HomeMy WebLinkAboutF-151CITY [ LERWS
FILE no. F-151
SUBJECT=
• STATE OF CALIFORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
e. V.
BAN F.ANCS&CO 2 CALIFORNIA
October 28, 1947
City Clerk
San Luis Obispo
California
Subject: Sewage Disposal Permit
City of San Luis Obispo
Dear Sir:
Application of the City of San Luis Obispo, dated Au-
gust 25, 1947, for permit to construct municipal sewage works en-
largements comprising a final clarifier, an additional sludge
digestion tank and sludge aeration tenks, and to dispose of an
oxidized and chlorinated plant effluent on the city sewer farm by
broad irrigation or by overflow to San Luis Obispo Creek, after
not less than five days storage in effluent ponds, has been con-
sidered by the State Department of Public Health.
Analysis of the problem has been made on the basis of
an snUneerin„ report submitted by the consulting sanitary engi-
neer for the city, and on additional information obtained at a
public hearing held in the City of San Luis Obispo on October 2,
1947. Findings of the State Depertlaent of Public Health in re-
gard to the proposed project are as given in the following para-
graphs:
Population of the City of San Luis Obispo is estimated
at 12,000. Ytis estimated that during the next 5 to 10 years
this population may increase by 5,000, giving a total human pop-
ulation of 17,000.
Industrial wastes of the City of San Luis Obispo are
all discharged to the domestic sewers. At the present time, the
industrial wastes are chiefly from two creameries and from a
slaughter house. The population equivalent is estimated at 8,000
persons, giving a present combined population equivalent of 20,000.
City Clerk, San Luis Obispo - 2 - October 23, 1947
It is anticipated that during the next 5 to 10 years the industrial
load may increase by an amount equivalent to 5,000 population and
this, together with the estimated increase of 5,000 human popula-
tion, would give a combined future load in 5 to 10 years of 30,000
population equivalent. The ultimate population used for design is
40,000.
Domestic sewage flow, including industrial waste for the
City of San Luis Obispo, has ranged from 1.25 to 1.75 m.g.d. For
the immediate future load of 30,000 population equivalent, it is
estimated that the sewage flan may be 3 m.g.d. and this quantity
has been used in reviewing the hydraulic loadings of the proposed
treatment plant. The ultimate load for design purposes is taken
at 40,000 population with a flow of 4 m.g.d.
Existing treatment of the combined domestic sewage and
industrial waste includes primary clarification, primary stage
biofiltration, secondary clarification and secondary stage biofil-
tration, with two -stage sludge digestion. Improvements are under
way at the plant to bring it up to the design capacity of 20,000
population, for which permit was granted August 22, 1946. The im-
provements include comminutors, digester sludge gas collection and
heating equipment and miscellaneous plant pipe work and appurte-
nances for odor control. Subsequent to the granting of the 1946
permit, following complaints of neighborhood nuisance in the spring
of 1947, a second chlorinator was purchased so that chlorination is
now in duplicate.
Proposed additional treatment facilities, for which per-
mit has been requested, inc ude a new Yinal c arifier, a new sludge
digestion tank and sludge aeration tanks operating in conjunction
therewith, together with preehlorination facilities and preaera-
tion with activated sludge for odor control. Plans have been made
for the further addition of another biofilter unit to bring the
capacity of the plant up to an ultimate population equivalent of
40,000. In the meantime, the consulting sanitary engineer for the
city reports that in his opinion, since the new plant unite for
which permit has been requested will give a longer detention peri-
od in the final clarifier and the deleterious effects. of super-
natant liquor will be well controlled, the plant can satisfactorily
handle a population equivalent of 30,000 persons. Loadings of the
proposed units are at variance with normally accepted design stand-
ards. The higher loading on the filter unit will be partly compen-
sateft for by longer detention period in the clarifier units. With
careful operation, this plant may be expected to produce a well -
oxidized effluent.
The treatment plant site is adjacent to the present sew-
age treatment plant units on the sewer farm approximately one mile
south of the City of San Luis Obispo. The treatment plant units
City Clerk, San Luis Obispo - 3 - October 23,
are not well isolated, and Complaints of odor nuisance have fr
quently occurred in the past few years. It is important that t
sewage treatment works as enlarged be operated so as to minimiz
neighborhood nuisance.
Dis osal of effluent will be to the city sewer farm of
about 35 scree th excess Hoar to effluent ponds having a oapacit
equivalent to five days sewage flow. On the basis of past experi-
ence, it is anticipated that during the dry season, sewage can be
discharged to the land with no overflow to San Luis Obispo Creek.
However, during the winter season, it is anticipated that efflu-
ent will overflow to San Luis Obispo Creek and plans have been made
for the effluent ponds to store the chlorinated, oxidized sewage
for at least five days before discharge. The consulting sanitary
engineer for the city agreed that it would be reasonable to require
that no discharge be allowed to reach the Creek when the flow avail-
able for dilution was less than an amount required to give a dilu-
tion of 10 to 1. The quantity of water or sewage effluent that
could be absorbed on the sewer farm has not been measured, and it
is therefore difficult to predict how much sewage effluent might
escape to San Luis Obispo Creek. However, if the sewage is treated
as proposed to produce an oxidized effluent, and only the excess
which cannot be absorbed on the farm is carried to effluent ponds,
the resulting overflow to San Luis Obispo Creek should not be a
nuisance or a menace to health.
It is concluded thht the purposes of the Health and
Safety Code with respect to the disposal of sewage can be served
by the project as applied for and that the project is necessary.
With the foregoing findings in mind, permit is hereby
granted to the City of San Luis Obispo as applied for, said permit
being subject to the following special provisions:
(1) There shall be no noxious or offensive odor, gases
or fumes of sewage origin in the air outside the immediate disposal
area, such that they may constitute a public nuisance;
(2) No condition or conditions resulting from the opera-
tion of said sewage treatment plant and disposal shall exist or be
permitted to exist which may constitute a hazard to the health of
human beings or animals, or which may constitute a public nuisance
un"Ier the laws of the State of California. Mosquito control mea-
sures shall be carried out as necessary;
(3) The use of sewage, sewage effluent or sludge for
irrigating crops shall be in conformance with "Regulations on Use
o: wwage for Irri;atiz)g Crops", Special Bulletin No. 59 of the
State Department of Public Health;
City Clerk, San Luis Obispo
- 4 - October 28, 1947
(4) Overflax or discharge of sewage effluent to San Luis
Obispo Creek shall be limited to the season of high stream flow
and in no event shall sewage effluent be discharged to the oreek
in a quantity greater than one -tenth of the quantity flowing in
the oreek channel;
(5) Disposal of sewage or sewage effluent shall be con-
fined to areas covered by this permit, and shall be carried out in
such a manner as not to create a nuisance or hazard to the public
health;
(6) No industry with wastes of significant strength or
volume shall be connected to the domestic sewerage system unless
prior approval is given by the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering of
the State Department of Public Health;
(7) Operating records of the treatment plant shall be
maintained by the city indicating the sewage flow, the residual
chlorine in the effluent, and such other data as may be required
by the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering of the State Department of
Public Health;
(8) Final plans shall be submitted to the Bureau of
Sanitary Engineering of the State Department of Public Health for
approval in advance of construction;
(9) Additional treatment works or improvements in oper-
ation shall be provided when required by the State Department of
Public Health.
The permit herewith granted supersedes all previous sew-
age treatment and disposal permits granted to the City of San Luis
Obispo by the State Board of Public Health or by the State Depart-
ment of Public Health.
Very sincerely yours,
Wilton L. Halverson, M. D.
