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EPA Takes Enforcement Action Against Adams, MA for Clean Water Act Violations

Release Date: 09/22/2003
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1008

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has issued a compliance order and filed a civil complaint against the town of Adams, MA for alleged Clean Water Act violations at its wastewater treatment plant which discharges into the Hoosic River.

The complaint, which includes a proposed penalty of $60,000, stems from the town's failure to fully implement its federally approved industrial pretreatment program.

"Industrial discharges can have a major impact on wastewater treatment facilities and, ultimately, overall water quality," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "The town's failure to monitor discharges from these facilities put the Hoosic River at serious risk."

The violations include the following:

• failure to properly categorize and issue permits to all industrial users;
• failure to adequately inspect industrial users;
• failure to submit a report analyzing local limits to EPA;
• failure to take informal or formal enforcement action against violating industrial users.
• discharge of chlorine in excess of the maximum daily limit imposed by the Town's federal discharge permit.