Henry County Water Authority - Clean Water Act Public Notice

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

In accordance with Section 309(g)(4)(A) of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), 33 U.S.C. § 1319(g)(4)(A), and 40 C.F.R. § 22.45 of the Consolidated Rules of Practice Governing the Administrative Assessment of Civil Penalties and the Revocation/Termination or Suspension of Permits (“Consolidated Rules”), the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Henry County Water Authority, a municipality, for alleged violations related to its two publicly owned treatment plants (“POTWs”), the Indian Creek Water Reclamation Facility located at 1601 Lester Mill Road, Locust Grove, Georgia 30248 and the Walnut Creek Water Reclamation Facility located at 1682 North Ola Road, McDonough, Georgia 30252.

Under Section 309(g) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1319(g), the EPA is authorized to issue orders assessing civil penalties for various violations of the Clean Water Act.  The EPA may issue such orders after filing a Complaint commencing either a Class I or Class II penalty proceeding.  The EPA provides notice of the proposed assessment of a Class II civil penalty pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 1319(g)(4)(A).  Class II proceedings are conducted under the EPA’s Consolidated Rules, 40 C.F.R. Part 22.

In this case, the EPA alleges that Respondent land-applied biosolids from the POTWs in violation of Section 405 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1345.  The EPA alleges that in 2017, Respondents land-applied biosolids and sold or gave away biosolids in a bag or container containing fecal coliform concentrations in excess of the Class A requirements, failed to report how pathogen requirements are met, and land applied biosolids in excess of calculated agronomic rates in violation of 40 C.F.R. Part 503.  Respondent has reached agreement with the EPA on the terms of a proposed Consent Agreement/Final Order which would resolve this matter.  Under the proposed Consent Agreement/Final Order, Respondent will pay a civil penalty of $25,000.  Final approval of the proposed Consent Agreement/Final Order is subject to the requirements of 40 C.F.R. § 22.45.

The EPA will receive written comments on the proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice.  All such comments shall be submitted to the Regional Hearing Clerk at the address provided below.  The procedures by which the public may submit written comments on a proposed Class II order or participate in a Class II proceeding, and the procedures by which a respondent may request a hearing, are set forth in the Consolidated Rules.  Persons wishing to obtain additional information on the proceeding, receive a copy of the EPA’s Consolidated Rules, review the proposed Consent Agreement/Final Order, comment upon the proposed penalty assessment, or otherwise participate in the proceeding should contact Regional Hearing Clerk, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street Atlanta, Georgia 30303.  Please reference Docket No. CWA-07-2019-0056.  For Technical questions contact Lantz Tipton, Water Branch, at tipton.lantz@epa.gov, at the above mailing address or 913-551-7892.  Persons with legal questions may contact Shane McCoin, Office of Regional Counsel, at mccoin.shane@epa.gov, at the above mailing address or 913-551-7955.  In order to provide opportunity for public comment, the EPA will issue no final order assessing a penalty in this proceeding prior to forty (40) days from the date of this notice.

Summary

The EPA is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Henry County Water Authority, a municipality, for alleged violations related to its two publicly owned treatment plants (“POTWs”), the Indian Creek Water Reclamation Facility located at 1601 Lester Mill Rd, Locust Grove, GA 30248 and the Walnut Creek Water Reclamation Facility located at 1682 North Ola Rd, McDonough, GA 30252.

​Program/Statute:  Clean Water Act (CWA)

Applicant/Respondent(s):

Henry County Water Authority
Indian Creek Water Reclamation Facility 1601 Lester Mill Road and Walnut Creek Water Reclamation Facility 1682 North Ola Road
Locust Grove, GA 30248 and McDonough, GA 30252

Proposed action: Public Notice of Clean Water Act Adminstrative Penalty Settlement

Docket ID: CWA-07-2019-0056

• Henry County Water Authority proposed Consent Agreement/Final Order (pdf) (1.68 MB)