THE CITY OF LANCASTER (CITY) OWNS AND OPERATES A WASTE- WATER TREATMENT FACILITY (PLANT) SERVING 1468 HOUSEHOLDS. SINCE 1974, THE CITY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO MEET THE EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS ON ITS DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS TO SURFACE WATERS CONTAINED IN FOUR NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMITS ISSUED BY EPA (FIRST THREE PERMITS) AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY (LAST PERMIT). IN ADDITION, WASTEWATER SPORADICALLY BYPASSES THE PLANT DIS- CHARGING FROM POINT SOURCES NOT AUTHORIZED IN AN NPDES PERMIT.