A determination that discharge of waste from existing or new individual disposal systems or from community collection and disposal systems which utilize subsurface disposal should not be permitted shall be supported by substantial evidence in the record that discharge of waste from such disposal systems will result in violation of water quality objectives, will impair present or future beneficial uses of water, will cause pollution, nuisance, or contamination, or will unreasonably degrade the quality of any waters of the state.
Regional Water Quality ControlIndividual Disposal Systems
Section § 13280
This law section states that if the discharge of waste from any individual or community-based underground disposal systems is to be banned, there must be strong evidence proving that such discharge harms water quality. It should show that the waste disposal violates water quality goals, harms current or future uses of water, causes pollution or a nuisance, or unreasonably degrades state water quality.
waste discharge subsurface disposal water quality objectives
Section § 13281
This law requires the regional board to evaluate all relevant information when determining whether a discharge of waste is permissible, considering factors like environmental impact, system failure rates, and land use. If there's a sewer system available, discharges from individual waste disposal systems on plots smaller than half an acre overlying certain aquifers in Riverside County are prohibited. Larger parcels of land in these areas can have up to two equivalent dwelling units with individual systems per acre. An equivalent dwelling unit is basically a single-family home. A sewer system is considered available if it’s within 200 feet of the property. The goal is to comply with these rules by January 1, 2004.
(a)CA Water Code § 13281(a) In making a determination pursuant to Section 13280, except as specified in subdivision (b), the regional board shall consider all relevant evidence related to the discharge, including, but not limited to, those factors set forth in Section 13241, information provided pursuant to Section 117435 of the Health and Safety Code, possible adverse impacts if the discharge is permitted, failure rates of any existing individual disposal systems whether due to inadequate design, construction, maintenance, or unsuitable hydrogeologic conditions, evidence of any existing, prior, or potential contamination, existing and planned land use, dwelling density, historical population growth, and any other criteria as may be established pursuant to guidelines, regulations, or policies adopted by the state board.
(b)Copy CA Water Code § 13281(b)
(1)Copy CA Water Code § 13281(b)(1) To the extent that resources are available for that purpose, the regional board shall prohibit the discharge of waste from existing or new individual disposal systems on parcels of less than one-half acre that overlie the Mission Creek Aquifer or the Desert Hot Springs Aquifer in Riverside County, if a sewer system is available.
(2)CA Water Code § 13281(b)(2) For parcels of one-half acre or greater that overlie the aquifers described in paragraph (1), the maximum number of equivalent dwelling units with individual disposal systems shall be two per acre. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term “equivalent dwelling unit” means a single family dwelling as defined in Section 221.0 of the 1997 edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.
(3)CA Water Code § 13281(b)(3) For the purposes of this subdivision, a sewer system is available if a sewer system, or a building connected to a sewer system, is within 200 feet of the existing or proposed dwelling unit, in accordance with Section 713.4 of the 1997 edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.
(4)CA Water Code § 13281(b)(4) To the extent that resources are available for the purposes of this subdivision, the regional board shall achieve compliance with this subdivision on or before January 1, 2004.
regional board discharge of waste Mission Creek Aquifer
Section § 13282
This law section allows for the use of individual water disposal systems if they are properly designed, located, built, and maintained, and if a public agency assures the regional board of these standards. If these systems eliminate pollution and protect water quality, their discharges are allowed. An authorized public agency must notify the regional board if these requirements are not met. The term 'authorized public agency' refers to any agency with oversight from a water quality control board that can ensure these system standards are maintained.
(a)CA Water Code § 13282(a) If it appears that adequate protection of water quality, protection of beneficial uses of water, and prevention of nuisance, pollution, and contamination can be attained by appropriate design, location, sizing, spacing, construction, and maintenance of individual disposal systems in lieu of elimination of discharges from systems, and if an authorized public agency provides satisfactory assurance to the regional board that the systems will be appropriately designed, located, sized, spaced, constructed, and maintained, the discharges shall be permitted so long as the systems are adequately designed, located, sized, spaced, constructed, and maintained.
(b)CA Water Code § 13282(b) An authorized public agency shall notify the regional board if the systems are not adequately designed, located, sized, spaced, constructed, and maintained.
(c)CA Water Code § 13282(c) For purposes of this section, “authorized public agency” means a public agency authorized by a water quality control board and having authority to ensure that systems are adequately designed, located, sized, spaced, constructed, and maintained.
water quality protection disposal systems design pollution prevention
Section § 13283
This law section states that when the state board evaluates whether to deny permission for the discharge of waste from both old and new individual disposal systems, they must first consider other options. These options aim to protect water quality and future uses, as well as prevent problems like pollution and contamination. The review should include solutions such as community waste systems using underground disposal and a mix of various disposal and treatment systems.
