EPA fines authority and orders sewer overflows management in North Carolina

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority for violating the Clean Water Act in the city of Wilmington and New Hanover County.

The authority must pay a penalty of $300,000 for releasing unauthorised overflows of untreated raw sewage into water bodies. They must also employ better measures to reduce sewer overflows in waterways and improve the sewer system to comply with EPA standards in the future.

In 2008, the City of Wilmington and the New Hanover County appointed Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to manage their respective sewer systems.

The utility employed a number of remedial measures to improve the sewer systems, but released untreated sewer overflows into the local water bodies.

The authority has agreed with the EPA to improve its sewer systems further and eliminate overflows into waterways, thereby reducing the chances of polluting the water.

EPA acting regional administrator Stan Meiburg said that the insufficient and aging sewage infrastructure in The South results in overflows.

"Through this agreement, the Authority, the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County are taking positive steps in correcting long-standing sewage overflow problems," he said.

"Ultimately, this will benefit the local community and improve water quality in the Cape Fear river watershed."

The authority will also have to design programmes to ensure that sewer systems are properly managed, operated and maintained.

For wet weather overflows, it will have to build a comprehensive sewer system assessment and rehabilitation programme.

The EPA has reached similar agreements with numerous municipal entities across The South.

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Image: EPA has ordered the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to reduce sewer overflows into Cape Fear River watershed. Photo: courtesy of Billy Hathorn.