"San Antonio Agrees to $1.1 Billion Sewer System Upgrade"

"SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- To address thousands of raw sewage discharges  in violation of the Clean Water Act, the San Antonio Water System has agreed to a $1.1 billion upgrade to its infrastructure and will pay a $2.6 million civil penalty."



"The state of Texas is a co-plaintiff in this case and will receive half of the civil penalty, or $1.3 million.

When wastewater systems overflow, they release raw sewage and other pollutants into local waterways, threatening water quality and contributing to disease outbreaks. To come into compliance with the Clean Water Act, the San Antonio Water System, SAWS, is expected to spend $1.1 billion.

The Justice Department, on behalf of EPA, filed a complaint against the San Antonio Water System, alleging that between 2006 and 2012, SAWS had some 2,200 illegal overflows from its sanitary sewer system that dumped 23 million gallons of raw sewage into local waterways."

Environment News Service had the story July 23, 2013.

Source: ENS, 07/25/2013