Post Falls Admits Sewage Violation Officials Hope Fine May Be Applied Toward Improving Treatment Plant

Post Falls officials pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act in U.S. District Court in Boise Friday for accidentally dumping untreated sewage into the Spokane River last year.

The city won’t be sentenced until January. The maximum penalty is $200,000.

City officials are hoping they will be allowed to apply any fine toward improving the sewage treatment plant.

Meanwhile, it seemed wiser to plead guilty rather than run up a big legal bill, said City Administrator Jim Hammond, who was not in charge of Post Falls at the time of the incident.

“It seemed a ridiculous waste, that the taxpayers would be paying both to prosecute and defend this matter,” he said.

“It’s been kind of a black cloud hanging over us,” Hammond said.

“We did it, let’s move on.”

The incident occurred in October 1995 when a pump failed. That allowed untreated waste to overflow into a channel that leads to the Spokane River.

Hammond estimated less than 100 gallons of untreated sewage reached the river.

Environmental Protection Agency officials could not be reached for comment.

Sewage treatment plant supervisors decided it wasn’t a big enough deal to report to the Environmental Protection Agency. A whistle-blowing employee did, prompting charges.

The pump problem was fixed almost immediately and steps have been taken to make sure it doesn’t happen again, Hammond said.

Post Falls has hired an outside consultant to evaluate and monitor its sometimes problematic sewage treatment plant.

The city also added more staff to try to improve the operation of the plant.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: THE SPILL The incident occurred in October 1995 when a pump failed. That allowed untreated waste to overflow into a channel that leads to the Spokane River.