EPA enforcement actions against wastewater plants in Iowa
35 formal actions at 26 of 676 plants · $88,920 in penalties · 8 EPA inspections
EPA's enforcement records list 35 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Iowa, 5 of them since fiscal year 2020. The cases involve 26 of the state's 676 plants, with $88,920 in penalties assessed. The most common ground is npdes permit violations (31 cases). EPA has inspected 6 plants in the state, 8 inspections in total. Every plant links to its profile, and every case to its report on EPA's ECHO site.
Recent enforcement actions in Iowa
| Plant | Date | Type | Law section | Outcome | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oskaloosa NE WWTP Oskaloosa | Dec 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $3,000 | ECHO 07-2025-0110 |
EPA's description: “Facility land applied biosolids above the 40 CF 503.13 ceiling limits.” | ||||||
| Albia City Of STP (north) Albia | May 2025 FY2016 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2016-0040 |
| Sanborn WWTP Sanborn | Apr 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2024-0108 |
EPA's description: “Administrative Order on Consent issued to the City of Sanborn, Iowa to establish a compliance schedule to address violations of the sewage treatment plant's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination…” | ||||||
| Saint Ansgar WWTP St. Ansgar | Oct 2024 FY2021 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Default Order, No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2021-0077 |
EPA's description: “Respondent failed to comply with effluent limitations and permit conditions required by Respondent's NPDES Permit pursuant to Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.” | ||||||
| Centerville City Of STP (east) Centerville | Apr 2024 FY2024 | Administrative order | Sewage Sludge Disposal | Final Order With Penalty | $3,000 | ECHO 07-2024-0024 |
EPA's description: “EPA seeks to resolve claims for penalties against Centerville, IA for violations of CWA Part 503 biosolids regulations.” | ||||||
| Bloomfield WWTP (main) Bloomfield | Feb 2023 FY2016 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2016-0317 |
| Iowa City, City Of (south) STP Iowa City | Dec 2022 FY2020 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2020-0103 |
EPA's description: “Respondent failed to comply with effluent limitations and permit conditions required by Respondent?s NPDES Permit pursuant to Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.” | ||||||
| West Union City Of STP West Union | Mar 2022 FY2016 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $5,520 | ECHO 07-2016-0354 |
| West Union City Of STP West Union | Mar 2022 FY2016 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2016-0316 |
| Northwood City Of STP Northwood | Mar 2018 FY2014 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 07-2014-0035 |
Full case histories, milestones, violation types and EPA's complete case summaries for every plant are shown with a free Klarifi account. Create one
Largest penalties in Iowa
| # | Plant | Date | Type | Outcome | Penalty | Compliance actions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chariton City Of STP Chariton | Aug 2012 FY2011 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $20,000 | — | ECHO 07-2011-0133 |
| 2 | Albia City Of STP (north) Albia | Feb 2016 FY2016 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $18,000 | — | ECHO 07-2016-0055 |
| 3 | City Of Sioux City STP Sioux City | Dec 2013 FY2012 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $17,500 | — | ECHO 07-2012-0222 |
| 4 | Bloomfield WWTP (main) Bloomfield | Oct 2017 FY2016 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $10,000 | — | ECHO 07-2016-0355 |
| 5 | Osceola WWTP South Osceola | Jun 2016 FY2016 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $8,400 | — | ECHO 07-2016-0132 |
| 6 | West Union City Of STP West Union | Mar 2022 FY2016 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $5,520 | — | ECHO 07-2016-0354 |
| 7 | Water Pollution Control Facility Cedar Rapids | Aug 2011 FY2011 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $3,500 | $1,200 | ECHO 07-2011-0154 |
| 8 | Oskaloosa NE WWTP Oskaloosa | Dec 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $3,000 | — | ECHO 07-2025-0110 |
| 9 | Centerville City Of STP (east) Centerville | Apr 2024 FY2024 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $3,000 | — | ECHO 07-2024-0024 |
Actions by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Formal actions | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 0 | — |
| FY2019 | 0 | — |
| FY2020 | 1 | — |
| FY2021 | 1 | — |
| FY2022 | 0 | — |
| FY2023 | 0 | — |
| FY2024 | 2 | $3,000 |
| FY2025 | 1 | $3,000 |
| FY2026 | 0 | — |
| FY2027 | 0 | — |
EPA fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September. The current year is partial.
EPA enforcement in Iowa: questions
How many EPA enforcement actions have been taken against wastewater plants in Iowa?
EPA's enforcement records list 35 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Iowa, 5 of them since fiscal year 2020. They involve 26 of the state's 676 plants. Informal actions such as notices of violation are not counted here.
Which Iowa wastewater plant received the largest EPA penalty?
Chariton City Of STP in Chariton: $20,000 assessed in fiscal year 2011 (CITY OF CHARITON, Final Order With Penalty). Penalties are the amounts EPA records as assessed or agreed, not necessarily what was collected.
What does an EPA administrative order mean for a wastewater plant?
Most cases here are administrative orders under section 309 of the Clean Water Act: EPA finds permit violations, usually effluent limits or discharge without a permit, and orders the plant to return to compliance, often with a corrective action plan, a schedule and sometimes a penalty. Judicial cases go through the Department of Justice and typically end in a consent decree with a capital programme behind it. The latest case in Iowa is from Dec 2025.
Enforcement data: EPA ICIS-FE&C civil enforcement cases and ICIS compliance inspections, via ECHO. Penalties are the amounts assessed or agreed in each case as EPA records them. Latest case status in this data: Dec 2025.
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