San Diego Coastkeeper

Camp Pendleton Officials Unveil New Tertiary Treatment Plant

SAN DIEGO, CA - August 16, 2006 – Marine Corps officials unveiled a new, $40 million tertiary treatment plant that will service the southern portion of Camp Pendleton, primarily in the Santa Margarita River basin. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by officials from the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, its project partners (Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest and CDM), San Diego Coastkeeper and dozens of guests.

The facility was built in response to a 2003 legal settlement between the Department of Defense and several environmental groups, including Coastkeeper (formerly Baykeeper), Divers’ Environmental Conservation Organization, The Surfrider Foundation and American Canoe Association. The groups had initiated litigation in 2002 to address the facility’s failure to comply with its discharge permit and the sanitary sewer overflows at the base.

“Since initiating this suit, we found officials at Camp Pendleton and the Department of Justice wanting to take a leadership role correcting these problems and in coming into full compliance with the Clean Water Act,” stated Cory Briggs, lead attorney for the environmental groups. “We forged a strong relationship that has proven critical as we work cooperatively to develop and implement the necessary measures to ensure the health of local waters.” The new plant is now treating 800,000 gallons of sewage daily. It will eventually have the capacity to treat 5 million gallons per day (mgd) of wastewater at average conditions and 15 mgd at peak wet weather flows. When fully operational, the new facility will replace four wastewater treatment facilities built in the 1940’s and 50’s that currently serve the Base. When all project phases are complete, the plant will be capable of full reclamation without discharging to receiving waters.

“Not only does the new plant address many of the sewage spill and treatment issues faced at the Base,” added Coastkeeper Executive Director Bruce Reznik, “but we are thrilled that the goal is to reuse 100% of the treated water from the facility. This eliminates ocean discharges while helping us move closer to regional water security. We hope this sets an example for all of San Diego’s sewage treatment facilities.”

In addition to the new treatment facility, the Base is making tremendous strides in reducing the impact of sewage spills on local waters. Using a sewage spills scoring system that tracks the number and impact of sewage spills, Camp Pendleton has reduced its spill score by more than 50 percent since 2003, more than two years before it was required to reach such a benchmark under the consent decree entered into with the environmental groups.

“It is remarkable that such significant progress has been made in a very short period of time,” noted Briggs. “The steps taken at Camp Pendleton will provide long-term protections for our local waters and for the health and safety of those who are based at Camp Pendleton and nearby communities.”

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Founded in 1995, San Diego Coastkeeper protects the region’s bays, beaches, watersheds and ocean for the people and wildlife that depend on them. We group balances community outreach, education, and advocacy to promote stewardship of clean water and a healthy coastal ecosystem.

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches for all people.

American Canoe Association is a New York non-profit organization dedicated to promoting to the preservation and protection of America's natural areas, focusing primarily on rivers, streams, lakes, coastal waterways and their surrounding environments.

Divers’ Environmental Conservation Organization is a non-profit organization that protects aquatic resources from pollution and preserves those resources in a healthy and safe condition for the use and enjoyment of all aquatic enthusiasts.

The litigation team assembled by the environmental groups includes lead attorney Cory Briggs of Briggs Law Corporation, Marco Gonzalez of Coast Law Group, and Daniel Cooper of Lawyers for Clean Water.