Procedures: Information about the Environmental Health Division Food Safety and Consumer Protection program came from

Recommendations 6

• R1

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  Each Individual aquifer should be tested for contamination periodically on a schedule determined by the EHD.
• R2

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  The EHD should also test well water from each aquifer within the county for the following potentially toxic metals: Antimony, Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Thallium and Zinc. This is especially relevant in an area such as Plumas County with a history of mining. Additionally, because of increased development and agricultural activity, testing should be done for a broader spectrum of disease producing microbes.
• R4

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  This Grand Jury strongly recommends that the EHD be actively involved in the Planning Department’s approval process to independently evaluate all aspects of the water quality and quantity proposed by the development to assure that the water source for the development is adequate and won’t adversely affect another. This would lessen the chance of a development being approved without sufficient water, as has happened in the past.
• R5

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  The Board of Supervisors should not approve any development without the EHD first evaluating and certifying that the proposed water source for both domestic and emergency fire protection use is sufficient.
• R6

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  The EHD and other agencies should develop a public relations campaign to raise awareness that our lakes and streams are fragile.
• R7

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  The Board of Supervisors, through the EHD, should establish a countywide requirement for mandatory pumping of septic tanks when a property is sold, and actively inform residents of the need to pump their septic systems every three to five years. Background Information: In Plumas County the Environmental Health Division of the Plumas County Public Health Agency has the responsibility for drinking water protection and determining sufficient quantities of water for individual wells and wells for development up to 199 connections. As indicated in their 2009 Annual Report, in 2005 their Division was certified as the Local Primacy Agency (LPA) by the California Department of Health. This allowed water system purveyors and operators a local contact and resource in helping to protect drinking water quality. Again, from their Annual Report, the EHD monitors 139 drinking water systems throughout the county. These include non- community systems, such as resorts and campgrounds, small systems serving less than 15 connections, and community systems with up to 199 connections. Whenever drinking water does not meet established standards, the system operator must advise its customers, and when there is an immediate risk to human health, the operator must issue a Boil Water Advisory. The EHD also partners with the California Department of Fish and Game, a sub group to the Almanor Basin Watershed Advisory Committee that monitors Lake Almanor water 28 quality, and other water quality organizations to help protect lakes, streams and groundwater water supplies. One example of this was in 2008, when the EHD completed the 10th and final year of well testing as a result of the 1997 pike eradication project. In 2007, they began year one of a new ten year testing cycle for chemicals used in the 2007 treatment. Also in 2008, the EHD received Department of Public Health accreditation for water quality testing. The EHD offers certified water quality analysis for coliform bacteria and E. coli. The EHD’s Annual Report for 2008 goes on to say that this service supplements the nearest private laboratory options in Chico or Reno. It is available for wells, springs, or surface water, making the analyses useful for routine water quality checks for private sources or to help pinpoint contamination problems with public water systems. Within the permitting process for wells and septic systems, the EHD insures that wells are at least 50 feet from a septic tank, and at least 100 feet from leach lines. After permitting for wells and septic systems for individual private connections, there is no monitoring by the EHD. If there are problems, the EHD will act in a consulting manner to help correct the problem, but there is no county or state requirement for monitoring. There is also no requirement for periodic pumping of septic tanks. The EHD has recommendations and flyers that encourage pumping every 3-5 years, but there are no recommendations to make it mandatory. With septic systems that feed into a common leach field, the threshold for installation requirement goes up. With 2 connections the threshold goes higher, and when it reaches 5, the Regional Water Control Board takes over the permitting process and perhaps ongoing monitoring. With individual private wells, for the permit process, the individual will do well to follow the information in the County’s “Well Manual—Information on the Well Installation and Permit Process.” It mentions water supply that meets the ground water well standards, where to locate it, the type of material to use in drilling, how to put on a sanitary seal, and other such things. The individual submits an application which, when completed, spells out what the person wants to do. The application then goes to the EHD, and if it is complete, they have a set of administrative standards to meet, standards that consider the well’s distance from septic tanks and leach fields, and how far wells can be from creeks, rivers, and lakes. If the