North Coast Water Board Approves Basin Plan Update

With a unanimous vote, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the Basin Plan Amendment which establishes criteria for Wastewater Discharge, Storm Water Discharges and what they term. Low Threat Discharges. There was overall acceptance of every part of the Basin Plan except for issues concerning incidental runoff, which is primarily part of the Low Threat Discharge Action Plan.

There is so much documentation on this subject that is published on the Water Board web site, I'm going to link you there (below) for all the details.

Bottom line is, however, that objections to the use of recycled wastewater for irrigation, and the resultant runoff that ends up in our streams, wasn't enough to have the board hold off on passing this plan. The contention was that these chemicals, etc. in the recycled/treated water put our streams - and therefore our fish, etc., at risk because of the hormone interuptors and heavy metals that cannot be eliminated with our current treatment process.

But the board felt that there are enough monitoring systems and “BPs” (Best Practices-which are rules and regs that must be met) in place to mitigate problems. The rest of the plan is designed to protect waterways and asking the board to hold off on the whole plan for this section proved to be more than the board could do. So the Basin Plan is approved and there's more progress even if not enough progress in protecting our water.

Please learn about the details at the waterboard web site - there is much to know!

www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast for more information than your mind can handle - but take a look because there are some real gems of information in here! This is fascinating information, not just on water and wastewater, but you also learn how the people in charge create complex systems to monitor and potect water for all of us. We may not agree on everything, but much prohress has been made over the decades.There are peoole who care on both sides of this fence.

COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! Sens to vesta@sonic.net