San Diego Region - Enforcement Actions for April 2010
Enforcement Actions for April 2010
During the month of April 2010, the San Diego Water Board initiated 16 enforcement actions, including: 3 Investigative Orders, 3 Notices of Violation (NOV), and 10 Staff Enforcement Letters. In addition, the State Water Board issued 23 NOVs to facilities for failure to pay annual fees in the San Diego Region.
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 at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/enforcement/
California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ciwqs/publicreports.html
State Water Board GeoTracker database: https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/
INVESTIGATIVE ORDERS (IO)
K Square Gas Station, Escondido
IO No. R9-2010-0021 was issued to K Square Financial on April 15, 2010 in response to unauthorized releases of petroleum hydrocarbons associated with a gasoline facility at 1602 East Valley Parkway in Escondido. The IO requires K Square Financial to submit a Site Assessment Workplan by May 28, 2010 and a Site Assessment Report by October 29, 2010.
Palomar Village Shell, Escondido
IO No. R9-2010-0064 was issued to Mr. Sunny Goyal on April 15, 2010 in response to unauthorized releases of petroleum hydrocarbons associated with a gasoline facility at the Palomar Village Shell at 42197 Margarita Road, Temecula. The IO requires Mr. Goyal to submit a Site Assessment Workplan by May 28, 2010 and a Site Assessment Report by October 29, 2010.
Santa Margarita Water District, Discharge of Untreated Sewage
IO No. R9-2010-0078 was issued to the Santa Margarita Water District on April 28, 2010 in response to the discharge of approximately 2.4 million gallons of untreated sewage into Tijeras Creek, Orange County, between March 23 and 26, 2010. The IO requires that the District submit a technical report summarizing the cause, response, and effects of the discharge by May 28, 2010.
NOTICES OF VIOLATION (NOV)
Signet Armorlite, Inc., San Marcos
An NOV was sent to Signet Armorlite, Inc. on April 29, 2010 for failing to submit a sufficient Corrective Action Plan (CAP) in accordance with Investigative Order (IO) No. R9-2009-0015. The IO, issued on January 23, 2009, requires Signet Armorlite, Inc. to prepare and submit a CAP in response to unauthorized releases of chemicals to soil and groundwater at the Signet Armorlite, Inc. facility at 130 North Bingham Drive in San Marcos. The NOV cites numerous deficiencies with the CAP submitted by Signet Armorlite, Inc.
County of San Diego, Bonsall Landfill
NOV No. R9-2010-0075 was issued to the County of San Diego on April 23, 2010 for violations of Order No. 97-15, Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) for Post-Closure Maintenance of County of San Diego Bonsall Sanitary Landfill, San Diego County. The NOV was based on observations made during a compliance inspection conducted April 13, 2010. Cited violations include (1) failure to maintain the site to correct for the effects of settlement or other adverse factors, (2) inadequacy of the surface drainage system to handle the rainfall from a 100-year, 24-hour storm, and (3) inadequacy of maintenance of the surface drainage facilities and landfill cover.
County of San Diego, Heise Park Campground
NOV No. R9-2010-0076 was issued to the County of San Diego on April 15, 2010 for violations of Order No. 93-09. The NOV was based on staff review of monitoring reports covering January through December 2009.
Failure to Pay Annual Fees, Multiple Facilities
NOVs were sent by the State Water Board Fee Unit on April 13, 2010 to facilities for failure to pay 2009-2010 annual fees. Although the original invoices were mailed to dischargers in December 2009, a total 23 facilities in the San Diego Region failed to pay annual fees during 2009-2010. The unpaid fees account for approximately 1.5 percent of the billed invoice fees for the San Diego Region. These invoices and NOVs exclude industrial and construction storm water facilities, which are billed separately.
STAFF ENFORCEMENT LETTERS (SEL)
City of Escondido, Hale Avenue Resource Recovery Facility
An SEL was issued to the City of Escondido on April 8, 2010 for six violations of a discharge specification for manganese in Order No. 93-70, Waste Discharge Requirements for the City of Escondido, Hale Avenue Regional Reclamation Facility, San Diego County.
Oak Tree Ranch Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility, Ramona
An SEL was issued to Oak Tree Ranch, Inc. on April 14, 2010 for one violation of the total nitrogen discharge specification in Order No. R9-2007-0046 and for failure to provide a log of clippings removed throughout the year, the vegetation disposal method, and a calculated estimate of nutrient uptake and removal by vegetation.
Pinecrest Park, Julian
An SEL was issued to Ms. Kathleen Ronsenow and Mr. Frank Spevacelc on April 12, 2010 for one violation of a discharge specification for the total dissolved solids in Order No. 86-48, Waste Discharge Requirements for Pinecrest Park, San Diego County. The violation was identified in the July 2008-June 2009 annual monitoring report.
Rainbow Municipal Water District, Oak Crest Mobile Estates, Fallbrook
An SEL was issued to the Rainbow Municipal Water District on April 19, 2010 for two violations of discharge specifications for total suspended solids and sulfate in Order No. 93-69. The violations were identified in the June - December 2009 semi-annual monitoring report.
County of Orange, Joplin Youth Camp
An SEL was issued to the County of Orange Probation Department on April 12, 2010 for three violations of discharge specifications for total dissolved solids and sulfate in Order No. 93-47, Waste Discharge Requirements for County of Orange, Joplin Youth Center, Orange County. The violations were identified in the July 2008 - June 2009 annual monitoring report.
County of San Diego, San Pasqual Academy
An SEL was issued to the County of San Diego on April 13, 2010 for 24 violations of discharge specifications for total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, and chloride in Order No. 94-04. The violations were identified in the July - December 2009 semi-annual and the 2009 annual monitoring reports.
County of San Diego, Rancho del Campo
An SEL was issued to the County of San Diego on April 15, 2010 for ten violations of discharge specifications for total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and nitrate prescribed in Order No. 87-108, Waste Discharge Requirements for the County of San Diego, Rancho del Campo Water Pollution Control Facility, San Diego County. The violations were identified in monitoring reports for July - December 2009.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Rainbow Conservation Camp
An SEL was issued to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on April 19, 2010 for failing to report monitoring results for biological oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and pH and for failing to include information regarding the disposal of sludge. Each of the deficiencies identified above are violations of Order No. R9-2009-0009, Waste Discharge Requirements for California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, Rainbow Conservation Camp, San Diego County. The violations were identified in 2009 quarterly and annual monitoring reports.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Puerta la Cruz Conservation Camp
An SEL was issued to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on April 26, 2010 for failing to provide information regarding the disposal of sludge as required in Order No. 93-12. The violations were identified in the 2009 annual monitoring report.
U.S. Navy, S.E.R.E. Camp, Warner Springs
An SEL was issued to the U.S. Navy on April 28, 2010 for one violation of a discharge specification for the total dissolved solids in Order No. 93-11. The violation was identified in the 2009 monitoring reports.
