EPA v. HATTIESBURG, MS, CITY OF

Case summary

1/20/2021 - CONSENT DECREE ENTERED BY THE COURTS: The Consent Decree addresses Clean Water Act (CWA) violations by Hattiesburg with respect to its publicly-owned treatment works in Mississippi, including numerous sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and violations of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit as a result of its failure to properly operate and maintain its Wastewater Collection and Transmission Systems (WCTS). Hattiesburg estimates that it will spend approximately $45 million over approximately 16 years (196 months) to complete the injunctive relief and bring its operations into compliance with the CWA. In addition to these compliance costs, the Consent Decree also requires Hattiesburg to pay a civil penalty of $165,600, to be divided equally between the United States and the State of Mississippi. The Consent Decree also includes a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) valued at $220,800, which will result in the reduction of extraneous flows entering the WCTS through defective private laterals and through illicit connections from residential properties the owners of which face financial hardship.

Defendants (1)

• HATTIESBURG, MS, CITY OFNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• HATTIESBURG SOUTH LAGOON

  1903 EAST HARDY STREET, HATTIESBURG, MS, 39401

  Registry ID: 110005974259

• HATTIESBURG NORTH LAGOON

  3401 LAKEVIEW ROAD, HATTIESBURG, MS, 39401

  Registry ID: 110016843576

Statutes cited

• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit
• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• HATTIESBURG, MS, CITY OFentered 2021-01-20

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $82,800 · SEP: $220,800

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2013-09-05Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2013-09-18Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2020-08-26Complaint Filed With Court
• 2020-08-26Final Order Lodged
• 2021-01-20Final Order Entered