Commercial and multifamily dwelling owners must now register and apply for a permit of operation, which includes a $400 annual application fee. Complaints range from confusion over what fees must be paid to not being able to decipher technical jargon in questionnaires mailed to owners of septic tanks.
By Andi Peterson/Special to The Malibu Times
In order to compensate for costs associated with the study and maintenance of Malibu’s septic system, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) has now begun the process of collecting annual fees from some septic tank owners.
According to new resolutions by the regional board in September, septic tank owners for commercial buildings and multiple-family dwellings are now required to register their tanks and apply for a permit of operation. Fees begin with a $400 application charge, and can cost more depending on tank water usage and wastewater quality.
Strong pressure from environmental groups such as Heal the Bay and the California Coastal Commission has caused the regional board to place a high priority on identifying which commercial septic tanks in Malibu are causing ground and water pollution. Due to the recent changes in the California Water Code, the regional board is now obligated to identify commercial and multifamily septic discharges and issue the appropriate discharge permits. Applicable septic systems will be required to conform to this new requirement as well as undergo initial and periodic inspections on site.
According to the RWQCB studies, beaches in the Malibu area, Malibu Creek and Malibu Lagoon often do not meet the health standards and water quality standards established for bacterial pathogens. Because there is no community sewer system, it has been determined that the presence of these pathogens can, in part, be attributed to septic system discharges from the Malibu area.
Septic Disposal Use questionnaires were mailed January last year to all owners of septic tanks in commercial and multiple-family dwellings. The purpose of the questionnaires was an attempt to identify the exact source of particular pollutants that had been identified in a recent study conducted by the RWQCB.
Some questionnaire applicants, including Nancy Smith, DVM, of the Malibu Animal Hospital, are confused over the lack of communication that has occurred between the RWQCB and the public regarding this issue. In a letter addressed to the regional board, Smith expressed frustration over the fact that the information asked of her was extremely technical and not easy to interpret. Additionally, Smith wrote she was unable to decipher the annual fee schedule, asking if she would be paying not only the $400 annual application fee but also $1,500 for land use disposal and other fees.
“And what are all these fees for?” she asks in her letter.
In a letter to The Malibu Times, local business owner Bob Storms expressed his concern that, because the fee is not set in stone, this new policy will end up being extremely costly for Malibu businesses.