Yuba City Water District Working To Reduce Bacteria In Wastewater Following Fine
YUBA CITY (CBS13) — State regulators have fined the Yuba City Water District for wastewater violations over how the water is treated before it leaves the plant.
Yuba City water officials admit they were not in compliance with state standards for their water discharge, but they say they do not believe they are having any effect on the Feather River.
"We are going to get it corrected, the goal is 100 percent compliance with our discharge permit," said Mike Paulucci with the city's utility department.
He's referring to a recent $12,000 fine by the state after tests showed water the treatment plane was putting out wasn't clean enough and contained coliform levels that extended state standards.
State water officials say the fines are limits and the fines are intended to keep waterways like the Feather River clean. Paulucci says the water being discharged isn't hitting the river despite hearing their permit allowing them to do it. Instead it goes to the river basin into ponds he says that evaporate.
They're working to get in compliance and have identified one of the problems.
"We get algae growth on the weirs, we're upgrading the system back there, so this little bits of algae and material stays in the treatment system," he said.
The plant also received a $30,000 fine in 2013 Paulucci says has been addressed.