EPA New England Press Releases

EPA PROPOSES $30,000 WASTEWATER TREATMENT FINE FOR LITCHFIELD

Contact: Leo Kay, Press Office, (617) 918-4154

For immediate release: October 23, 1997 Release # 97-10-16

BOSTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed a penalty of $30,000 against the Town of Litchfield, Conn. for discharging high levels of chlorine from its wastewater treatment plant into the Bantam River in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

From May 1992 through September of 1996, Litchfield exceeded its chlorine wastewater limits 27 percent of the time the limits were in effect. The proposed penalty is based on the town's discharge monitoring reports, as well as other information Litchfield officials submitted to the EPA.

"A little chlorine in wastewater serves a useful purpose, but too much does more harm than good. The high levels of chlorine that flowed from the Litchfield Treatment Plant into the Bantam could easily have injured fish and other aquatic resources," said John P. DeVillars, administrator of the EPA's New England office.

Chlorine is typically added to the waste water to reduce bacteria levels, but at certain levels the compound itself can be toxic in the aquatic environment. Therefore, federal and state regulators place limitations on chlorine levels as a safeguard for aquatic organisms.

This case is one of a number the EPA is taking against New England municipalities for violating chlorine limits at wastewater treatment plants. The EPA issued similar complaints to Naugatuck, Meriden, and Portland, Conn.; Ayer, Mass. and the Wells Sanitary District in Wells, Maine.

 

METADATA

1. TITLE: EPA Proposes $30,000 Wastewater Treatment Fine for Litchfield

2. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: N/A

3. ABSTRACT: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed a penalty of $30,000 against the Town of Litchfield, Conn. for discharging high levels of chlorine from its wastewater treatment plant into the Bantam River in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

4. PURPOSE: Public Information

5. ORIGINATOR: Regional Administrator's Office

6. PUBLICATION DATE: 10/23/97

7. ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: N/A

8. AVAILABILITY: N/A
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9. COVERAGE: N/A

10. TIME PERIOD OF COVERAGE: N/A

11. POINT OF CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
    Leo Kay
    Office of the Regional Administrator
    EPA Region 1, New England
    JFK Kennedy Building (RAA)
    Boston, MA 02203
    617-918-4154

12. RESPONSIBLE PARTY:
    Doug Gutro
    Office of the Regional Administrator

13. DATE OF CREATION: 10/23/97

14. AGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: N/A

15. EXPIRATION DATE: 11/23/97