Wastewater treatment facilities fined for water violations

July 30 -- Ten publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Pennsylvania have committed violations of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said.

The plants’ discharge permits require them to periodically reevaluate their industrial pretreatment programs and submit information from that reevaluation to state and federal regulators. The EPA complaints say the plants didn’t conduct sampling needed to re-evaluate these limits. Penalties for each plant range from $22,000 to $32,000.

Federal and State regulations require sewage treatment plants and plant operators to develop local limits, establishing maximum acceptable levels of pollutants to ensure that they do not create a threat to human health and to waterways. Industrial facilities are also required to prevent toxic pollutants from entering the municipal sewer system, EPA said.

Treatment plants being accused of the violations are: Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority, Columbia County; Derry Township Municipal Authority, Dauphin County; Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority, Schuylkill County; Borough of Huntingdon, Huntingdon County; Borough of Tyrone, Blair County; Shamokin-Coal Township Joint Sewer Authority, Northumberland County; University Area Joint Authority, Centre County; Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, Luzerne County; Altoona City Authority-Easterly WWTP, Blair County; and Altoona City Authority-Westerly WWTP, Blair County.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com