EPA enforcement actions against wastewater plants in Washington
26 formal actions at 21 of 122 plants · $589,438 in penalties · 29 EPA inspections
EPA's enforcement records list 26 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Washington, 9 of them since fiscal year 2020. The cases involve 21 of the state's 122 plants, with $589,438 in penalties assessed. The most common ground is npdes permit violations (13 cases). EPA has inspected 19 plants in the state, 29 inspections in total. Every plant links to its profile, and every case to its report on EPA's ECHO site.
- All plants in Washington
- Washington NPDES permits
- EPA enforcement nationwide
- Analysis: enforcement since 2020
Recent enforcement actions in Washington
| Plant | Date | Type | Law section | Outcome | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prosser City WWTP Prosser | Oct 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $1,500 | ECHO 07-2025-0121 |
EPA's description: “Land applied Class B biosolids above ceiling concentration limits under 40 CFR 503.13” | ||||||
| Toppenish Wastewater Treatment Plant Toppenish | Sep 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 10-2025-0157 |
EPA's description: “On September 25, 2025, Region 10 issued an Administrative Order on Consent to the City of Toppenish to resolve CWA violations at its wastewater treatment facility in Toppenish, Washington. The order…” | ||||||
| Metro West Point Seattle | May 2025 FY2010 | Judicial case | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $400,000 | ECHO 10-2010-0154 |
EPA's description: “On 5/22/2025, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington entered a modification to the 2013 consent decree for combined sewer overflows within King County, Washington.…” | ||||||
| Cashmere STP Facility Cashmere | Mar 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $4,125 | ECHO 10-2024-0140 |
EPA's description: “On August 28, 2024, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the City of Cashmere's wastewater permit at its wastewater treatment plant in Cashmere, Washington.…” | ||||||
| Medical Lake WWTP Medical Lake | Mar 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $1,050 | ECHO 10-2024-0139 |
EPA's description: “On September 18, 2024, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the City of Medical Lake's wastewater permit at its wastewater facility in Medical Lake,…” | ||||||
| College Place WWTP Walla Walla | Mar 2025 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $1,350 | ECHO 10-2025-0028 |
EPA's description: “On February 28, 2025, Region 10 filed an Expedited Settlement Agreement resolving CWA violations at The City of College Place Wastewater Treatment Plant in College Place, Washington. Alleged…” | ||||||
| Bainbridge Island WWTP Bainbridge Island | Feb 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $675 | ECHO 10-2024-0214 |
EPA's description: “On November 12, 2024, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the City of Bainbridge Island?s wastewater permit at its wastewater treatment plant in Bainbridge…” | ||||||
| Rosalia STP Rosalia | Jan 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $488 | ECHO 10-2024-0244 |
EPA's description: “On January 2, 2025, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the NPDES permit covering the Town of Rosalia's wastewater facility (Rosalia, WA). Alleged violations…” | ||||||
| Rockford WWTP Rockford | Dec 2024 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $2,475 | ECHO 10-2024-0243 |
EPA's description: “On November 18, 2024, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the NPDES permit covering the Town of Rockford?s wastewater facility (Rockford, WA). Alleged…” | ||||||
| Pomeroy Sewage Treatment Plant Pomeroy | Sep 2024 FY2024 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $901 | ECHO 10-2024-0138 |
EPA's description: “On September 10, 2024, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the City of Pomeroy's wastewater permit at its wastewater treatment plant in Pomeroy, Washington.…” | ||||||
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 Washington
| # | Plant | Date | Type | Outcome | Penalty | Compliance actions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metro West Point Seattle | May 2025 FY2010 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $400,000 | $2,451M | ECHO 10-2010-0154 |
| 2 | Toppenish Wastewater Treatment Plant Toppenish | Apr 2011 FY2011 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $134,500 | $11M | ECHO 10-2011-0020 |
| 3 | Port Angeles WWTP Port Angeles | Jun 1992 FY1986 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $8,500 | — | ECHO 10-1986-0007 |
| 4 | Metro West Point Seattle | Sep 2011 FY2011 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $7,949 | $100 | ECHO 10-2011-0160 |
| 5 | Richland City Wastewater Lab Richland | May 2014 FY2014 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $6,180 | $6,787 | ECHO 10-2014-0074 |
| 6 | Ellensburg WWTP Ellensburg | Sep 1985 FY1986 | Administrative order | Source Agrees | $5,100 | — | ECHO 10-1986-0058 |
| 7 | Yakima Regional Wastewater Facility Yakima | Apr 2007 FY2007 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $4,575 | $100 | ECHO 10-2007-0008 |
| 8 | Cashmere STP Facility Cashmere | Mar 2025 FY2024 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $4,125 | $800 | ECHO 10-2024-0140 |
| 9 | Pullman City Muni SW Pullman | Sep 2009 FY2009 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $3,720 | $12,489 | ECHO 10-2009-0180 |
| 10 | Rockford WWTP Rockford | Dec 2024 FY2024 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $2,475 | $600 | ECHO 10-2024-0243 |
Actions by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Formal actions | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 0 | — |
| FY2019 | 0 | — |
| FY2020 | 0 | — |
| FY2021 | 0 | — |
| FY2022 | 0 | — |
| FY2023 | 0 | — |
| FY2024 | 6 | $9,714 |
| FY2025 | 3 | $2,850 |
| FY2026 | 0 | — |
| FY2027 | 0 | — |
EPA fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September. The current year is partial.
EPA enforcement in Washington: questions
How many EPA enforcement actions have been taken against wastewater plants in Washington?
EPA's enforcement records list 26 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Washington, 9 of them since fiscal year 2020. They involve 21 of the state's 122 plants. Informal actions such as notices of violation are not counted here.
Which Washington wastewater plant received the largest EPA penalty?
Metro West Point in Seattle: $400,000 assessed in fiscal year 2010 (KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON, 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 Washington is from Oct 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: Oct 2025.
Try Klarifi for free
Create your own trial account and explore how Klarifi can help you.