WLH:AD Director of Public Health
ear
D@lc=y DirsoUr
'U Charge
STATE OF CALIFORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
BAN FRANCFSCO 2. C.0 FOR. IA
City Clerk
City of San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
Dear Sir:
The City of San Luis Obispo, having filed an
application for permit for sewage disposal with the State
Department of Public Health under date of August 25, 190,
it havin€; been agreed by you at a hearing held in San Luis
Obispo at 10:00 o'clock A.". Wednesday, June 25, 1947, that
such application would be made,
Now, therefore, the Uity of San Luis Obispo is
hereby ordered to appear before a public hearing to be
conducted by said Department of Public Health of the State
of California before the Director of Public Health or duly
authorized hearing officer appointed by him, to be held on
the second day of October, 1947 at the Board of Supervisors
chambers, County Court House, Room 201, City of San Luis
Obispo, County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, at
the hour of 10:00 o'clock A.M., at which hearing the
Department of Public Health shall consider the said applies-
tion for sewage disposal permit by you and hear interested
persons desiring to protest for public health or public
nuisance reasons the proposed method of sewage disposal.
The purpose of this hearing is to consider testi-
mony relative to the alleged public nuisance caused by your
disposal of sewage and the sufficiency of plans presented by
you to provide a disposal of sewage which will not Constitute
a public nuisance nor a menace to the public health. You
shall have the right to be heard at said time and to have
the testimony of witnesses, if competent, to be given and
considered by said hearing officer and to produce such other
City Clerk
city of San Luis Obispo
Page 2
evidence in your behalf as may be legal and competent.
Likewise, all persons having an interest in the alleged
foul odors and public nuisance arising from the disposal
of your sewage are invited to give testimony, if competent.
Dated et San Francisco, California this 16th
day of September, 1947.
V ry s c alp yours,
Wilton L. Halverson, M.D.
Director of Public Health
i'ul -M B
ear
cc: Bayard Rhone, Den. Atty. General
Leo V. Dos Remedios, M.D., Co. H.O.
". L. 0. Tribune
S. L. 0. Independent
Paso Robles Times
Kenneth Neck, Co. Surveyor
Harry N. Jenks, Engineer
Jezres Kuder., Rt. 1, Box 16, S.L.O.
�Ir. & Mrs. Claude S. Young, Rt. 1, box 49A, S.L.O.
F. 9. Steed
Berkeley
d. A. Harmon
w •
REPORT OF INVP:STIGATION OF COMPLAINT - SAN LDIS
OBISPO SEMAGE TREATMENT PLANT AND DISPOSAL.
by R. M. Hertel
May 22, 1947
The San Luis Obispo Sewage Treatment Plant providing for primary
clarification, two -stage hiofiltretlon with recirculation, and final
clarification with chlorination of the effluent was placed in operation
August 1943 under permit granted by the Board of Public Health, Dec. 10,
1941.
A new permit was issued August 22, 1946 grentirg certain additions
to the plant which the 1941 permit allowed them to omit. This replaced
the 1941 permit. On Dec. 12, 1946 the Aug. 22, 1946 permit was smanded
and any outetanding permits other than the Aug. 22, 1946 permit were
cancelled.
This plant treats the sswnee of San Luis Obispo, including the indus-
trial waste from two creameries,and that of the Calif. Polytechnic School
and R'lteosky's Slaughter Rouse by contract arrangement.
There are before us complaints elleglno the San Luis Obispo Sewage
Treatment plant is overlorded end as a conseauence its operation is
creative a public health menace and public health nuisance. A review of
our files indicates frequent complaints and the observation of Dr. Beerg,
S.L.O. County Health Officer, that the sewage treatment plant has been
upset. This has occurred for the last three years and has been aggra-
vated by the extreme dryness this year resulting in the worst conditions
they have had. In addition to complaints received by the Dept. of Public
Health, there have been numerous complaints filed with the Div. of Plan
and Game, Dept. of Natural Resources, State of California.
Investigation consisting of inspection and bacterial analysis of
sewage effluent confirms that the plant is greatly avarloaded and is pro-
ducing an effluent for below that required by conditions surrounding
the disposal, so well as those WrescribeA by the permit.
The history of the plant indicates that there war never a comprehen-
sive industrial waste survey to determine the industrial load on the
plant. It her been found that although the population, Sneluding the
human population of Calif. Polytechnic School, is slig}fUy under 14,500
and the design population was 20,000 the nopuletion equiv. if the indus-
trial loading is from 14,400 to 19,200 people.
Since the present oversee daily flow is approx. 2.0 mpd end the
plant was designed to handle an avorege flo•a o' %P5 mgd with a per. flow
Of 3.9 mgd, it is seen that the plant is greatly Overloaded functionally.
The chlorinated effluent was discharged into SLO Creek. In a bac-
terial analysis �f this effluent on 13 samples 69�, of the samples showed
e MFK of 70s/co; 7.7% showed s 11PN of 24/00, 7.7% showed a MPN of 70/ea;
and 15.4`%showed a MPN of 2.3/ac. This indicates a high sewage conteri-
nation going into SLO Creek.
San Luis Obispo Renot1P-- page 2 •
Conclusions:
The terms of the permit granted Aug. 22, 1946 end amended Dec. 12,
1946 under which the City of San Luis Obispo Is now operating this sewage
treatment plant are being violated. Some of the conditions of the permit
and the deviations therefrom are listed below.
(1) "No sewage or sewage effluent or impure water, gas, vapors, oils,
acids, ter, solvents, or any other :patter or substonee offensive, injurious
or dancer -us to health shell be disposed of into San Luis Obispo Creek
in such quality or quantity as to be a public nuisance, offensive or den-
aerous to health."
Sewage effluent was discharged into S.L.O. Creek such that is was a
public nuisance and a menace to health. Complaints have been received
indicating unpleasant odors from as far as seven miles below the sewage
plant. Cows have access to the oreek, constituting a health menace. Too,
there are auction lines in the creek taking water therefrom.
(2) "Waste-produoing industries interferinc with the proper opera-
tion end funotioninr of this sewere disposal system shall not be permitted
to sewer to this plant."
Piggery wastes from the Calif. Polytechnic School are permitted to
enter the sewer system. 4Fiteosky's Slaughter House, by contract with the
city, is permltted to ,so the sewer system. These two industries are
located outside the city limits. within the city limits the creamery
wastes (Harmony Valley Creamery and Golden State Creemerv) have been per-
mitted to enter the city sewer system.
(3) "recel matter, sere.ge grease, garb a ge, solid matter, or oily
sleek, or discoloration recognizible as of sewers origin from the sewer
system of San Luis Obispo shall not be narmitted to be visible in the San
Luis Obispo Creek except that unavoidable discoloration from said sewer
system and sewage treatment plant may be permitted in the vicinity of the
outlet."
white, milky discoloration definitely established as that of whey
was noticed five miler, below the sewer plant and being proportional to
the distance therefrom.
(4) "Insofar as the sewage of the city of San Luis Obispo is con -
earned, the waters of the creek shall be maintained on a definite oxygen -
containing besis, free from sludge banks and deposits and sufficiently
low in sewage banterin to prevent menace to healt* of human beings and
animals."
Powere berteris at effluent disposal are 3n the order of 70+ coli-
form/cc. DO tests showed: 1 mile below sewage treatment plant -
Thursday, May 8, 1947, 1:00 pm -- 4.2 Ppm
Friday, !day 9, 1947, 2:00 pm -- 5.1 ppm,
showing a definite oxygen deficiency.
(5) "There shall be no noxious of offensive odors or fumes of rowers
origin attributable to the sewage of the city of San Luis Obispo in the
waters of the creek, nor in the air outside the tract of land uson which
sold treatment is located, such that the condition may constitute a pule as
Odors have been reported as offensive from as far as seven miles bele,
the plant.
