los Cerritos Wetlands – which is relatively close to Alamitos Bay Marina and Naples Island in Long Beach – has, according to Coastal Commission staff, been used “as a disposal site for oil field-related wastes.”
The Fallbrook Public Utility District will be repeating the bid process for granular activated carbon treatment system equipment. A 5-0 FPUD board vote Oct. 27 rejected both bids submitted earlier in the month and directed district staff to readvertise the procurement of the treatment equipment for bid.
A presentation at the Oct. 26 Fallbrook Public Utility District board meeting outlined the process of setting calendar year 2021 rates. The presentation was a nonvoting item, but the FPUD board members expressed no objection to the schedule.
The Rainbow Municipal Water District infrastructure to be funded by the planned Fairview development project will include two pressure reducing stations as well as water and sewer pipelines. Rainbow’s Oct. 27 board meeting included a 4-0 vote, with Helene Brazier unable to participate, to approve an agreement between the district and D.R. Horton for the construction of the water district’s infrastructure.
The Rainbow Municipal Water District approved a contract with Palomar Backflow to test Rainbow’s backflow devices. Helene Brazier could not participate in the Oct. 27 board meeting, but the other four board members all voted to approve the professional services agreement with Palomar Backflow.
The pandemic has changed the way many students are attending school, but the health emergency did not stop more than 150 local kids from taking part in the annual Helix Water District art contest.
The water district honored 10 student artists for their winning “Water Is Life” posters. The district held a virtual awards ceremony during its Oct. 28 board meeting.
After a very warm and dry October for Northern California, some big changes are coming for the first weekend in November. Most of this week will be warm, sunny and dry with high temperatures well above the average of 70 degrees. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will see highs close to 80 degrees and remain rain-free.
