Tomato cannery and water district addressing odor issues

Editor’s note: This article was updated to correct the operator of the wastewater industrial plant. Lea este artículo en español aquí.

Hollister Public Works Director William Via says algae at the industrial wastewater plant is causing strong odors on the west side of town and that San Benito Foods is taking several steps to fix the problem.

The plant, located near South Street and Summer Drive and operated by the Sunnyslope Water District, is used by the packing company for its tomato processing waste. It has long been the source of odors and residents’ complaints. 

A resident who lives near the wastewater treatment facility and declined to provide her name told BenitoLink she moved from Santa Clara to Hollister in 2017 to retire but regrets her decision. She said she wants to move out because of the odor and homeless issues near the riverbed, but would have to tell potential buyers “in good conscience” of the issues in the neighborhood. 

“Who would want to buy a house like that?” she asked. 

Speaking at the Aug. 6 meeting of the Hollister City Council, Via said stagnant water and warm weather contribute to algae growing in a pond that holds water year round. 

“As that algae grew there was a mat of it and the top layers of that died,” he said, “and as it died it rotted, and those were the very strong odors that we were smelling.”

He said San Benito Foods removed as much algae as possible and began circulating the water with pumps and aerators.

On Aug. 6, the company also began using Bioxide, which the city has also used to reduce sewer smells on the west side. The calcium nitrate solution will travel through the pipelines to the treatment plant. 

“The plan,” Via said, “is to add enough so there is still some of it left when it gets to the treatment plant, so that it’ll actually reduce the odors in the concrete basins when it first goes in.” 

He said the chemical takes effect after 24 hours and that the tomato plant operators will adjust the levels as needed.

San Benito Foods also applied dissolvable odor control blocks to the ponds. Via said the remaining odors since addressing the algae are a result of the processed water.

Via said San Benito Foods management has been “very responsive to all my requests.” 

In addition to complaints to the city, residents have used social media to air their frustration with the odors.

Someone posting on Next Door as Mikey Smith urged residents to send complaints to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

“Instead of dealing with local municipalities that only make excuses for why our town stinks for a quarter of the year, just call the EPA and file a complaint,” the post says. “Eventually, when the feds step in, something will have to change.”

At the City Council meeting, Via said that when the city receives a complaint of sewer odors, which are similar to those emitted from the industrial wastewater pond, it sends a staff member to investigate the sewer pipes. If it’s not sewer-related, the complaint is forwarded to San Benito Foods and San Benito County Water District. 

Via also said the mud-like product from the ponds known as sludge, has been removed from Pond 2, where it was stored and dried. The sludge caused odors in the area in the spring, he said. 

Other council actions

The council approved on a 3-1-1 vote an environmental impact report for the Meridian Village Project, located at the corner of Meridian Street and Hwy 25. Councilmember Rolan Resendiz voted “no.” Councilmember Rick Perez abstained, but did not provide a reason, though Resendiz, before the vote, noted that state law requires council members to disclose if they received money from a project applicant. Perez then asked who the applicant was before abstaining.

According to the staff report in the agenda, the project consists of 129 town homes and 90 apartments in a 12.75-acre property zoned as mixed use, which means it can be developed with commercial and residential components. The report says the environmental report was required after a transportation analysis determined “potential significant impacts exist to air quality or other environmental factors.”

Planning Manager Eva Kelly said the developer is paying for the report and the project is being reviewed by the Hollister Planning Department.

Heroes

Fire Cpt. Jimmy Holguin and firefighters Steven Cabral and David Achen received the Medal of Valor and letters of commendation. 

Emergency Service Manager with the San Benito County Office of Emergency Services Kris Mangano said that on May 14, while en route to a wildfire, Engine 644 encountered a vehicle on fire with a driver trapped inside. 

She said after firefighters rescued the driver, treated his injuries and extinguished the fire. 

“Your quick thinking, exemplary medical skills and coordinated action were instrumental in achieving a positive outcome where the patient not only survived but is also expected to return home,” she said. 

She added that since the commendation was written, the patient was able to return to his home.

In fact, the victim of the accident presented the firefighters with the Medal of Valor. 

Hollister Police Officers Nicholas Rudolfs and Freddy Hernandez received letters of commendation for their response to a shooting victim on Aug. 19, 2023. Mangano said the officers applied a tourniquet to stop a bleeding wound, and provided lifesaving measures. 

“Due in part to your intervention, the bleeding was controlled and the patient is alive today,” Mangano said. 

Hollister Police Chief Carlos Reynoso read the commendation written by Sgt. James Weathers, saying the officers treated the wound within four minutes of being dispatched. He said Weathers had no doubt the victim would have died had it not been for the officers. 

Parks

The City Council unanimously accepted two park designs. 

The Everglen Park is part of the KB Development’s proposed Everglen subdivision, which includes 82 single-family residential units on North Chappell Road. 

According to the staff report, the park is the first stage of a larger contiguous linear park adjacent to Hwy 25. The features include a dog park, seating areas and walking trail. 

The Willow Landing Public Park is part of Tri Pointe Homes’ proposed Willow Landing subdivision which includes 144 single-family detached and duet units between Santa Ana Road and Meridian Drive, next to Marguerite Maze Middle School.

According to the staff report, the 2-acre park includes a basketball court, bike racks, walking paths, picnic tables, exercise stations and an all-inclusive play structure. 

Both developers’ impact fees, which total $15,500 per residential unit, will be reduced  by the amount they are spending constructing the parks.

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