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EPA Proposes $837,500 In Penalties Against PRASA

Release Date: 04/19/1999
Contact Information: Carl Soderberg (787) 729-6951 / [email protected]

(#99054) SAN JUAN, P.R. -- PRASA and its contractor, Compania de Aquas, were recently ordered to immediately comply with the federal Clean Water Act at a number of PRASA's pump stations and sewage treatment plants, and could face fines of up to $837,500, for violations according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA recently issued six Penalty Orders to PRASA for violations of sewage treatment regulations at pump stations in Fajardo, Carolina, Puerto Nuevo and Dorado. Compania de Aguas is responsible for PRASA's operations.

"While PRASA has made some progress in improving its operations over the past several years, I am still very concerned that we continue to see so many violations of environmental law," said Jeanne M. Fox, EPA Regional Administrator. "EPA will continue to use it's enforcement authority against PRASA, with the goal of eliminating these and other violations. Bypassing pump stations and plants and discharging raw sewage into the street and creeks should be an extremely rare occurrence, not a daily ritual. This situation is not only unbearable from an aesthetic point of view, it's also very unhealthy since raw sewage can contain disease-causing pathogens."

EPA cited PRASA for failing to properly operate and maintain its Barriada Obrera, Fajardo Gardens, Santa Isidra and Villa Marina pump stations in Fajardo. These failures caused raw sewage to flow from manhole covers near the pump stations on numerous occasions. EPA is proposing a total of $425,000 in penalties for the violation at these four pump stations.

During a September 1998 inspection, EPA inspectors observed raw sewage flowing from a manhole cover in front of the Barriada Obrera Pump Station, where only one of the two pumps was in service. Primary power to the station had been knocked out and the required auxiliary power unit was not operating. At the Fajardo Gardens pump station, only one of three pumps was in service at the time of a September 1998 inspection. The station dry well was completely flooded with raw sewage and the auxiliary power unit was out of service. EPA reinspected the station in January 1999 and discovered that the pump station was being entirely bypassed. According to PRASA records, similar bypasses had also occurred in January, April, May, July and September of 1998.

At the Santa Isidra pump station, a September 1998 inspection revealed one pump was out of service and a second pump was malfunctioning and did not provide reliable service. The EPA conducted a follow-up inspection in January 1999 and found that the station was being bypassed. PRASA documents also listed intermittent raw sewage bypasses of the pump station in February, July, August, September, October, November and December 1998, and January 1999.

At Villa Marina, a September 1998 inspection revealed that the auxiliary power unit was out of service and, according to PRASA records, there have been intermittent bypasses at the pump station. In April, July and August 1998, records show PRASA had intentionally bypassed the pump station to allow for repairs without obtaining approval. EPA requires that all measures be taken, including installing temporary pumps, to avoid bypassing in cases such as this. In addition, this pump station was bypassed beginning in September 1998, as a result of power problems.

EPA also recently cited PRASA for violations at its Hong Kong Pump Station, which pumps sewage to the Carolina Wastewater Treatment Plant. During a June 1998 inspection at the pump station, EPA discovered that both pumps were out of service, the station sewer line was clogged and raw sewage was being discharged to the street. According to PRASA's records, this raw sewage bypass had been occurring since April 23, 1998. The pump station was repaired, and the bypass was eliminated. EPA is proposing $137,500 for the past violations.

PRASA was recently cited for violations within the Puerto Nuevo Wastewater Treatment Plant service area. In response to calls from area residents in the Alamo Development area, EPA conducted inspections and found that raw sewage was being discharged into the Los Frailes Creek. An October 1998 EPA inspection revealed that a 20-inch sewer line had collapsed and raw sewage was being discharged directly into the creek. PRASA had not, as would have been appropriate, installed a temporary line or taken any other measures to mitigate the discharge. Area residents stated to EPA that these discharges had been occurring since Hurricane Georges in September. The bypass was not yet corrected in November, when EPA did a follow-up inspection, but it was corrected by December 8, 1998, when EPA conducted a second follow-up inspection. EPA recently proposed $137,500 in penalties for these violations.

In the Dorado area, EPA has also proposed a $137,500 penalty for raw sewage discharges along Madre de Perla and Marina Streets in the Dorado del Mar development. Following a number of complaints from area residents, EPA inspectors identified sewage overflowing from manholes into a storm drain. PRASA's own records showed that a total of forty-eight days of bypassing at the Dorado del Mar pump station had occurred since April 1998.

For more information contact:
Carl Soderberg
EPA Caribbean Environmental Protection Division
1492 Ponce De Leon Avenue
Santurce, PR 00909
Voice: 787-729-6951 FAX: 787-729-7747 E-Mail: [email protected]