San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
July 9, 2025
CW-215234, 252657
City of Richmond and Richmond Municipal Sewer District No. 1 450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA 94804
Attn: Mary Phelps, Water Resource Division Manager
Subject: Transmittal of Order R2-2025-1019 for Payment Regarding Discharge Limitation Violations; Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant, Richmond, Contra Costa County
Dear Mary Phelps:
The Executive Officer approved Settlement Agreement and Stipulated Administrative Civil Liability Order R2-2025-1019 (Order) on July 7, 2025, on behalf of the Regional Water Board. The Order imposes $336,000 in administrative civil liability, $168,000 of which will be suspended pending completion of a supplemental environmental project.
The Order requires the City of Richmond and Richmond Municipal Sewer District No. 1 to pay $168,000 to the “State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account” no later than 30 days after the Order is issued as required by California Water Code section13323, subdivision (d). In light of your request for a payment plan, prosecution staff will not enforce the Water Code’s 30-day requirement if the $168,000 administrative civil liability is paid in full no later than September 8, 2025. Please see Section III, paragraph 1.a. for directions on submitting the payment.
If the payment deadline is not met, Regional Water Board prosecution staff may allow a 15-day period to cure non-payment. Following the 15th day of non-payment, prosecution staff will enforce the terms of the Order and seek immediate payment of the remaining balance. Alternatively, the Regional Water Board’s Assistant Executive Officer may refer the matter to the Attorney General’s Office to obtain payment in compliance with the terms of the Order or take other appropriate action.
If you have any questions, please contact Natlie Lee at (510) 622-2325 or [email protected].
City of Richmond and - 2 - July 9, 2025
Richmond Municipal Sewer District No. 1
Sincerely,
James Parrish
Senior Environmental Scientist
NPDES Wastewater and Enforcement Division
Enclosures: Stipulated ACLO Richmond 2025
cc: Bradley Harms, Senior Environmental Compliance Inspector, City of Richmond [email protected]
Shannon Moore, Chief Assistant City Attorney, City of Richmond, [email protected]
Kimberly Chin, Senior Assistant City Attorney, City of Richmond, [email protected]
Nicole Granquist, Partner, Stoel Rives LLP,
[email protected]
Paul Ciccarelli, Attorney IV, State Water Resources Control Board, [email protected]
Perry Elerts, Attorney, State Water Resources Control Board, [email protected]
James Parrish, Senior Environmental Scientist, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board, [email protected]