EPA enforcement actions against wastewater plants in Pennsylvania
99 formal actions at 60 of 782 plants · $2.6M in penalties · 23 EPA inspections
EPA's enforcement records list 99 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Pennsylvania, 17 of them since fiscal year 2020. The cases involve 60 of the state's 782 plants, with $2.6 million in penalties assessed. The most common ground is npdes permit violations (29 cases). EPA has inspected 19 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.
Recent enforcement actions in Pennsylvania
| Plant | Date | Type | Law section | Outcome | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle Region Water Pollution Control Facility Carlisle | Aug 2026 · FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $1,500 | ECHO 07-2026-0197 |
| EPA's description: “Facility overapplied biosolids resulting in agronomic rate being exceeded.” | ||||||
| Upper Gwynedd Twp STP North Wales | Jun 2026 · FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $16,000 | ECHO 03-2026-0064 |
| EPA's description: “On May 19, 2026, Region 3 filed a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO), simultaneously commencing and concluding an administrative enforcement action, against Upper Gwynedd Township for…” | ||||||
| City Of Erie, Pa - Wastewater Treatment Plant Erie | Jun 2026 · FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 03-2026-0005 |
| EPA's description: “On June 3, 2026, Region 3 filed an Administrative Order on Consent that requires the Erie City Sewer Authority and the City of Erie (Respondents) to correct violations of the CWA at the Respondents…” | ||||||
| Belle Vernon STP Belle Vernon | Mar 2026 · FY2026 | Administrative order | National Drinking Water Regulations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 03-2026-0149 |
| Allegheny Cnty Sani Auth/allegheny Cnty Pittsburgh | Mar 2026 · FY2000 | Judicial case | Effluent Limitations - NPDES Toxic & Pretreatment Effluent Standards | Final Order Entered | $1.2M | ECHO 03-2000-0106 |
| EPA's description: “On March 25, 2026, DOJ, on behalf of EPA Region 3, filed a Joint Status Report submitted by the United States and the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) which memorializes a minor…” | ||||||
| Girardville Area Mun Auth Girardville | Jan 2026 · FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 03-2026-0071 |
| EPA's description: “On January 21, 2026, in support of Pillar 1, Region 3 filed an Administrative Order on Consent to address NPDES permit violations at the Girardville Area Municipal Authority's Wastewater Treatment…” | ||||||
| Allegheny Cnty Sani Auth/allegheny Cnty Pittsburgh | Sep 2025 · FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $3,400 | ECHO 07-2025-0104 |
| EPA's description: “Facility did not meet VAR requirements when biosolids were land applied.” | ||||||
| Carlisle Region Water Pollution Control Facility Carlisle | May 2025 · FY2025 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $2,640 | ECHO 03-2025-0042 |
| EPA's description: “On May 15th, Region 3 filed an Expedited Settlement Agreement with the Borough of Carlisle's - Carlisle Region Water Pollution Control Facility; which is a municipally owned wastewater treatment…” | ||||||
| Kiski Vly Wpca STP Leechburg | Apr 2025 · FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 03-2025-0046 |
| EPA's description: “On April 15, 2025, Region III filed a Consent Agreement and Final Order regarding eighty-three (83) violations of FIFRA in connection with the distribution and/or sale of misbranded pesticides that…” | ||||||
| Corry City STP Corry | Dec 2024 · FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Discharge without a Permit | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 03-2025-0011 |
| EPA's description: “On December 20, 2024, the EPA, Region 3, issued an Administrative Order on Consent ( AOC ) to the City of Corry ( City ) and The Municipal Authority of the City of Corry ( Authority ), to correct…” | ||||||
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Largest penalties in Pennsylvania
| # | Plant | Date | Type | Outcome | Penalty | Compliance actions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegheny Cnty Sani Auth/allegheny Cnty Pittsburgh | Mar 2026 · FY2000 | Judicial case | Final Order Entered | $1.2M | $1,400M | ECHO 03-2000-0106 |
| 2 | Williamsport Sanitary Authority - West Plant Williamsport | Feb 2016 · FY2007 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $320,000 | $19M | ECHO 03-2007-0341 |
| 3 | Reading STP Reading | Jun 2023 · FY2002 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $239,000 | $53M | ECHO 03-2002-0246 |
| 4 | University Area Joint Authority/spring Creek Pollution Control Fac. State College | Jan 1991 · FY1989 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $70,000 | — | ECHO 03-1989-0754 |
| 5 | Wyoming Valley Sani Auth Wilkes Barre Wilkes Barre | Apr 1992 · FY1982 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $66,000 | — | ECHO 03-1982-0040 |
| 6 | Wastewater Treatment Plant Bellefonte | Apr 1991 · FY1988 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $64,000 | — | ECHO 03-1988-0433 |
| 7 | Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Plant Johnstown | Mar 2011 · FY2011 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $60,000 | $14,647 | ECHO 03-2011-0091 |
| 8 | City Of Allentown Wastewater Treatment Plant Allentown | Jul 1993 · FY1991 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $60,000 | — | ECHO 03-1991-0157 |
| 9 | City Of Allentown Wastewater Treatment Plant Allentown | Aug 2018 · FY2018 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $50,000 | $50,000 | ECHO 03-2018-0103 |
| 10 | Milton Wastewater Treatment Plant Milton | Sep 1990 · FY1990 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $50,000 | — | ECHO 03-1990-0352 |
Actions by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Formal actions | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| FY2017 | 1 | $20,000 |
| FY2018 | 1 | $50,000 |
| FY2019 | 0 | — |
| FY2020 | 1 | — |
| FY2021 | 0 | — |
| FY2022 | 2 | $45,000 |
| FY2023 | 2 | — |
| FY2024 | 3 | $27,500 |
| FY2025 | 4 | $6,040 |
| FY2026 | 5 | $17,500 |
EPA fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September. The current year is partial.
EPA enforcement in Pennsylvania: questions
Sources and methodology
Flow, permit and violation figures come from the EPA's ICIS-NPDES discharge monitoring records. Population served comes from the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2022. Treatment structures are identified by Klarifi's review of aerial imagery, and capital improvement projects are extracted from published municipal budget documents. Violations are counted over the last three years of monitoring reports.
Data refreshed September 17, 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: Aug 2026.