NIPOMO, Calif. - People may be illegally dumping into a community's sewer system, and officials say it couldn't be happening at a worse time.
The Nipomo Community Services District says the facility is not operating at 100% because of reconstruction at the District Southland Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility.
The district treats wastewater for about 10,000 people in the area. But in recent months, higher levels of solids and chemicals have been found in the wastewater, leading district General Manager Michael LeBrun to suspect illegal dumping.
"Where we'd normally see levels in the 300 milligrams per liter, we're seeing 900 and higher," says LeBrun.
Like many other cities, Nipomo wastewater is collected through manholes, and that's exactly where the district suspects this illegal dumping is taking place. LeBrun says a $13 million reconstruction project on the wastewater treatment facility makes this a much bigger problem. The facility's treatment capacity is reduced by 25% right now. LeBrun says continued high levels of chemicals in the wastewater could result in state fines, which would be felt by customers.
"I want clean water. I want clean water where I work, and I want clean water where I live," says Nipomo resident Camille Martin.
Martin manages the Nipomo Old Town Nursery. She says water is the life-blood of her business. Higher water rates, she says, would impact her shop directly.
"Hopefully it won't affect our rates," says Martin. "There's been up and down talk about our rates going up. That would affect business in general. Especially some place like Nipomo Old Town Nursery."
There are almost 1,000 manholes in Nipomo and so they are doing their best to investigate, but the theory is the illegal dumping could be coming from RV's or someone draining their septic tank into the sewer.
The district says if anyone sees anyone dumping illegally in a manhole, to contact them directly at (805) 929-1133.
