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TEHAMA COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT NO. 1 - Interim Director Will Pike
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Requested Action(s)
recommendation
a) Review ongoing request for waiver for the property owned by Maria Portillo at 35315 HWY 36E (APN# 013-290-013-000) (out of service gas station) and either:
1) Find that approval of the waiver will serve a greater public purpose than would be served collecting sewer fees for 35315 HWY 36E, and, as a result, approve and authorize the waiver
OR
2) Deny the request for waiver and authorize the District to take any means necessary to enforce the collection of fees up to and including seeking collection of the fees through a court order
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Financial Impact:
The property currently pays $0 a year while the lateral is still connected to the sewer, prompted by the issue of damage to the Mineral Water District’s supply line. At 1 H.E., the gas station’s rate would be equivalent to 468.12 bi-annually or $936.24 per year at the current rate. Loss of revenue since 2013 at 1 H.E. is approximately $6800.88. This includes the recent increases to the sewer fees as well as the old fee rate. The last payment received was on 8/17/17.
Background Information:
The former Director of Public Works, Tim McSorley, appeared before the Board of Supervisors on 3/1/22, at the request of the site owner Maria Portillo for consideration of a sewer fee exemption for this property based on the fact that the gas station is closed for business and that the Mineral Water service is not connected due to a break in the agency’s water line. It has been more than five years that the District has been waiting for the property owner to repair the break in the water line or demand the agency providing water service repair it. The Tehama County Sanitation District does not know the condition of the gas station’s sewer lateral or if inflow/infiltration is making its way into the line and to the Wastewater Plant. Disconnecting service is not an option because the building is required to have a sewer connection to be up to code. The building is currently standing and has at least one restroom and sink connected to the sewer lateral. Per Ordinance No. 2119, Section 1.8, we invoice all laterals connected to the plant regardless of the amount of use. The District asks, at a minimum, charges of no less than 0.4 H.E., which would be $130.03 bi-annually or $260.06 annually, and a maximum of 1 H.E. (the previous billing rate= 200 gal/day)