Posting for the convenience of all-many may have received this today:
Big Basin Water Sewer Customers,
Last week the County issued permitting policy for parcels in the Big Basin Sewer service area. We heard from many understandably concerned property owners asking the County to authorize an interim solution to allow occupancy and facilitate issuance of new building permits. While we empathize with the struggles faced by those who have made great sacrifices to rebuild, the County does not have the authority to authorize blackwater or greywater discharges to the Big Basin Water wastewater treatment plant, which is under a State-issued permit.
County staff have spent many hours meeting with California Water Quality Control Board and California Public Utilities Commission staff members to look at all angles for both short and long-term solutions and to advocate for those in the Big Basin sewer service area. Some of the medium and long-range options will be presented at a community meeting we hope to hold in late May. The best chance for a shorter-term solution is for the existing wastewater treatment infrastructure to be brought into a functioning state such that the Regional Water Quality Control Board can allow some level of additional wastewater to go to the treatment plant. Our understanding is that Pacific Gas & Electric was scheduled to provide electric service to the Big Basin treatment plant on Monday, April 17, after which it is the responsibility of the Big Basin Water Company to take next steps to address the Regional Board’s water quality concerns.
The attached policy clarification is intended to clarify the regulations that define Santa Cruz County’s role in the issuance of occupancy permits for structures connected to the sewer system. The County will continue to engage in this issue and support the generation of creative solutions as the matter progresses through the state enforcement process.
We will update you with additional information, including the date and time of our upcoming community meeting, as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Burke
Asst Director Permit Center
CDI Planning Division
Carolyn Burke, P.E., QSP, CFM
CDI Planning Division
Assistant Director - Permit Center
831.454.5121 701 Ocean Street, Room 400 Santa Cruz, CA 95060