In reviewing any determination that discharge of waste from existing or new individual disposal systems should not be permitted, the state board shall include a preliminary review of possible alternatives necessary to achieve protection of water quality and present and future beneficial uses of water, and prevention of nuisance, pollution, and contamination, including, but not limited to, community collection and waste disposal systems which utilize subsurface disposal, and possible combinations of individual disposal systems, community collection and disposal systems which utilize subsurface disposal, and conventional treatment systems.
waste discharge review individual disposal systems protection of water quality
Section § 13284
This law gives the state board the authority to create guidelines, regulations, or policies that are needed to put the rules of this article into practice.
The state board may adopt guidelines, regulations, or policies necessary to implement the provisions of this article.
state board authority implement provisions guidelines adoption
Section § 13285
This law deals with cleaning up and paying for contamination caused by methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a chemical that can pollute water sources. If MTBE leaks from storage tanks or pipelines and threatens drinking water, it must be cleaned up according to specific health and safety standards. Public water systems and their customers aren't responsible for paying for this cleanup. However, water systems can charge their customers to cover these costs but must adjust rates if they later recover money from those responsible for the pollution. Also, this law does not shield anyone who caused the spill from being liable, even if they are customers of the water system.
(a)CA Water Code § 13285(a) A discharge from a storage tank, pipeline, or other container of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), or of any pollutant that contains MTBE, that poses a threat to drinking water, or to groundwater or surface water that may reasonably be used for drinking water, or to coastal waters shall be cleaned up to a level consistent with subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 25296.10 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b)Copy CA Water Code § 13285(b)
(1)Copy CA Water Code § 13285(b)(1) A public water system, or its customers, shall not be responsible for remediation or treatment costs associated with MTBE, or a product that contains MTBE. However, the public water system may, as necessary, incur MTBE remediation and treatment costs
and include those costs in its customer rates and charges that are necessary to comply with drinking water standards or directives of the state board or other lawful authority. A public water system that incurs MTBE remediation or treatment costs may seek recovery of those costs from parties responsible for the MTBE contamination, or from other available alternative sources of funds.
(2)CA Water Code § 13285(b)(2) If the public water system has included the costs of MTBE treatment and remediation in its customer rates and charges, and subsequently recovers all, or a portion of, its MTBE treatment and remediation costs from responsible parties or other available alternative sources of funds, it shall make an adjustment to its schedule of rates and charges to reflect the amount of funding received from responsible parties or other available alternative sources of
funds for MTBE treatment or remediation.
(3)CA Water Code § 13285(b)(3) Paragraph (1) does not prevent the imposition of liability on any person for the discharge of MTBE if that liability is due to the conduct or status of that person independently of whether the person happens to be a customer of the public water system.
MTBE cleanup water contamination methyl tertiary-butyl ether
Section § 13286
This law requires that starting January 1, 2012, the relevant regional board must stop allowing wastewater to be disposed of underground using individual systems in the Cove area of Cathedral City in Riverside County to protect groundwater quality and public health. The board needs to update its water quality plans to include this ban.
Before 2012, the board can also enforce this ban if needed, and update its plans accordingly. Additionally, the state board should help Cathedral City find funding for a proper public wastewater system.
(a)CA Water Code § 13286(a) On and after January 1, 2012, the appropriate regional board shall prohibit the discharge of wastewater into the ground through the use of individual subsurface disposal systems in the Cove area of Cathedral City in Riverside County for the purposes of protecting the health and safety of the residents consuming the groundwater of the Upper Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin and achieving the applicable water quality objectives.
(b)CA Water Code § 13286(b) The appropriate regional board shall revise its water quality control plan to reflect the prohibition set forth in subdivision (a).
(c)CA Water Code § 13286(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), the appropriate regional board, prior to January 1, 2012, may prohibit the discharge of wastewater through the use of individual subsurface disposal systems in the Cove area of Cathedral City in Riverside County, and if so prohibited, that board shall revise its water quality control plan to reflect the prohibition.
(d)CA Water Code § 13286(d) To ensure that the purposes of this section are fulfilled, the state board, using existing resources, shall assist Cathedral City to identify and obtain state and federal funds to establish a sanitary public domestic and commercial wastewater disposal system.
wastewater discharge prohibition subsurface disposal systems Cove area
Section § 13286.9
This law requires that any wastewater discharged by the Orange County Sanitation District into the Pacific Ocean must undergo at least secondary treatment. This means the water has to be cleaner and meet specific standards to protect the environment. This requirement is enforced starting either on a date decided by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board or by January 1, 2013, whichever comes first. Additionally, more strict standards may be applied by either the state or regional water board as they see necessary.
On and after the date determined by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, or January 1, 2013, whichever is earlier, all wastewater discharged by the Orange County Sanitation District into the Pacific Ocean shall be subject to at least secondary treatment requirements pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Section 301 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1311(b)(1)(B)), and any more stringent requirements determined to be appropriate by the state board or that regional board.
wastewater discharge Orange County Sanitation District secondary treatment
