In summary

Waste would undergo extensive treatment and testing before it’s piped directly to taps, providing a new, costly but renewable water supply. The state’s new draft rules are more than a decade in the making.

Californians could drink highly purified sewage water that is piped directly into drinking water supplies for the first time under proposed rules unveiled by state water officials.

The drought-prone state has turned to recycled water for more than 60 years to bolster its scarce supplies, but the current regulations require it to first make a pit stop in a reservoir or an aquifer before it can flow to taps.

The new rules, mandated by state law, would require extensive treatment and monitoring before wastewater can be piped to taps or mingled with raw water upstream of a drinking water treatment plant.

“Toilet-to-tap” this is not.

Between flush and faucet, a slew of steps are designed to remove chemicals and pathogens that remain in sewage after it has already undergone traditional primary, secondary and sometimes tertiary treatment.

It is bubbled with ozone, chewed by bacteria, filtered through activated carbon, pushed at high pressures through reverse osmosis membranes multiple times, cleansed with an oxidizer like hydrogen peroxide and beamed with high-intensity UV light. Valuable minerals, such as calcium, that were filtered out are restored. And then, finally, the wastewater is subjected to the regular treatment that all drinking water currently undergoes.

“Quite honestly, it’ll be the cleanest drinking water around,” said Darrin Polhemus, deputy director of the state’s Division of Drinking Water.

The 62 pages of proposed rules, more than a decade in the making, are not triggering much, if any, debate among health or water experts. A panel of engineering and water quality scientists deemed an earlier version of the regulations protective of public health, although they raised concerns that the treatment process would be energy-intensive.

“I would have no hesitation drinking this water my whole life,” said Daniel McCurry, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California.

This water is expected to be more expensive than imported water, but also provide a more renewable and reliable supply for California as climate change continues. Most treated sewage — about 400 million gallons a day in Los Angeles County alone — is released into rivers, streams and the deep ocean.

Luis Canela, a water quality technician, injects chemicals to chlorinate water at the Pure Water Southern California Demonstration Plant in Carson. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters

The draft rules, released on July 21st, still face a gauntlet of public comment, a hearing and peer review by another panel of experts before being finalized. The State Water Resources Control Board is required by law to vote on them by the end of December, though they can extend the deadline if necessary. They would likely go into effect next April and it will take many years to reach people’s taps.

Heather Collins, water treatment manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, said the regulations will give the district more certainty about how to design a massive, multi-billion dollar water recycling project with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. The district imports water that is provided to 19 million Southern Californians.

The joint effort, called Pure Water Southern California, has already received $80 million from the state. The first phase of the project, which could be completed by 2032, is expected to produce about 115 million gallons of recycled water a day, enough for 385,000 Southern California households.

Most is planned to go towards recharging local water agencies’ groundwater stores, but about 20% could be added to drinking water supplies upstream of Metropolitan’s existing treatment plant for imported water.

“We’re excited,” Collins said. “It helps better inform us on what our project needs to include, so that we can have a climate-resistant supply for our agencies in Southern California.”

The new rules come as endless cycles of drought leave California’s water suppliers scrabbling for new sources of water, like purified sewage. In 2021, Californians used about 732,000 acre feet of recycled water, equivalent to the amount used by roughly 2.6 million households, though much of it goes to non-drinking purposes, like irrigating landscapes, golf courses and crops.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for increasing recycled water use in California roughly 9% by 2030 and more than doubling it by 2040.

“Water recycling is about finding new water, not just accepting the scarcity mindset — being more resourceful in terms of our approach,” Newsom said last May in front of Metropolitan’s Pure Water Southern California demonstration plant.

Some recycled water is already used to refill underground stores that provide drinking water, a process called indirect potable reuse, employed beginning in the 1960s in Los Angeles and Orange counties. But a water agency must have a clean and convenient place to store the expensive, highly-purified water. “You don’t want to inject this recycled wastewater that you’ve spent all this effort cleaning into a dirty, polluted aquifer just to ruin it again,” McCurry said.

