The state has fined energy company Kinder Morgan $222,000 for exceeding pollutant limits in the water it dumps into Murphy Canyon Creek. It's the third time fine for the company on its discharges into the creek. KPBS Reporter Amita Sharma has details.
Kinder Morgan was fined more than $200,000 by the regional water quality control board. The company discharges 330,000 gallons of treated groundwater a day into Murphy Canyon Creek. The water was tainted by multiple petroleum spills from a tank farm now owned by Kinder Morgan. Water board scientist Jeremy Haas says even though the water is treated before it's discharged, it still has too much nitrogen in it.
Haas: Total nitrogen has the potential to affect the total water quality for the wildlife uses in Murphy Canyon Creek and downstream in San Diego River.
A Kinder Morgan representative says the company will install a new system before the end of the year that will bring the discharged water into compliance with state requirements.
Amita Sharma, KPBS News.
