Linda County Water District Fined More Than $100K For Wastewater Violations

LINDA (CBS13) - The people who run a local water treatment plant are accused of polluting the water. Now the Linda County Water District is facing fines of more than $100,000.

The water district says the water is safe; and while they acknowledge more than 40 violations, officials say they now have those problems solved.

"I'd hate to see it go any further with the economy the way it is," said Adam Garza.

Garza says his water bill is high enough, but he expects it to climb now that the Linda County Water District is facing a $123,000 fine.

"I think they're going to pass the cost to the consumer," said Garza.

The Central Valley Water Board cited the water district for 41 violations, each carrying a $3,000 fine.

"One hundred twenty-three thousand dollars is significant to this community, and any community," Water District Manager Doug Lofton said.

He says the violations stemmed from tougher standards their old plant couldn't meet. This past summer, the district opened a brand new $36 million wastewater facility that has fixed most of the problems.

Lofton says that people should not be concerned about any dangerous items ending up in their water.

Higher than allowed levels of chlorine and chloroform wound up funneled right into the Feather River. A spokesperson for the Central Valley Water Board tells CBS13 that the violations have caused no danger to the public, but the clean wastewater standards will only get more strict.

"They're going to get tougher to meet, and the fines are gonna get more stringent," said Lofton.

The district says they won't pass along the cost of the fine to customers, but Garza isn't buying it. He says he's fully expecting his bill to go up.

"It should have never gotten to that point," he said.

There's a good chance people will be asking who is going to have to pay that fine at Monday's regularly scheduled monthly meeting.