Masonic Health Center Agrees to Pay Civil Penalty of $162,500 For Violations of Federal Clean Water Act, Reports U.S. Attorney

Wed, 13 May 2020 07:34:12 GMT

The complaint alleges that for at least five years prior to October 2, 2003, MASONIC repeatedly violated the terms and conditions of its permit by discharging pollutants, including biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, pH, residual chlorine, fecal coliform, total phosphorus, total ammonia nitrogen, and pollutants causing acute and chronic toxicity, in excess of the limitations established in the permit for these pollutants. MASONIC also failed to monitor its effluent as required by the permit. Starting in 1995, MASONIC began considering options for either replacing its obsolete treatment facility or constructing a sewer connection to the Town of Charlton municipal sewer system. MASONIC neither upgraded its treatment facility nor took appropriate steps to mitigate the violations until October 2, 2003, when it finally connected to the municipal sewer system, following compliance orders issued eight months earlier by the EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.