DEQ Fines Myrtle Pt., May 3

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined Myrtle Point $18,052 for violating its wastewater disposal permit by exceeding pollution limits, failing to conduct required monitoring and failing to have a certified operator supervise its wastewater treatment plant. On a number of occasions between July 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018, the city violated permit limits for carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia, total suspended solids and bacteria. On several of these occasions, the plant exceeded various pollutant limits by more than 1,000 percent. Exceeding a permit limit by more than 50 percent is considered a Class I violation, or the most serious violation. From August to October 2017, the plant also failed to monitor for a number of pollutants, including pH, temperature, E. Coli bacteria, ammonia and more. The city failed to submit daily monitoring reports by the 15th of the month in July, August, September and December 2017. Additionally, from Oct. 1, 2017 until Dec. 8, 2017, a certified operator did not supervise the wastewater system as required by the city’s permit. DEQ’s wastewater permits are designed to protect public health and the environment. DEQ requires monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of wastewater treatment systems. By failing to comply with its permit, the city created a risk that inadequately treated and tested wastewater would affect water quality in the South Fork Coquille River. Myrtle Point has until May 17, 2018 to appeal the fine.