State fines PWSA $50K for chlorinated water releases

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has been fined $50,000 by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

According to WPXI news partner TribLIVE, the DEP is fining the PWSA for "permitting a release of chlorinated water into the Allegheny River and failing to provide erosion and sedimentation controls during a water main break in 2017."

A PWSA employee ignored DEP emails inquiring about the water discharges for 2-3 weeks, according to TribLIVE. That employee is no longer with PWSA, though no reason was given for their departure.

DEP cited PWSA for violating the federal Clean Streams Act, TribLIVE reported. The fine will be paid over three years, as was voted on by PWSA directors – $10,000 this year and $20,000 each of the following two years.

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