EPA v. CITY OF ALLENTOWN, ET. AL.

Case summary

CWA VIOLATION INVOLVING SEWER SYSTEM DISCHARGES. 02/10/2016: THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN OWNS A WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM, SEPARATE SYSTEM, AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT (WWTP). SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS (SATELLITE COMMUNITIES) CONVEY WASTEWATER TO THE ALLENTOWN COLLECTION SYSTEM AND WWTP FOR TREATMENT. EPA PERFORM AN INSPECTION IIN APRIL 2006, AND DISCOVERED OUTFALL 003, PRIOR TO THE HEADWORKS OF THE PLANT, WHICH ACTIVATED DISCHARGES UNTREATED WASTEWATER FLOWS TO THE LITTLE LEHIGH RIVER. ADDITIONALLY, ALLENTOWN SUBMITTED NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS (SSOs) THROUGHT THE COLLECTION SYSTEM. MANY OF THE SSOs THAT OCCUR THROUGH THE COLLECTION SYSTEM RESULT FROM INFILTRATION AND INFLOW FROM THE SATELLITE COMMUNITIES AND DISCHARGE POLLUTANTS INTO THE LEHIGH RIVER, TRIBUTARIES OF LITTLE LEHIGH RIVER, CEDAR CREEK AND JORDAN CREEK. SINCE THE COLLECTION SYSTEM IS MULTI-JURIDICTIONAL, COOPERATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE ADQUATE CAPACITY, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, AND ELIMINATION OF SSOs. THIS ORDER EXTENTION FOR THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN AND ALL SATELLITE COMMUNITIES EXTENDS THE COMPLIANCE DATE TO DECEMBER 31, 2017 TO ELIMINATE DISCHARGES OF SSOs TO THE WATERS OF THE U.S. RESPONDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATES ON PROGRESS TOWARDS ELIMINATING INFILTRATION AND INFLOW, SYSTEM CHARACTERIZATION, AND COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF FLOWS.

Defendants (13)

• SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIPNamed in settlement
• TOWNSHIP OF SALISBURYNamed in settlement
• LOWHILL TOWNSHIPNamed in settlement
• LOWER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIPNamed in settlement
• LEHIGH COUNTY AUTHORITYNamed in settlement
• HANOVER TOWNSHIPNamed in settlement
• EMMAUS BOROUGH WATER SYSTEMSNamed in settlement
• COPLAY - WHITEHALL SEWER AUTHORITYNamed in settlement
• BOROUGH OF MACUNGIENamed in settlement
• BOROUGH OF ALBURTISNamed in settlement
• UPPER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIPNamed in settlement
• UPPER MILLFORD TOWNSHIPNamed in settlement
• CITY OF ALLENTTOWNNamed in settlement

Facilities (13)

• LEHIGH CNTY PRETRMT PLT

  7676 INDUSTRIAL BLVD, ALLENTOWN, PA, 18106

  Registry ID: 110000988753

• SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP AUTH MAIN WATER SYS

  4444 WALBERT AVE, ALLENTOWN, PA, 18104-1619

  Registry ID: 110000950472

• SALISBURY TWP WATER SYS

  2900 S PIKE AVE, ALLENTOWN, PA, 18103-7644

  Registry ID: 110000927114

• LOWER MACUNGIE TWP COMM CTR

  3400 BROOKSIDE RD, MACUNGIE, PA, 18062

  Registry ID: 110000961139

• MACUNGIE BORO AUTH

  21 LOCUST STREET, MACUNGIE, PA, 18062

  Registry ID: 110000943454

• WEISENBERG TOWNSHIP

  2175 SEIPSTOWN ROAD, FOGELSVILLE, PA, 18051

  Registry ID: 110040065531

• UPPER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP

  8330 SCHANTZ RD, BREINGENSVILLE, PA, 18031

  Registry ID: 110040075165

• ALLENTOWN, CITY OF

  641 S 10TH ST, ALLENTOWN, PA, 18103

  Registry ID: 110004865726

• LOWHILL TOWNSHIP

  7000 HERBER RD, NEW TRIPOLI, PA, 18066

  Registry ID: 110040065504

• ALBURTIS BORO WATER SYS

  260 FRANKLIN ST, ALBURTIS, PA, 18011

  Registry ID: 110000942428

• UPPER MILFORD TOWNSHIP

  5831 KINGS HIGHWAY SOUTH, OLD ZIONSVILLE, PA, 18063

  Registry ID: 110040075183

• COPLAY - WHITEHALL SEWER AUTHORITY

  3213 MACARTHUR RD, WHITEHALL, PA, 18052

  Registry ID: 110040063356

• EMMAUS BORO WATER SYS

  28 S 4TH ST, EMMAUS, PA, 18049-3802

  Registry ID: 110000939548

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations
• CWA 308 — Information Request, Records, Entry
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (2)

• CITY OF ALLENTOWN, ET. AL.entered 2009-09-29

  Primary law: CWA

• CITY OF ALLENTOWN, ET. AL.entered 2016-02-10

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2009-10-02Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2016-02-10Final Order Issued
• 2019-03-19Enforcement Action Closed