To expand these uses, state lawmakers in 2010 tasked the water board with investigating the possibility of adding recycled water either directly into a public water system or just upstream of a water treatment plant. In 2017, they set a deadline to develop the regulations by the end of 2023.

California won’t be the first; Colorado already has regulations and the nation’s first direct potable reuse plant was built in Texas in 2013. Florida and Arizona have rules in the works.

California’s statewide rules, however, are expected to be the most stringent, said Andrew Salveson, water reuse chief technologist at Carollo Engineers, an environmental engineering consulting firm that specializes in water treatment.

“They are more conservative than anywhere else,” he said. “And I’m not being critical. In the state of California, because we’re in the early days of (direct potable reuse) implementation, they’re taking measured and conservative steps.”

Removing viruses and chemicals

The water that flushes down toilets, whirls down sinks, runs from industrial facilities and flows off agricultural fields is teeming with viruses, parasites and other pathogens that can make people sick. Chemicals also contaminate this sewage, everything from industrial perfluorinated “forever chemicals” to drugs excreted in urine. Bypassing groundwater stores or reservoirs to funnel purified sewage directly into pipes means that there’s less room for error.

The new regulations would ramp up restrictions on pathogens, calling for scrubbing away more than 99.9999% of diarrhea-causing viruses and certain parasites. Also a series of treatments are designed to break down chemical contaminants like anti-seizure drugs, pain relievers, antidepressants and other pharmaceuticals. Medications can bypass traditional sewage treatment so they are found in low concentrations in recycled sewage and groundwater.

Water makes its way to the first step of the water purification process, membrane bioreactors, at the demonstration plant in Carson. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters

The added technologies are good at washing away pharmaceuticals, McCurry said, so having them “back-to-back introduces a ton of redundancy,” he said. “Any pharmaceutical you could think of, if you tried to measure it in the product water of one of these plants, is going to be below the detection limit.”

The new rules call for extensive monitoring to ensure the treatment is working. Some harmful chemicals, such as lead and nitrates, which are dangerous to babies and young children, will be tested for weekly; others, monthly. And water providers must also monitor the sewage itself before it even reaches treatment for any chemical spikes that could indicate illegal dumping or spills.

“We think we’ve got the chemical classes covered in the treatment processes, so that we’re removing materials that we don’t even know are there,” the water board’s Polhemus said.

Jennifer West, managing director of WateReuse California, a trade association for water recycling, said she was happy to finally see California’s regulations, though she hopes the state will build in more flexibility for water providers to alter the suite of treatments as technologies change.

Richard Gersberg, San Diego State University professor emeritus of environmental health, said he supports using highly treated waste for drinking water. But he suggests that the state fund long-term studies comparing health effects in people who drink it to those whose drinking water comes from another source, such as rivers, “which might end up being worse. Probably is,” he said.

Given the vast and changing cocktail of chemicals constantly in use, “we don’t know what we don’t know,” Gersberg said. “If this becomes huge in California, and it will, I believe … we should at least spend a little money.”

Who will be first?

All this treatment and monitoring is likely to be pricey, which is why Polhemus expects to see it largely limited to large urban areas that produce a lot of wastewater, such as Los Angeles County. The Metropolitan Water District’s $3.4 billion estimate for building the project dates back to 2018, and has likely increased since then, according to spokesperson Rebecca Kimitch.

For small and medium communities, Polhemus said, “it doesn’t pencil in a small scale type of arrangement.”

The Orange County Water District, which has long been a leader in purifying recycled water, has concluded that piping it directly to customers doesn’t pencil out for them, either, because they’ve already invested so heavily in refilling their carefully tended aquifer.

It would “require adding more treatment processes and increasing operating expenses,” board president Cathy Green said in a statement. “Local water agencies are currently well-equipped to continue to supply drinking water to customers in our service area at a low cost using the Orange County Groundwater Basin.”

