LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

Motiva Enterprises (1406), Norco

Releases of Wastewater

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source(s)	Notes	Amount of Release
84579 2005-12-14	Sanitary sewer line	Cause: Junction box in the main sewer line broke and the overflow material was discharged into Wastewater treatment system; overflow was traced to a blockage in the sewer line. Followup: No Notes: While a portion of the process was bypassed, Motiva noted that the material did receive treatment prior to discharge.
81720 2005-08-28	Wastewater treatment facility General facility Refinery Wastewater Treatment System (RWTS), LPDES Outfall 006;	Cause: Unanticipated bypasses of wastewater treatment facilities occurred due to Hurricane Katrina. Followup: Yes Notes:
76677 2005-02-01		Cause: Norco area experienced heavy rainfall; Motiva was forced to open LPDES Outfall 006 as a result, in order to prevent flooding to the refinery. Followup: No Notes:
108282 2007-07-05	LPDES Outfall 006	Cause: Tropical Storm Fay fills Stormwater Impoundment Basin, so a bypass begins causing flow out of refinery from Outfall 0 Followup: No Notes: Fay follows on heels of lots of rain. SWIB was already quite full prior to storm. Motiva opened the Outfall to prevent the flooding of the refinery.
120165 2009-12-15	bypass outfall 006	Cause: due to a heavy rainfall, a bypass outfall was opened around the motiva storm water impoundment basin. As a result of this bypass operation, storm water was released Followup: No Notes: all that is noted is on 12-16-2009, the bypass outfall 006 was closed
120076 2009-12-12	LPDES Outfall 006	Cause: With heavy rainfall experienced the Refinery Storm Water Impoundment Basin (SWIB) exceeded its maximum capacity level, which resulted in the opening of the LPDES outfall 006. By opening the LPDES waste-water was discharged to Engineers Canal and bypassed the waste-water treatment facility Followup: Yes Notes: After heavy rainfall, bypass operations were stopped notes: no exceedence of permit limits occurred and all required notifications were made. However, there is only a refinery report filed for this incident...a LDEQ report was not attached
117941 2009-09-12	from outfall 006	Cause: it was notified to LDEQ that an emergency discharge of stormwater through outfall 006 occured because of heavy rain Followup: No Notes: there was no information provided as to what remedial steps were taken after the discharge of storm water occurred.
115503 2009-06-08	sewage pump	Cause: the sewage lift station pump failed causing wastewater to be released and bypass the onsite treatment facility. Followup: Yes Notes: the pump was replaced and the site where the spill occurred was washed down with fresh water and was cleaned up using a vacuum truck. It was noted that the spill was contained and no wastewater entered any nearby waterways	10.0 pounds
113788 2009-03-27	LPDES outfall 006	Cause: Heavy rainfall was experienced in the Norco area causing the Refinery storm water impoundment basin (SWIB) to rapidly fill and subsequently exceed its maximum capacity level. As a result, the LPDES outfall 006 had to be opened and the discharge was allowed to bypass the refinery waste water treatment system Followup: Yes Notes: After normal operating procedures were restored, and capacity remained in the SWIB all bypass operations were stopped.
112842 2009-02-14	LPDES outfall 006	Cause: On February 13, 2009 a rain event occurred in the NORCO area causing the SWIB to fill rapidly in a short period of time. After the SWIB exceeded its capacity level, the LPDES Outfall 006 was opened. Opening of the LPDES outfall 006 allowed the discharge to enter Engineers canal and bypass entering the waste water treatment facility Followup: Yes Notes: After the rain event was over, bypass operations were stopped on February 15,2009.
111719 2009-01-04	LPDES outfall 006	Cause: Due to a storm, a severe rain incident occurred that resulted in the Refinery Storm Water Impoundment Basin (SWIB) exceeding its maximum capacity level to hold waste water. As a result, the LPDES Outfall 006 was open to release waste-water and allow it to bypass entering the waste-water treatment facility Followup: Yes Notes: After the bypass was completed and SWIB was not exceeding its maximum capacity level, all bypass operations were stopped. Sample collection and analysis was performed as well
138205 2012-03-23	Storm Water Impoundment Basin	Cause: A heavy rain event caused the system to become overburdened and water was bypassed to prevent flooding to the refinery. Followup: No Notes: There were no remedial actions taken. The release was part of normal operating procedures when no capacity remains in the RWTS and a bypass is the only alternative to prevent flooding of the facility.
156845 2014-06-17	RWTS Emergency Spillway Structure	Cause: On 6/15/2014, Motiva Norco experience a rainfall event. At the time, the site was was working to control pH swings in the Refinery Wastewater Treatment System (RWTS). Due to the pH upset conditions in the Aeration Basin of the RWTS, the site shut down Outfall 002 pumps to the river to prevent polluting the river with pH upsets. As a result of the backup of wastewater and the addition of stormwater the RWTS reached maximum capacity levels. In accordance with their LPDES permit application, the RWTS emergency spillway structure was opened to prevent flooding of the refinery and damage to the retaining levee. The water was discharged to Engineer's Canal and then to Lake Ponchartrain. Followup: No Notes: Monitoring was conducted through sample collection and analysis of discharged water and pH monitoring of the water leaving the spillway to ensure the water leaving the site remained between pH 6.0 and 9.0. Report indicates that Motiva is investigating the cause of the initial pH upset and will submit a follow up report. This report has not been received.