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AYER, MA, FACES ENVIRONMENTAL FINE FOR POLLUTION DISCHARGES

Release Date: 03/18/1997
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Press Office, (617) 918-1064

BOSTON- The New England office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a penalty of $65,000 against the town of Ayer, Massachusetts, for discharges of pollutants to the Nashua River. The discharges are from the town's wastewater treatment facility. EPA also ordered Ayer to study the cause high levels of copper in its discharge and to come into compliance with its permit for the discharge of chlorine and fecal coliform.

According to EPA, Ayer's discharges violated pollutant limits detailed in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

EPA issues NPDES permits to dischargers of wastewater to waters of the United states. These permits set stringent limits on the amount of pollutants contained in the wastewater. Chlorine is typically added to the wastewater to reduce bacteria levels, but chlorine itself can be toxic in the aquatic environment. Therefore, limitations are often placed on chlorine levels to protect organisms in the river where wastewater is discharged.

This case is one of six being taken by EPA against New England municipalities for violations of chlorine limits at wastewater treatment plants. EPA issued a similar order today to the Wells Sanitary District in Wells, Maine and the city of Meriden, Connecticut.