San Luis Obispo Repor•-- page 3 •
(6) *Tao condition or conditions shall exist or be permitted to exist
which may constitute a hazard to the health of human beings or animals or
which may constitute a public nuisance under the laws of the State of
California'.
Sewage odors noticed seven miles below plant. Also, milch cows have
access to the creek.
(7) •Sewage effluent utilized for irrigation purposes or the sewer
farm or on other lands shell conform to the State Sewer Farm Regulations
and to any special reouiremerts reculred by the State Dept. of Public
Health. No sewrawe or sewage effluent shell be allowed to be spread on or
along any publ.ioroads or onto the lands of neighbors, or to be spread
within such distance of roads or private property or wells or of San Luis
Obispo Creek in such quantity or of such quality as to become a public
nuisance, offensive, injurious or dangerous to the health of residents,
travelling public or animals. The periphery of the sewer ferm and all areas
irrigated under this permit shell be leveed where necessary to confine the
sewage effluent and factory drainage within the lends covered by this per-
mit. Private lands other than the sewer farm utilizing the sewage effluent
shall receive approval from the State Dept. of Public Health in each
instance.•
Sewage effluent was used this year by a Mr. 'Frank D. 1011va with no
permit from the State Dept. of Public Health. The sewF^e effluent was of
such condition and used in such a manner that there ors!, a comple.lrt by
Mr. Ruden of Pacific Motel neighboring the farm.
Detailed Information
Permit.
The ➢emit of December 10, 1941 was for the enlargement of the exist-
ing plant and the construction of a two -stage complete treatment bio-filtre-
tlon plant. The conditions of this permit state that only properly
chlorinated and oxidized sewewe shall ever be diseher{-ed to San Luis Obispo
Creek. The entire plant, sewer farm and sewage disposal shell be without
nuisance to neighbors or to the public.
Permit letter of August 22, 1946:
"Application of the City of S&P Luis Obispo dated duly 16, 1946,
asking for permit to constnict oertein edditiors to the municipal sewage
treatment plant, notably the addition of was collection and heating equip-
ment in the sludge digester, and a eoncelnutor, with certain other minor
changes, has been considered by this Department.
•In substsnee, this epplicatior amounts to a request for amendment
to the permit .-rented necer.ber 10, 1941 for the construction of a two -
stage biofiltratlon plant at the City sewer farm. That permit allowed the
omission of the gee holder roof from the then existing sludge digestion
t^nk, thn omission of a comninutor and the omission of a sludge mixer and
heat exchangers in the primary digestion tank contemplatedin the per:cit
at that time. In other words, the present application merely supplies
the omissions found necessary in the original plant.
•rlth the above facts in mind, permit 1s granted as applied for, re-
placing the permit granted December 10, 1941 and subject to the following
conditions and terms:
San Luis Obispo Report -- Page 4
"(1) No sewage or sewage effluent oY impure water, Ras, vapors, oils,
acids, ter, solvents, or any other matter or substance offensive, injurious
or dangerous to health shall be discharged or disposed of into San Luis
Obispo Creek in such quality or quantity as to be a public nuiaanee, offen-
sive, injurious or dangerous to health.
"(2) waste -producing industries interfering with the proper operation
and functioning of this sewage disposal system shall not be permitted to
sewer to this plant.
"(3) Fecal matter, seweve grease, rrsrbeve, solid .matter, or oily sleek,
or discoloration recognizable as of sewage origin from the sewer system of
the city of San Luis Obispo shall not be permitted to be visible in Son
Luis Obispo Creek, except that unavoidable discoloration from said serer
system end sewers treetmsn* plant may be permitted in the vicinity of the
outlet.
•(4) Insofar as the sewage of the City of fen Luis Obispo is concerned,
the waters of the creek shall be maintained on a definite oxygen -containing
be free free from sludge banks and deposits and sufficiently low in sewage
bsoterla. to ?revant menace to health of human beings end animals.
"(5) There shall be no noxious or offensive odors or fumes of sewage
origin attrlbuteble to the sewage of the City of San Luis Oblepo Sr. the
waters of the creek, nor in the air outside the treat of land upon which
said treatment is located, such that the condition may constitute a pub-
lic nuisance.
"(6) No condition or conditions shall exist or be aermitted to exist
which may constitute a hazard to the health of human beings or animals or
which may constitute a public nuisance under the laws of the State of
California.
•(7) Additional treatment works shell be provided wren required by
the State Department of Public Health.
/a/ Wilton L. Halverson, M.D.
Director of Public Health
Permit amendment letter of December 12, 1946:
"In reviewing old and outstandinv sewage disposal hermits, as
required by the resolution of the State Board of Public Health March 11,
1946, we find thnt the recent Sssuaroe of permit on August 22, 1946 to
construct additions to the municipal sewage treatment pleat comprising
sludge heating equipment, comminutor, etc., replaced the permit issued to
the City December 10, 1941 for the existing clarifiers end biofilters,
and eovers the entire sewers plant as it will now be modified.
"Re find also that the following older permits rrv.,main outstanding:
"(I) June 30, 1928 - ;ermit for the existing Herdinge clarifier and
continued use of the City sewer form.
"(2) June 12 1938 - permit for the use if sewage effluent on the fol-
lowing ranches: a) Florino Palidio, (b) John Oudel, (c) Frank D. k Rose
Silva, (d) Dr. 0. M. Polin.
ran Luis Obispo Report -- page 5
1(3) July 6, 1939 - permit was added for the use of sewers effluent
on the William A. Negeno place (formerly T. Fukuuage ranch).
*In view of the foregoing, and to consolidate all permits, the Per-
mits under numbers (1). (2) and (3) and any other outstanding permits
(other than the permit of August 22, 1946), are herewith cancelled, and
said permit is herewith amended as follows:
"'Provision No. S - Sewage effluent utilized for irrigation pur-
poses on the sewer farm or on other lends shall conform to the
State Sewer Farm Regulations and to any special requirements required
by the State Department of Public Health. No sewage or eewage ef-
fluent shall be allowed to be spread on or along any public roads,
or onto the lends of neighbors, or be spread within such distance
of roads or private property or wells, or of San Luis Obispo Creek
In such quantity or of such quality as to become a public nuisance,
offensive, injurious or dangerous to the health of residents, trav-
sling public, or animals. The periphery of the sewer farm and all
areas irrigated under this permit shell be leveed where necessary
to confine the sewage effluent and factory drainage within the
lends covered by this permit. Private lends other then the sewer
farm utilizing the sewage effluent shall receive approval from the
State Department of Public Heelth in each instance.'
/a/ Wilton L. Halverson, m.D.
Director of Public Health
History: The first sewers were built about 1892 duapirg sewage to the
creek. In 1900 eeweee was moved about 1/2 mile out of town end a septic
tank with stone filters was built, discharging into the creek. In 1910
the ease works were duplicated on a 7-sore piece of plowed ground which
the City owned, adjoining a cemetery. About 1916 the present 48-sore
newer Perm wee obtained end the filters were out of use. The septic tanks
were continued to be used. At first a flume wee used to convey the sew0fre
upon the farm and later this was replaced by pipe. 31ost of the sewage was
used on the farm is the early years, but occasionally it was discharged
to SLO creek. In 1926 a Herdinge clarifier and separate digestion tank
(open) was built, with sludge drying beds. 1938 - the sewage at this time
included some milk plant waste. The acreage of the sewer farm is just
about edecuete to handle the sewage in the heat of the summer without inter-
fering seriously with crop oroduotion. During. the remainder the year
it is necessary to find additional acreage to prevent the seirer farm from
becoming water logged. The soil is coarse, black loam with a high degree
of porosity such that everege rates of aewrae of 200000 to 25,000 gale. Per
acre per dap are poseible in the dry season.
