Tehachapi News

For the record

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This information refers to a Guest Opinion by Adrian Maaskant published on page B2 on Oct. 21.

• From 2000-2005, the Golden Hills Sanitation Company faced a series of code violations from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, involving recurring, serious water treatment issues and less serious issues such as failure to pay fees and file paperwork on time, according to Water Quality Control Board documents. The violations culminated in a complaint from regulators that the issues at the plant had become “chronic.”

After 2005, the board did not issue any more violations until 2008, when, after management in the plant changed, regulators issued violations for a month where the plant had a high coliform count in discharge water. That count was corrected the next month, according to board documents. The board also said that company paperwork had not been turned in on time.

In April 2009, the board wrote the company saying that the plant appeared to comply with state rules and that it didn't expect any more violations, should the plant continue to be properly maintained and operated.

The Guest Opinion mischaracterized the violations.

• The sanitation company has not asked for an expansion of service territory in either its original or its amended application to the California Public Utilities Commission for regulation. Discussion of such an expansion was contained in documents that are not part of the company's application. Both the Guest Opinion and a subsequent correction misstated the source of the expansion discussion.