New Hearing on San Diego Sewage Pumped Into Ocean Ordered
In a victory for city officials, a federal judge has ordered a new hearing to determine whether sewage piped into the ocean from the city’s sewage treatment plant is really harming the environment.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Rudi M. Brewster gives the city another chance to argue why it should not be required to spend an estimated $500 million to upgrade the Point Loma plant to meet federal clean water standards.
The effects that partially treated sewage have had on ocean plants and fish have been hotly debated. The city contends that there is no significant harm to the environment, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other scientists say additional treatment is needed to improve water quality.
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