In 1941 application wee :wade for the enlargement and conversion
of the existing plant to a two -stage complete treatzrert bio-filtretion ?lent
with disposal of effluent onto the city sewer farm end excess flows to San
Luis Obispo C-eek after chlorination. A two -stage biofiltretion with re-
circulation, including in addition to the Hardinee clarifier, a primary
clarifier and secondary clarifier, wee built and placed in operation in
1943. In 1944 a contract was consummated with Mr. Delidio wherein he leased
the city sewer farm for a period of three years, contract being finished
ran Luis Obispo Report -- page 6 •
Oct. 11, 1947. In 1946 application war mede for the construction of
certain omissions in the 1941 contract; namely, eomminutors, digester
sludge gas collection and heating equipment, and miscellaneous pipe work
and appurtenances for odor control. To date this has not been finished.
General: The community 13 essentially residential and almost comnletely
revered. Sewers is normal domestic sewe,e with discharges of milk wastes,
piggery wastes from the Calif. Polytecbnic School, and wastes from ■it-
cosky`a Slaughter Fouse. Rainfall is light, averaging 12 to 15 inches.
Prevailing winds are from the northwest. The residential loading of the
city is:
City of SLO (special oensua 1944)...................... 11,600
Lowe Sanitary District ................................ 1,000
Calif. Polytechnic School, 1000 Resident ............... 1,000
850 Non -Resident........... 425
Schools 900 from outside, art. 1/3..................... 300
14.325
Industrial Load
There erg two creameries, one slaughter house and the Calif. Poly-
technic School piggery wastes entering the sewer system, in addition to
the residential population.
Cre�amr�ieq: The excess milk during the spring months goes prin-
cipally into the manufacture of casein. In addition some cheese Is menu -
featured. The waste product in each cage is whey. This is the waste
that is going into the sewers.
Casein whey is more Reid end hogs don't care too much f^r 1t es feed
It to therefore, herder to dispose of then the cheese whey. The c*eeee
whey Is sweat and mates a good feed for hogs. The farmers generally haul
it beck for t^.is purpose. F.owever, some days the farmers arrive late and
one batch of cheese may already have been made -- the whey going into the
sewers. No provisions aveileble for storage for a short period.
As was seen, there was a slight creamery load in 1938. This apparently
had little effect on the plant. In 1941 there was a large production of
casein. This Load fell off during the war years although It •cgs consider-
ably larger than in the late 1301s. In 1945 the load began building up
and wen very large this year. It is estimated that 2.7 to 2.8 lbs. of
casein ere pro^ueed per 100 lbs. of milk. The remainder is a waste pro-
duct in the form of whey which is discharged into the sewers. A popula-
tion ecuiv. of 1600 per 1000 gals. of whey (8600 lbs.) is allowed.
Golden State Dairy: Production figures are as follows:
S►n Luis Obispo Report -- pagai •
Golden State Dairy Production Figures
J►n
Tab
Mar
1pr
May
Jun
Jul
&us
Sep Oct NOT
Dee
1940
2948
4100
11568
9445
11205
15439
4755
2120
949 564 1077
918
1941
1175
4090
2955
4621,
4712
1090
1942
2281
3127
6557
7197
6740
3550
1215
540
115
427
1943
1160
1193
4242
5673
4230
2155
440
1944
1093
1865
7670
8330
6815
6130
Lo3o
320
2767
1945
4343
7685
11020
12843
9997
6471
2240
440
725
3107
1946
4905
7170
12120
11803
7969
4988
2180
515
1810 277o
619c
1947
9514
12355
14057
12035
It is estimated that this coxprry dlacharrPF 2000 gallons of whey
per day into the sewers during the height of production. They made
arrergec.erts whereby the city could load a truck with this whey for haul-
ing to the city dump. This arrarges.ent wee not too convenient And the
City concentrated on hauling whey from the other creamery. Ale to e
felling off of produotlor they am presently (May 6) dischargina some-
thing like 1000 gels. of whey per day into the sewers.
Harnon Valle Creams This company has during the last few
years rn 184 nl,y t. s yeer been disoberglra far more whey into the
sewers then the Golden State Co. has.
Harmony Valley casein production In the early forties was amaller
then that of Golden State. They had a big year in 1944 Ard since
that time have caught up to and Surpassed Golden State. 1947 was a
big year for them.
Casein Produced:
1944
1947
Feb.
28,000
lbs.
32,000
lbs.
Mer.
48,500
lbs.
59,500
lbs.
Apr.
69,400
lbs.
65,000
lbs.
May
71,200
lbs.
42,500
lbe.
San Luis Obispo Report - page 8 •
They have been discharging from 7 to 10,000 eels. of whey ner dny into
the sewers. Ffforts of this creamery to dispose of thin whey to eonden-
series or for feed have bean in the large fruitless. The city has been
hauling 1600 Fels. to the city dump. The dump is fairly well isolated
although it is Adjacent to a secondary county road. After ten days haul-
ing, no adverse affects were noted at the Hump. Arrangements were finally
made to haul 2500 gallons of whey to Santa Maria for hog feeding. This
began. April 24, 1947.
Due to decrease in production, the city stopped hauling to the city
dump on May 5. On resuest of this Dept. May 9, Mr. Fowell, Commissioner
of Public Works, said that the city would start hauling again, taking
whey from this creamery and also from the Golden State Co. This, coupled
with Farmony Velley haul of 2500 gals. to Santa Maris, would keep all
the whey out -f the sewers for the, present
Reviewing the loadings of both Golden State and Harmony Valley, it
Is seen that eomethir� like from 9-12,000 gals. of whey have been going
into the sewers for a time. This at 1600 per 1000 gals. gives a popula-
tion equiv. of 14,400 to 19,200 people.
Witcoak 's Slau hter house: This industry located outside of the
ally m to as .een operat ag since Dec. 1946. By resolution of the city
enuncll they have been allowed to discharge their wastes Into the city sewer
system. They pay a flat rate per animal killed: calves 51, beef 8#,
hogs 30. This contract with the city may be terminated on 30 days' written
notice.
Their kill has been as follows:
Cattle Foge Calves
Dec. 1946 118 51 44 (partial month)
Jan. 1947 215 225 199
Tab. 1947 297 156 276
Figures of March and April ere not available at present writing.
The first blood, paunch manure end offal are saved. There is a small
grease trap at the plant.
California Pol technic Colle.e: The city contracted on Aug. 25,
1946, w th his ec. oo Lo .and o t air sewage, to be paid on a gallonage
basis. Since no meter wa available they make payments on a per capita
basis. There are presently 1000 residents and 850 non-residents at the
school. A piggery is operated in connection with the school. At first
wastes from this was allowed to run down through SLO and eventually
reached the sewage treatment olent. This created a nuisance, so the city
told them to run the wastes into the city sewer system. This is not
covered by their contract. They average 250 hogs and about 2/3 of the
pens are connected to the drain. The pens are weshed once a week. The
bulk of the manure is picked up for fertilizer.
Sue. erizing the industrial werte londing, it will he seen that there
are several other small industries.
1
San Luis Obispo Report -- page 9
Summary of Industrial Waste Loading:
Brendlin-Rice Frozen Foods -- fir. Howell reports not operating.
Am. Refrigerating Co. -- kill 25 to 75 chickens per reek,
blood only to sewer
-----
Calif. Poly. fahool -- avg. 250 hogs, 2/3 pens con-
neoted to sewer, 2/3 x 250 x 5 pop. equiv.