For other regions like Silicon Valley, though, the costs may be worth it as climate change continues to shrink state supplies.

“At this point, it’s more expensive than water we might import during a drought. But who knows what will happen in the future,” said Kirsten Struve, assistant officer in the water supply division at the Santa Clara Valley Water District, which serves approximately 2 million people.

“That’s why we need to get prepared.”

The Pure Water Southern California Demonstration Plant showcases technology that may provide drinking water to Southern Californians by 2032. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters

The Santa Clara water agency, known as Valley Water, is planning a $1.2 billion project in Palo Alto to produce about 10 million gallons a day of water for groundwater recharge, but Struve said she hopes the plant also will be used for direct potable reuse in the future.

The timing of the regulations has butted up against the realities of planning for Monterey One Water on the Monterey Peninsula as well. The utility has been injecting purified wastewater into the seaside aquifer for three years, producing about a third of the local supply, said General Manager Paul Sciuto. It is working on expanding the project by 2025, Sciuto said.

“I get that question of, ‘This water is so pure, why do you put it in the ground? Why can’t you just serve it?’ ” he said. “And I always fall back on, well, there’s no regulations that allow us to do that at this point.”

Now that the state is closer to finalizing them, he said, “there’s a point on the horizon to shoot for.”

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

A message from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Well, it’s official… the cowboy hats are here to stay! Our deputies now have the option to wear cowboy hats as part of their daily uniform.

Next time you see us, make sure to give us a howdy!

Some of California’s highest-paid public employees are in an intensifying labor battle with the Newsom administration over staffing shortages at state prisons and hospitals that workers say endanger patients and staff.

The union representing doctors and psychiatrists working in California correctional facilities said that 91% of voting members authorized a strike Monday. Non-competitive salaries, strenuous working conditions and an overreliance on higher-paid contracted doctors, make it difficult to hire staff physicians, said Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of the umbrella Union of American Physicians and Dentists.

“We’d like to settle this thing without (striking), but our members are prepared to act,” Bussey said.

A strike authorization does not mean workers will not show up to work, although it could lead to a strike. Negotiations began in March, and the union’s contract expired July 1. The state and its physicians remain “very far apart,” Bussey said.

The California Department of Human Resources told CalMatters it “does not comment on ongoing negotiations.”

The biggest sticking point is salaries. Though doctors and psychiatrists pull down between $285,000 and $343,000 annually, according to California Correctional Health Care Services, temporary contracted workers make twice as much, said Dr. Nader Wassef, psychiatrist and chief of staff at Napa State Hospital.

“I am not going to claim poverty. What I’m trying to say is if we plan on getting trained, qualified psychiatrists to treat these patients, we are not going to get any because we are not competitive,” Wassef said.

The vacancy rate among on-site psychiatrists exceeded 50% in June, according to court documents filed by the state in an ongoing lawsuit over prison conditions and prisoner safety. Among all psychiatrists, including telehealth providers, the vacancy rate was 35%.

More than 20% of primary care doctor positions are vacant, California Correctional Health Care Services told CalMatters in an unsigned statement Tuesday. The agency did not respond to questions about contractor pay.

Labor strife during budget crunch

The strike authorization comes as the Newsom administration faces a battery of difficult contract negotiations, all in the midst of a $31 billion budget deficit.

Increasingly, state workers say salaries don’t cover basic needs with inflation and the cost of housing cutting deeply into paychecks. In July, contracts expired for the state’s two largest unions — SEIU Local 1000 and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. They represent more than 125,000 workers, and SEIU is demanding double-digit raises. The union representing state scientists is also demanding salary increases commensurate with privately employed peers.

The state is offering the prison doctors’ union a 2% raise for each of the next three years, which members say will not be enough to help with recruiting and retaining doctors. The union wants at least a 15% raise in the first year of the new contract.

