City vows to clean up waterways -- Starting environmental project an option instead of paying $33K fines for pipe leak

City vows to clean up waterways -- Starting environmental project an option instead of paying $33K fines for pipe leak

CHAD SMITH
chad.smith@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 11/10/09

St. Augustine City Commissioners on Monday weighed regulating the city's waterways to make them cleaner and safer for boaters and then agreed to pay the state $33,000 in fines for a sewage spill in the San Sebastian River in May.

The City Commission set a second reading, public hearing and further discussion on the mooring fields ordinance for their Dec. 14 regular meeting. The mooring fields are planned for Matanzas Bay and Salt Run, a move that would let the city control who moors their boats where and for how much.

The proposal was discussed for several minutes, but the fine for the sewage spill wasn't discussed at all -- it was simply passed in the board's consent agenda.

On May 30, a water main installed across the San Sebastian River in the 1960s broke near Oyster Creek.

By the time the leak was stopped June 1, an estimated 611,294 gallons of untreated wastewater made it into the river, according to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection report.

The city's wastewater permit expired in September 2008, and the state found the city violated several rules when the pipe broke.

As penalty, the city must pay the state $3,000 in administrative fees and $30,000 worth of fines.

Instead of the fines, however, the city can elect to start an environmental project worth 1 1/2 times the penalty -- $45,000.

City Manager Bill Harriss said after the meeting that city officials would likely choose to take on a project instead of paying the money.

The city has 15 days to submit a proposal for a project.

Harris said the main in question was the city's only cross-river wastewater pipe from the 1960s that had not been replaced when it burst.

Giving a presentation about the proposed mooring fields, James Piggott, director of general services for the city, told commissioners there would be room for 178 moorings, though it wasn't clear how much the city would charge.

Piggott said the policy would also make it easier to find the owners of derelict boats.

The problem of derelict boats is mounting, not to mention expensive, he said.

Last year, five of them had to be fished from the bay at the cost of $10,133.19.

So far this year, the city has removed seven at the cost of $51,790.51.

Commissioner Don Crichlow said officials need to be cautious that, if it institutes the mooring proposal, not to overcharge and, thus, deter boaters.

"They can bring a lot of money into this town," Crichlow said. "We need to keep it very attractive. We need to keep it a good deal."

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