833
Harmony Valley Creamery -- input milk est. 160,000 lbs./day
during peek season. Gen'l. plant wastes 10 people per
1000 lbs. received 10 x 160
1,600
Cheese mfg. 1600 gels. whey/day, not all taken for
feed, set. 90% to :ewer/day, 1600 popl/soup. /
1000 vale. 1600
iai5(S x 800
1,280
Cessin Mfg. 2300A/day. est. 7 to 10000 vale. whey
per day. 1606 popl.eculy./1000 gale.
(70e0)
10,200
(10000)
16,000
Golden State Company -- input during peak season
32,000 lbs. General plant r+este: 10/1000 lbs.: 32000
322
Casein Mfg.. spprox. 2000 gels/day x 1600 popl.equiv./
1000 gals.
3,200
Rome Petry -- about 3440 lbs. whole rilk daily, pasteur-
izing only -- no butter, a little ice cream
1440 x 6 popl. equiv./1000 lbs.
20
Home Leundry -- disoh. 10000 gels./day, est. 4500 lbs.
olotbee/day. 4500
x 5 poplaquiv./100 lbe. v
225
10,000 vale. x 21 popl. equiv./100 cu.ft.
280
witcosky Slaughter House
essumed avg. 35 cattle x 20 oopl.equiv.
700
62 hogs x 8 popl. equiv.
496
TOTAL INDUB'fRIAL LOAD, POPL. PrUIV.
2L,735
Load from whey only 20,460
General Creamery Wastes 1,942
Industrial, if whey removed s,255
Present residentlel population 14.325
Total on plant, rem.♦ ind.(no whey) 19,580
Total Load Including 1Mhey 4�,,,•)00
San Luis Obispo Report -- page 10
From this summary it is easily seen that without any whey there is
no margin of safety on a plant deeigned for 20,000 and with whey enter-
ing the sewers, there is a tremendous overload.
Plant Design:
Population 20,000
Flow avg. 2.25 mgd.
Max. 3.9 mgd.
Preliminary Ferdinge Clarifier
cap. 43,000 gallons, dot. 27 minutes
Primary end Secondary Clarifier
80' die. with 10' SMD
cap. 375,000 gals.
receives recirculation at 3000 gpm, det. 2.0 hours
Overflow rate gel/so.ft./day 900
Primary and Secondary Rio -filters
100' die. by 3' deep, 0.18 nerea or 875 ou.ft. each.
VOL) "Cap. applied 0.12
ROD /total aoolleA 7400
ROD 0/cu.yard -- to primary only 2.7
to both units 1.35
Sludge Digestion
Primary digester - 48' die. x 22' "D 40,000 CU. ft.
Secondary digester - 45' die, x 19' SMD 15,000 ou. ft.
Sludge Reds
4 ! 25 x 100 10,000 sq.ft.
sq.ft./capita 0.5
Chlorination
20' die. x 7' x 4' hopper, Vol. 19,500 gels.
Contact - min. 12.4
01mg. 89
Review of Treatment Plant Loadings:
SRWAW^' FLOW AT C!"I OF MN LUIF IBISPO
SEMAGF DISPOSAL PLANT
TRW FpBRUART 1, 1946 TO MPUART 1, 1947 INCLUSIVE
Averer,e !low Average fln- Average flow Average excess
for flow during
er de non rai de a for rein days rain days
gallons ga one gel ons gnl one
Feb. 1946 1,257,000 1,220,435 1,428,000 207,595
Mar. a 1,240.000 1,117,565 1,430,000 312,435
Apr. 0 1,232,000 1,118,166 1,462,000 343,834
(continued)
•
•
San Luis Obispo
Report
Pepe 11
(chart
continued)
Average flow
Average flow
Average flow
Aversve excess
for
flow during
Der day
non rainy days
for rein devs
rain days
_
pa ona
ga llons
ga ona
gallons
May
1946
1,140,60o
1,108,260
1,233,750
125,490
June
"
1,436,000
1,456,0o0
July
1,468,000
1,468,000
Aug.
•
1,280,900
1,280,900
Sept.
'
1,300,100
1,300,100
Oct.
"
1,948,000
1,939,000
2,090,000
151,000
Nov.
"
2,121,,000
2,001,300
2,528,700
527,400
Pee.
"
2,071,000
2,014,625
2,370,000
355,375
Jan.
1947
1,807,000
1,796,0o0
2,160,000
164,000
Comoiled by
Kenneth Book
City Engineer
V.areh 15, 1947
Review of Treatment Loadings:
Av. flow 1.8 mgd
Aardlnve Clarifier - dot. 32 minutes
Clarifiers -- primary, det. 1 hour, 28 min.
Secondary, det. dependent on overflow rote.
910-filters: (pop. 40,000)
Allow 0.17 N/Capita
naaume, 30-1 red. ahead of filters
applied .17 z 70 - 0.128/Capita.
Total - 0.12 z 40,000 - 4800 lbe.
Total A/yd3 " 4800 ' 5.51/yd3 for one filter,
875
two filters 2.750/yd3 ,
State note= ^how 1.8#/yd3 allowed to remove for 2 stage filters.
Cl contact:
15.5 minutes
residual 1 ppm
dosing 11 ppm.
Pan Luis Obispo Report"-- page 12 •
A combination of factors of the treatment plant itself have compli-
cated th6 situation:
The grease rising in the Hardinpe clarifier is not removed. The opera-
tor hoses it so that it is broken up and passes to the ;Primary clarifier.
The secondary bio-filter was shut down for repairs Mar. 12 and Put
back into operation Mar. 19. During this period the effluent from the
primary bio-filter was split between the primary and secondary clarifiers.
A month later the growth on the filter wasn't yet normal. Say 6th inspec-
tion showed it to be normal. Then because of an overload on the digester
which resulted in foaming, the operator withheld sludge by allowing it to
build up in the primary clarifier. To this time the operator has been
unable to completely pump out all the sludge from the clarifier. On one
occasion the sludge was pumped directly from the clarifier onto the
sludge beds. Tt was noted thet the sludge was practically dlrested,
being very dark end having nracticelly r_o odor. Rising patches of dark
sludge are evidence that considerable sludge still remains in the pri-
mary clarifier.
As an emergency measure to keep the effluent from going directly
into the creek, the city constructed six holding lagoons approx. 35'x5O'
x 3' deep, thlnki" to hold the effluent far a few days only and then
turn it Into the VLO creek. The dikes for these lagoons were pushed
into place with a bulldozer, there being no compaction or other working
of the earth in these dikes. Effluent 'ass turned into the lagoons on
Apr. 26. On Apr. 30 the dike nearest the road of the Northern group
broke and permitted the effluent to flow onto the street and into a
neighboring hayfield. The affluent was then turned bank into SLO creek.
Mr. Howell reports that commencing May 12-14 for a two months' period
Mr. Dalidio will use all of the effluent from the plant on his leased
city sewer farm for the purpose of irrigating auger beets growing thereon.
In the matter of chlorination of the sewage effluent It has been
the practice to maintain, if poselble, a chlorine residual of about 0.3
ppm. It has not been possible, however to hold a residual during the
late afternoon peek flow. The application of another 200 lbs. per day
chlorinator makes it expected that it will not only be possible to main-
tain a high residual, but to have some extra capacity for odor control
and to help rehabilitate the primary bio-filter. The extra chlorinator
was obtained from lwallace 3 Tiernan and installation, supervised by eorge
White on Saturday, Mar. 29. It wes not until Apr. 10 thet any effort
was made to operate the new machine. It was not possible to chlorinate
to the full capacity of the machines because of small injectors. New
injectors were ordered and installed. Full operation was commenced Apr.
25 end it has been operating continuously shoe that time. There have
been no beetarlal analyses made since both chlorinators have been opera-
ting. Results of bacterial analyses made of the effluent during the
operation of the single chlorinator are ea follows:
(see next page)
Ben Luis Obispo Renor£ -- Pepe 13 •
Date
affluent
1 cc
.1
.01
Residual
ppm
Pressure
(pal)
March
26, 1947
10:15
a.m.