individual can meet the various criteria, the EHD issues the permit. A community well is one that is used by several units like a resort or campground. There is a one stop permitting agreement with the Building Department and behind the scenes various county agencies look at their piece of the process. Once the application reaches the EHD, permitting is basically an administrative process. With a development, permitting depends on the size of the development, the density, and the developer’s proposal. Approval depends on the county’s general plan and the zoning requirements. If a development is proposed in a “prime opportunity” area, the developer will have to connect to a community water system. In this case the developer will need a “Will Serve” letter from the district, stating that the community system has 29 the quantity and quality of water to meet their needs. The developer will get their “Will Serve” letter which satisfies the water needs for the development. Depending on the number of connections of the development, the criteria for permitting and approval gets more stringent. If the development is 5 or more connections, it becomes a classification called a “State Small Water System.” The EHD refers to those standards to determine what infrastructure is needed. It would become more sophisticated with more chemical monitoring and other things. The next higher threshold is 15 or more connections, and each time the criteria for approval gets more involved. The EHD is the regulatory body of developments with up to 199 connections. At 200 connections it falls under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Health. If the development is proposed for over 200 connections, the EHD will administer and monitor the development until 200 connections are made. With a “new” development of over 200 connections, the EHD would function as the local liaison without any further involvement in the decision making process. They would field questions by the developer and try to connect them with the state, but they wouldn’t have direct responsibilities for the development other than seeing that the reports were filed and that some of the conditions put upon the development are in place. With developments over 200 connections, the approval process starts with the Plumas County Planning Department. When the developer starts to develop property, the Planning Department looks at all the issues. They will look at traffic, air quality, water supply and liquid waste, all items under the California Environmental Quality Act. The Planning Department is the hub that supplies these coordinating services. The water supply is just one stroke. The ultimate responsibility, authority, and jurisdiction are under the California Department of Health. The parties work directly with the Planning Department. Any comment the EHD would make would be indicating that the development is under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Health. The Planning Department has the responsibility to compile all of the process into the Environmental Impact Report, distributed for public comment. The document must then be approved by the Planning Department with any additional conditions required for approval. The EHD is not involved with the original permitting and approval process for these large water systems. However, once all the planning and all the agreements are satisfied, then the EHD is the local permitting agency and the responsible agency for enforcement of state regulations for that system, from 15 to 199 connections until it goes beyond that number, despite the fact that they have no input during the approval process. The EHD gets concurrence from the California Department of Health, drawing from the state’s expertise when necessary. The EHD relies on information from the hydrologist, for the kind of pump tests, the duration, and qualitative issues, referring to the California Department of Health when there are questions. Procedure: The Grand Jury obtained information about the Environmental Health Division from the 2008 General Fund Budget publication. We also have the Plumas County Public Health Agency Environmental Health Division Annual Report for 2008. There is much 30 information about the EHD and its program on their web site (www.countyofplumas.com/publichealth/envhealth). The EHD’s Director has supplied manuals and information pamphlets about water wells and septic systems installations and permitting processes. The Grand Jury has obtained much information by interviewing the EHD Director about the approval process for wells and septic systems, and the kind of oversight and control the EHD has or doesn’t have over the existence and life of such projects. The Grand Jury has also obtained information from interviews with the Directors of both the County Planning and Building Departments and took time to question the Director of the Plumas County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to learn how his organization affects Plumas County water. The Grand Jury wants to determine the effectiveness of the EHD’s involvement in keeping our county’s domestic water safe, and assuring that informed judgments are made in determining if there is sufficient water supply for individual and development needs. Conclusion: The Grand Jury wishes to express its appreciation to the Director and staff of the Environmental Health Division for their cooperation in our investigation. The EHD has charge of many programs, all related to the health and safety of County citizens. As we all look to our county’s future and “where we are going,” the Environmental Health Division must take on this Grand Jury’s role as “watch dog” to protect and sustain those qualities of life that make Plumas County such a desirable place to live. 31