EPA orders Calif. water district to stop spills in sewer system

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 22) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the South Coast Water District to stop sewer spills from its wastewater collection system.

The district operates a 140-network of sewer pipes and pump stations that collect sewage from the city of Dana Point, Calif., as well as parts of Laguna Beach and San Clemente. The district reported 49 sewage spills between 1999 and March 2003. The EPA´s order requires the city to implement a plan by September to reduce the number of spills.

District officials have been working with the EPA to find a solution and have determined that roots in the pipes have accounted for more than 50 percent of the spills.