As per the settlement agreement, WSA will begin by expanding the treatment capacity of its Central Wastewater Treatment Plant and increase its storage capacity to handle the high flow during wet weather to guard against combined sewer overflows to the west branch of the Susquehanna River.
WSA, which has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $320,000 for past violations of the Clean Water Act, will also implement long term control plans designed to minimize the potential for combined sewer overflows.
WSA provides sewage collection and treatment to nearly 60,000 people within Williamsport and several surrounding communities.
The settlement agreement, which is part of a multi-state, multi-media Chesapeake Bay watershed compliance initiative implemented by EPA in partnership with Pennsylvania and the other Bay states, to improve water quality in local waterways and the bay, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.
Shawn Garvin, regional administrator of EPA, said: “Sewage overflows can seriously harm public health by carrying dangerous bacteria into waterways used for drinking water and recreation.
“When fully implemented, today’s agreement will reduce the amount of untreated sewage being discharged into the Susquehanna River by more than 52 million gallons per year.”
