The United States Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the State of Illinois, have reached a settlement with the City of Cahokia Heights over claims of poorly maintained sewer systems that have violated environmental laws. The agreement stipulates that the city will pay a $30,000 civil penalty and is expected to invest around $30 million in efforts to bring its sanitary sewer system into compliance with the Clean Water Act and Illinois Environmental Protection Act.
According to a press release from the Justice Department dated December 10th, the city's sanitary sewer system was the source of more than 300 discharges into local waterways since November 2019, Cahokia Heights, was found to have released untreated sewage into ditches, roads, yards, and even homes. The report specifies that such overflows can pose significant threats to both human health, and to the environment due to the presence of bacteria, viruses, and other hazardous substances.
"We are taking action to ensure that the City of Cahokia Heights operates its sewer system in a way that complies with the Clean Water Act, and to protect human health and the environment in the community," said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance also remarked, "Cahokia Heights failed to maintain its aging sewer system, resulting in hundreds of illegal sanitary sewer overflow discharges that created public health risks and contaminated homes and the environment." Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul highlighted the distress the situation has caused local residents who "have had to endure these threats to their health and their environment for far too long."
The settlement outlines that Cahokia Heights is to implement over 80 short-term capital improvement projects. These include the construction of an interceptor to reroute wastewater flow and various system-wide repairs and assessments. To maintain transparency, the city is also required, to keep the local community informed about the progress of these works. This gesture towards public communication comes in addition to plans for handling emergencies and updating operations with modern tools, such as digital mapping and real-time monitoring of overflow sites. James Jennings, Illinois EPA Acting Director, added, "It is our hope that this settlement and the significant actions it includes provide residents with further assurance that federal and state government entities are committed to addressing these historic infrastructure issues and the proper maintenance of their sewer system." His statement underscores the intentions behind the concerted effort.
The proposed consent decree is currently lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and is undergoing a 60-day public comment period before the court makes a final decision. The Justice Department encourages the public to review and comment on the settlement, with more details and access to the agreement found on their website. The enforcement case was investigated by the EPA, while legal proceedings were managed by the ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
