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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Calaveras County Grand Jury
• 2007-2008
Murphys Sanitary District Spill Report 2006-2007 Response
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 3 findings
F1
Page 55
The first call made by MSD to report the spill was inadvertently made to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and not to OES. As a result, OES, in charge of disseminating information about the spill to all state and local agencies, has never been able to inform local agencies of the spill. A call to the City of Angels wastewater treatment plant was made by MSD notifying the treatment plant of the spill of raw sewage into Angels Creek. A call and fax reporting the spill was made by MSD to the CRWQCB. As of the writing of this report OES still has no record of being notified.
F2
Page 56
Media notification and Public Posting of sewage spills in excess of 1000 gallons is required by order of the Calaveras County Health Officer in compliance with §13271 of the California Water Code. A ‘Memorandum’, dated March of 1999, from the Calaveras County Health Officer was sent via certified mail to all County sanitary districts specifying procedures for notification, public and media. The spill of raw sewage into Angels Creek, November 26 and 27, 2006 received no public posting or media notification from MSD.
F3
Page 56
The spill occurred over a weekend and was discovered early Monday, November 27th 2006. When MSD staff first reported the spill to the Calaveras County Environmental Health Department, a message reporting the spill was left on the department’s voice mail because the office had not yet opened. Once the message was heard, the department did not follow up, because the department 53 did not have an internal follow up policy in place to be sure the spill was receiving all necessary attention.
Recommendations 12
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R1Page 57The Department normally responds to all voice mails and there is some question as to whether the Department was actually notified of this particular incident.
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R2Page 57It is the responsibility of the sanitary district to follow proper reporting procedures. When a sewage release occurs in excess of 1000 gallons to land or any amount is discharged into waters of the state, sanitary districts are required by law to notify the State Office of Emergency Services (OES). The Sanitary District failed to follow proper reporting procedures as prescribed in law.
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R3Page 57Sewage spills are not subject to Proposition 65 notification as cited in the Grand Jury Report.
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R4Page 57Referring callers to 911 for sewage spills is not necessary if a Sanitary District follows reporting procedures as prescribed in law.
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R5Page 57The Department normally responds to all voice mails and there is some question as to whether the Department was actually notified of this particular incident.
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R6Page 57It is the responsibility of the sanitary district to follow proper reporting procedures. When a sewage release occurs in excess of 1000 gallons to land or any amount is discharged into waters of the state, sanitary districts are required by law to notify the State Office of Emergency Services (OES). The Sanitary District failed to follow proper reporting procedures as prescribed in law.
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R7Page 57Sewage spills are not subject to Proposition 65 notification as cited in the Grand Jury Report.
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R8Page 57Referring callers to 911 for sewage spills is not necessary if a Sanitary District follows reporting procedures as prescribed in law.
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R9Page 57The Department normally responds to all voice mails and there is some question as to whether the Department was actually notified of this particular incident.
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R10Page 57It is the responsibility of the sanitary district to follow proper reporting procedures. When a sewage release occurs in excess of 1000 gallons to land or any amount is discharged into waters of the state, sanitary districts are required by law to notify the State Office of Emergency Services (OES). The Sanitary District failed to follow proper reporting procedures as prescribed in law.
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R11Page 57Sewage spills are not subject to Proposition 65 notification as cited in the Grand Jury Report.
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R12Page 57Referring callers to 911 for sewage spills is not necessary if a Sanitary District follows reporting procedures as prescribed in law.