The prison doctor’s union is small, representing roughly 1,300 employees, but it is the “linchpin of California’s correctional medical system,” Bussey said. Doctors are responsible for assessing patients daily, writing prescriptions, overseeing drug treatment, providing behavioral and mental health interventions and giving court testimony.

Wassef, who has worked at Napa State Hospital for 13 years, said working in a correctional medical facility is more challenging than working in a typical hospital.

“Our patients are really very sick. I have patients that have been in the hospital 20 or 30 years,” Wassef said. “They become violent, some are in restraints… The patient population puts higher demand than what is in the community hospital.”

Wassef said his hospital has not been fully staffed since 2014. It has a 45% vacancy with 12 open positions.

Contract prison doctors paid more

Ten of those positions at Napa are filled by temporary contractors who are paid twice the hourly rate of staff doctors.

Bussey said the comparatively low take-home pay shows the state knows what a competitive salary looks like and has the money to foot the bill. The state spends approximately $100 million per year on contracted physicians, he said. Contractors do not get the benefits and pensions state workers do, but the pay differential makes it easy for staff members to quit and return as higher-paid contractors, Wassef said.

He said five psychiatrists recently quit staff jobs at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk to work as contracting physicians instead.

The physician shortage in prisons also makes it difficult for the state to meet court-imposed staffing mandates that have been in place in state prisons for more than two decades.

In March, a U.S District Court judge for California’s Eastern District issued the state a $1,000 per day fine for failing to implement appropriate suicide prevention measures in state prisons over the past eight years, including reducing the psychiatrist and case manager vacancy rate to 10% or below. That 10% benchmark was originally set by a judge in 2002. More than one-third of state prisoners have serious mental health disorders, according to court documents.

“Faced with the persistently high population of mentally ill incarcerated persons, the state has failed to staff its prisons with the number of mental health professionals required to provide class members constitutionally adequate care,” Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller wrote in the order.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Norma Olson Matney, age 66, of Hydesville, CA, passed away on July 17th in Hydesville, CA.

Norma Olson was born in Fort Bragg, CA to Patricia Vogt and Neil Olson on the 21st of November in 1956. She went to high school in Mckinleyville, CA. She married Randy Matney on the 28th of September, 1978 in Seattle, WA. She dabbled as a cook for a few years before having children and becoming a homemaker.

Norma will be remembered for her kind and generous heart. You had truly never met a more selfless person. She was spontaneous and ready for any adventure, only limited by what her body could handle. She loved fiercely, felt deeply and lived in every happy moment. Some of her favorite activities included hanging out with her loved ones, loving on all her pets, horseback riding, swimming, camping, reading, drawing and doodling in the most random places.

Being in the presence of family and friends was one of her favorite pastimes. If you invited her to an event, she always attended — witnessing, enjoying and participating. Truly happy to be invited and included in anything and everything. Her pride and joy was watching the grandchildren grow; this included all children in her life no matter their relation. Their antics and milestones always brought a smile or laugh to her beautiful face.

Animals were her passion; they all loved her and she loved them. She rode horseback any chance she could get, feeling truly free. Riverbar swimming had become increasingly more difficult. She had exclaimed after falling the last time that she would be sticking to pools from here on out. We choose to believe she is now swimming, riding and running anywhere and anytime she wants.

As we grieve the sudden loss of Norma, for reasons still unknown, we should remember that she would never want her loved ones to feel regrets. She cherished every moment, conversation and picture shared with her no matter how big or small. We will all be thinking of her and continue to include her in all upcoming events and milestones where her presence will be missed. She would never miss these in life, by holding her in our hearts and minds the tradition of her presence will continue.

Norma is preceded in death by her mother Patricia Olson, father Neil Olson, brother Kenneth (Kenny) Olson and husband Randy Matney. Norma is survived by son Jesse Matney, daughter Amy Pattison, son-in-law William (B.J.) Pattison, sister Kerry Olson, brother-in-law Justin Carr, grandchildren Ava Pattison and Mya Pattison. There are friends and family and friends that become family, too many to list here.

Remembrance will be held at noon on the 5th of August in Fortuna, CA. Amy Pattison can be contacted for remembrance location and information via email: hello.amy.pattison@gmail.com.

We know many of her loved ones will not be able to make it to this remembrance. There will be a time later we can talk about her and remember together. The family of Norma wishes to extend our sincere thanks to those who have been able to help during these devastating times. You know who you are, we love and appreciate you!

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Norma’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Richard Alan Burns (67) on June 6, 2023. He passed away peacefully, just as he wished, while watching TV and resting in bed at his daughter’s home in El Centro, CA.

Alan was born in Eureka on December 11, 1955, to Richard and Carmen Burns. Alan went to South Bay Elementary School and graduated high school in 1974 from Jacobs Junior High School. Here is where he met a group of kindred spirits who affectionately called themselves the “Alley Gang” — Jerry Alley, Orlan Larson, Phillip Sanchez, Paul McKnight, and the late Matias Salas, Don Thomas, Darrel Crocket, David Alley, Steven Burres and Jake Mosely.

Graduating from high school, he decided to join the forestry service as a firefighter. He had always been passionate about nature and the outdoors, and this seemed like the perfect way to combine his interests.

After that, Alan decided to embark on a journey across the western United States. He had always been fascinated by the natural beauty of this region and was eager to explore it firsthand. However, as much as he enjoyed his time on the road, he returned to Eureka with the passing of his mother.

For the next 30 years he worked as a commercial fisherman on various boats in Eureka and Coos Bay. For many of those years he worked beside his two brothers, Kenny and David. Among his peers, he was affectionately known as “Big Al.” He will forever live on in the hearts of the fishing community as a delightful jester whose quick wit and hilarious commentary brought laughter among the crew.

He never cared about conforming to society’s norms or pleasing others. Instead, he followed his heart and did what made him happy. His carefree lifestyle was something that many people admired, but few had the courage to emulate.

Alan may not have been perfect, but he definitely got one thing right: his unconditional love for his daughters, Valerie and Lacey. With the support of their patient mom, Nancy Nichols, Alan always made sure to show his love and pride for his girls in every way possible. Whether it was attending their school events, cheering them on at their sports games, or just sitting down with them for a family dinner, Alan never missed an opportunity to be there for his family.

Alan was a true nature lover. He loved exploring beaches, camping in the woods, and taking refreshing dips in rivers and lakes. Fishing was one of his favorite pastimes and he always kept a fishing pole handy. He loved the challenge of trying to catch a big fish, but he also appreciated the simple moments of just sitting and enjoying the scenery. He had a special bond with nature and was blessed with a green thumb. He and his close friend David Cooper spent countless years working together nurturing their greenery with passion and dedication.

Alan was a man of many passions. One of his favorite activities was taking his canoe out on the Humboldt Bay and seeing where it would take him. He was also a rock enthusiast. Every time he went outdoors, his eyes were always scanning the ground for that one-of-a-kind gem. He spent hours upon hours searching for the perfect rocks to add to his collection and was always happy to show off his latest finds. Another hobby of Alan’s was archaeology. He was an amateur but loved the thrill of unearthing old bottles and other relics from the past. He would often spend hours digging around the Eureka area, looking for hidden treasures. It was a way for him to connect with the past and feel a sense of excitement about what he might find.

Alan also loved traveling the open road in his beloved truck and seeing where it would take him. He had countless memories of road trips, camping trips, and spontaneous adventures. He loved the freedom and independence that came with being behind the wheel of his truck. Whether he was driving through the mountains or cruising along the coast, his adventurous soul always led the way. Sometimes he had a plan, but more often than not he just let the road guide him. And no matter where he ended up, he knew his truck would be there with him, ready for the next adventure.

Alan is preceded in death by his parents, incredible big brother Kenny Burns, favorite nephew Kenny Alan Burns and granddaughter Adaline Pritt. He is survived by his dedicated daughters, Valerie Pritt (husband Joshua) and Lacey Bresino (husband David), his caring siblings Linda Alora (husband Mike), David Burns (wife Kim), Patrick Burns (wife Rachel) and Sister-in-law Robin, his loving grandchildren Vivian, Rockwell, David Jr. and Fletcher and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 12th, 12pm at the Woman’s Club in Samoa.

Mom was born April 2, 1942, to Bennie and Katie Merritt in Magnolia, North Carolina.

In the summer of 1958 while walking on Carolina Beach with her cousin, a hurricane was on its way. A very handsome Air Force military police officer told them they needed to get off the beach. Mom told her cousin that dad was the man of her dreams. She was going to marry him. They met again a few weeks later and they started dating. Mind you, mom was only 16 years old.

That was the beginning of her fairytale life. Soon after, they married on November 2, 1958. Dad then left the service and the two of them began their move to California. Here they were, newlyweds and a German Shepherd named Fury set out in a 1951 Dodge pickup for Arcata, California.

Mom had really never been out of North Carolina and they were up to the adventure. Once they arrived in Arcata they found out they were expecting their first child. November 2, 1959, was their first anniversary and the next day their daughter Debra was born. Soon to follow was Katherine and then Pete had arrived.

There she was, 3,000 miles from home with three babies and only 20 years old. Dad worked three jobs. He bucked hay, was a gas station attendant and was fortunate to work for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department. She was the wife of a resident deputy in Orick.

Mom never really had a job other than the most important one…. being MOM. After we grew she took some part-time jobs since we were not totally dependent on her.

Mom and Dad had a fantastic relationship. The words love, respect, patience and understanding were often used. In November they would have been together 65 years.

Mom will be leaving behind the love of her life, Piet Van Der Klis; daughter Debra Kamberg (Robert); daughter Katherine Boone; son Pete Vanderklis (Jan) and daughter Angie Kendrick (Bobby); her grandchildren Bobby Kamberg (Elicia), Steven Kamberg (Samantha), Stephanie Kamberg, Jason Boone, Scott Boone (Andrea), PJ Vanderklis and Matt Vanderklis.

She was most proud of the great grandchildren Christina Boone, Hayden Kamberg, Hallie Jean Skillings, Killian Kamberg, Koah Kamberg, Anna Boone and is now in heaven with Jon Jon Vanderklis. She is missed so much already!

Love you always and forever… There will be a private service held August 4, 2023 for family and friends of our sweet angel.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Jean’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Marjorie Ellen Gaunt was born on December 4, 1921, in Sacramento, CA. She passed away July 9th, 2023, at Fortuna Rehab and Wellness in Fortuna. She was 101 + 7 months loved.

Marjorie lived near Miranda for 63 years at her beloved home in the redwoods. She and her husband, Sid, were part of the charter members that founded the Miranda Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1953. She was an active member there until 2015.

Marjorie loved gardening; her flowers were her pride and joy. She provided flower arrangements for her church on a weekly basis. She also won numerous ribbons at the local flower shows. Her love of flowers began when she worked at the California Nursery in Niles, CA after her high school graduation.

She received her stenographer degree from Heald’s Business College after high school, which prepared her for future employment. Marjorie retired in 1983 from the Department of Parks and Recreation as an office manager and secretary for 21 years at Richardson Grove State Park, and at Humboldt Redwoods State Park

She was preceded in death by her husband and high school sweetheart, Nolan Sidney Gaunt, in 1999. She is survived by her sons: Alan (Nancy) Gaunt, Merle (Diane) Gaunt, and daughters: Jeanne Denenberg and Jan (Dale) Sifford, as well as eight grandchildren (one deceased), 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be at a future date. Contributions in her memory can be made to 3 Angel’s Broadcasting Network, PO Box 220, West Frankfort, IL  62896, or to a charity of your choice.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Marjorie’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.