According to an EPA inspection report, Western Sugar’s Nebraska facility allegedly violated the federal Clean Water Act on at least 14 occasions between December 2007 and January 2010.
The plant, which is allowed to discharge a maximum of 400 colony forming units (CFUs) of fecal coliform per 100 milliliters (mL) of water daily, as per its National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit, made excessive discharges ranging from 485 to 20,000 CFUs per 100mL.
The discharged water, which flows from the plant directly into the North Platte River, has contaminated the river water with fecal coliform bacteria, which is hazardous to health.
In addition to paying a civil penalty, Western Sugar will spend at least $350,000 to install a non-contact water condenser system at the Nebraska plant to reduce pollutant discharges from the facility.