U.S. Demands City’s Records on Spill

Three weeks after rupture of a Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant pipeline spilled about 63 million gallons of sewage into Conejo Creek, Thousand Oaks’ records have been subpoenaed by federal investigators.

Mayor Mike Markey said at Tuesday night’s council meeting that the U.S. attorney’s office has demanded copies of all applicable city documents pertaining to the spill and maintenance of the 35-year-old plant, which treats 90% of the city’s sewage.

City Atty. Mark Sellers said he would have to talk with FBI agents--who are conducting the investigation on behalf of the U.S. attorney’s office--to determine which records are needed from the city-run plant, which has a 10-million-gallon daily capacity.

“They want thousands of documents. I have to ask them, ‘What do you really want?’ If they want everything, I’ll tell them ‘OK, bring a truck around,’ ” Sellers said during a break in the meeting.

Floods caused by storms burst a 30-inch diameter sewer main on Feb. 3, sending upward of 6 million gallons of effluent daily down the Conejo Creek and into the Mugu Lagoon and the ocean. The spill, which was not fully repaired for more than 10 days, caused Ventura and Los Angeles county health officials to close nearly 30 miles of beaches.

“I think it’s a bit harsh considering the weather and stream flows,” Sellers said. “It wasn’t a lack of maintenance of the pipe. And we’ve had no indication of any environmental damage. There was so much rain the water flushed the area.”

The city attorney said the result of the federal probe could range from a reprimand that suggests what the city should have done to prevent the accident to expensive fines and penalties for violating the federal Clean Water Act.

The ruptured pipe had been scheduled for repair when it broke. City officials now plan to replace the entire main in August.

The City Council is scheduled to meet in closed session Tuesday to discuss the matter.