Environmental Crimes: Historic Case: Fiscal Year 201, CR_2137
One of 56 Criminal Prosecutions under the Clean Water Act (from 1989-2020)
Metal plating company drops metals and chemicals into Cleveland sewer system
A Cleveland metal plating company and its principals were charged with one count of knowing violation of the Clean Water Act for illegally discharging industrial wastewater into the City of Cleveland sewer system. The plating process includes copper, nickel, silver, zinc, and cyanide. It is known and understood by the owner/operators that wastewater generated through the plating process contains these metals and chemicals, copper, nickel, silver, zinc, and cyanide. To reduce the contaminants discharged into the sewer system to an acceptable level, the plating company was required to use an accepted pretreatment system. Investigators found that from March 2007 to August 2007 the owners/operators bypassed the pretreatment system, or directed employees to bypass pretreatment. Each defendant was sentenced to 36 months probation, along with fines and restitution payable to Ducks Unlimited. One owner was further sentenced to 500 hours community service with an enviironmental organization.
Probation: 108 months; Federal fines: $190,000; Restitution/Community Service: $70,000 ; Community Service hours: 500
SDWA Compliance for the week of Nov 28-Dec 4, 2022 68.4% *
*Ohio drinking water facilities currently in compliance with the USA Safe Drinking Water Act
- 4323 Drinking Water Facilities in Ohio
- 1364 (31.5%) with Current Violations
- 30 (.69%) with Significant Violations
- 360 (8.3%) with Formal Enforcement Actions (in the last 5 yrs)
- 0 Criminal Prosecutions under the Safe Drinking Water Act
- 54,163 residents served by DWF with significant violations
UPDATED: Significant Violations List includes:
Apple Creek Village Public Water Supply, pop 1190 (Wayne)
Berkshire Hills Country Club, pop 100 (Geauga)
Brunersburg WD, pop 500 (Defiance)
Brunersburg – Evansport WD, pop 268 (Defiance)
Camp Gideon Retreat Centre, pop 50 (Carroll)
Christi Water System Inc., pop 483 (Defiance)
Comet Mobile Home Park, pop 25 (Summit)
Deer Creek Golf Course, pop 124 (Trumbull)
Dollar General #20756 Mount Sterling, pop 223 (Madison)
Fairbridge Inn Express, pop 50 (Madison)
Good Vibrations PWS, pop 50 (Summit)
Gurney Elementary School, pop 640 (Geauga)
Hamler Village, pop 627 (Henry)
Holgate Village, pop 1150 (Henry)
Hollansburg Park/Ball Diamond Public Water System, pop 100 (Darke)
Huffman MetroPark Momba Well Public Water System, pop 145 (Greene)
Lamiell Properties, pop 55 (Summit)
Landeck Tavern, pop 65 (Allen)
Laura Village, pop 487 (Miami)
Maysville Regional Water, pop 6540 (Muskingum), pop 100 (Geauga)
Mulligans Pub, Driving Range and Putt Putt, pop 100 (Geauga)
Paulding Village, pop 3605 (Paulding)
Potemkin Industries Inc. PWS, pop 33 (Knox)
South Vienna Village Public Water System, pop 393 (Clark)
The Virtues Golf Club Clubhouse Public Water System, pop 150 (Licking)
Thompson Raceway Park, pop 300 (Geauga)
Turkeyfoot Resort, pop 50 (Logan)
Wauseon City, pop 7425 (Fulton)
Willow Lake Park, pop 110 (Trumbull)
Woodsfield Village PWS, pop 2598 (Monroe)
“Report emergencies involving the release of any material that impacts public health or the environment, including chemicals, petroleum, manure, fires/explosions, or to make an emergency notification to Ohio EPA as required by law or by permit.”
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