The Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality (“MCEQ”) and Town of Wesson, Mississippi (“Wesson”) entered into a May 5th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit. See Order No. 7252 23.

The AO provides that Wesson holds an NPDES Permit for its wastewater treatment facility (“Facility”).

The Wesson Facility is alleged to have been contacted by MCEQ and notified of the following alleged violations of the NPDES Permit:

1. Respondent violated the effluent Total Ammonia Nitrogen [as N] concentration limitation during the October through December 2021, January through March 2022, and April through June 2022 monitoring periods.
2. Respondent violated the effluent Total Ammonia Nitrogen [as N] loading limitation during the October through December 2021, January through March 2022, and April through June 2022 monitoring periods.
3. Respondent violated the effluent BOD, 5-day, 20 deg. C concentration limitation during the October through December 2021 and January through March 2022 monitoring periods.

Further, Wesson is alleged to have violated the effluent total ammonia nitrogen Total Ammonia Nitrogen limitations during the July through September 2022 monitoring period.

The AO requires that Wesson pay a civil penalty of $3,750. Further, Wesson is required to by June 30, 2023, complete the installation of replacement air diffusers necessary to achieve compliance with the effluent limitations listed in the NPDES Permit. In addition, upon installation, Wesson is required to submit documentation to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

A copy of the AO can be downloaded here.