City Spills Another 60,750 Gallons of Raw Sewage Into San Sebastian River: National Response Center Report No. 1110655 (March 13-14, 2015)

Another beautiful day in a beautiful placed, marred by another massive sewage spill into our San Sebastian River.

Our estimable City Hall staff did not report it to the National Response Center. So I reported it: it is National Response Center Report No. 11106555. Our City does not like it when I report things to the National Response Center. In fact, on September 8, 2008, then Assistant City Manager JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E. whined at the podium because Judith Seraphin and I reported a spill. Some nine months later, there was a massive, preventable spill of some 611,000 gallons (enough to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool).

Our City Hall staff, as usual, is not exactly being forthcoming.

Thus, I have written our Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Commissioners and City Hall Staff. See below.

Ask questions. Demand answers. Expect democracy.

UPDATE: It is 10:45 PM and no documents provided by City. City Manager JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E. called earlier and did not know yet if the failure to detect the spill until ten hours after it began was electrical failure or operator ignoring alarm in control room.



Sent: Sat, Mar 14, 2015 3:50 pm
Subject: Request No. 2015-58: URGENT: City of St. Augustine Spills 60,750 Gallons of Raw Sewage Into San Sebastian River (March 13-14, 2015)

Dear Mayor Shaver, Vice Mayor Horvath and Commissioners Neville, Sikes-Kline and Freeman, John, Martha, Lucy, Todd, J.C., Loran, Isabelle, Paul and Wanda:
1. Please send all existing and newly-created paper and electronic documents on the March 13-14, 2014 San Sebastian River Sewage Spill of Some 60,750 Gallons of Raw Sewage and Sequelae , including but not limited to the City's FDEP and National Response Center or other reports, biological and chemical analysis and followups from city or other laboratories root cause analysis, remote sensing device failures, public works, police and fire reports, copies of persons sent the press release and records on all followup communications lessons learned, CAQR and occurrence reports on past similar sewage spills or power supply disruptions, complaints, reports, e-mails text messages and voice mails, draft press releases, correspondence with FPL, EPA, FDEP, Bill Pence, other counsel, city consultants etc. Please supply all such records on a continuing basis, from this day forward.
2. I phoned City Public Works Director, Ms. Martha Graham, at March 14, 2015 2:53 PM on her city cell phone, as I was advised to do by Mr. Williamson's 2:32 PM press release; Ms. Graham was unfriendly, quiet and said the press released stated "what happened," while agreeing to forward information she disconnected my call very abruptly before I had the opportunity to request more information. I have received nothing from Ms. Graham yet.
3. Please, someone respond by telephone today with the "further information" as promised in the 2:32 PM press release but not provided by Ms. Graham during or after my 2:53 PM phone call.
4. Openness and candor are no[w] required, not belated press releases and phone hangups when we call Ms. Graham as advised for "further information."
5. Please request that FPL (and all other government contractors that become involved) to kindly provide all documents under F.S. 119.
6. Our City of St. Augustine has a history of environmental fines, repeatedly polluting our streams and groundwater.
7. This urgent request thus urgently requires an immediate response . Today, please.
Thank you for all that you do.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed
Ed Slavin
Box 3084
St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084
904-377-4998
www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com
www.fourowls.blogspot.com




-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Williamson
To: Wanda Bray
Sent: Sat, Mar 14, 2015 2:32 pm
Subject: Power outage results in sewage spill in the San Sebastian River

March 14, 2015

Power outage results in sewage spill in the San Sebastian River

At approximately 8:00am this morning, Saturday, March 14, city crews responded to a power outage at a sanitary sewer lift station located off Masters Dr. at the eastern terminus of Helen St. Temporary power was restored immediately by city crews and permanently shortly thereafter by FPL. It was determined that the outage, triggered by a raccoon shorting out the station’s power, occurred at approximately 10:00pm on Friday night.

As soon as city crews arrived, a survey was conducted to determine where a spill may have occurred. That survey identified a manhole at the end of Florida Ave. that was overflowing into the San Sebastian River. It was also determined that the sewage was not recoverable.

Following required protocols, the city has reported the 60,750 gal. spill to the appropriate state authorities and signs notifying the public of the spill have been posted at the San Sebastian River bridges at State Road 16, U. S. 1, and King St. Signs are also posted at the end of Florida Ave. Water sampling and testing continues today in compliance processes following such an incident.

City Manager John Regan and Public Works Director Martha commended the work of city crews this morning for their response and their attention to compliance, both important in such incidents.

For more information, contact Martha Graham, Public Works Director at 904.669.0194.

_______________________
C o SA N ews
City of St. Augustine, FL / Public Affairs Department
Phn: 904.825.1004 / P.O.Box 210 / St. Augustine, FL 32085-0210
www.StAugustineGovernment.com ; / info@citystaug.com

__________________________________________
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