EPA v. SHREVEPORT, CITY OF

Case summary

DATA SHEET: * VIOLATIONS: THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT, LA, IS IN SERIOUS VIOLATION OF ITS NPDES PERMIT AND AN AO. * PROPOSED RELIEF SOUGHT: REGION VI PROPOSES A MINIMUM PENALTY OF $165,000 AND INJUNC- TIVE RELIEF AS ADDRESSED IN THE LITIGATION REPORT. * THE RECENT CONTACTS: A SHOW CASE MEETING WAS HELD IN DALLAS ON JUNE 17, 1986, AND A PHONE CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM THE FACILITY ON JUNE 23, 1986. SEE LITIGATION REPORT III.B. A TELEPHONE CALL TO THE FACILITY WAS MADE ON JULY 2, 1986. * * SYNOPSIS OF CASE: * SHREVEPORT'S COOPER ROAD WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY WAS ISSUED A NPDES PERMIT, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 22, 1984. IT REQUIRES SECONDARY TREATMENT. * TWO INSPECTIONS OF THE FACILITY HAVE UNCOVERED SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH THE PLANT. AFTER THE FIRST INSPECTION, CON- DUCTED ON MARCH 4, 1985, THE INSPECTOR CHARACTERIZED THE PLANT AS 'ABYSMAL' IN ITS CONDITION. THE SECOND INSPECTION WAS HELD ON JUNE 11, 1986, AND THE INSPECTOR NOTED THE SAME DEFICIENCIES WITH THE FACILITY. * SHREVEPORT HAS NOT SHOWN ANY INTEREST IN MAINTAINING PROPER CONDITIONS FOR THE PLANT, ALLOWING WASTEWATER TO FLOW THROUGH THE FACILITY WITH LITTLE OR NO TREATMENT. * SOME OF THE MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS LISTED IN THE INSPEC- TION REPORTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: * 1. BOTH THE PRIMARY CLARIFIER AND TRICKLING FILTER WAS BEING BYPASSED. SOME OF THE RAW WASTEWATER WAS GOING DIRECTLY TO THE RECEIVING STREAM AND SOME WAS GOING TO THE FINAL CLARIFIER. 2. THE PRIMARY AND FINAL CLARIFIERS WERE FULL OF SLUDGE. THE REASON SLUDGE WAS NOT REMOVED FROM THE UNITS WAS BECAUSE BOTH SLUDGE PUMPS WERE MISSING. IN ADDITION, THE PRIMARY CLARIFIER APPEARED TO BE GONG SEPTIC. 3. THERE WAS NO GROWTH ON THE TRICKLING FILTER AND THE ARMS WERE PLUGGED. 4. THE RAKE MECHANISMS IN THE PRIMARY AND FINAL CLARIFIERS WERE INOPERABLE. 5. THE WEIR NOTCHES IN THE PRIMARY CLARIFIER WERE PARTIALLY PLUGGED. 6. MANY OF THE PUMPS WERE INOPERABLE. 7. NONE OF THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE DIGESTOR WAS OPERABLE. * OTHER VIOLATIONS UNCOVERED BY INSPECTION: * 1. NO OPERATING STAFF HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE PLANT. A CITY MECHANIC WAS SENT TO THE FACILITY APPROX 3 TIMES A WEEK TO ENSURE THAT THE EFFLUENT PUMPS WERE OPERABLE SO THE PLANT WILL NOT FLOOD. 2. NO OPERATING RECORDS WERE KEPT AT THE PLANT. 3. THE CITY WAS NOT ICING THEIR COMPOSITE SAMPLES. DESPITE THE BYPASSING WHICH HAS BEEN OCCURRING REGULARLY AT THE PLANT, BYPASS REPORTS HAVE NOT BEEN SUBMITTED. *

Defendants (1)

• SHREVEPORT, CITY OFNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• COOPER RD WASTEWATER TREATME

  2978 COOPER RD, SHREVEPORT, LA, 71107

  Registry ID: 110010743446

Statutes cited

• CWA 309 — Violation of Existing AO
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SHREVEPORT, CITY OFentered 1988-07-08

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $150,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1986-09-26Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1986-09-29Referred To Headquarters
• 1986-11-04Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1988-07-05Complaint Filed With Court
• 1988-07-08Final Order Lodged
• 1988-07-08Final Order Entered
• 1988-07-08Concluded
• 1988-07-08Enforcement Action Closed