Raw sewage from an RV was dumped behind a Greenback Lane shopping center in Citrus Heights, sending waste through a drainage pipe into a nearby residential neighborhood, according to police. Officers arrested a person in connection with the incident, and city crews treated the spill as an environmental‑health hazard while urging residents to report illegal dumping or unsafe conditions.
Police Say RV Sewage Spill Ran From Shops Into Homes
According to a post by the Citrus Heights Police Department, investigators found raw sewage being discharged onto the ground through a drainage pipe that linked a commercial center on Greenback Lane to a nearby residential block. The department said the person believed to be responsible was arrested for related violations as well as on outstanding felony warrants. The post noted that officers and city staff secured the scene while evidence collection and cleanup were handled.
City Teams Coordinate Nuisance Crackdowns
The city’s Problem‑Oriented Policing (POP) unit routinely partners with General Services and Code Enforcement to tackle illegal dumping, unsafe encampments and other nuisance activity, according to the City of Citrus Heights enforcement model. Citrus Heights’ municipal code classifies unlawful camping and the storage of camp paraphernalia as public nuisances, and the chronic‑nuisance program allows repeat violations to be bundled for prosecution when education and outreach do not resolve the problems.
Health And Legal Risks From Sewage Dumps
Dumping sewage is both a health threat and a regulatory violation because untreated sanitary wastewater contains pathogens that can contaminate soil, storm drains and waterways. The California State Water Resources Control Board outlines illicit‑discharge programs that require cities and other permit holders to detect and halt non‑stormwater flows such as sewage and septic waste.
How Neighbors And RV Owners Can Help
Officials reminded RV owners that black tanks contain raw sewage and must be emptied only at approved dump stations, septic systems or municipal sewer connections, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department. Neighbors who see dumping or unsafe conditions are asked to contact the POP unit or call the city’s non‑emergency dispatch; the City of Citrus Heights page lists reporting contacts and procedures.