++
**
++
.75
125
•
27
11:15
"
++
--
--
1.0
175
"
28
12:15
p.m.
++
--
--
1.0
200
"
29
1:15
•
++
++
++
1.0
160
^
30
2:15
"
++
+♦
++
1.0
150
"
31
2:15
"
++
++
+-
11.0
175
April
1
3:15
"
++
++
++
.n
165
"
3
4:15
a
++
++
++
.025
190
"
4
5:15
"
++
++
++
,}
175
"
5
6:15
"
++
++
++
.25
160
"
5
7:15
"
++
++
++
.2
175
•
6
8:15
++
++
--
.15
163
"
7
9:15
++
++
++
0.00
170
Teats for BOD and suspended solids were
run by Mr.
O.C. Blumberg,
April 14, 1947, on a
composite sample of unchlorinated
effluent collected
from noon, May 8, to
noon, May 9,
1947.
BOD 62 ppm
Susp. Solids
40 ppm.
The results of
a grab sample
of the unchlorineted
effluent taken
May 9, 1947 were:
BOD 64
Susp. Solids
57.
Record of Chlorine purchased:
1947
Delivered
Tank
Connected
Empty
Days Used
Jan. 7, 1947
1566
1-19
2-15
26
Feb. 5,
1682
2-14
3-6
20
Mar. 4, ^
2089
3-6
3-22
16
Ver. 14, "
1386
3-22
4-7
16
Mar. 31, ^
1512
4-7
4-18
11
( oomtinuN)
Ban Luis Obispo Reoor-- page 14
(chart continued)
Delivered Tank ! Connected Empty Nye Used
Mar. 31, 1947 1431 4-3
Apr. 18, • 1061 4-18 4-30 13
Apr. 18, 1947 870
One tank ordered for May 17, 1947
Tank 1 ton chlorine.
The chlorinators operate, with a water sunnly from a shallow well on
the sewer farm property. This water is furnished by an injector type
pump, capacity 30 ". There is an auxilliary water supply, the plant
effluent, furnished by an auxilliary pumn in case of failure of the other
pump• However, both pumps operate from the same power supply. There
is no other source of water avEilcble at the plant end in the event of
a serious power stoppage, there. would be no water r.vaileble for the
operatlom of the chlorinators. This means the treatment would Consist of
primary clarification without chlorination.
Survey of S.L.O. Creek:
The headwaters of this creek ere in the mountains to the northwest -sl
of the city. There is little likelihood of contamination of the stream
before it enters the city. The flow of the creek through the city is
steady but smell. The aster is clear and there ere no signs of degrede-
tion.
One mile above the sawape treatment plant the stream bed of the
creek is dry. Airing the first part of this March, April and May all of
the sewage effluent (ay. flow 1.8 mgd) was being discharged into the
creek.balew At the time of this survey,
May 7, the Creek below the sewac-e treatment plant tad a flow of from
2-3 mgd.. It is eerily seen that almost the entire flow of the creek Is
sewage effluent. At station S,1 approx. l mile below the plant t.iere
were sipne of depredation of this creek, conditions naturally being
roughly proportional to distance from the plant. The water was turbid
and the stream bed covered with a fungus growth.oeks in the stream
bed were also covered with a slime similar to that found in trickling
filters. On digging into the stream bed itself, it was found the ground
was black end had septic odor irdieetira the deposition of sludge. Dis-
Jeolvea orypen tests at this station showed:
Date
Time
Tema.
R20
EX
OR
D.O. BOD
,/8/47
1:00 p.m.
200
c.
Maga
7.7
4.2 pam
;/9/47
2:00 p.m.
200
c.
Blumberg
5.2 ppm 11 ppa
San Luis Obiapo Repo-- page 15 •
Conditions below this station were similar.
There are two grade -A milk dairies located on SLO creek below the
plant. These dairies are: Santa Fe or Rome Dairy with 75 cows, and
the Merino Dairy with 50 cows. At both dairies the cows have access to
the creek. In addition, there has been reoorted from i to 5 small
dairies for manufacturing milk located on SLO creek. they each have
from 10 to 12 cows, all having access to the creek.
Use of effluent for irrigation purposes:
In June 1938 San Luia Obispo asked for a blanket permit to use sewer*
effluent for irrigation purposes within certain defined areas. With cer-
tain conditions, this was granted. When it was desired to use the ef-
fluent on s farm within this area, the farmer applied to the County
Realth Office for permission. The Count Health Office orovided inspec-
tion to see that the regulations of the Late Sewer ?arm Regulations
and any special regulations required by the Dept. of Public Health were
lived un to. This system had been used previous to this time. There are
records of the use of sewage effluent ^or irrigation hack to 1930. 97.
the use of levees and requirement of keeping sewnre effluent 800' .from
highways rnd 100# from wells, nuisance was kept at a minimum. There are
several farms in the, area that could use sewage effluent for irrigation
purposas under groper superviaion and ins-,aotion.
There are two farms which have used the sewage effluent for irriga-
tion purposes this year -- Mr. Silva, without a permit And in such a
manner e1 to cause oo olRint by the Pacific fgntel, end xtr. Dalidio, leas e
of the city sewer farm. This city sewer farm with the exception of the
actual plant grounds was leased to Mr. Dalidio Nov. 1, 1944 for a oeriod
of three years. The lease ex?ires Oct. 31, 1947. Mr. Howell has indi-
cated that the city will not renew the lease.
• STATE OF CALIFORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
..NEA, OF *ANITARY ENGtNaERING 10 LOBANGELEDC12). CALIPIO&NIA
April. ..', 1,47
Ralph C. Kennedy, Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
Sea Luis Obispo, California
Dear Mayor Kennedy:
This will acknowledge your letter of April 24,
1947, regarding the cuestion of the measures being taken by
the City to reduce the load on your sewage disposal plant
to that which the system will adequately treat and dispose
of without nuisance or public heFL1th menace.
This letter is being fombrdea to Mr. Frank
8ier.d, Actic, C'nicf of the Bureau, for reply.
Very truly yours,
BURFPD OF SANITA.RY FV1GII4iE SNO
FRAM: M. STELDD,,% ACTING CuINF
don"A. H �no�
SehXor Sanitary Engineer
JAIi:Irt
• • STATE OF CALIFORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
YVPEAV OF SANITARY ENGINEERING �O. •x0[�[. 1�•�. C. LIFOIIN I.
WILTON L. "ALVIERIDON, W.15,
February 20, 1947
City Council
City of San Luis Obispo
City Hall
Son Luis Obispo, California
Gentlemen:
I appreciate the opportunity afforded me of meeting with
you on February 18 to participate in the discussion of your sewage
disposal problem. A re -inspection of the sewage treatment plant
and environs, in the company of representatives of your City Engin-
eering Department and Health Department on February 19, indicates
clearly the gross overload which this system is receiving. Not only
are there offensive odors at the plant, but the sewage is so inad-
equately treated that the material going to the stream creates
sewer conditions downstream from the plant.
Such conditions indicate that at the earliest possible time
a determination of the loadings and appraisal of the adequacy of
the separate units of the treatment plant should be made. Follow-
ing this, the necessary measures should be taken by the City to oor-
reot the conditions. While a close estimation of the domestic sewage
component of the load may not be difficult to determine, the popu-
lation equivalent load attributable to Industrial sewage in the sys-
tem will require a detailed survey of ell industries, getting not
only the volume of waste flow (metered water consumed), but also an
estimation of the strength of the sewage, either by measurement of
flow and laboratory analysis or by a determination of the quality
of material processed by the various industries. While this may be
time-consuming for each industry, there are relatively few industries
and thus the survey will not take a long period of time.
