Suffolk County, Violating Safe Drinking Water Act, New York 2024
A major victory for the residents of Suffolk County and Long Island's drinking water. A Consent Judgment requiring Suffolk County to close all Large Capacity Cesspools (LCCs) and Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells (MVWDWs) at an estimated cost of $7,020,000 and pay a $200,000 civil penalty was lodged with the Court.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Lisa Garcia, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2, announced today that the United States filed suit under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) against Suffolk County, the Suffolk County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Suffolk County Department of Public Works.
According to the complaint, the Defendants violated the SDWA in their continued ownership and operation of Prohibited LCCs and MVWDWs at various Suffolk County parks and facilities for years beyond the SDWA regulatory deadline by which they were required to close them.
LCCs are cesspools that receive untreated sanitary waste, including human excreta, which have an open bottom or perforated sides, and have the capacity to serve 20 or more persons a day. MVWDWs are disposal wells that receive fluids from motor vehicle repair or maintenance activities.
The Consent Judgment will protect the residents of Suffolk County and Long Island's drinking water from harmful nutrient pollution which poses a risk both to the public health and the natural environment.
Defendant: Suffolk County
Crime: Violating Safe Drinking Water Act
State: New York
Year: 2024
Sentence: Consent Judgment requiring closure of all Large Capacity Cesspools (LCCs) and Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells (MVWDWs) at an estimated cost of $7,020,000 and pay a $200,000 civil penalty
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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