In addition, DeKalb will be required to pay a civil penalty of $453,000, to be split evenly between the US and the state of Georgia, and implement a $600,000 supplemental environmental project to resolve its alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and the Georgia Water Quality Control Act.
DeKalb’s sanitary sewer system, which has been designed to convey only municipal sewage, not stormwater, includes approximately 2,600 miles of sewer lines, 55,000 manholes, and 66 lift stations and serves over 500,000 people.
DeKalb will spend approximately $700m to identify and quantify overflows of untreated sewage and their causes; delineate and rehabilitate all priority areas within eight and a half years and improve its operation and maintenance programs to prevent future overflows as part of the settlement.
Under the supplemental environmental project, DeKalb will conduct stream cleanup focusing on removal of trash and debris from segments of the South River, South Fork Peachtree Creek and Snapfinger Creek.
EPA deputy regional administrator of south eastern office Stan Meiburg said that sewage overflows pose a significant problem in the Southeast because of inadequate and aging infrastructure.
