NATURE OF THE CASE JEFFERSON PARISH IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. THE PARISH OPERATES AND MAIN- TAINS 15 WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES LOCATED ALONG THE WEST BANK OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER KNOWN AS THE WEST BANK SEWAGE DISTRICT. ALL FIFTEEN FACILITIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTIONS 301 AND 402 OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT. THE PARISH IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING SOURCE OF FECAL CONTAMINATION IN THE BARATARIA BASIN, A NAVIGABLE WATER. THIS SUIT IS REQUESTED PURSUANT TO 309(B) OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT. CAUSE OF ACTION EPA ISSUED NPDES PERMITS TO MOST OF THE WEST BANK FACILITIES IN 1974. SINCE THAT TIME THE PARISH HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR PERSISTENT BYPASSES OF RAW SEWAGE AND EX- CESSIVE BOD, TSS AND FECAL COLIFORM PERMIT EFFLUENT VIOLA- TIONS. THESE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO BE CAUSED BY HYDRAULIC OVERFLOWS AND IMPROPER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. ALTHOUGH THESE FACILITIES WILL BE TREATED AS A WHOLE IN THIS REPORT FOR PURPOSES OF BREVITY AND CLARITY, EACH IS GOVERNED BY A SEPARATE NPDES PERMIT AND EACH HAS AN INDIVI- DUAL ENFORCEMENT HISTORY AND LIST OF PERMIT VIOLATIONS EX- TENDING OVER A SEVERAL YEAR PEORIOD. THE NINE NONCOMPLAINT FACILITIES, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO BY NAME RATHER THAN PER- MIT NUMBER FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY, AR