Council authorizes Brown & Caldwell to begin chromium‑6 pilot testing amid ongoing litigation

Dixon City Council approved a professional services agreement with Brown & Caldwell on Dec. 17 to conduct pilot testing of chromium‑6 treatment technologies after staff told the council the municipal water system is currently not meeting the State Water Board’s 10 parts‑per‑billion maximum contaminant level (MCL).

Jordan Santos told council the State adopted a 10 ppb chromium‑6 MCL that took effect Oct. 1 and that agencies were given time to implement treatment; he said small agencies like Dixon were facing substantial implementation costs. "The city of Dixon's municipal water system has been in violation of said new MCL," Santos said, and staff asked for consultant oversight and pilot testing to establish likely technologies and costs.

Staff described three state‑approved treatment approaches — strong‑base anion exchange, weak‑base anion exchange and RCF filtration — with typical implementation costs that have historically sat "between $4 and $6,000,000" per well site, though technologies and costs have evolved. Councilors asked about pending litigation challenging implementation timing; city legal counsel explained that filing a lawsuit does not automatically stay a regulation absent an injunction and the city remains subject to regulatory obligations unless a court order states otherwise. The council approved the Brown & Caldwell agreement and a small budget transfer to cover a funding shortfall.

Staff said pilot testing typically takes 2–3 months and full implementation could take up to a year once a technology is selected and procurement is complete. Council members and residents urged caution on costs and noted litigation and advocacy efforts are underway to seek relief or assistance for small communities.