Tag Archives: Sewers

$50 Per Month Sewer Bills Proposed

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By Tom Fruitcheese and the Monterey Peninsula Water Pollution Creation Agency. Protesters tried to stop it with a written campaign but fell short, kind of knee deep in the sewage.

The city’s aging sewer system has led to repeat sewage spills into protected coastal waters. Officials sought the fee hike to cover the long-term costs of repairing it, pinned at $13.9 million over 10 years.
“Portions of the sewer system are almost 100 years old,” P.G. City Manager Tom Frutchey writes by email. “In order to keep the system functioning effectively, for the safety of residents and the protection of the Bay, the council adopted the proposed rates. Throughout the 10-year period, future councils will be able to make further adjustments.”
Meanwhile, the Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association has pressured the city to refund a $600,000-plus sewer fee overcharge to residents. Officials have said they’d rather apply it as a credit against the upcoming fee hike.

$50 Per Month Sewer Bills Proposed

Higher Pay Per Flush Approved

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Not enough input from opposition.

New rates will help cover the cost of fixing old pipelines that date back to the early 1900s. Pacific Grove residents will now see a 5 percent rate increase on their monthly sewer bill, totaling about $42 a month, and some residents in the area aren’t too happy.

The city said the sewage rate increase will bring in more than $800,000 over the next couple of years. City officials said the sewer fund is separate from the general fund and can only be used for sewer maintenance.

Higher Pay Per Flush Approved

Sewer Rate Increases

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Never mind the lack of maintenance and failing MRWPCA pump station. Pay Per Flush and Smart Sewer Meters can’t be far behind.

A discovery that the city had been overcharging customers for several years angered many and led to a grassroots effort to overturn a 10-year rate hike proposal, with 1,421 residents penning letters against the idea. But it wasn’t enough to stop the move — 3,051 responses were needed — and the City Council unanimously adopted the increases.

“We’re going to be able to move ahead,” said Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Kampe just after the responses were tallied.

The figure was not what the opposition had hoped for. The controversy arose after the city collected $600,000 in sewer fees over the last few years without issuing a required notice to ratepayers. During that time, the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency also raised its rates, which were linked to the city’s rate and added to homeowners’ bills.

Sewer Rate Increases

That Sewer Internet? Oh It’s On The Way

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Google TISP

Another bad decision by Tom Fruit-Cheese. Why would Comcast or ATT want to use SiFi Networks’ fiber cables in sewers when they already have their own? Who wants to work on cables soaking in poop? And what happens when the  Monterey Regional Water Pollution Creation Agency breaks a valve? Does the internet go out or just ooze sewage into your computer?

In a revised deal still under negotiation, City Manager Tom Frutchey says, SiFi would construct and install the network. Internet service providers such as AT&T and Comcast would pay the city for each customer who signs up, he says, and the city in turn would use that money to lease the system from SiFi for 30 years. When the term is up, the city would own the system. According to staff calculations, P.G. would net $1 million over 10 years.

Pacific Grove City Council made a deal with London-based SiFi Networks to install fiber-optic Internet cables through the city’s sewer pipes. The company announced it had selected P.G. as a California “FiberCity,” intended to showcase speeds of up to 1 gigabyte per second – 20 times faster than the fastest DSL connection – and the network would be installed by the end of 2015. SiFi would cover the construction costs, up to $40 million.

That Sewer Internet? Oh It’s On The Way

100,000 Gallons Of Raw Sewage Dumped On Lovers Point

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M.R.P.C.A, the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Creation Agency had no plan in place for one lousy valve?

MRWPCA

Scott Kathey, emergency response coordinator for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, said cleaning sewage out of the ocean is impossible.

When asked what environmental impact may occur, Kathey said, “It’s hard to say. Obviously the plume is going to spread. Any kind of effects would be long-term.”

Marine animals could develop bacterial infections from coming into contact with the sewage, he said. Luckily, there were no sea otters or seals nearby at the time of the spill.

The recreational trail was closed to the public from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to Point Pinos. Lovers Point Beach was also closed, as well as all beaches one mile to the north and one mile to the south of it.

100,000 Gallons Of Raw Sewage Dumped On Lovers Point

SiFi Network Experience

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Yeah. Don’t fall for this.

The history of this vendor and communities
The SiFi Networks rep, Scott Bradshaw — who appears in the photo with Mayor Pro Tem Robert Huitt — has represented this solution / funding model under different company names over the past four years. We met him while it was i3 America. He and a representative from Pickstock Group met with our community last year. Although we were very interested and wanted to move forward, there was no follow up. Apparently, the municipality of Sandy, Oregon — which had already gone to contract with i3 America — wound up with a nonexistent network and then had to sue this new company to move forward without SiFi’s involvement. Good luck Pacific Grove.

SiFi Network Experience

Monterey Sewage Closes The Beach In P.G.

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Plumbing contractor sends sewage down storm drain, public works lets drain empty to ocean.

Both the MFD and the Monterey County Health Dept. were informed by MPW last night that the diversion pump had been switched on, Ramirez says, but this morning the health department was informed by MPW that the switch was still turned off. Ramirez could not elaborate as whether the error was mechanical or human, but a statement issued by the health department earlier today said it was a “mechanical failure.”

Monterey Sewage Closes The Beach In P.G.

Beach Warning Of The Week

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Lovers Point Sewer Pipe

County health officials today are warning visitors to San Carlos Beach in Monterey and Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove to avoid going in the water after tests found higher than normal levels of bacteria.

The tests were done Monday, and warning signs have been posted at the beaches, officials said. The advisory is expected to be lifted when water samples indicate bacteria levels are acceptable.

Beach Warning Of The Week

Warnings Posted At Lovers Point

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Poo in the water. Do you think that these people in the unmarked truck that are pressure washing the buildings and sidewalks should recover their rinse water and dispose of it properly instead of letting it run down the storm drains to the ocean? Do the Pacific Grove business owners even care?

Washing Sidewalks at Nancy’s Attic and Glenn Gobel frames

Sidewalk Washers

Washing facade and sidewalks at Chase bank

Chase Washers

Water from storm drain goes:
Lovers Point Sewer Pipe

County health officials are warning visitors to Lovers Point Beach to avoid going in the water after tests Monday found higher than normal levels of bacteria.

Health officials say humans and animals including seals, otters and birds can contribute to higher bacteria levels in addition to rainfall runoff and storm drains.

Warnings Posted At Lovers Point

Triathlon At Pacific Grove – First It’s Not Polluted, Then It Is Polluted, Then It’s Not

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Ready to swim in the dirty water?

Carl Spackler Pool

9/3/08

(KION News)
Lover’s Point Beach Advisory

A high indicator of bacteria was found in samples taken on 8/18/08 and now Lover’s Point Beach has been poster with an advisory.

9/5/08

(KCBA News)
Swimmers can return to Pacific Grove.

Closed earlier this week because of bacteria in the water, the beach at Lovers’ Point is now open for people who want to take a dip.

The Monterey County Health Department says the coliform bacteria has subsided, returning the water quality back to a safe level.

Triathlon At Pacific Grove – First It’s Not Polluted, Then It Is Polluted, Then It’s Not