On March 27, 2024, EPA entered into an administrative order on consent (AOC) with the City of Rochester, New Hampshire which provides a schedule for the City to meet its total phosphorus limit in its new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The AOC requires the City to complete an upgrade to its wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) by December 31, 2031. The reduction in phosphorus discharges will greatly contribute towards reducing the nutrient load into the Cocheco River. Visual surveys have documented significant algal growth, elevated levels of macrophytes, and excessive duckweed growth in the Cocheco River downstream from Rochester's WWTF. The Region worked in close coordination with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Management in this matter.