An environmental group and a Central Coast city have reached a settlement over toxic chemical discharges from the community’s wastewater system into some of the region’s waterways.
The Environmental Defense Center claims that for more than two decades, Lompoc’s wastewater treatment facility has been dumping contaminated water into San Miguelito Creek, and the Santa Ynez River.
The EDC filed suit in 2021, seeking to block the discharges. A court ruled that the city was liable for more than 80 violations of the federal Clean Water Act.
The settlement calls for the city to meet federal water quality guidelines, and to monitor to insure the rules are met. It also calls for the city to pay $260,000 to fund watershed restoration projects.
