Sewage spills amid storms topped 8 million gallons
Mike Lee
San Diego Union-Tribune
01/08/2011
Twenty-six sewage spills leaked more than 8 million gallons into local waterways from Dec. 21 through Dec. 28, according to numbers released Friday by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The spills were linked to the late-December storms that deluged the region, causing mudslides, traffic accidents and sewage-system upsets.
Oceanside had the biggest problem — 5.5 million gallons of wastewater that fouled Buena Vista Creek, Buena Vista Lagoon and the nearby ocean.
San Diego city suffered seven spills, but none was more than 9,000 gallons. La Mesa reported five overflows totaling about 1.3 million gallons.
Regulators broke the problems into two main categories: those caused by excessive rainwater infiltration into the sewage system and those linked to storm-related damage such as broken pipes.
It’s not clear how the regional board will handle penalties.
“This was an unusual circumstance — 8 million gallons in a week is something I have never dealt with,” said Christopher Means, an environmental scientist for the agency. “We are looking at our (regulatory) options.”
