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RWQCB approves Camp Pendleton waste discharge order rescission

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board approved a rescission of the waste discharge order for Camp Pendleton's California Sewage Treatment Plant No. 9.

The 7-0 board vote May 13 eliminates the waste discharge requirements for the Las Pulgas plant which has been replaced.

The RWQCB initially issued a waste discharge order for the plant in 1998. The sewage has since been diverted to Camp Pendleton's Southern Regional Tertiary Treatment Plant and Northern Regional Tertiary Treatment Plant, which supports the production of recycled water for landscape irrigation and seawater intrusion mitigation.

Between 1999 and 2012 the United States Marine Corps received 12 staff enforcement letters regarding California Sewage Treatment Plant No. 9 and three notices of violation for the waste discharge order. During that time 94 violations for deficient monitoring, overflow events, and exceeding the pH limit occurred. No violations took place during the final seven years of the California Sewage Treatment Plant No. 9 operation.

All sewage operations for California Sewage Treatment Plant No. 9 ceased during 2019. In June 2019 the Marine Corps notified the RWQCB that the plant had been taken offline. The buildings and sludge drying beds were demolished, and in September 2019 the Marine Corps notified the RWQCB of the completion of that demolition. A Sept. 26 inspection by RWQCB staff confirmed the diversion of the sewage and the demolition of the structures.

A waste discharge order requires the permit holder to submit monitoring reports and to pay annual fees, so Camp Pendleton no longer must submit those reports and pay those fees while the RWQCB can redirect resources to monitor active facilities.

Before acting, the RWQCB held a public comment period from Feb. 7 to March 8 and no comments were received.

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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