The Lamprey River. Photo: Michael Henderson via Flikr
May 18, 2023 (CONCORD, NH) – The Town of Epping is violating the federal Clean Water Act by bypassing its treatment facility and discharging wastewater directly into the Lamprey River, which flows into the Great Bay Estuary. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has filed a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to join the agency’s recent efforts to force the town to correct the failures at the wastewater treatment plant.
“Epping has utterly failed to operate its wastewater treatment facility safely for several years,” said CLF attorney Heidi Trimarco. “The plant is dumping practically untreated wastewater directly into the Lamprey River, threatening the drinking water for Durham and UNH as well as the health of the iconic Great Bay Estuary. The town’s frequent and repeated Clean Water Act violations cannot be allowed to continue, which is why we’re joining the EPA’s effort to finally bring the town in line with the law.”
The EPA notified the town last week that the treatment facility is violating a key permit and ordered Epping to clean up its act. CLF’s petition is requesting that the EPA go even further and issue stricter controls that will put an end to this pollution and bring it into compliance with the Clean Water Act.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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