EPA v. KEOKUK, IOWA

Case summary

REGION 7 REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE CITY OF KEOKUK, IOWA FOR VIOLATIONS OF SECTIONS 301 AND 402 OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA). RESPONDENT'S PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS CONTAINS NINE COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW OUTFALLS THAT HAVE DISCHARGED MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF RAW SEWAGE DIRECTLY INTO SOAP CREEK AND/OR THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. KEOKUK SUBMITTED A LONG TERM CONTROL PLAN (�LTCP�) IN AUGUST 2006 TO COMPLY WITH ITS PERMIT. THE LTCP CALLED FOR THE ELIMINATION OF ITS NINE CSOS. HOWEVER, THE LTCP FAILED TO INCLUDE A SCHEDULE OF COMPLETION AS REQUIRED BY THE NPDES PERMIT. REGION 7 HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY SINCE 2007 TO FORMULATE AN APPROVABLE LTCP. A NOVEMBER 2010 INSPECTION OF KEOKUK'S POTW REVEALED ADDITIONAL VIOLATIONS OF THE CITY'S NPDES PERMIT, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE PERMIT'S OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH RESULTED IN MULTIPLE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS, BASEMENT BACKUPS, AND DIVERSIONS OF WASTEWATER INTO WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. IN SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER, RESPONDENT AND EPA SIGNED AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ON CONSENT, WHICH WAS FILED DECEMBER 30, 2010. UNDER THE TERMS OF THE ORDER, KEOKUK WILL SUBMIT A LTCP NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 2012. ALL WORK TO BE DONE PURSUANT TO THE LTCP MUST BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 2030. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY MUST COMPLETE A THOROUGH EVALUATION OF ITS SEWER OPERATIONS WITH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A PLAN TO IMPROVE ITS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.

Defendants (1)

• KEOKUK, IOWANamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• KEOKUK CITY OF STP

  1000 MISSISSIPPI DRIVE, KEOKUK, IA, 52632

  Registry ID: 110043869016

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• KEOKUK, IOWAentered 2010-12-30

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2010-12-30Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2010-12-30Final Order Issued
• 2011-01-06Enforcement Action Data Entered