CWA VIOLATION INVOLVING SEWER SYSTEM DISCHARGES.
02/10/2016: THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN OWNS A WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM, SEPARATE SYSTEM, AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT (WWTP). SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS (SATELLITE COMMUNITIES) CONVEY WASTEWATER TO THE ALLENTOWN COLLECTION SYSTEM AND WWTP FOR TREATMENT. EPA PERFORM AN INSPECTION IIN APRIL 2006, AND DISCOVERED OUTFALL 003, PRIOR TO THE HEADWORKS OF THE PLANT, WHICH ACTIVATED DISCHARGES UNTREATED WASTEWATER FLOWS TO THE LITTLE LEHIGH RIVER. ADDITIONALLY, ALLENTOWN SUBMITTED NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS (SSOs) THROUGHT THE COLLECTION SYSTEM. MANY OF THE SSOs THAT OCCUR THROUGH THE COLLECTION SYSTEM RESULT FROM INFILTRATION AND INFLOW FROM THE SATELLITE COMMUNITIES AND DISCHARGE POLLUTANTS INTO THE LEHIGH RIVER, TRIBUTARIES OF LITTLE LEHIGH RIVER, CEDAR CREEK AND JORDAN CREEK.
SINCE THE COLLECTION SYSTEM IS MULTI-JURIDICTIONAL, COOPERATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE ADQUATE CAPACITY, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, AND ELIMINATION OF SSOs. THIS ORDER EXTENTION FOR THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN AND ALL SATELLITE COMMUNITIES EXTENDS THE COMPLIANCE DATE TO DECEMBER 31, 2017 TO ELIMINATE DISCHARGES OF SSOs TO THE WATERS OF THE U.S. RESPONDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATES ON PROGRESS TOWARDS ELIMINATING INFILTRATION AND INFLOW, SYSTEM CHARACTERIZATION, AND COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF FLOWS.