Splashback

Holy Sewage:
Summer 2006 Issue
City of Richmond to Pay $80,000 for Sewage Spills
After months of negotiations, the City of Richmond, CA, and related agencies have agreed to provide $80,000 to compensate for pollution violations at their sewage treatment plants and to fund environmental improvements throughout the city. Last September, San Francisco Baykeeper and West County Toxics Coalition filed suit against Richmond for massive raw sewage spills from the city’s collection systems.

Casco Bay No-Discharge Area
This July, the Casco Bay was designated as a “federal no-discharge area” by U.S. EPA, forcing all bay-going vessels to dispose of treated and untreated sewage into one of 20 marina pump-out facilities in the bay. Lauded by Governor John Baldacci, Casco Baykeeper played a pivotal role in securing the protection for more than 229 square miles of marine habitat. For the past ten years Casco Baykeeper and Friends of Casco Bay have been involved in a tireless effort to build pump-out infrastructure in the bay to qualify for the designation.

The new status as a “no-discharge area” complements two state laws that offer further protections for the bay: one, prohibiting cruise ships from discharging grey water and the other, prohibiting the discharging of oily bilge water. “When it comes to vessel discharges,” says Casco Baykeeper Joe Payne, “with these new measures, Casco Bay will now be the most protected bay in the United States!”

$82 Million For San Diego Sewage Infrastructure
In June, the San Diego City Council approved a second interim settlement that obligates the city to invest $82 million to further upgrade San Diego’s sewage collection system and enhance inspection and maintenance programs. After filing suit in 2001, San Diego Coastkeeper, Surfrider Foundation and U.S. EPA reached an interim settlement with the city in 2005 that required a $187 million investment for replacing broken sewer lines and implementing a pipe cleaning program, resulting in an 84 percent decrease in spills over the past five years. This second interim settlement obligates the city to continue its successful sewage spill reduction program. Once the city is on more solid financial footing, Coastkeeper expects to enter into a long-term agreement that will require San Diego to invest more than $1 billion in its sewer system through 2013.

“The city has made tremendous strides in investing in its sewage infrastructure and reducing the chronic spills that had plagued the region for years before this suit was filed,” said San Diego Coastkeeper’s Executive Director Bruce Reznik. “As a result of this settlement, our world-famous beaches and bays will be safer for all San Diegans.”

Limerick Contest
Each issue we’ll donate $100 to the Waterkeeper program of the winner’s choice. Send your Waterkeeper-themed limerick to editor@waterkeeper.org.

By Michael Helfrich, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
In the dark days of blind corporate greed,
There arose a most definite need.
“An army we must form,
our world to transform!”,
caring people to replant the seed.

There then came a voice from the river,
that sent all polluters a shiver.
“To stop you we do dare,
clean our water and air,
or fear the next blow we deliver.”

They faced off, and fishermen stood tall.
Their only ammunition, the law.
Defeating the giant,
they continued defiant,
“If you pollute, we’ll come for you all!”

With hard work, their heroic tales grew.
Goliaths and windmills they slew.
Just like David and Don,
Their legends traveled on,
and the people saw that they were true.

Now over one hundred fifty strong,
the Waterkeepers righting the wrongs.
There is a solution
to not leave pollution
for our children to whom Earth belongs.