Following a recent story concerning Discovery Bay’s Community Services District violations of safety and water quality regulations and procedures arising from a sewage spill in the Lakeshore area of Discovery Bay, Below find details of Facility Inspection findings from October 9, 2008 for the Discovery Bay Facility. The report was sent to both the CSD and Southwest Water, the current facility operator. Residents ask how did it got so bad under current CSD leadership controlled by David Piepho, who, after denying over and over there was no problem, was first in line to take credit for a proposed special investigation.
“After our recent inspection/complaint investigation I informed you verbally of our preliminary findings on October 9, 2008. Per your request, I am providing you with a list of those findings in writing. Again, I would like to emphasize that these are preliminary findings and that we will form our final conclusions and recommendations after reviewing all the documents that we are seeking. A written request for those documents has been submitted via e-mail earlier today.
The first three finding relate to general safety over which the Water Board does not have regulatory authority. Nevertheless, I am obligated to point them out.
We identified a couple potential safety hazards in the headworks area at Plant No. 1.
The MCC cabinets near the emergency generator (Plant 1) should be kept closed, and preferably locked.
We noticed liquid in the covered containment area for the old chlorine tank at Plant 1. It was unclear if the liquid was water or a chlorine solution, however, it should be cleaned up and properly disposed.
UV tubes next to the chlorine building should be properly disposed of.
Housekeeping at Plant 1 was extremely poor.
It appears that this facility is used as a disposal site for debris and abandoned equipment.
After several months of work, the new SCADA system still does not appear to be fully functional.
The reliability of the existing SCADA system is also questionable.
When the main power was intentionally disconnected during our October 9 visit, neither system registered a power failure alarm (at least the operator on duty could not identify it). However, the SCADA system did indicate that the emergency generator was running.
The assistant Facility Manager noted that he still frequently finds the SCADA phone lines disconnected. This needs to be mitigated immediately.
One of the four rotors (brush aerators) has been out of service for several months. Another appears to be only marginally operational. The June 2008 Self- Monitoring-Report attributed the high ammonia concentration in the effluent to problems with two rotors (resulting in low dissolved oxygen).
There was no record of corrective maintenance work orders for those two aerators in the computerized maintenance management system.
The UV system does not appear to be adequately maintained.
The Fischer Porter system was missing at least seven ballasts in Bank B alone. Additionally, LED indicator lights on the remaining ballasts showed that at least 11 UV tubes in Bank B were not working at the time of our visit. These deficiencies are likely to cause non-compliance with the permit’s coliform requirements.
The local alarm for Banks A and B (Fischer Porter system) indicated “low intensity warning” and “low- low intensity alarm.” “Low-low intensity” is a serious alarm that apparently had not been addressed for an extended period of time.
You indicated that the UV system alarms were probably not connected to the SCADA system (this still needs to be confirmed). Regardless, there should be an SOP on identifying and correcting these alarms.
The intensity reading for Bank B showed 20% for each rack. The intensity reading for Bank A showed intensity reading of 40 and 60% for racks 1 and 2. These readings are well below what is required for reliable disinfection.
Intensity meter for Bank C was not operational at the time of our visit.
The Trojan UV system could not be evaluated because the monitor was almost impossible to read. One alarm appeared on the screen, however we were unable to determine the cause of the alarm condition. I believe that the very poor resolution/visibility on the screen was caused by problems other than lighting/glare conditions (although these were definitely contributing factors).
DO and pH meters are not calibrated prior to all compliance analyses.
Plant staffing is inadequate as indicated by a 12-page backlog of work orders.
There is also an indication that this backlog does not include all the outstanding work orders.
In general, there is a lack of written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) describing routine tasks and emergency response procedures. Although some of the SOPs may be found in the O& M manual, some operators do not appear to be familiar with them.
It is acknowledged that the Facility Manager is currently working on developing new SOPs and updating the existing ones.
The training of operators is inadequate.
There are strong indications that a significant amount of training (of new operators) is being done by an Operator-In-Training.
Operators should be professionally trained in process control, calibrations, sampling, SCADA, emergency response and particularly in the operation and maintenance of the UV systems.
