Contact Us

Newsroom

All News Releases By Date

 

CALIFORNIA SEWER PLANT OPERATOR PLEADS GUILTY

Release Date: 03/03/2000
Contact Information:


FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2000
CALIFORNIA SEWER PLANT OPERATOR PLEADS GUILTY

Raymond Guanill, who was district manager in charge of operations at the Rodeo Sanitary District Wastewater Treatment Plant in Rodeo, Calif., pleaded guilty on Feb. 15 to violating the Clean Water Act. The defendant admitted that he instructed his staff to allow wastewater to bypass a chlorine contact chamber, that he failed to report an overflow of sewage into San Pablo Bay and that he ordered plant operators to tamper with a monitoring test. The release of partially treated or untreated wastewater into surface waters presents a risk of infections to people and can harm aquatic organisms and wildlife. The plea agreement calls for Guanill to serve a 10 month prison term and one year of supervised release. The court will determine any fine at the time of sentencing. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oakland.


R-25 ###