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The City of Cordova, Alaska agrees to settle with EPA for Clean Water Act violations

Release Date: 05/31/2006
Contact Information: David Domingo, (206) 553-0531, [email protected], Tony Brown, (206) 553-1203, [email protected]

(Cordova, AK – May 31, 2006) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement for $22,000 with The City of Cordova for violations of its discharge permit for the City’s wastewater treatment plant. Between February 2002 and August 2005, the facility had 475 effluent violations; routinely exceeding their permit limits for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen, pH and fecal coliform bacteria. High-levels of these pollutants can harm or kill aquatic life and cause water borne illnesses in people. “These National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits are part of the backbone of the nation’s system to protect rivers and lakes from pollution,” said Marcia Combes, EPA’s Alaska Operations Office Director. “Communities need to realize that with wastewater discharge permits comes a responsibility to comply with their conditions.” The wastewater treatment facility, which the City owns and operates, serves a population of approximately 2,500 and discharges effluent to the Orca Inlet. The Inlet is protected for recreational use and the harvesting of shellfish and other aquatic life. Related Links: Region 10 Water website (yosemite.epa.gov/R10/WATER.NSF/) Clean Water Act (epa.gov/r5water/cwa.htm) Subscribe to receive Region 10 News Releases via email