Water Raw Sewage Spills
River Watch vs. Hay's Septage
Location: Mendocino County
Case Number:
Date filed:
Background: Hay's Septage is a site in Mendocino County where companies bring septage for disposal. It is septic waste, in this case mostly from septic tanks and porta potties. This is raw sewage. The raw sewage is just dumped in holding ponds where liquid is supposed to evaporate and the dry waste land spread. This facility has chronic pollution problems. Discharges to Ross Creek from the holding ponds occur both directly and indirectly. Direct discharges occur to leaks in the holding ponds, spills from holding ponds and septage being washed off the site during rain events. Indirect discharge occurs due to the fact that the site is hydrologically connected to the Ross Creek drainage and pollutants move subsurface to the creek. Ross Creek is waters of the United States.
RW Action and Results: A meeting was recently hosted by the Regional Water Quality Control Board in which River Watch and Hay's Septage discussed the issuing of a new permit for the site, as well as the conditions under which the facility will need to undergo to comply with the Clean Water Act. The site has since been re-opened under a successful agreement by all parties. As a result, Hay is no longer discharging to open land and the RWQCB has agreed to take control of the site and supervise compliance. The issue of septage disposal sites and their compliance with the Clean Water Act has recently been taken up by the Regional Water Quality Control Board in the form of meetings being held all along the North Coast, mainly as a result of this issue being addressed by River Watch.
Notice Letter
Complaint
Consent Decree