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Special districts report upgrades and large sewage responses; officials say more funding needed for repairs
Summary
Special Districts staff described new inspection programs and equipment, extensive smoke‑testing and line cleaning, and a recent large sewage incident that prompted major recovery efforts; administrators warned the county needs federal or state funding to complete crucial repairs and SCADA modernization.
Special districts staff told the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 27 that a combination of aging collection systems, increased monitoring and a recent major incident have highlighted urgent capital needs to prevent future sewage discharges into waterways.
Robin Borre, special district administrator, described several operational upgrades in 2025: a fats/oils/grease (F.O.G.) database, a functional CCTV camera van, manhole inspection procedures, and a sustained SLRAT (sewer line rapid assessment tool) survey and smoke‑testing campaign that covered dozens of miles of sewer lines. "We hired a summer crew that did 46 miles of SLRAT work," Borre said, noting the program helped identify blocked lines and prioritise cleaning.
Special districts also recounted response to a recent large incident in which initial state reporting estimated a much larger potential release before field updates and recovery were tallied. Borre described how early modelled numbers (reported to Cal OES as a high possible release) were revised as pumpers, vactors and field crews contained and recovered materials; the certified incident report ultimately quantified the discharge at a far lower volume after on‑scene recovery accounting.
Agency staff stressed that cleaning, CCTV and manhole inspections identify where lines are compromised (root intrusion, structural issues) but do not substitute for slip‑lining or replacement where pipe integrity is lost. "Cutting roots is a stopgap; lines with root intrusion will often need slip‑lining or replacement," Borre said. The department has projects in planning—SCADA upgrades, headworks realignment, slip‑lining bids for Kelseyville and harbor areas—but said funding is required to proceed. Several projects were previously in the proposed CIP and would have mitigated the recent failure, staff said.
Board members and staff discussed enforcement of grease traps and partnerships with fire districts for mobile suppression resources. Borre said the district will seek federal and state grants for major capital work and recommended continuing proactive CCTV and line‑cleaning programs so the county prioritizes longer‑term capital replacements.
Ending: Special district staff will return with grant applications, updated CIP priorities and rate study results; supervisors emphasized prioritizing the worst portions of the collection system and exploring outside funding sources.
