LAKEPORT – The City of Lakeport has decided to look at several options to expand its sewer system capacity in the wake of a hookup ban levied on it last month by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The water board's ban on hookups to the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District (CLMSD) came in the wake of an event last April.
At that time, between 3.6 and 6 million gallons of treated wastewater ran off the CLMSD site, into a tributary of Clear Lake and eventually into the lake itself, acting City Manager Richard Knoll explained to the council Tuesday night.
The water board put the connection ban in place Jan. 18, which Knoll said covers two-thirds of the city, because it says the city doesn't have enough sewer capacity.
Knoll said city staff doesn't know how the water board came to its conclusion on the number of residential unit equivalents (RUEs) the city has available.
By city calculations, city has 719 RUEs, said Knoll, and that number is close to calculations made by consultants, with one report estimating the city had capacity to accommodate growth over the next 10 years.
"We've been operating under the assumption for many years that we had substantial capacity available in the system," said Knoll.
But last April, due to sewer system problems at the Willopoint trailer park, 65 acre feet of lake water was forced into the city's sewer system, said Knoll. That caused the system to max out and resulted in the release of treated wastewater, he said.
Utilities Supervisor Mark Brannigan said after the sewer system overload, the city reported Willopoint to Lake County Environmental Health. The city was then able to inspect Willopoint's sewer collection system, he said.
The city found problems of a magnitude that they hadn't found before, he said, which included a raw sewage spill near the lake.
The overflow situation wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the Willopoint situation, Brannigan said.
The ban will affect some development projects currently under way, said Knoll, including the Parkside subdivision next to Westside Community Park, which is being built by Schellinger Brothers.
Knoll said it's his personal opinion that the water board used an "arbitrary" number to reach a judgment on city's capacity. Brannigan reported that the sewer plant is "close to empty" now.
Lakeport's city staff has a meeting with the board's executive officer Feb. 13, said Knoll. At that time, he said, staff hopes to get the ban lifted or at least come to an understanding of the way the board came to its determination that the city didn't have enough sewer capacity, he said.
"The intent of that meeting is to review this data and try to convince (water board) staff that in fact we have capacity, that they've erred in their analysis and hopefully walk away with the ability to issue some building permits," said Knoll.
If that doesn't work, he said, the city is scheduled to go before the water board at its March 15-16 meeting.
Knoll then went over several options city staff proposes to increase sewer capacity.
The council agreed to look at the following suggestions:
– Installing a bypass channel around the recapture basin, which will allow spray irrigation during dry periods without recapturing natural runoff. Estimated cost would be $310,000, with 340 RUEs added.
– Installing 90 acres of new irrigation facilities. Estimated cost would be $200,000, and 170 RUEs would be added.
– Raising the height of the dam's spillway at by 2 feet. Cost estimates run between $145,000 and $170,000, with the project adding 170 RUEs.
City Councilman Roy Parmentier suggested exploring injection wells, which Boeger Land Development's engineers have suggested would be cost effective. Boeger currently is developing a proposal for a golf course and housing development at the CLMSD site.
In addition, the city will approach the county over help in financing flow reversals from the Rose Avenue Pump Station to the Lake County Sanitation District (LACOSAN), which would cost about $1 million, said Knoll.
The city already has postponed the Parallel Drive annexation due to the ban, Knoll added.
Utilities staff also has installed flow meters at the C Street Pump station, which Knoll said will help the notice abnormal flows in the future.
Brannigan said the city has done the right things to address its system issues, including raising sewer hookup fees and working on a sewer master plan. "We've been really ahead of the game."
Knoll suggested trying to convince the water board of the error in its numbers, but also having options ready and being willing to admit mistakes. "We're up against a formidable foe," he said.
He added, "We've got a good argument to make."
Knoll reminded the council that the staff had anticipated a fine from the water board of around $300,000. "We didn't get a fine," he said.
"We just got the city shut down," replied Councilman Buzz Bruns.
Knoll said staff will research engineering costs for the sewer capacity options and return with a report at the council's next meeting.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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