Violation ID |
Occurred Date |
Violation Type |
(-) Violation Description |
Corrective Action |
Status |
Classification |
Source |
1111649 |
11/21/2022 |
DMON |
Due to an unscheduled maintenance shutdown, the CDP shutdown on November 21st at 3:30am and remained shut down for the remainder of the November. Due to the unscheduled shutdown occurring prior to the normal time to conduct weekly sampling and due to a communication error, weekly NPDES sampling was not conducted for the compliance week of November 20th to November 26th. |
The CDP Plant Manager has updated communication procedures that contains assigned responsibilities for all CDP Management, to eliminate communication failures during unplanned plant activities. |
Violation |
U |
eSMR |
1111650 |
11/21/2022 |
DMON |
Due to an unscheduled maintenance shutdown, the CDP shutdown on November 21st at 3:30am and remained shut down for the remainder of the November. Due to the unscheduled shutdown occurring prior to the normal time to conduct weekly sampling and due to a communication error, weekly NPDES sampling was not conducted for the compliance week of November 20th to November 26th. |
The CDP Plant Manager has updated communication procedures that contains assigned responsibilities for all CDP Management, to eliminate communication failures during unplanned plant activities. |
Violation |
U |
eSMR |
1111651 |
11/21/2022 |
DMON |
Due to an unscheduled maintenance shutdown, the CDP shutdown on November 21st at 3:30am and remained shut down for the remainder of the November. Due to the unscheduled shutdown occurring prior to the normal time to conduct weekly sampling and due to a communication error, weekly NPDES sampling was not conducted for the compliance week of November 20th to November 26th. |
The CDP Plant Manager has updated communication procedures that contains assigned responsibilities for all CDP Management, to eliminate communication failures during unplanned plant activities. |
Violation |
U |
eSMR |
1090746 |
04/11/2021 |
DMON |
During the compliance week of 04/11/2021 to 04/17/2021 the CDP was scheduled for a maintenance shutdown. The maintenance shutdown was scheduled for 8:00PM on April 11th to 8:00PM on April 16th, The lab had scheduled to collect the samples after the plant was returned to normal operation on April 16th. Due to unforeseen circumstances the plant did not return to normal operation until April 18th, which is outside the compliance week. Therefore the lab was unable to collect the weekly sample a monitoring location M-001 for the compliance week beginning April 11th. The CDP was in normal operation for the period of 19 hours and and 42 minutes on 04/11/2021. During this operational time the CDP failed to collect the required weekly NPDES sampling. |
CDP Laboratory Director has developed a formal pre-shutdown sampling procedure. This procedure contains a checklist of required monitoring to conduct prior to forthcoming planned shutdowns. In order to eliminate a failure to conduct compliance monitoring in the event of schedule changes of unseen circumstances. |
Violation |
U |
eSMR |
1090747 |
04/11/2021 |
DMON |
During the compliance week of 04/11/2021 to 04/17/2021 the CDP was scheduled for a maintenance shutdown. The maintenance shutdown was scheduled for 8:00PM on April 11th to 8:00PM on April 16th, The lab had scheduled to collect the samples after the plant was returned to normal operation on April 16th. Due to unforeseen circumstances the plant did not return to normal operation until April 18th, which is outside the compliance week. Therefore the lab was unable to collect the weekly sample a monitoring location M-002 for the compliance week beginning April 11th. The CDP was in normal operation for the period of 19 hours and and 42 minutes on 04/11/2021. During this operational time the CDP failed to collect the required weekly NPDES sampling. |
CDP Laboratory Director has developed a formal pre-shutdown sampling procedure. This procedure contains a checklist of required monitoring to conduct prior to forthcoming planned shutdowns. In order to eliminate a failure to conduct compliance monitoring in the event of schedule changes of unseen circumstances. |
Violation |
U |
eSMR |
1090745 |
04/11/2021 |
DMON |
During the compliance week of 04/11/2021 to 04/17/2021 the CDP was scheduled for a maintenance shutdown. The maintenance shutdown was scheduled for 8:00PM on April 11th to 8:00PM on April 16th, The lab had scheduled to collect the samples after the plant was returned to normal operation on April 16th. Due to unforeseen circumstances the plant did not return to normal operation until April 18th, which is outside the compliance week. Therefore the lab was unable to collect the weekly sample a monitoring location M-INF for the compliance week beginning April 11th. The CDP was in normal operation for the period of 19 hours and and 42 minutes on 04/11/2021. During this operational time the CDP failed to collect the required weekly NPDES sampling. |
