EPA v. Cottonwood Campground

Case summary

The system has a sporadic history of SDWA compliance. The system is required to take nitrate and coliform samples and provide results to USEPA and IDEM. Ronald Ritz appealed the 8/15/2011 District Court ruling and the appeal was argued on 4/15/2013. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled in EPA's favor on 7/3/2013. Ronald Ritz must complete actions outlined in 8/15/2011 District Court Ruling. Ronald Ritz had the option to go back to circuit court and appeal to the Supreme Court, but did not take further action. Therefore, he must comply with monitoring requirements as well as pay a civil penalty in the amount of $29,754. DOJ has issued the collection referral but has not received a response from Ronald Ritz as of 9/22/2014. U.S. EPA, IDEM, and the Indiana State Health Department conducted a joint site inspection on 6/6/2014 and found that the campground is still out of compliance with SDWA. Ronald Ritz maintains that Cottonwood Campground also known as Whitewater is not a public water system (PWS) and therefore is in direct conflict with the 8/15/2011 District Court ruling that Cottonwood Campground is a PWS.

Defendants (3)

• THOMAS J. RITZNamed in complaint
• C. Michael or Cody RitzNamed in complaint
• Ronald RitzNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND

  6288 US 52, CEDAR GROVE, IN, 47016

  Registry ID: 110012141039

Statutes cited

• SDWA 1412/1414 — National Drinking Water Regulations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• Cottonwood Campgroundentered 2011-08-15

  Primary law: SDWA

  Federal penalty: $29,754

Timeline (9 milestones)

• 2005-09-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2005-10-06Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2007-09-14Complaint Filed With Court
• 2008-03-05Supplemental Referral-Adding parties, counts
• 2008-03-05Amended Complaint
• 2011-08-15Final Order Lodged
• 2011-08-15Final Order Entered
• 2011-10-12Stayed While Under Appeal
• 2013-07-03Enforcement Action Closed