Thursday, May 21, 2015

[San Joaquin County] Stockton water treatment plant under grand jury fire


Staff and an issue where the treatment’s water intake facility was built on a levee are the two main problems.


STOCKTON - The San Joaquin County grand jury has blasted the management of the Delta Water Treatment Plant, located in north Stockton.
The report discovered a number of issues, including the intake facility being on a levee wall that wasn't re-enforced during construction.
"It's on a levee; they made it wider. Since then, the levee has dropped up to one foot," grand jury foreman Ward Downs said. He added electric and plumbing failures because of that issue cost about $50,000 in repairs.
Far more expensive problems resulted at the actual treatment facility, located several miles to the east near Lower Sacramento Road. Downs said the grand jury learned staffing was such a problem last year that the plant didn't deliver water to Stockton residents for four months. He said Stockton then spent about a million dollars buying water from another agency.
Stockton also spent a million dollars in overtime for employees that were on the job, according to Downs.
"Being short on people, because of bankruptcy and cuts in salary -- Stockton doesn't compete well. There was a shortage of people," Downs said.
Stockton officials wouldn't comment on the grand jury report. City spokesperson Connie Cochran said the city would respond within 90 days, as required by court rules.
May 19, 2015
News10.net

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