CDP Laboratory Director has developed a formal pre-shutdown sampling procedure. This procedure contains a checklist of required monitoring to conduct prior to forthcoming planned shutdowns. In order to eliminate a failure to conduct compliance monitoring in the event of schedule changes of unseen circumstances. |
Violation |
U |
eSMR |
1079952 |
08/23/2020 |
Order Conditions |
On 8/23/2020 Discharger exceeded the maximum allowable intake of 299 MGD of seawater by 1.35 MGD due to the dilution flow values set within CDP''s SCADA system not properly accounting for the brine dilution provided by maintenance flow cycled through the plant. |
Upon identification of this oversight, the plant¿s SCADA system was immediately updated
to properly account for seawater that is cycled through the plant that contributes to the brine
dilution.. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1066098 |
08/29/2019 |
DMON |
During the Q3 offshore monitoring conducted on August 29, 2019, a total of three rounds of monitoring occurred across the 16 offshore monitoring locations, weather and water conditions permitting, and twice across one offshore monitoring location E-30 (located 1,000 feet downcoast of the discharge channel and 2,000 feet offshore). The contractor conducting the monitoring inadvertently missed station E-30 in the first round of monitoring. |
The receiving water monitoring contractor has updated the QA/QC procedure to ensure offshore monitoring is conducted as specified in Order R9-2019-003 to the maximum extent practical, while taking into consideration conditions which could make sampling hazardous at monitoring locations. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1066099 |
07/30/2019 |
DMON |
TCDD analysis for the CY19 Q3 reporting period was not conducted in accordance with Attachment E, Table E-4. Effluent Monitoring at M-001 when not Discharging Brine of the Order. While the CDP Operator collected the CY19 Q3 monitoring samples the Chain of Custody (COC) was not updated to include the new TCDD monitoring requirement. |
CDP Operator has revised the Quarterly Chain of Custody (COC) template to reflect monitoring conditions identified in Attachment E, Table E-4 Effluent Monitoring at M-001 when not Discharging Brine of the Order. CDP Laboratory Director has further reviewed NPDES monitoring requirements with the external laboratory to mitigate a reoccurrence. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1059445 |
04/05/2019 |
OEV |
Salinity Daily Average (Mean) limit is 40 ppth and reported value was 42 ppth at M-002. |
Discharger believes the salinity exceedance at M-002 is due to a laboratory error. Data from the continuous salinity sensor at M-002 (CIWQS attachment "04.05.2019 NPDES Daily Salinity_CDP") shows the discharge was within compliance on the date the grab sample was collected (daily average salinity of 37.27ppth; instantaneous max of 38.48 ppth). |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1059444 |
04/02/2019 |
CTOX |
Chronic Toxicity Daily Maximum limit is 16.5 TUc and reported value was 40 TUc at M-001. |
The chronic toxicity test results are an artifact of the conservative toxicity testing procedure set forth in the NPDES permit for the CDP, and did not result in harm to the environment. Under existing regulations, the CDP is required to meet the toxicity standard after initial mixing occurs. Initial mixing includes the mixing of the CDP's brine discharge with four gallons of seawater prior to discharge to the Pacific Ocean; and then the combined discharge receives additional mixing in the ocean prior to reaching the compliance point under the permit that is located 1,000 feet offshore. Under the terms of the permit, the CDP is required to test for toxicity at higher discharge concentrations than is actually occurring at the compliance point. This is because the chronic toxicity testing procedure set forth in the permit does not take into consideration the initial dilution provided prior to discharge to the ocean. In accordance with the Order accelerated toxicity monitoring was initiated. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1057321 |
02/08/2019 |
OEV |
Salinity Daily Average (Mean) limit is 40 ppth and reported value was 41 ppth at M-002. |
