San Jose Water Company Could Pay $3 Million For Leak That Killed Threatened Fish
SAN MATEO (CBS/AP) — State water regulators have proposed a record-setting $3 million penalty against a San Jose water company for a leak of chemically treated drinking water that killed dozens of fish.
The San Jose Mercury News reports Tuesday that the California Regional Water Quality Control Board will decide whether to approve the fine against California Water Service Co. during a Feb. 11 hearing in Oakland.
If approved, it would be the Bay Area's largest ever penalty for an illegal discharge of drinking water.
Water quality control officials issued a civil complaint Monday over the water provider's discharge in October 2013 of roughly 8.2 million gallons of water that contained chloramine into the San Mateo and Polhemus creeks.
The discharge wound up killing at least 276 fish, including 70 federally threatened steelhead trout.
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