The operators (including the Facility Manager) were not adequately familiar with the reporting requirements following non-compliance events (such as overflows).
Reporting of the July 7-18 overflow (spill) did not comply with either the State or Regional Water Boards’ regulatory requirements.
Operators must understand and acknowledge that the permit prohibits discharge of effluent to the Reclamation District 800 drainage ditch.
Please let me know if you disagree with any of these findings or if any of the identified problems have already been corrected.
Boris Trgovcich
Office of Enforcement
State Water Resources Control Board
(916) 714-2983
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You editors are just no fun anymore
Just when we were having a good time, you send the stripper home. OK OK, I’ll let Tattoo boy alone. You’ve taken all the fun out of my Wednesday night.. It’s not often that I get to shoot fish in a barrel with an Uzi..
Well Tattoo man????????????
You have now been told that the Finetti campaign spent just about the same as DBRRG spent on Simon-Tetreault. It came right from Jennifer Finetti’s keyboard. Do you wish to insult her next? Maybe you can call her a liar while your at it. I mean, heck, she must be lying, after all, how in the world would she possibly know how much she spent on her own campaign? I would think by now, you would be sick of people proving wrong so often, especially being that you are obviously smarter than every other person in the entire world. How bored you must be with us lesser people.
The more you post sport, the more obvious it is that you are just looking for your 15 minutes in the spotlight. You are becoming quite boring and repetitive, not to mention obnoxious as well. In fact little man, you’re actually starting to make Mankin look credible!
At this point in time, it might be a good idea for you to take the advice of so many people here and go back to Mixon’s play house, where the four of you can take turns being king.
Tattoo Man is correct – I never sent anything in the mail. And I paid for my flier and my doorhanger myself; East Bay Business Coalition had nothing to do with either piece.
ATTN: Moderator, I just posted something and found an error. Please post the following instead:
Just wanted to clear the air about a few things:
- My husband and I funded the majority of my campaign; we received about $890 in campaign contributions and the rest came from our own pockets. In terms of the cost of the items we purchased, we spent somewhere between $4000 and $5000 – I don’t have the info with me at the moment to get the exact figure. The costs were spent on the campaign statement fee, printing of signs, printing of flyers, insertion of flyers into the DB Press, printing and application of sticky notes to one issue of the DB Press, printing of doorhangers, website hosting and one month of Constant Contact. We did our own graphic design, and as such we had no external cost for that.
- An organization called East Bay Business Coalition paid for the ad that ran in the Discovery Bay Press. As I indicated on another blog, my husband and I had nothing to do with that ad…Meaning we were not involved in planning for the ad, writing copy for the ad, laying out/designing the ad, placing the ad or paying for the ad. EBBC did NOT pay for my doorhangers or my flyers, and I never said that to be the case. I wrote, designed, printed and paid for both of these pieces myself.
- I am amazed that our campaign was successful in getting as many votes as we did. We moved to Discovery Bay in 2006 and we do not know nearly as many people as the other candidates do…Therefore, most of the votes we earned were earned through the campaign process. In case anyone is interested, I won all of Discovery Bay West (4 precincts); Mark Simon won all of Discovery Bay proper (5 precincts). Ray came in 2nd in Discovery Bay proper and so the two of them came in ahead of me in the race. I concentrated the bulk of my campaign efforts on DB West whereas they concentrated the bulk of their efforts on DB proper. The voting results support the focus of our campaigns; yes I should have campaigned more in DB proper. I’ll know that next time should I decide to run in the future.
- I did not engage in any mudslinging, name-calling or opponent-bashing. I am proud of the campaign I ran, and have no regrets. I have reached out to both Mark Simon and Ray Tetreault to congratulate them and to offer my support and assistance should they need it going forward.
- My husband and I have been to the Lakeshore pool 2 times – in both cases, it was in Summer 2007 and in both cases, it was at the invitation of a Lakeshore resident.