Discharger believes the salinity exceedance at M-002 is due to a laboratory error. Data from the continuous salinity sensor at M-002 (CIWQS attachment "02.08.2019 NPDES Daily Salinity_CDP") shows the Discharger was within compliance on the dates the grab sample was collected (daily averages of 35.70 ppt). At no point during the month of February did the continuous salinity sensors record a salinity at or above 40 ppt. Discharger has developed a communications protocol with the contract laboratory to notify Discharger of preliminary results exceeding effluent salinity measurements. The notification will alert the operations team of the need to initiate an investigation into the exceedance and conduct additional analysis as needed. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1057320 |
02/01/2019 |
OEV |
Salinity Daily Average (Mean) limit is 40 ppth and reported value was 43 ppth at M-002. |
Discharger believes the salinity exceedance at M-002 is due to a laboratory error. Data from the continuous salinity sensor at M-002 (CIWQS attachment "02.01.2019 NPDES Daily Salinity_CDP") shows the Discharger was within compliance on the dates the grab sample was collected (daily averages of 35.37 ppt). At no point during the month of February did the continuous salinity sensors record a salinity at or above 40 ppt. Discharger has developed a communications protocol with the contract laboratory to notify Discharger of preliminary results exceeding effluent salinity measurements. The notification will alert the operations team of the need to initiate an investigation into the exceedance and conduct additional analysis as needed. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1056519 |
01/31/2019 |
DMON |
Discharger self-reported violation for failing to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
Discharger is now sending turbidity analysis to an external ELAP certified laboratory until internal certification has been restored. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1056520 |
01/31/2019 |
Order Conditions |
On January 31, 2019 the effluent discharge from the Carlsbad Desalination Plant (CDP) caused a discoloration of the Pacific Ocean (the receiving waters) beyond the discharge channel. |
Discharger provided immediate verbal notification and formal Incident Report (IR) to the SWRCB. Discharger has uploaded the IR to include CDP Operator findings and corrective actions to CIWQS as attachments for the January 2019 reporting period. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1055599 |
12/31/2018 |
DMON |
As per the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board Staff Enforcement Letter (SEL) dated January 28, 2019 the Discharger failed to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
Discharger is now sending turbidity analysis to an external ELAP certified laboratory until internal certification has been restored. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
1055152 |
08/31/2018 |
DMON |
Failed to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1055151 |
07/31/2018 |
DMON |
Failed to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1055150 |
06/30/2018 |
DMON |
Failed to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1055149 |
05/31/2018 |
DMON |
Failed to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1055147 |
04/30/2018 |
DMON |
Failed to maintain ELAP laboratory certification for turbidity. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1055143 |
04/30/2018 |
Deficient Reporting |
Weekly sample analysis results were not submitted for monitoring location M-INF, M-001, and M-002 during the calendar week from April 22, 2018 through April 28, 2018. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1055142 |
03/31/2018 |
Deficient Reporting |
Weekly sample analysis results were not submitted for monitoring location M-INF, M-001, and M-002 during the calendar weeks of March 4, 2018 through March 10, 2018, and March 25, 2018 through March 31, 2018. |
|
Violation |
B |
Report |
1043033 |
03/31/2018 |
CAT1 |
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Monthly Average (Mean) limit is 60 mg/L and reported value was 68.43 mg/L at M-001. |
Discharger has developed a communication protocol with the contract laboratory to notify Discharger of preliminary results exceeding effluent TSS measurements which will alert the operations team of the need to initiate an investigation and conduct additional analysis. Discharger will continue to monitor M-001 discharges in accordance with the Order. |
Violation |
B |
eSMR |
Report displays most recent five years of violations. Refer to the Interactive Violation Report for more data.
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