EPA Directs Carson City Public Works to Improve Pretreatment Program and Protect Carson River
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Carson City Public Works (Carson City) for violating provisions of the Clean Water Act pretreatment program at its wastewater treatment plant in Carson City, Nevada. Carson City’s pretreatment program, which is federally mandated and EPA-approved, serves to protect the city’s residents and infrastructure, workers’ health, and the water quality of the Carson River from industrial wastewater discharges.
During September 2020, EPA conducted an audit of Carson City’s pretreatment program. EPA found deficiencies in the pretreatment program’s legal authority, enforcement response plan, interlocal agreement, and industrial user compliance tracking.
“Western water bodies, such as the Carson River, are already at risk from climate change and drought,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Pretreatment of industrial wastewaters provides important protections for the City’s infrastructure, residents and workers, and downstream waters.”
“Carson City’s Wastewater Utility takes being a good steward of the environment very seriously and has immediately adjusted policies and protocols to meet or exceed federal levels,” said City Manager Nancy Paulson.
In addition to agreeing to make required corrective actions to its pretreatment program, Carson City agreed to procure, implement, and train staff to use software that ensures reliable tracking of significant industrial user permit status, sampling and reporting violations, compliance actions, and enforcement actions.
This settlement furthers EPA’s National Compliance Initiative to improve surface water quality by assuring dischargers comply with their Clean Water Act permits.
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For more information on PCBs, including safe handling and disposal requirements visit EPA’s Polychlorinated Biphenyls website.
