[미국] 환경보호국, 샌프란시스코만의 하수 배출 개선

환경보호국이 동부만 도시 유틸리티국(EBMUD, East Bay Municipal Utility District)과 7개의 동부만 지역사회의 확장된 시스템 수리를 요구하는 수질오염 방지법 합의서를 발표했다. 수질오염방지법 합의서는 샌프란시스코만으로 유입되는 수백만 갤런의 하수 배출을 제거하기 위해 확장된 시스템을 수리하는 것이 목표이다. 

합의서를 통해 EBMUD와 지역사회는 1500 마일의 하수 시스템 시설을 21년간 개선할 예정이다. 이 프로젝트는 약 15억달러가 소요될 것으로 예상된다. 한편, 과거 하수 배출로 연방 환경법을 위한한 단체는 150만 달러의 벌금을 지불해야 한다.

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Clean Water Act (CWA) settlement requiring the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and seven East Bay communities to conduct extensive system repairs aimed at eliminating millions of gallons of sewage discharges into the San Francisco Bay.

Under the agreement, EBMUD and the communities will assess and upgrade their 1,500-mile-long sewer system infrastructure over a 21-year period. The work is expected to cost approximately $1.5 billion. The entities will pay civil penalties of $1.5 million for past sewage discharges that violated federal environmental law. The settlement is the result of a CWA enforcement action brought by the EPA, U.S. Department of Justice, State Water Resources Control Board, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board, San Francisco Baykeeper, and Our Children’s Earth Foundation.

Since 2009, the EPA, state and local regulators and environmental groups have worked to reduce sewage discharges from East Bay communities. During that period, interim actions required EBMUD and the East Bay communities to improve their sewer maintenance practices and gather information to identify priorities for investment.

The San Francisco Bay is under threat from many sources of pollution, including crumbling wastewater infrastructure that allows sewage to escape from the system. During rainstorms, in particular, older sewer systems can be overwhelmed, releasing rivers of sewage before fully treated. In addition to polluting waterways, raw and partially treated sewage can spread disease-causing organisms, metals and nutrients that threaten public health. Sewage can also deplete oxygen in the bay, threatening fish, seals and other wildlife.

The seven East Bay communities in the EBMUD settlement are the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and Piedmont, as well as the Stege Sanitary District (serving El Cerrito, Kensington and a portion of Richmond). As part of the agreement, EBMUD and the seven communities will:

Repair and rehabilitate old and cracked sewer pipes
Regularly clean and inspect sewer pipes to prevent overflows of raw sewage
Identify and eliminate illegal sewer connections
Continue to enforce private sewer lateral ordinances
Ensure proactive renewal of existing sanitary sewer infrastructure

EBMUD will also immediately begin work to offset the environmental harm caused by the sewage discharges, which are expected to continue until these sewer upgrades are completed, by capturing and treating urban runoff and contaminated water that currently flows to the Bay untreated during dry weather. The proposed settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

[출처 = Water World / 2014년 7월 28일]