Organizations voices concerns about timeline to meet requirements for treatment
The regional water board approved a permit for the Elk River Wastewater Treatment facility unanimously at a board meeting Thursday, but some environmental groups still had concerns. Local activists asked for more measurement locations for effluent discharged into Humboldt Bay and for the facility to meet regulatory requirements sooner, but the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board did not take these requests, while still requiring some environmental changes for the facility.“Surfrider is incredibly concerned that the compliance schedule described in the staff presentation, which allows the city a shocking 20 years to stop unsafe practices, will result in continually and unnecessarily degraded water quality,“ Northern California region manager for Surfrider Foundation, Sarah Griffin, said during public comment, noting the organization had a petition with 161 signatures in support of her comments.The plant releases the treated wastewater into Humboldt Bay near the Coast Guard station. A Eureka study from 2014 found that not all the effluent released leaves the bay, sparking a regulatory change the facility has been working on addressing for years. Part of the extra time given to the city, which according to the permit has to meet standards by 2042, involves delays on the regional water board’s part, according to Brian Gerving, Eureka’s public works director.Jennifer Kalt from Humboldt Baykeeper, now called Humboldt Waterkeeper, asked at the meeting for more sites to be measured, as only one site near the release area is monitored. Gerving argued other monitoring sites could pick up enterococcus contamination from other sources. The city was given two years to find labs for testing.Surfrider also said the plan should include ways to address sea level rise and noted the use of Humboldt Bay by people swimming and fishing.Read more about "Permit renewed for Elk River Wastewater Treatment Plant"
