State won’t relax fecal bacteria standards
The State Water Control Board has denied a request to relax fecal bacteria standards in the James River.
The city of Richmond had asked for relaxed limits for a 30-mile stretch from downtown to Hopewell.
City officials told the board Friday they did not think it was possible to meet the current standards of 200 bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters of water and they feared the city would be forced to make costly improvements.
The State Water Control Board has denied a request to relax fecal bacteria standards in the James River.
The city of Richmond had asked for relaxed limits for a 30-mile stretch from downtown to Hopewell.
City officials told the board Friday they did not think it was possible to meet the current standards of 200 bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters of water and they feared the city would be forced to make costly improvements.
Richmond is involved in a multimillion-dollar effort to improve its sewer system to reduce waste overflows contributing to the high bacteria levels in the James.
Board members said they would work to ensure Richmond is not forced to do more than its share to clean the river.
Brief by The Associated Press
