CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney was informed this week of a second notice of violation from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the Chillicothe Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
In a letter addressed to Mayor Feeney, the Ohio EPA’s Division of Surface Water (DSW) outlined multiple issues at the facility. The notice details continued non-compliance with ammonia limits set in the plant’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, as well as additional violations.
The Ohio EPA’s letter states that the WWTP had previously been issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) on January 3, 2024, following a compliance inspection on November 28, 2023. Despite the city’s response detailing corrective measures, the WWTP has yet to meet the required ammonia limitations and has accumulated further violations.
The specific violations noted are:
- Ammonia Effluent Limit Violations: The WWTP has reported several violations of ammonia limits from June 2023 through May 2024. This ongoing issue places the facility in significant non-compliance with state regulations and the NPDES permit.
- Lack of Operator of Record: There is currently no Class III Operator listed for the Chillicothe WWTP, which is required under state regulations and the plant’s permit.
- Failure to Submit Report: The city did not submit the June 2024 Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR), a violation of the permit’s requirements.
The Ohio EPA has requested that the city provide a report detailing actions taken to address these violations within 21 days. The agency has also emphasized that failure to comply could result in administrative or civil penalties.
The city has been instructed to employ or contract a Class III operator and submit the missing report as soon as possible.