I believe that your Engineering Department understands the
several factors involved. Once the basic field investigation is
developed, there remains the decision regarding methods to be followed
to effect corrections; after which, as you know, the works must be
designed, financed and constructed. Pending correction of existing
conditions, all available temporary measures should be taken to mini-
mize as much as possible the unsatisfactory conditions. One re-
quirement should be that there be no interruption in chlorination of
the effluent. The presently used single chlorinator having a single
tank feed and a water supply subject to interruption during power
outage or breakdown of puma does not meet the need for continuous
r vicToaxchlorination.
BUY
E1S.0
M
City Council, San Luis Obispo -2- February 20, 1947
We shall be glad to discuss with you and your representa-
tives any phase of the program you desire, and we certainly wish
to review methods and proposals for correction when the planning
is adequately developed.
Yours very truly,
BUREAU OF SANITARY ENGINEERING
FRANK M. STEAnD, ACTING CHIEFBy �
Senc2dson A. Harmon
Sanitary Engineer
JAH: lrt
cc: Sam Luis Obispo County Health Dept.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
December 12, 1946
City Clerk
San Luis Obispo
California
Dear Sir:
In reviewing old and outstanding sewage disposal per-
mits, as recuired by the resolution of the State Board of Public
Health ilarch 11, 1946, we find that the recent issuance of per-
mit on August 22, 1946 to construct additions to the municipal
sewage treatment plant comprising sludge heating equipment, com-
minutor, etc., replaced the :permit issued to the City December
10, 1941 for the existing clarifiers and biofilters, and covers
the entire sewage plant as it will now be modified.
V.e find also that the follo-Ang older permits remain
outstanding:
(1) June 30, 1928 - permit for the existingr_ardinge
clarifier and continued use of the City sewer farm.
(2) June 12, 1938 - permit for the use of sewnn a ef-
fluent on the following ranches: (a) Florino Dalidio, (bf John
Gudel, (a) Frank D. & Rose Silva, (d) Dr. 0. S!. Polin.
(3) July 6, 1939 - permit was added for the use of
sewage effluent on the William H. Negano place (formerly T.
Fukunaga ranch).
In view of the foregoingand to consolidate all per-
mits, the permits under numbers (11, (2) and (3) and any other
outstanding permits (other than the permit of August 22, 1946),.
are herewith cancelled, and said permit is herewith amended as
follows:
"Provision Eo. 8 - Sewage effluent utilized for
irrigation ::urposes on the sewer faun or on other lands
shall conform to the State Sewer Farm Pepvletions and
City Clerk Page 2
San Luis Obispo, Calif December 12, 1946
to any special requirements required by the State De-
partment of Public Health. No sewage or sewage efflu-
ent shall be allowed to be spread on or along any public
roads, or onto the lands of neighbors, or be spread
within such distance of roads or private property or
wells, or of San Luis Obispo Creek in such quantity or
of such ouality as to become a public nuisance, offen-
sive, injurious or dangerous to the health of residents,
traveling public, or animals. The :;eriphery of the
sewer Para, and all areas irrigated under this :;ermit
shall be leveed ,here necessary to confine the sewage
effluent and factory drainage within the lands covered by
this permit. Private lands other tt.Ln th_%ggg sewer farm
utilizing the sewage effluent shell rec�fe approval from
the State Department of Publi fiealt', in eech instrnce.^
V si ere �0 rs,
Plilton L. F'slverson, ".D.
Director of Public Health
V H: gulp
age;
• STATE OF CALIFORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
CALIF. I M6
1...........
May 11, 1946
City Council
San Luis Obispo
California
Gentlemen:
The subject of this letter is to take up with you com-
pletion of certain features of the City sewage plant for which
funds were not available when the plant was constructed. The
occasion for this is the recent complaints, whose validity we
do not in the least doubt, of odors along Highway 101. May I
at the outset give my regrets to those of your officials who
came to the plant Wednesday expecting that I would arrive that
day. I did not reach San Luis Obispo until the following day.
There are two obvious sources of odors around the sew-
age plant. One concerns the ammonia and dank smells of fairly
fresh sewage which is particularly strong at the two sewage fil-
ters and is the more intense at No. 1 filter. The worst odor,
however, I believe is that coming from the open sludge digester
and from the release of undigested sludge onto the sludge drying
beds.
The odor first mentioned will be difficult to reduce
except by housinS over the filters and treating the exhaust air.
For the present, I believe this question had best remain in abey-
ance and concentrate on dealing with the odors from faulty sludge
handling. The sludge digesters were not completed in the original
construction for lack of funds. As a result, one of the digesters
is open to the atmosphere and all the foul gases escape directly
and, furthermore, neither of the digesters is provided with sludge
heating to carry on bacterial sludge digestion during the cold
winter months. In consequence, just as soon as the warm weather
of springy; starts up there is a great increase in sludge decomposi-
tion due to increased bacterial activity until the winter deposit
of sludge has been consumed by the bacteria. During that period
there is a tremendous increase in the rotten gases of sewage.
The orthodox relaedy for this problem is to enclose the digesters
so that the gases given off may be collected and burned and,
second, that the sludge entering the system should be heated so
that digestion continues right through the winter. This defect
h2 - 5/11/46
City Council
will obviously have to be cleared before any statement of ade-
quacy can be rendered your sewage disposal by this department in
connection with obtaining the funds from the $90,000,000 City -
County Fund. That is a requirement of the Act. I therefore recom-
mend that the City proceed at once to put its sewage disposal
plant in order, not only to meet the complaints but to be in the
clear with respect to this City -County Fund Act.
Yours very truly,
BUREAU OF SANITARY ENGINEERING
CGG:AD
C. G. Gillespie, CY of
cc'. Senator Chris Jespersen
`dr. James Kuden
County Health Dept.
Kenneth Beck, City Engineer
H
• RAT6 O! CALRORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
1er
81NITAN, EN [NOIN[CNINO
r r.ulrl
I [lNl[L[Yl�. GLIr.
41LTON 6 MILYNNN. Y.0.
'4&roh 15, 1945
TO: City Clerks
SUWECT: New Eewuc a Diseossl Reeclrtlons
The enclosed retoluticrs v:All concern in cone
degree newly vIl of the cities e.,:z;. to'sms in the Etstc.
For er.ee in distribution we bog inci,..lrerco in
eddreosing you by this circular letter.
There erc encloed six conics of the Recol±•-
tions together with an ex.plr:nvtory Ylot6 by Dootor '; 11'''orr. L.
Halver:n a, Stctc Dir<:ctor of ru 'Sc k,!l4 .
'8d11 you 'cindiy arc^ant the nc't „f�
City Council e.nd tloo oblige vs - rii icv. cc-5` to
the :2ryor of your Ol • cr_ to y>-'r r., :.3,;e;•^ -.nd
to the City T-sine. sor - 3n ovF .or>
hold .ewtere. di.;noccl p„rnitc i_u.. t,i:, '' .-r.t of
Public fieelth which, it Mll by anted, :11.1 =r.^rtly rose
up for rcvle'c, it v.111 no aor:ht el :.tc-.noc for you
to know the tt-xt of your ,::raft or pervi'--s. ^l:ould your
copy *lot be ,...�dily loort(e, in ,,r flle_e, r.• ,+ you ,^.ill
request it, :,e shr111 be to pvoperc r.u;tics frost our
o�fle el records.
