Criminal Probe of Major Sewage Spill to Be Urged

Sanitation officials for the City of Los Angeles discovered evidence Tuesday of a major, unreported sewage spill into Santa Monica Bay and plan to ask today for suspensions and a criminal investigation of two management supervisors at the troubled Hyperion treatment plant.

The spill, which occurred after a brief power outage May 25 at the huge treatment plant in El Segundo, led to the discharge of from 3 to 9 million gallons of partially treated sewage out a backup pipeline that carries effluent a mile out to sea, officials said.

Most sewage dumped into the ocean off Los Angeles is discharged five miles offshore, where its impact on the beach and ocean life is minimized. When the backup line is used, chlorination is normally added to protect beachgoers and boaters.

‘Secondary Treatment’

The May 25 sewage was apparently not chlorinated, although it had received “secondary treatment” to remove most of the fecal and other solid material, officials said.

Board of Public Works President Maureen Kindel confirmed Tuesday night that the apparent spill, and two smaller ones earlier this month, were not reported as required by state law.

Kindel said she would recommend at a closed meeting of the board today suspension of the two plant shift superintendents who apparently decided not to report the discharges. She said she would also ask for a criminal investigation by the city attorney and district attorney if necessary.

The city was tipped to the spills by an anonymous Hyperion plant employee who delivered flow charts and other records to a secretary in Mayor Tom Bradley’s office. The employee alleged that various plant workers had agreed to cover up the sewage discharge.

After the records were received, city sanitation officials began a review of Hyperion operations and concluded late Tuesday that the spills had occurred and were not reported.

Offshore Waters

The state Regional Water Quality Control Board requires that such spills be reported because they can lead to elevated bacteria counts in the surf and offshore waters. The bacteria can cause diarrhea and other intestinal problems in humans.

Besides the May 25 spill, the review of records discovered evidence of a small, 30,000-gallon discharge out the backup line on June 6 that was also not reported as required.

The review also raised questions about a discharge of 1.5 million gallons that was reported to the state on June 5. Kindel said there are indications that the spill was closer to 2 million gallons.

Hyperion, a 30 year-old facility that city officials consider outdated, has been the target of much criticism for previous unauthorized discharges into the ocean.