For Release: December 30, 1998

Contact: Dean Albro 222-1360

PROVIDENCE - In the wake of investigations into extensive, long-standing problems with East Providence's sewage treatment capabilities that have resulted in numerous overflows of sewage into Narragansett Bay, the Department of Environmental Management yesterday issued a Notice of Violation to the city. The Notice orders the city to take a series of steps to correct the problems and assesses a penalty of $143,500.

East Providence has had problems with raw sewage overflows during rainstorms at its pumping stations and sewer collection system for several years and began a still uncompleted study in 1994 to determine the cause of the problems. DEM began its investigation late in 1997 because incidents of discharge of partially treated sewage were happening with greater frequency.

In 1998, on 17 separate occasions, the city illegally discharged a total of 63 million gallons of partially treated sewage and rainwater at several locations. The overflows came from the Watchemoket Pumping Station into Watchemoket Cove, from the Wannamoisett Road Pumping Station into Orange Juice Creek, from the Merritt Road Pumping Station into the Mosskettuash Brook, and from manholes into both Orange Juice Creek and the Providence River.

"This penalty and these remedial actions are necessary because of a series of egregious violations of state and federal environmental law," said DEM Director Andy McLeod. "Repeated investigations by DEM reveal millions of gallons of sewage placed in Narragansett Bay by East Providence on numerous occasions. This year has witnessed the worst violations by East Providence. Our action is consistent with, and in part, the result of consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency.

"We welcome and will continue our work with city officials and with responsible third parties, such as Save the Bay, to improve the city's treatment facilities and operations to protect water quality," McLeod added. "In the meantime, it is our obligation to enforce the law."

In addition to detailing the separate discharge violations, the notice faults the city for failing to mitigate and minimize the impact of the sewage overflows by using septage haulers or by adequate disinfection.

The order specifies short-term measures for dealing with overflows to minimize the impact to human health and the environment, and spells out what the city must do for long-term corrective action.

The short term measures include: within 60 days, the city must submit to DEM construction applications for disinfection systems, as well as a detailed standard operating procedure for responding to sewage overflows that occur anywhere within the facility collection system. Also, signs must be posted at each location within the collection system where sewage overflows occur.

DEM's order also requires the city to conduct a comprehensive study of its sewage treatment collection system that includes specific recommendations and corrective actions to reduce excess infiltration/inflow, and a schedule for implementation, with a final report to DEM within 18 months.

The city must also conduct an engineering study of several pumping stations, with findings submitted to DEM within six months. The study must include recommendations and a timetable for both short and long term modifications and improvements for each pumping station, and identify any immediate modifications or operational changes that should be made to minimize or eliminate overflows. A sewer system capacity analysis must also be completed, with a report to DEM in six months. All reports and other documents are subject to DEM's review and approval.