# NEW BEDFORD, CITY OF
> **Judicial** · FY1987 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `121`
- **Case Number:** 01-1987-0001
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $150K
- **Cost recovery:** $0
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- NEW BEDFORD, MA. CITY OF (complaint) (settlement)
- NEW BEDOFRD, MA. CITY OF (2) (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

THE NEW BEDFORD PLANT IS A 30 MILLION GAL PER DAY PRIMARY    WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY WHICH IS DESIGNED TO TREAT     WASTEWATER & SEPTAGE FROM THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD & PORTIONS OF THE TOWNS OF ACUSHNET & DARTMOUTH, MA.  IT SERVES A POP-  ULATION OF APPROX 101,000 PEOPLE.  THE NEW BEDFORD PLANT     DISCHARGES ITS EFFLUENT THROUGH A LONG OUTFALL INTO BUZZARD' S BAY, AN IMPORTANT ESTUARY WHICH SUPPORTS COMMERCIAL FISH-  ING AND NUMEROUS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.  THE CITY'S COM-   BINED SEWER OVERFLOWS (CSO'S) DISCHARGE INTO THE ACUSHNET    RIVER (NEW BEDFORD INNER HARBOR), BUZZARD'S BAY (NEW BEDFORD OUTER HARBOR) AND CLARK'S COVE.  THE CITY'S DISCHARGES RANK  AS THE 4TH LARGEST MUNICIPAL DISCHARGES BY VOLUME INTO MASS  COASTAL WATERS.  SINCE COMMENCING OPERATIONS IN 1974, THE    NEW BEDFORD PLANT HAS FREQUENTLY FAILED TO MEET THE PRIMARY  EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS SPECIFIED IN ITS ORIGNIAL NPDES PERMIT. THE CITY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A WAIVER OF SECONDARY  TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS UNDER SECT 301(H) OF THE CWA IN SEPT  1979.  THE ADMINISTRATOR DENIED THE APPLICATION IN OCT 1982. THE CITY SUBMITTED A REVISED 301(H) WAIVER APPLICATION IN    DEC 1983.  THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR TENTATIVELY DENIED THE REVISED APPLICATION ON 7/14/86.  AS VIOLATIONS OF PRIMARY    STANDARDS CONTINUED, THE CITY FAILED TO SUBMIT FACILITIES    PLANS FOR SECONDARY TREATMENT AS REQUIRED BY THE ORIGINAL    NPDES PERMIT.                                                AS A RESULT OF THE CONTINUING VIOLAT

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*