EPA settles Clean Water Act violations suit against Jerome, Idaho

The City of Jerome, Idaho, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have reached a settlement over Clean Water Act violations pertaining to wastewater discharges in the Snake River, according to a Thursday release from the EPA.

According to EPA citations, the city was responsible for multiple discharges between April 2010 and July 2011 that went beyond the scope of its permit in terms of biological oxygen demands, total suspended solids, chlorine, fecal coliforms, e.coli, pH, phosphorous and dissolved oxygen. The settlement requires the city to pay a civil penalty of $86,000 in addition and upgrade its wastewater treatment plant.

“Wastewater treatment plants can contribute large amounts of pollution to our waterways, so it’s critically important that the discharges are properly controlled and treated,” said EPA Seattle Office of Compliance and Enforcement Director Ed Kowalski. “This action will move us closer to our goal of removing the Snake River from the list of impaired water bodies and ensuring clean water for drinking, fishing, swimming and other activities for everyone in Idaho.”