Lewes, Del. settles Clean Water Act Violations at Wastewater Treatment Plant

Aug. 18, 2005

The city of Lewes, Del. will pay a $33,000 penalty and complete a $22,000 project to improve water quality monitoring under a consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over alleged violations at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

Under a Clean Water Act permit issued by Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the plant discharges treated wastewater into the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal, which flows into Rehoboth Bay.

EPA cited the plant for exceeding permit discharge limits on several pollutants, including fecal coliform, total suspended solids, total residual chlorine, and biochemical oxygen demand during at least 23 months over a five-year period. EPA also alleged significant illegal bypasses of the plant’s treatment system where sewage was discharged without full treatment.

In addition to the $33,000 penalty, Lewes will complete a $22,000 supplemental environmental project to monitor the level of dissolved oxygen in Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. This monitoring, which exceeds the requirements of federal and state law, will improve the water quality data available to government agencies and citizens.

This action addresses the penalty portions of EPA’s response to the alleged violations. The city has complied thus far with EPA’s January 2003 administrative order that requires it to upgrade the treatment plant so that it is in compliance with EPA discharge regulations by April 2007. As part of the settlement, the city of Lewes has neither admitted nor denied liability for the cited violations.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Sponsored Recommendations

Blower Package Integration

March 20, 2024
See how an integrated blower package can save you time, money, and energy, in a wastewater treatment system. With package integration, you have a completely integrated blower ...

Strut Comparison Chart

March 12, 2024
Conduit support systems are an integral part of construction infrastructure. Compare steel, aluminum and fiberglass strut support systems.

Energy Efficient System Design for WWTPs

Feb. 7, 2024
System splitting with adaptive control reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.

Blower Isentropic Efficiency Explained

Feb. 7, 2024
Learn more about isentropic efficiency and specific performance as they relate to blowers.