East Bay MUD to pay $816,000 penalty for releasing 16 million gallons of partially treated sewage into San Francisco Bay

The heavy storms that soaked the Bay Area last October ended fire season and brought hopes — dashed during dry winter months later — that the state’s drought might be ending.

But while millions of people were celebrating the downpour the week before Halloween, the rains also caused an environmental headache in the East Bay, overwhelming a wastewater treatment plant and sending 16.5 million gallons of partially treated sewage into San Francisco Bay.