Ione – The Castle Oaks Water Reclamation Plant had an apparent Discharge Violation on October 4th, as reported this week in a letter to the Ione City Council. But the staff report indicated that the violation may have come from a spoiling of the sample. Contract plant operators Perc Water reported the violation by voicemail and by a subsequent follow-up letter the next day to the Regional Water Quality Control Board in Rancho Cordova. Casey Wichert, operating manager for Perc Water in a letter to the regional board’s Mary Boyd said an October 4th “daily total coliform sample was analyzed and found to have a value” that exceeded what state law permits in “a daily maximum limitation.” Wichert said: “At the time of the sample the turbidity, chlorine residual, and detention time of the system were within normal ranges and should not have caused the coliform result to be high.” Wichert said subsequent tests yielded “normal” results. Wichert said: “While there is no reliable way to determine what caused the high result, it is likely due to bacterial contamination during collection of the sample.” With that apparent cause, Wichert said it was “therefore not representative of the effluent.” The letter reporting the violation is on today’s city council agenda. Also today, the council will consider declaring completion of 5 capital sewer projects, totaling $31,000. That included repair of 2 breaks in the existing underground line in a field near the end of East Main Street. City Manager Kim Kerr in a report said the job installed 30 linear feet of PVC pipe. Also, the work made an “in-road repair” at the intersection of North Ione Street and West Jackson Street. A concrete flowline channel was build inside a manhole at the Ione Shopping Center market. An attempt to seal a manhole from groundwater inflow failed. The work, on a manhole at the end of Quail Court, did reduce inflows by at least 90 percent, after 3 attempts to do the work, Kerr said. The work also replaced a manhole frame and cover, with a new concrete collar poured on top, at the intersection of Oak and Poplar streets. The council meets 6 p.m. today in City Hall. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.