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Council hears update on sewer permit change and reduced enforcement penalty
Summary
Council member Greg Evans said a stipulation and consent order related to the city’s UPDES permit has been posted for public comment and that the city has applied to change its permit from a discharge permit to a groundwater application, which would reduce some regulatory testing requirements.
Council member Greg Evans reported Monday that the city’s sewer‑plant enforcement matter has progressed to a published stipulation and consent order for public comment and that the city has submitted a letter to change its UPDES discharge permit to a groundwater application.
Evans said the consent order appears likely to settle at a lower amount than an earlier estimate: “I think it's, like, 12,000 something versus the 37,000 it was originally,” he told the council. He said the stipulation requires a 30‑day public‑notice period before finalization. The change to a groundwater application reflects that the city is not discharging offsite but rather applying treated effluent to its own property; council members said that change should reduce testing and reporting requirements.
Evans said he will follow up with public‑works staff about outstanding items such as hydrant repairs and a reported water leak. The council did not take formal action on the permit at Monday’s meeting.
Why it matters: A groundwater application rather than an offsite discharge permit can reduce ongoing regulatory burden and sampling requirements, and a smaller consent‑order payment would reduce a near‑term fiscal impact on the city.
What’s next: Staff will monitor the 30‑day public comment period on the consent order, follow up with the state on the groundwater application status and return to council with updates.
