EPA orders Epping, New Hampshire to correct untreated wastewater discharges

The U.S. EPA has issued an administrative order requiring the Town of Epping, New Hampshire, to complete corrective actions at its wastewater treatment facility.

EPA says that the town has bypassed treatment processes and discharged partially treated wastewater into the Lamprey River on multiple occasions since December 2021, in violation of its Clean Water Act discharge permit.

"The violations at the Epping wastewater treatment facility are very serious,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “This order will help ensure clean drinking water for the downstream communities of Durham and the University of New Hampshire. The Lamprey River is also a popular recreational waterway that empties into ecologically sensitive Great Bay. Today's action will safeguard water quality and protect public health and the environment."

The order requires Epping to complete all work on a Short-Term Corrective Actions Plan by December 31, 2023, including eliminating the discharge of partially treated wastewater, and submitting to EPA and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) a Long-Term Corrective Actions Plan by June 30, 2024.

The order also requires the town to evaluate additional wastewater treatment options and ensure that its plant operator and backup operator satisfy the stringent state requirements for such positions.

"NHDES supports EPA in issuing this Administrative Order to ensure that the Town achieves compliance with its discharge permits in the most expeditious manner," said Robert R. Scott, NHDES commissioner. "Continued action is crucial to making sure the Lamprey River is protected for its many uses which includes its important role as a source of drinking water for UNH (University of New Hampshire) and Durham."

The administrative order also requires the town to develop a Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) program; conduct a staffing evaluation at the facility; develop and implement a plan for public notification of bypass; and submit quarterly progress reports to EPA and NHDES documenting its progress.

The UNH-Durham water system intake is more than 11 miles downstream and has avoided use of the Lamprey River supply during the bypass operations, such that there is no impact to the drinking water supply. Testing of the Lamprey River is being performed to ensure that bacteria levels have not increased. The UNH-Durham drinking water system also undergoes rigorous water quality testing to ensure ongoing compliance with drinking water standards.