EPA v. SPENCER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

Case summary

On June 6, 2023, EPA issued a Clean Water Act Administrative Order (AO) to the Town of Spencer, Massachusetts that addresses the Town?s violations of the total copper discharge limit in its NPDES permit. The Town owns and operates a wastewater treatment facility that is covered under the Medium POTW General NPDES permit issued on September 28, 2022. The Town was authorized to discharge pollutants to the Cranberry River under this permit on April 1, 2023. The AO requires the Town to meet its total copper limit by December 31, 2024, the same date that the Town's NPDES permit requires it to meet its new total phosphorus limit. The Town will undertake construction upgrades at the treatment plant in order to meet these limits. Massachusetts has not been delegated the Clean Water Act program, but EPA worked in close coordination with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on this matter.

Defendants (1)

• Spencer, MA, Town ofNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SPENCER W W T P

  ROUTE 9, SPENCER, MA, 01562

  Registry ID: 110000732663

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SPENCER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTentered 2023-06-06

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2023-06-06Final Order Issued
• 2023-06-06Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2023-06-08Enforcement Action Data Entered