California Regional Water Quality Control Board

Central Valley Region

Katherine Hart, Chair
Linda S. Adams 11020 Sun Center Drive #200, Rancho Cordova, California 95670-6114 Arnold
Secretary for Phone (916) 464-3291 • FAX (916) 464-4645 Schwarzenegger
Environmental http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley Governor
Protection

SACRAMENTO REGIONAL SEWAGE PLANT PERMIT HEARING

Summary of Proposed Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant NPDES Permit

The Central Valley Regional Water Board protects the Sacramento River and other water bodies in the area
by implementing federal and state laws on water quality and the uses of rivers. Law requires that sewage
plants be permitted and operate in compliance with the permits. The law requires permits be renewed
regularly and the plants are upgraded to meet new permit limits. The Sac Regional Sewage Plant operates
with out-of-date technology and discharges wastewater with standards far lower than those of comparable
communities. In fact, nearby communities such as Roseville, Lodi, Stockton, Manteca and Tracy already
treat wastewater to the limits proposed for Sacramento Regional, yet have monthly sewer fees equal to or
lower than Sacramento Regional’s current monthly fees, and thus much lower than the predicted increased
fees.

PURPOSE OF THE HEARING: Based upon several years of study and scientific research, Central Valley
Regional Water Board staff is proposing significant upgrades to the quality of water discharged to the
Sacramento River by the sewage plant. Board members have been provided with written comments from all
parties. At the hearing, the Board members will hear oral testimony from all parties and decide on whether
to adopt or modify the Permit proposed by Board staff.

COSTS OF COMPLIANCE: Compliance will cost money, but the costs can be spread out over years, and
may be partially paid by grants or aid from the state or federal government. Two independent engineering
cost evaluations (by Trussell Technologies, Inc. and PG Environmental), estimate compliance at $1.2 billon
and $1.3 Billion. Board staff believes the District’s much publicized cost estimate is high.

PROPOSED TREATMENT IMPROVEMENTS: These improvements include:

• Ammonia. Fourteen tons per day of ammonia are currently discharged to the Sacramento River.
The proposed permit will reduce this to about one ton per day to eliminate:
 Toxic concentrations of ammonia that are killing or stopping the growth of diatoms (a major type of
algae) and copepods (a type of aquatic insect). The toxic conditions occur from the discharge point at
Freeport to Suisun Bay, about 50 miles downstream. The diatoms and copepods are essential to the
food supply for the Delta aquatic system and this condition may be contributing to the loss of fish and
pumping restrictions in the Delta.
 Low dissolved oxygen in the Sacramento River from the discharge point to about Rio Vista. Low
dissolved oxygen harms fish and other aquatic life.
• Nitrates. Nitrates are a public health threat in drinking water supplies, and can change the type and
amount of aquatic life in the Delta. The proposed permit requires that the concentration of nitrates in the
discharge meet the State Drinking Water Standard. This would reduce the amount of nitrate in the Delta
from the Sac Regional discharge by more than half.
• Pathogens (disease causing organisms). The District’s own health risk study shows that the existing
discharge almost quadruples the risk of swimmers getting ill from contact with river water under some
conditions. Improved disinfection by the addition of up-to-date tertiary filtration will eliminate this
increased health risk, and will improve removal of many other pollutants in the discharge.

SCIENCE: Water Board staff has extensively reviewed available science in preparing the proposed Permit.
Original research was funded by the Water Boards to clarify some of the issues. The science behind the
new ammonia limits have been reviewed and confirmed by the Delta Stewardship Council, US Fish and
Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and California Department of Fish and Game. The
California Department of Public Health supports the conclusions regarding filtration and pathogen removal.

California Environmental Protection Agency

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