Federal, State Officials Probe Sewage Plant
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Federal and state investigators converged upon the Warsaw wastewater treatment facility Thursday, arriving soon after the work day began, presenting an all-encompassing search warrant.
Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency went through "various" records, according to public works superintendent Lacy Francis Jr.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation officers guarded the entrance of the building.
"It's kind of a mystery," Francis said Thursday as to what the officials were seeking. "The warrant says they have a right to come in and look. They'll give us a list of what they take and send us a report in 30 days."
The investigation could be tied to this summer's fish kill in Walnut Creek, caused by toxins discharged into the waterway from the treatment facility.
However, Bonnie Nash, of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's media relations office, said the EPA usually doesn't become involved in such issues. She had no idea a search warrant had been issued.
The Times-Union received copies of IDEM's notice of violation, dated Oct. 29, via fax.
The document charges the wastewater treatment plant with violation of 11 environmental statutes, rules and provisions.
According to the notice, during July, August and September, surficant, polymer, whole effluent and diesel or fuel oil were discharged from the plant into the creek.
The violation notice states that Warsaw failed to take all reasonable steps to minimize any adverse impact on the creek; failed to maintain aerators or diffusers; failed to remove excessive sludge; failed to allow the digester to settle; failed to repair skimmers when they failed; allowed the polymer used in the sludge thickener, which is toxic to the activated sludge organisms, to enter the plant; and failed to adequately respond to inadequate and improper treatment at the plant.
Monthly reports did not reflect conditions at the site, according to the notice of violation. Neither reports of operation nor monitoring reports showed the discharge of quantities of sludge or suspended solids at the facility.
Operators also failed to notify IDEM by telephone within 24 hours of noncompliance. [[In-content Ad]]
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Federal and state investigators converged upon the Warsaw wastewater treatment facility Thursday, arriving soon after the work day began, presenting an all-encompassing search warrant.
Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency went through "various" records, according to public works superintendent Lacy Francis Jr.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation officers guarded the entrance of the building.
"It's kind of a mystery," Francis said Thursday as to what the officials were seeking. "The warrant says they have a right to come in and look. They'll give us a list of what they take and send us a report in 30 days."
The investigation could be tied to this summer's fish kill in Walnut Creek, caused by toxins discharged into the waterway from the treatment facility.
However, Bonnie Nash, of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's media relations office, said the EPA usually doesn't become involved in such issues. She had no idea a search warrant had been issued.
The Times-Union received copies of IDEM's notice of violation, dated Oct. 29, via fax.
The document charges the wastewater treatment plant with violation of 11 environmental statutes, rules and provisions.
According to the notice, during July, August and September, surficant, polymer, whole effluent and diesel or fuel oil were discharged from the plant into the creek.
The violation notice states that Warsaw failed to take all reasonable steps to minimize any adverse impact on the creek; failed to maintain aerators or diffusers; failed to remove excessive sludge; failed to allow the digester to settle; failed to repair skimmers when they failed; allowed the polymer used in the sludge thickener, which is toxic to the activated sludge organisms, to enter the plant; and failed to adequately respond to inadequate and improper treatment at the plant.
Monthly reports did not reflect conditions at the site, according to the notice of violation. Neither reports of operation nor monitoring reports showed the discharge of quantities of sludge or suspended solids at the facility.
Operators also failed to notify IDEM by telephone within 24 hours of noncompliance. [[In-content Ad]]