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Monterey One Water to pay $800,000 fine for discharging 3-million gallons of untreated water 

Pollutants released can degrade water quality, harm aquatic life, and threaten public health

–On Aug. 13, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board approved an $800,000 settlement agreement with Monterey One Water for unauthorized discharges of approximately three million gallons of untreated domestic and municipal wastewater to Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

On Jan. 19 and 20 of 2018, Monterey One Water’s wastewater treatment plant headworks overflowed, causing a discharge of approximately 2,869,230 gallons of untreated wastewater through an ocean outfall two miles offshore. On Feb. 20, 2017 and Oct. 17, 2019, two of Monterey One Water’s sanitary sewer system pump stations in Pacific Grove overflowed, causing unauthorized discharges of approximately 167,107 gallons of untreated wastewater.

Untreated wastewater can contain high levels of suspended solids, pathogenic organisms, toxic pollutants, nutrients, oxygen-demanding organic compounds, oil and grease, and other pollutants that can degrade water quality, harm aquatic life, and threaten public health. Monterey County Health Department issued beach closures and health warnings after all three overflows.

“We work hard with local entities to prevent these types of overflows,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Wolff, Chair of the Central Coast Water Board. “We take these violations and threats to the environment very seriously. This settlement demonstrates our and Monterey One Water’s collaborative commitment to protecting and restoring our region’s waters.”

Under the settlement agreement, Monterey One Water agreed to pay $10,000 to the State Water Board Cleanup and Abatement Account and $790,000 toward a supplemental environmental project consisting of assessment, repair, and replacement of defective privately-owned residential sewer laterals within disadvantaged community areas in the Castroville Community Services District’s service area. The project aims to improve the sanitary sewer system integrity to reduce the potential for rainwater entering and sewage exiting the system, thereby preventing sanitary sewer overflows and protecting local surface water and groundwater quality and public health.

The Central Coast Water Board is responsible for protecting and restoring water quality in a 300-mile-long coastal region, from southern San Mateo and Santa Clara counties to the northern part of Ventura County. Protecting aquatic habitat in streams, the ocean, and groundwater is essential to ensuring water quality and protecting the health of humans and wildlife.

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The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.