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Marley Cooling Tower Company i. Groundwater Treatment System San Joaquin County Inspection Report �J February 7, 2003 development (SPWN); and wildlife habitat (WILD). Industrial process supply (PRO) and industrial service supply (IND) are identified as a potential beneficial uses. Spill Chronology A detailed chronology is included at the end of this report. On Tuesday morning, September 17, 2002, the treatment plant operator, Mr. Jim Lingo arrived to find that the effluent pH meter signal was sending a constant and false "low pH" signal to the pH adjustment pumps. Copies of the "Water Plant Performance Log" provided to us by MCTC representative Mr. David Lieb indicate that the low pH signal was reading 2.79, and was first noted at 7:07 am. This false pH signal in turn caused the caustic pH adjustment pump to continuously operate despite the fact that the actual pH level was not low. Moreover, because the meter signal was "frozen" and sending a false "low pH" signal, it did not activate the system shutdown feature as it was designed to do. According to Mr. Lieb and Mr. Lingo, it is not known how long the meter signal was "frozen", but the earliest that it could have malfunctioned would have been around 10:00 pm on the night of September 16'h, 2002. Therefore, it is possible that the erroneous pH adjustments could have been occurring for at least 9 hours. Upon noting the malfunction, MCTC immediately shut the plant down, and undertook measures to correct this condition. Repairs made by resetting and recalibrating the pH probe and meter. Additionally, the caustic pump was replaced. The system was restored and operating within permit conditions at approximately 7:OOpm September 17, 2002. MCTC personnel did not visit the outfall or the Canal at that time to assess any impacts to the receiving water. MCTC also did not notify any regulatory agencies, including us, that a malfunction had occurred at the treatment plant and that a spill had occurred. DeltaKeeper received a report, via telephone message, from a concerned citizen about the fish kill on the evening of Wednesday, September 18, 2002. On Thursday, September 19, 2002 Ms. Kan Morgan, the DeltaKeeper Monitoring Coordinator, visited the site and performed field measurements in the canal, including pH measurements. Later that same day, at approximately 1:30 pm Ms. Morgan notified the DFG. Warden Lori Oldfather responded to the call. Using the field measurements and field observations, Ms. Morgan land Warden Oldfather were able to trace the point source to the MCTC outfall. A summary of DeltaKeeper's field measurements is provided in Table 1. Table 1: Summary of DeltaKeeper's Field Measurements Date(Time) Sample Location in the Stockton Diverting Canal pH 9/19/2002 Beneath Highway 99 at Waterloo Road. Approximately 8,500 feet 10.82 12:54 m downstream of the outfall. 9/19/02 West of Railroad Bridge, at weir. Approximately 6,600 feet 10.58 1:40 m downstream of the outfall. 9/19/2002 At outfall. 8.96 (3:45 m 9/19/2002 Unknown distance upstream from the outfall. 8.01 4:42 m 3 Approved: