ARBUCKLE, CA (MPG) – Two wastewater spills earlier this month at the Arbuckle Public Utilities District have renewed concern among county officials, as a long-running infrastructure problem remains unresolved and dependent on state action.
The incidents, reported March 6 and March 8, are the latest in a series of overflows tied to the district’s wastewater system. One of the spills reached Salt Creek, though the creek bed was dry at the time, limiting immediate downstream impact.
Xzandrea Fowler, Colusa County community development director, told the Board of Supervisors on March 10 that the county was first notified late March 6 of a hazardous materials incident at the district’s contamination pond.
A second spill was reported March 8, when wastewater from a separate breach entered the Salt Creek channel. Salt Creek was dry at the time, limiting downstream flow.
Fowler said about 15,000 gallons of wastewater spilled between the two incidents. She added that additional overtopping conditions were reported at the ponds as the district worked to contain the situation.
The spills come as the Arbuckle Public Utilities District continues to seek emergency funding from the State Water Resources Control Board, while local officials stress that no immediate fix is available.
The district has applied for Tier 1 Cleanup and Abatement Account funding, which is reserved for the most urgent cases involving threats to public health and the environment.
So far, that request has not been approved.
“The Arbuckle Public Utility District is in need of both short and long term solutions, both of which include partnership with the state,” Supervisor Kent Boes said. “It is unfortunate that the Utility District’s case still does not rise to the level of what the state considers an emergency.”
Boes and Supervisor Merced Corona have worked on the issue for more than a year, coordinating with state and federal offices and supporting the district’s efforts to secure funding.
Colusa County does not oversee the Arbuckle Public Utilities District, which operates as an independent special district under the authority of the State Water Resources Control Board. That structure limits the county’s ability to intervene directly, including providing funding.
Still, county officials said they are working to support the district where possible.
“We do serve the same people,” Boes said, noting that the county has provided assistance through advocacy, coordination and letters of support.
According to Boes, multiple partners have engaged in the effort, including the offices of Sen. Megan Dahle, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and members of Congress, along with representatives from the California State Association of Counties.
Those efforts have helped raise awareness of the situation at the state level, but supervisors said the process remains largely reactive, with funding decisions tied to how the state defines an emergency.
County Administrative Officer Joshua Pack told the board that while the district operates independently, its role in providing wastewater services makes it a critical part of the county’s infrastructure.
Supervisors also pointed to underlying issues that continue to strain the system, including aging pipelines, groundwater infiltration and seasonal impacts tied to irrigation in surrounding farmland.
District officials have also pointed to seasonal factors that complicate the problem. During a recent APUD meeting, Board President Kevin Wood said the district expects additional spills as irrigation activity increases in surrounding farmland.
Wood said the issue does not appear tied to increased sewage inflows, but instead to rising water levels during irrigation months that affect pond capacity.
Longer-term proposals have been discussed, including infrastructure upgrades, land acquisition and potential regional solutions, but those options carry multi-million-dollar costs and timelines measured in years.
In its funding request to the state, APUD warned that without financial assistance, it may be unable to prevent additional spills. The district has experienced repeated overflow events in recent years and faces ongoing operational challenges tied to capacity and infrastructure limits.
For now, local officials said their role remains focused on advocacy as the district awaits a decision from the state.
“There’s no immediate solution,” Boes said during the discussion. “But I will continue advocating until we have a resolution for the community.”