Water Quality Permitting and Reporting Information System (PARIS)

Hello Mayor Adams, Holly, Frank, and Ryan,

Please see the attached letter regarding the Implementation of the Sewage Spill Webpage per 2025 Revision to Chapter 90.48 of the Revised Code of Washington. This letter was created to make you aware of this new legislation and to provide you guidance for relevant reporting.

If you have any question on the attached letter, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you,

Stephanie Giesin

Inspector and Permit Developer/Facility Manager

WA Department of Ecology | Water Quality Program

Central Region Office | 1250 W. Alder St. Union Gap, WA 98903

C: 509.504.0172 | Stephanie.giesin@ecy.wa.gov

I emailed Ryan King about previous DMR violations in 2024 for results they were waiting for from the lab as they used the code "WR" Waiting on Results. 

Ryan replied to my email the morning of Tuesday 4/29 that he had completed the DMRs for June and September 2024 and attached analytical reports from Eurofins. Those violations have been resolved. 

Spoke on the phone to Debra Morris (590-952-2927):

• Debra worked with CSD for many years previously. 
• Debra stated that multiple hookups occured into the interceptor between Tieton and Cowiche, particularly on Summitview (Roger Strand and Keller Fruit were mentioned). 
•  These hookups may not have been covered in the facility's planning document, may not have had the appropriate permits, and according to Debra were disapproved previously by Yakima County and ECY. 
• Debra also believes these hookups are in violation of the GMA as they are not in either Tieton's or CSD's service area. 
• Debra has been incommunication with both Ammanda Mckinney (Yakima Commissioner) and staff at Yakima Planning (Tommy?)

I let Debra know we appreciated her information and would consider the applicabilty of any ECY responsiblities. 

I spoke to Mayor Ashbrooks of Tieton: 

• He said he spoke to Joe Trepanier (CSD Commissioner), and Joe was willing to sign over operation to the City of Tieton. 
• He said he would provide me the contact information of the Tieton and Yakima County attourneys looking to manage the case. I said I would call them to discuss the possible transfer to operation and NPDES permittee designation. 

Spoke to Ryan King on the phone: 

• He mentioned that a DO violation was reported on his recent DMR (7.27 mg/L). 
•  It sounds to be seasonal based on temperature. He mentioned that while the cooling channel does reduce the temperature of the water, the DO does not re-equilibriate. 
• I encouraged them to pursue their idea of eastablishing turbulant aeration in the cooling channel, including adding rocks. I also mentioned the idea of adding appropriate shade to areas of the wetland.
• Ryan provided me with Mr. Bob Merrit's cell phone number, which was added to the contacts. 

I spoke on the phone with Mr. Bob Merritt:

• He's eager to help with the sewer district management situation, but not while Mr. Joe Trepanier is a standing commissioner. 
• He goes down to help at the wastewater plant three days a week to make sure the operators can continue their work. 

Spoke to Joe Trepanier. He said the following:

• He is still with the Cowiche Sewer District
• The operator wasn't getting paid because there "are no commissioners right now". 
• He believes Governor Inslee will ultimately be appointing a new commissioner for Cowiche Sewer District.

Spoke to Joe Trepanier. He said the following:

• He is still with the Cowiche Sewer District
• The operator wasn't getting paid because there "are no commissioners right now". 
• He believes Governor Inslee will ultimately be appointing a new commissioner for Cowiche Sewer District.

Spoke to Mayor Dewane Ashbrooks of Tieton. He communicated the following:

• The Cowiche Sewer District has lost commissioners, and not collected sewer fees for  two months. 
• Tieton had to take over to pay operator - it's been three payments now.
• Tieton has  authority to assume operation and management plant if things aren't working, under the agreement, according to Mayor Ashbrooks. 
• County Commissioners aren't taking charge of it. 
• The only commissioner changed his office locks, and fired Bob Merrit.

Cowiche Sewer District Commissions left, and the remaining Comissioners locked Bob Merritt (sewer district manager) out of the office. There were personal differences. 

He confirmed Mayor Ashbrooks account of events. 

Spoke to Ryan King on the phone: 

• He confirmed that he had not been paid by Cowiche Sewer District the last three months. He missed two paychecks before Tieton stepped in and paid him directly. 
• Ryan confirmed that Bob Merrit had falled out with the existing commissioner over persional reasons and had been effectively fired. 

Ryan King called to notify me of another dissovled oxygen violation for the month of August. The montly average DO came in at 7.56 mg/L. The culprit is likely ambient air temperatures. A few notes:

• DO for DMR reports is measured in the UV room, prior to the effluent channel, which cools the water significantly. 
• Interestingly, the DO in the cooling channel was similar to that measured in the UV room, despite the cooling channel being about 3 degrees cooler. 
• This suggests that a technology like step aeration could allow the increase in DO before discharge as the water resaturates at its new temperature. 
• I reitered the potential benefits of conducting a facility plan to identify long term needs and treatment opportunities at the plant.  My discussion included another description of Ecology's State Revolving Fund opportunities, and an emphasis on the facility implementing AKART.