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City of Enid details wastewater plant upset, DEQ notice after chemical discharge; city seeks cost recovery from industrial user
Summary
City staff reported a May 20 biological upset at the Enid wastewater treatment plant that killed the biological treatment process and led to a fish kill in Skeleton Creek. The Oklahoma DEQ issued a notice of violation and consent order; the city has issued enforcement to industrial user Midcontinent and is seeking recovery of $38,168 in costs.
Enid city staff told the Board of Commissioners that a May 20 upset at the wastewater treatment plant killed the facility—s biological nitrification process and sent partially treated water into Skeleton Creek, causing a fish kill.
"On May 20, we had a major, biological upset in the wastewater treatment plant resulting in the discharge of partially treated wastewater, which led to a fish kill in, Skeleton Creek," Brooke, a city staff presenter, said. Routine sampling detected elevated ammonia and surfactants and low dissolved oxygen levels that harmed aquatic life.
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality issued a notice of violation on June 18 and subsequently a consent order. The consent order requires corrective actions, enhanced monitoring and reporting; DEQ assessed a $10,000 administrative penalty against the city.
City staff said their investigation traced the upset to high levels of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) at a facility discharge. The city issued a notice of violation to the industrial user, identified in discussion as Midcontinent, on July 22 and later issued an administrative order requiring chemical segregation, equipment repairs, capped floor drains and documentation of waste handling and removal. City staff said they will verify compliance through site visits and sampling.
The city seeks to recover the costs it incurred to restore treatment-plant operations. Brooke said those costs total $38,168, which include work to return the plant to service and the DEQ penalty.
Officials discussed operational safeguards the city has adopted or will implement: a new significant industrial-user discharge permit with more specific chemical-monitoring requirements (issued Nov. 21), revised standard operating procedures, expanded sampling across the sewer system, and a process to immediately divert influent to an adjacent holding pond when slug loads of toxic chemicals are detected. Staff described treatments such as coagulating agents to settle QACs in the holding pond before returning cleaner water to the plant.
City counsel and staff said Midcontinent has cooperated and retains the right to an administrative hearing and appeal; staff and the city attorney have toured the facility and taken joint samples. The administrative hearing is being scheduled locally; subsequent Environmental Enforcement Board proceedings are possible depending on hearing outcomes.
Commissioners asked why the city received a DEQ penalty when the industrial user—s discharge was identified as the cause. Staff replied that the city, as permit holder, is ultimately responsible for permit exceedances and must submit a response and corrective plan to DEQ. If the commission approves the consent order at the regular meeting, the mayor will execute the response and the city will process the $10,000 penalty payment within about 30 days of execution, staff said.
No formal vote was taken during the study session; staff presented the consent-order response for the commission—s review and said they will return the item for action at a subsequent meeting.
