ENCINO : Alternative Sites Sought for Waste

The Los Angeles Public Works Department will unveil three alternatives to a controversial disposal site for septic waste in the Sepulveda Basin within six to eight weeks, spokeswoman Christine Harris said Thursday.

Identification of the sites is a required part of an environmental impact report being developed on a proposal to truck septic tank waste to the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant before sending it to the Hyperion Treatment Plant for processing.

Area homeowners and environmental activists oppose the facility, while city sanitation officials say the project would give them more control over what is dumped into city sewers.

At a public hearing on the environmental study Wednesday night, residents and activists asked the city to slow the process. A draft version of the study is scheduled for completion in July.

Residents also asked the city to provide maps so homeowners can better participate in the selection of alternative sites and the development of the environmental impact report.

About 40 people attended the meeting at the Encino Community Center on Balboa Boulevard.

“Everything is on a fast track,” said Peter Ireland, president of the Coalition to Save Sepulveda Basin. “It seems that there is not enough time to look into all the issues.”

Harris said the city will look at several possible alternatives to disposing of the waste through Tillman, including use of more than one site to channel the waste to Hyperion, which is in Playa del Rey.

Under the septic tank program, the new facility at the Tillman plant would be used as a central collection point for between 90 and 200 truckloads of sewage a day collected from residential septic tanks throughout the San Fernando Valley and neighboring cities.

Don Schultz, president of the Van Nuys Homeowners Assn., said the Tillman plant should not be considered at all as a site to collect the waste.

Bill Jasper, president of the Encino Property Owners Assn., accused the city of trying to push the project through without appropriate input from residents.

“This was kind of a stealth project that no one knew about,” Jasper said. “You should approach it as though it does not exist.”

Ara Kasparian, a city engineer, said he would ask a member of the Board of Public Works for more time to allow public input.

Robin Ijams, a city environmental consultant, promised to provide maps that show industrial zones and publicly owned maintenance yards at a public workshop in two to three weeks at which 15 to 20 preliminary alternative sites will be presented.