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REVISED CLEANUP AND ABATEMENT ORDER NO. 5-01-703 -4- <br /> CITY <br /> 4- <br /> CITY OF RIVERBANK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT <br /> STANISLAUS COUNTY <br /> the Discharger to submit a pond water balance to show that the facility's disposal capacity was in <br /> compliance with the WDRs. <br /> 18. On 29 August 2000, staff received a verbal report from the Discharger that the western berm of the <br /> Summer 2 percolation pond failed two days earlier. A small berm leak was observed during a <br /> routine inspection, and the Discharger mobilized emergency repair crews, but they were unable to <br /> control the leak and the berm suddenly collapsed. Approximately 20 million gallons of treated <br /> effluent were discharged into neighboring walnut orchards owned by private citizens. Some of the <br /> effluent entered an agricultural drain that discharges to the Stanislaus River, but due to the poor <br /> state of the channel, it was not possible to determine the volume of effluent discharged to the river. <br /> The Discharger was unable to return any of the ponded effluent to the ponds because no excess <br /> capacity was available. The remainder of the affected pond was drained to the Summer 3 pond <br /> (which had been drying out in preparation for routine maintenance) and repairs were made soon <br /> thereafter. However, as a result of the temporary loss of capacity, the Discharger had to divert <br /> effluent flows to the Summer 3 pond, which had been drying out in preparation for discing to <br /> enhance percolation rates. Consequently, the Discharger did not perform any pond maintenance in <br /> 2000 to alleviate the reduced percolation capacity. <br /> 19. On 5 October 2000, staff met with the Discharger to discuss the recent pattern of serious <br /> violations. The Discharger stated that the current freeboard problem was not an indication of a <br /> capacity problem based on a recently completed water balance. The Discharger planned to dry <br /> and disc the Summer 2 or 3 Pond in the spring of 2001 before the start of the canning season, and <br /> at least two of the Winter Ponds would be ripped in early 2001. The status of other ongoing <br /> improvements was also discussed. <br /> 20. On 18 October 2001,the Executive Officer issued an NOV and Water Code Section 13267 <br /> Request for Reports. The Discharger was required to submit the following reports: <br /> a. Monthly status reports for the storm drain segregation project;the plant upgrade and <br /> expansion project; percolation pond ripping; the lift station back-up power system project; <br /> the lift station telemetry system project; and implementation of the Pretreatment Program <br /> Assessment Report. <br /> b. A Pond Berm Evaluation Report that identified each problem or potential problem observed; <br /> the nature and extent of the problem; recommended repair measures; recommendations for <br /> preventative maintenance; a recommended schedule for repairs and preventive maintenance; <br /> and recommendations for frequency of future inspections. <br /> c. A Water and Wastewater Systems Evaluation and Planning Report including a description of <br /> existing conveyance, treatment and disposal systems; a hydraulic capacity evaluation; an <br /> evaluation of future capacity needs; a description of improvements needed to bring the <br /> facilities up to current standards; a preliminary scope and schedule for capacity <br /> improvements; and an evaluation of user rates. <br /> 21. On 6 November 2000, the Discharger submitted a technical report that included the following: <br /> a. A review of existing conditions and system capacity for the wastewater treatment plant. The <br /> report concluded that there was sufficient excess treatment capacity to serve 2,400 additional <br /> residences and sufficient excess disposal capacity to serve an additional 3,600 residences as <br />