Hopefully that answers everyone’s questions and concerns…Let’s please move forward as a community and join together to support the new CSD Board. I am confident that all 5 members will do a great job for Discovery Bay. Let’s give them a chance to do their work and see what the results are. What is the point in re-hashing stuff over and over again? We all have better things to do, and we can all do better for our community by exercising a bit of restraint and a bit of good will.
Disco man,
Do you know the difference between a mailer and a flier? One is sent in the mail and was is not. The return address rule only covers mailers, thus the return address. To my knowledge, the Finetti campaign never sent out a mailer.
Maybe I’m not the one who needs to be quiet.
So Tattoo man can’t figure it out that it is the same thing he has been complaining about with the RRG. Tell me where on Finetti’s flyer it states who it was paid by, with the return address. Just like you whined about previously. Like Fed up said who cares? Move on, and get a new subject matter. The election is over and nothing can be done to change anything. The two guys won with a landslide and you keep complaining because they ran away with the race? As for Mary Piepho, she used the same story Finetti used, “I don’t know who did all that stuff?” Right.
Again you have lived here for 30 minutes and you are the expert on the political scene. Is that you only day job? You are starting to flaw B.G.R’s website with your continued b.s. Do the math guy, two candidates divided by 2 is $2500.00 each. My bet is Finetti spent more that $2500.
Keep in mind that $5K was spent for TWO candidates. The direct Finetti campaign clearly spent more than $5K for just one candidate. She did glossy full color on all her stuff and had way more signs that the other 3 combined. My guess is that she also used her company resources for production assistance and I’d bet that will not show up on any filing. I would say even without the 527 money, but definitely with it she outspent the other 3 combined. The $2.5K each of the winners campaigns spent was not very much when you look at the cost of signs and printing. Arguing in this forum with this guy is like arguing with the wall. I suggest no further response to him.
Nice guys, both of you confuse your own opinion as fact, that’s real grand.
again, my character and not the issue.
Disco bay man, can you tell me what code the door hangers violated? Just curious.
You are biased and you are walking around with blinders on.
lakesidelly,
I’m sorry you’re such a dimwit.
You people need to learn to read. I never once made a threat, only an offer.
Please, read Ezra Pound’s “The ABC of Reading”.
Am I a foul mouthed prick, elitist, sure, whatever. I have never, to no one, no how, ever said I was “nice”. But do yourself a favor every once in a while…. Debate my point, not my character. The DBRRG is more crooked than a pool cue left out in the rain. Defend that. Slapping me on the hand and saying “bad boy” isn’t proving your point. (B.R.G if you love the truth give me a call sometime and I’ll show you actual evidence, not Hearsay)
Disco Bay Man, please…god…are you really telling me that because you have lived here for 20 years you know more than I do? You know the drama, sure…. but your residence here doesn’t give you a more profound understanding of clean campaign rules, the Brown Act, or civics in general, etc. I’m sure “B.G.R.” likes to tell the “truth”, but rocket scientist, the “truth” is subjective and abstract. The only thing I know is that B.G.R. has a website and doesn’t believe privacy is an unalienable right. I love it when people say, “I’m not even going to waste my time” and then continue spouting off for six paragraphs. You’re a peach.
I’m sorry if the Slate members and their posse don’t speak to the better angels of my nature. I really am. When you run a campaign on accountability and communication and don’t feel you have to actually embody either… then I’m not going to be on your team.
On a side note.
Why do people in this country hate intelligence? Why is it a negative thing to know and understand? Why do stupid people inherently hate smart people…. it’s like poor people hating the “Man”… ridiculous.
Our vote is our most precious right in a free society. In this election the nation voted to elect Barak Obama. While he was not my candidate and I have deep reservations about an Obama administration, he is the President…the country spoke for better or worse. We need to take a deep breath see how it plays out.
In Discovery Bay 70% of the population voted and 60% voted for Ray Tetreault and Mark Simon. No one intimidated or coerced these people to vote the way they did. They cast their vote for the candidate they thought would lead our town in the right direction. Period end of story.
All this anger is counter productive at this point. The voters decided! It is time to move forward and give Mark and Ray our support and a chance to make some positive changes for our community. Get over it…it is a new day.
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