HOLLISTER
On Dec. 5, the city will send two officials to San Luis Obispo to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting to receive word on an expected lifting of a 6-year-old moratorium against new sewer connections here.
Along with city manager Clint Quilter and Engineering Manager Steve Wittry, an engineering contractor also is set to attend the meeting. Dave Jones in an engineer with CH2M Hill, which designed Hollister’s new $100 million-plus wastewater plant.
Harvey Packard, an enforcement coordinator with the water board, said the panel will be recommending that the board lift the moratorium.
“As far as I know, everything is squared away,” Packard said.
The state water board ordered the moratorium on the city in 2002 after a 15-million-gallon sewer spill occurred at the old wastewater plant. The spill was attributed to heavy population growth at the time, while officials attributed it to a rodent hole. The resulting moratorium, meanwhile, has damaged the local economy in one respect or another ever since.
Along with the moratorium being lifted, Wittry said the city is scheduled to receive a new waste discharge permit. The new plant, which treats waste differently than its predecessor, needs a new permit. With a new permit, the city and control board will have to communicate differently than in the past, another reason for sending the three people to the meeting.
As far as precise communications to the board, Wittry said, “The nits are being taken care of now.”
Wittry said the item is on the consent agenda for the water board. He added the item will likely be pulled for discussion but with everything squared away, it should be passed.
For those interested in visiting the Dec. 5 meeting of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, it will be held at the Central Coast Water Board Offices in San Luis Obispo at 895 Aerovista Place, Suite 101.
