On April 15, 2021, EPA issued a Clean Water Act Administrative Order (AO) to the Town of Charlton, Massachusetts for violations of the zinc and aluminum effluent limits in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The Town owns and operates a wastewater treatment facility that discharges effluent to Cady Brook. The AO requires the Town to submit an engineering report detailing how it plans to reduce zinc levels entering the treatment plant as well reducing zinc and aluminum discharged from the treatment plant. The AO contains interim limits for zinc and aluminum which will remain in effect for the duration of the work. Massachusetts has not been delegated the Clean Water Act program, but EPA worked in close coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on this matter. Contact: Doug Koopman, 617-918-1747; Jeff Kopf, 617-918-1796.