�t Very truly yovre,
B�JRFAO 01' SKITTRI PTJGI`r'i 7.RI%Tr
CGG: iu
rne: :'evec;e Lisoos=:i REaolution=
(Six Copies)
• STATE OF CALWORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Resolution Against Disposal of Raw Sewage Into the Waters of the
State Without Appropriate Sewage Treatment
fA&pled by the Soue Rood of Public Health, Mauh It, 1946)
WHEREAS, The disposal of raw sewage into the streams and waterways and into the salt waters
of the State is becoming increasingly inimical to the welfare of the people of this State, endangering
their health and comfortable enjoyment of life and property, and
WHEREAS, For many years the State Board of Public Health has declared as a policy that it
would grant no further permits for the disposal of raw sewage into San Francisco Bay, and
WHEREAS, Chapter 20, First Extraordinary Session, 1946 Legislature, known as the Construc-
tion and Employment Act, declares that "inadequate sewage disposal facilities and the discharge of raw,
untreated sewage into the streams, riven, bays and oceans of the State have largely destroyed their
usefulness thereby depriving the State and its people of a great natural resource,"
THEREFORE, BE IT REsoLVED, That it is the sense of this Board that the prohibition of the
issuance of permits for the disposal of raw sewage into San Francisco Bay shall be extended to apply to
all the waters of the State, and that henceforth no permit shall be issued by the State Board of Public
Health for the disposal of raw or untreated sewage or industrial waste such that the waste may be taken
up by the waters of the State, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That all permits heretofore issued for the disposal of raw, untreated
sewage into any of the water of the State shall be revoked effective January 1, 1947. Return of raw
or digested sludge, or of comminuted sewage solids, into the effluent outfall, or similar operations shall
not be considered to constitute sewage treatment under this resolution.
• 5TATt OF CALIFORNIA •
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
BUR UU GF SI.N Ii 1,pY ENGINEERING e `
•IG.OX 4 N1LV[X.O X. Y.O. [[w.[L [Y I.I.CUIIOXNI.
..a.w wr rvna Yut.X
...arch 22, 191,5
Philip A. Bearg, 14. D.
County Health Officer
1009 .;orro Street
can Luis Obispo, California
Dear Poctor Bearg:
Mr. Reinke has been tellin; :.e of various events
is connection with t_.e se', -rage dislposel at San Luis ObiFno,
and whils it does sce:r, that you and the city have the situ-
ation co:ainC. along; quite well, I have a couple of feelings
in the matter which may be helpful if I transmit theta.
One is that I do thins- that insofar as it con-
tinues to be profitable the city would do well to depend
on P:ir. Jens the desiCner of this plant to work out its
difficulties. Second, however, I think it might now be
re_nrded as not the best plan to have leased tre sewer
farm, at least not until this sewage plant has passed
through quite a long, trial period and its idiosyncrasies
are mastered. 113th t::at in :.ind would it not be well to
broach to the city the non -renewal of the lease as soon
as it can be done with fairness to all concerned.
The reason I advise this is that this: sewage dis-
posal of San Luis Obispo is really in a critical and quite
eaactinC neighborhood and it will certainly leave the city
in better position to deal fairly with the neighbors if the
sewer fars is. retained for quite a whlla as an adjunct of its
se,zage dia,sosal. I know that was what we !is(' In mine.. when
t,i:, city asked for permit for this plant, and in fact we
contemplated that only effluent would ;-o to t:.e riv--r in
excess of the cuanti y that t:ao se'„er f;,r, would not uroperly
assimilate.
Yours very truly,
F0� V1170RY
• ''.ills. L£
( Sewerage and Sewage Disposal Form Al. Sunicipal Corporation or Civil
Subdivision )
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
BOARD OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Application from - City of San Luis Obispo
xame of municipality or civil subdivision
Organized under 3ecial Freeholders Charter - 1910
Tate whe er 'SFac a arter or un er general law, P v ng c ass an
date of incorporation.
To the Board of I'ublie Health of the sate of California,
.'acramento, California:
Pursuant and subject to all the terms, conditions and provisions of the
Public Fealth Act of the 3tete of California, approved :!arch 230 1907, and all
amendments thereto, application is hereby made to said State Board of Public
Health for a permit to
-ispose of settled sevrage from the City of San Luis Obispo onto the
lands of parties listed on the attached sheet, the exact areas being
identified and outlined by the shaded I,ertions on the map hereto attached and
made a part of this application.
Dated April 25th 1938
City of San Luis Obispo
By L.F.5insheimer, tvayor
fittest
Callie ". John,
City Cleric
"ote: Befeire making appllcation for pennit, such action must be authorized by
resolution of the governing board, substantially in the form furnished by the
"Late Board of T_ublic Itealth( Sewerage and 3ewane-isposal.Form A 2 ), and a
copy of such resolution duly certified by the clerk of such board must accompany
the aoDlication.
NAMES OF PARTIES ONTO WHOSE LAND THE SETTLED SEWAGE
WILL BE DISPOSED.
F. Dalidio
John Gudel
Frank D. Silva
M. V. Oliver
Dr. 0. M. Polin
Manuel Santos
City of San Luis Obispo
RESOLUTION No. 399 _(New Series)
A BF -SOLUTION AUTHORIZING AtiD DIRECTLNG T& T
Ali AP?LICLTION BE 31.Dh TO TU. STATE BOARD OF
PUBLIC HEALTH FOR A PERMIT TO LISPOSS OF
SSTTLLD Si'i'AGE.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo
as follows:
That pursuant and subject to ell the terms, conditions
and provisions of the Public Health Act of the State of California,
approved Perch 23, 1907, and all amendments thereto, application
by thls City Sn be made to the State Board of Public Health of the
State of C&I ifornia, for a pormit to dispose of settled swage
from the City of San Luis Obispo onto the lands of F. Dalldio,
John Gudel, Frank D. Silva, 1. V. Oliver, Lr. 0. E. Polin, Manuel
:autos ,nd the City of Sea Luis Obispo, the exr:ct areas Laing
Icentified and outlined by the sh,.^ed cortions o: the map filed
In the office of the City Cierk of .:.ice C.ty arx .aarked, ',.inch
gap, Sewage Irrigation City of San Luis Ubls?o, 19:?3r; -mud t;wt
the Mayor of said City of San Luis Obispo be Bud :ae Is hereby
authorir.ed and directed to cause the necee�r.ry data to be pre-
pared, and Investigations to be sc:de, .,nd izi the m"a of said
City to sign and file such application nith the sold Etcte board
of Pub1Le Health.
PASCED 6111; 6DO13TED this LUj day of April
1938, by the following vote:
AYLE:d B Berkemeyer L ,.Defoseet.R.F.Howell.Joseph Leary. L.F.Sinsheimer
NOEX. "one —
ABSENT: iTone
;,TT"' Tt dfeyn _-_ Lrshei�e r
7 C14mv
fkip.1 Cotnnnion a Civil Saabdisisoal
15twnra,e and Saww Esi.,asnal. F.. A2. 0, 0
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
BOARD OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Certified Copy of Resolution
[To accompany application on Form Al]
Ck . ...... 1. ee.,a es ........ .. ..
0.1 1 - an sworn.Jhat pursuant and
xa
subject to 311 the terms, conditions and provisions of the Public Health Act of the Sure of California, approved March 23,
1907, and all amendments thereto, application by this be made to the Star. Board of Public Health
ci,
of the State of California, for a permit to -44� ez A&-"-4,f—e a-
f
na.,��.u, .61 n —k.. Asks— I.
—k. w A." waem
rJ-
Aythat the .,of.aid A4
be and he is hereby authorized and directed to cause the necessary data to be prepared, and investigations to be made, and in
('� j ,
the name of aid 'I',_ef to sign and file such application with the said State Board of Public Health."
Passed and adopted at . regular meeting of the of the
on the day of 19
AFFix
Os 11CMt. Ct,,k,,f said
Scat
.1. Is,
...'aornas.n..