The Hollister City Council approved $300,000 Monday to examine
surface and underground water along the San Benito River, along
with effects from the wastewater treatment plant
– an action mandated by the state following last year’s sewage
spill.
The Hollister City Council approved $300,000 Monday to examine surface and underground water along the San Benito River, along with effects from the wastewater treatment plant – an action mandated by the state following last year’s sewage spill.
The hydrogeologic study is the last of three supplemental environmental projects required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and will be conducted by an outside consultant.
The city is “a little bit behind schedule” in its efforts to complete the study before a May 2004 deadline, according to Public Works Director Clint Quilter.
If the city does not meet the deadline, it would forfeit $300,000 to the state’s Cleanup and Abatement Fund. However, Quilter said city officials plan to request an extension from the RWQCB this week.
Officials with San Benito County and the county water district, the agencies that initially suggested the study to the water board, will “share responsibilities for managing the study,” according to John Gregg, manager of the water district.
“We need to have a better understanding than we have today of how groundwater moves through the area and how it’s impacted by, or how it impacts, our activities,” Gregg said.
After the water board approved the study in January, the city was to submit a work plan and a cost estimate within 90 days to stay on schedule. Since January, Quilter and other city officials have regularly met with county officials to formulate the plan.
“I don’t think 90 days was necessarily enough time for three agencies to figure out how we’re going to manage it together and put the proper agreements together to manage it,” Quilter said.
Officials did not express concern about the project timeline.
“Because we’re also ahead or on time with the others (deadlines),” Mayor Brian Conroy said.
However, Conroy was optimistic about the improved working relationship – exemplified by the collaboration on the hydrogeologic study – between the city and the two county agencies.
Quilter also said the relations have improved since November, when the county filed a lawsuit against the city for issues relating to another supplemental environmental project that included an emergency storage basin.
“It needs to be noted that it (the relationship) has improved,” Conroy said.
The three supplemental environmental projects – which cost $600,000 – are part of the Administrative Civil Liabilities penalty handed down to the city in September for the 15-million gallon sewage spill.
The other two supplemental projects – both of which have been completed within the past four months – included construction of the $150,000 emergency storage basin, along with water conservation efforts costing the city $126,000. The final $24,000 went to the state for administrative costs.
The $300,000 for the hydrogeologic study will be placed in an escrow account. Proof of the deposit must be shown to the water board within 15 days, according to a staff report.
“The regional board wanted some indication that we set the money aside,” Quilter said.
The other $600,000 in the $1.2 million ACL action against the city includes possible fines of $200,000 for missing any of the three deadlines in the Long-term Wastewater Management Plan, which is scheduled for completion in October 2005.
The next crucial date comes Aug. 1, when two projects must be completed or the city will pay $200,000 for each missed deadline.
