[미국] EPA, 라스베가스 북부에 CWA 위반 시정명령

미국 환경보호청(EPA)은 라스베가스 북부 도시에 정수시설로부터 Mead호로 유입되는 오염수를 배출하는 건에 관련한 연방 수질오염방지법(Clean Water Act) 위반사항을 즉시 처리할 것을 명령했다. 이번 명령은 시의 폐수 전처리 프로그램 관리에 결함이 있다는 것을 보여주는 잠재적인 결과이다.

또, EPA는 해당 시에 지자체 폐수처리 시스템의 산업부문 사용자로부터 발생한 오염을 규제할 수 있는 프로그램을 개발할 것을 요구했다.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially issued an order to the City of North Las Vegas, Nev., to immediately address federal Clean Water Act violations dealing with discharges of polluted water from its Water Reclamation Facility into the Las Vegas Wash, which eventually feeds into Lake Mead. This is a potential result of deficiencies in the management of the city's wastewater pretreatment program.

EPA requires cities to develop a program to regulate pollutants originating from industrial users of the municipal wastewater treatment systems that may contaminate sewage sludge or interfere with the treatment. This action is a result of EPA's September 2014 inspection to determine North Las Vegas's compliance with the requirements in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and the General Pretreatment Regulations.

In 2011, the city completed construction of a new wastewater treatment facility on Betty Lane but failed to develop and seek approval for its new pretreatment program. EPA found that North Las Vegas did not evaluate its permitting process and ensure that it controls the contribution of each industrial user to the plant through current, unexpired permits. In addition, the city failed to allocate the proper resources and qualified personnel to adequately implement its pretreatment program.

The order requires a commitment of staffing and financial resources on behalf of the city to make improvements to its pretreatment program. Once implemented, it will be in compliance with EPA's standards, which will prevent the introduction of pollutants that can cause environmental and public health concerns and shorten the life of the infrastructure.

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 7월 1일]