EPA enforcement actions against wastewater plants in Louisiana
185 formal actions at 80 of 277 plants · $1.3M in penalties · 23 EPA inspections
EPA's enforcement records list 185 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Louisiana, 24 of them since fiscal year 2020. The cases involve 80 of the state's 277 plants, with $1.3 million in penalties assessed. The most common ground is npdes discharge without a permit (67 cases). EPA has inspected 18 plants in the state, 23 inspections in total. Every plant links to its profile, and every case to its report on EPA's ECHO site.
- All plants in Louisiana
- Louisiana NPDES permits
- EPA enforcement nationwide
- Analysis: enforcement since 2020
Recent enforcement actions in Louisiana
| Plant | Date | Type | Law section | Outcome | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breaux Bridge Wastewater Treatment Plant Breaux Bridge | Oct 2026 FY2026 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 06-2026-3569 |
EPA's description: “On October 10, 2025, EPA RMP Reporting Center sent a letter to Respondent, notifying Respondent of its failure to update the RMP on file with EPA for the Facility. EPA conducted an investigation of…” | ||||||
| Breaux Bridge Wastewater Treatment Plant Breaux Bridge | Aug 2026 FY2026 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $400 | ECHO 06-2026-3598 |
EPA's description: “On October 10, 2025, EPA Risk Management Program Reporting Center sent a letter to Respondent, notifying Respondent of its failure to update the Risk Management Plan on file with EPA for its facility…” | ||||||
| Tallulah, City Of- Wastewater Treatment Plant Tallulah | Jul 2026 FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order Issued | — | ECHO 06-2026-1796 |
EPA's description: “City of Tallulah WWTP is failing to meet permit effluent limits and to properly maintain the facility.” | ||||||
| St Tammany Parish-Cross Gate Slidell | Apr 2026 FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order Issued | — | ECHO 06-2026-1770 |
EPA's description: “St. Tammany Parish - Cross Gates Wastewater Treatment Facility, has been issued an Administrative Order following an inspection made by the Environmental Protection Agency. The violations alleged are…” | ||||||
| Benton Palmetto Park Treatment Plant Benton | Sep 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 06-2024-1717 |
EPA's description: “The Town of Benton, LA WWTP is in violation of its NPDES permit effluent limits. Compliance is encouraged by the issuance of this Administrative Order in coordination with the Town gaining guidance…” | ||||||
| Benton Palmetto Park Treatment Plant Benton | Sep 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Unilateral Administrative Order Without Adjudication | — | ECHO 06-2025-1791 |
EPA's description: “On September 12, 2025, EPA Region 6 issued an Administrative Order (AO) under its authority pursuant to Section 309 of the Clean Water Act to the Town of Benton LA Wastewater Treatment Facility. The…” | ||||||
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Pineville | Aug 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 06-2025-3422 |
EPA's description: “EPA conducted an investigation of the Facilities on April 24, 2024, to determine Respondent's compliance with Section 112(r) of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. ? 7412(r), and 40 C.F.R. Part 68 (the Investigation…” | ||||||
| Lafayette Consolidated Government - Northeast WWTP Lafayette | Aug 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $1,200 | ECHO 06-2025-3449 |
EPA's description: “On November 6, 2023, EPA Risk Management Program Reporting Center sent a letter to Respondent, notifying Respondent of its failure to update the Risk Management Plan on file with EPA for its facility…” | ||||||
| Lafayette Consolidated Government - East WWTP Lafayette | Aug 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 06-2025-3452 |
EPA's description: “EPA conducted an investigation of three Facilities on March 5, 2025, to determine Respondent's compliance with Section 112(r) of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. ? 7412(r), and 40 C.F.R. Part 68 (the Investigation…” | ||||||
| South Water Treatment Plant Lafayette | Jul 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $800 | ECHO 06-2025-3451 |
EPA's description: “On November 6, 2023, EPA Risk Management Program Reporting Center sent a letter to Respondent, notifying Respondent of its failure to update the Risk Management Plan on file with EPA for its facility…” | ||||||
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Largest penalties in Louisiana
| # | Plant | Date | Type | Outcome | Penalty | Compliance actions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport North Regional WWTP Shreveport | Dec 2022 FY2009 | Judicial case | Demand for Stipulated Penalties | $650,000 | $342M | ECHO 06-2009-1790 |
| 2 | Sewerage District #1 Of Iberia Parish & City Of New Iberia- Tete Bayou WWTP New Iberia | Oct 2005 FY2001 | Judicial case | Final Order Entered | $235,000 | $50M | ECHO 06-2001-0273 |
| 3 | City Of Mandeville Mandeville | May 1999 FY1997 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $74,300 | — | ECHO 06-1997-0629 |
| 4 | Farmerville Waste Water Treatment Plant Farmerville | Oct 2016 FY2016 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $57,925 | — | ECHO 06-2016-3502 |
| 5 | City Of Mandeville Mandeville | Jun 2001 FY1999 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $56,500 | — | ECHO 06-1999-0142 |
| 6 | Sewerage District #1 Of Iberia Parish & City Of New Iberia- Tete Bayou WWTP New Iberia | Dec 2004 FY2002 | Judicial case | Final Order Entered | $51,400 | $30M | ECHO 06-2002-3723 |
| 7 | St. Martinville, City Of St. Martinville | Feb 2015 FY1998 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $49,926 | $2.7M | ECHO 06-1998-0326 |
| 8 | Youngsville Wastewater Treatment Facility Youngsville | Dec 2002 FY2000 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $26,000 | — | ECHO 06-2000-0817 |
| 9 | Opelousas, City Of- Candy Street WWTP Opelousas | Dec 1988 FY1988 | Administrative order | Litigated With Penalty | $25,000 | — | ECHO 06-1988-0629 |
| 10 | Ponchatoula, City Of- Wastewater Treatment Facility Ponchatoula | Feb 2002 FY2001 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $20,000 | $166,000 | ECHO 06-2001-0176 |
Actions by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Formal actions | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 2 | — |
| FY2019 | 0 | — |
| FY2020 | 1 | — |
| FY2021 | 1 | — |
| FY2022 | 2 | $4,800 |
| FY2023 | 0 | — |
| FY2024 | 8 | — |
| FY2025 | 8 | $2,000 |
| FY2026 | 4 | $400 |
| FY2027 | 0 | — |
EPA fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September. The current year is partial.
EPA enforcement in Louisiana: questions
How many EPA enforcement actions have been taken against wastewater plants in Louisiana?
EPA's enforcement records list 185 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Louisiana, 24 of them since fiscal year 2020. They involve 80 of the state's 277 plants. Informal actions such as notices of violation are not counted here.
Which Louisiana wastewater plant received the largest EPA penalty?
Shreveport North Regional WWTP in Shreveport: $650,000 assessed in fiscal year 2009 (Shreveport, City of, Demand for Stipulated Penalties). 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 Louisiana is from Oct 2026.
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: Oct 2026.
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