Pittsburgh & EPA Settle Storm Water Violations

Feb. 8, 2021

Pittsburgh has reached a storm water violation settlement. 

 

The U.S. EPA has settled storm water violations with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The violations were settled with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority in a consent agreement, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

According to the EPA announcement, violations include failure to do inspections and enforcement at construction site erosion and sediment control measures. There was also a failure to enforce post-construction storm water management best management practices.

Under the agreement, the city and PWSA are required to:

  • Submit an updated storm water code for approval to the Pittsburgh city council by July 2021;
  • Hire additional inspectors and enforcement staff for 2022; and
  • Put management partnership procedures in place by the end of January 2022.

According to Jeff Landis in an email to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, an EPA Region 3 spokesman, the consent agreement covers violations of the federal Clean Water Act permit for storm water discharges, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The city council gave preliminary approval to the agreement in January and the city is expected to complete implementation of its inspection and enforcement program for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit reissued by the EPA in July 2020.

Pittsburgh and the PWSA are required by the order to meet a series of deadlines to ensure full compliance with these requirements by March 31, 2022, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Quarterly progress reports must be submitted to the EPA.

The city and PWSA are required to submit an updated storm water code for approval to the Pittsburgh city council by July 2021.

The order covers separate storm water sewers and not sanitary sewers, added Landis, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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Cristina Tuser