Document LJqr8oD6EKeO4vLbVO1yeqxQq

REGION 6 DAL LAS, TX 75270 &, 2025 TRANSMITTED VIA E-MAIL Honorable Jane Hughson Mayor, City of San Marcos 630 East Hopkins Street San Marcos, Texas 78666 jhughson@sanmarcostx.gov RE: Administrative Order; Docket Number: CWA-06-2025-1716 San Marcos Wastewater Treatment Facility TPDES Permit Number: TX0047945 Dear Mayor Hughson: Enclosed is an Administrative Order (AO) issued to the City of San Marcos, for violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.). Violations were identified during a review of the permit file and discharge monitoring reports submitted for the San Marcos Wastewater Treatment Facility. The violations alleged are for failure to meet permit effluent and monitoring requirements. The EPA requests that you immediately confirm receipt of this e-mail and the attached order by a response e-mail to vaughn.alan@epa.gov. This AO does not assess a monetary penalty; however, it does require compliance with applicable federal regulations. The first compliance deadline is within thirty days of the effective date of the AO. The Environmental Protection Agency is committed to ensuring compliance with the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program and my staff will assist you in any way possible. Please reference AO Docket Number CWA-06-2025-1716 and TPDES Permit Number TX0047945 on your response. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Alan Vaughn of my staff, at (214) 665-7487 or vaughn.alan@epa.gov. Sincerely, Digitally signed by MARGARET OSBOURNE Date: 2025.02.28 12:46:18 -06'00' Cheryl T. Seager, Director Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Enclosure ec: brett.lanham@tceq.texas.gov UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region 6 FINDINGS OF VIOLATION AND COMPLIANCE ORDER Docket Number: CWA-06-2025-1716; TPDES Permit Number: TX0047945 STATUTORY AUTHORITY The following findings are made, and Order issued, under the authority vested in the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Section 309(a) of the Clean Water Act (the Act), 33 U.S.C. 1319(a). The Administrator of EPA delegated the authority to issue this Order to the Regional Administrator of EPA Region 6, who delegated this authority to the Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. FINDINGS 7. Section 402 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342, authorizes states to request approval from EPA to administer their own permit programs for discharges into navigable waters within their jurisdiction. Pursuant to this provision, the State of Texas requested approval from EPA to administer its own permit program for discharges into navigable waters within Texas, and such approval was granted by EPA on September 14, 1998. Therefore, pursuant to the State's permit program, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permits. Violation of a TPDES permit is a violation of Section 301(a) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1311(a). 1. The City of San Marcos (Respondent) is a "person," as that term is defined at Section 502(5) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1362(5), and 40 C.F.R. 122.2. 2. At all times relevant to this Order (all relevant times), Respondent owned or operated the City of San Marcos Wastewater Treatment Facility (facility) located at 720 River Road, in Hays County, Texas, 78666, and was, therefore, an "owner or operator" within the meaning of 40 C.F.R. 122.2. 3. At all relevant times, the facility acted as a "point source" of a "discharge" of "pollutants" with its final wastewater discharge to the Upper San Marcos River in Segment No. 1814 of the Guadalupe River Basin, which is a "water of the United States," within the meaning of Section 502 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1362, and 40 C.F.R. 122.2. 4. Because Respondent owned or operated a facility that acted as a point source of discharges of pollutants to waters of the United States, Respondent and the facility were subject to the Act and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. 5. Under Section 301 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1311, it is unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source to waters of the United States, except with the authorization of, and in compliance with, an NPDES permit issued pursuant to Section 402 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342. 6. Section 402(a) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342(a), provides that the Administrator of EPA may issue permits under the NPDES program for the discharge of pollutants from point sources to waters of the United States. Any such discharge is subject to the specific terms and conditions prescribed in the applicable permit. 8. Respondent applied for and was issued TPDES Permit No. TX0047945 (permit) under Section 402 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342, which was issued on November 15, 2018, and re-issued on January 21, 2025. At all relevant times, Respondent was authorized to discharge pollutants from the facility to waters of the United States only in compliance with the specific terms and conditions of the permit. 9. The permit includes "Monitoring and Reporting Requirements" that require Respondent to sample and test its effluent and monitor its compliance with permit conditions according to specific procedures, in order to determine the facility's compliance or noncompliance with the permit and applicable regulations. The permit also requires Respondent to submit the monitoring results online using the NetDMR reporting system available through the TCEQ website unless the permittee requests and obtains an electronic reporting waiver. Additionally, the permittee shall submit Noncompliance Reports when appropriate. 10. The permit contains "Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements" that place certain limitations on the quality and quantity of effluent discharged by Respondent. The relevant discharge limitations are specified in Attachment A, which is incorporated herein by reference. 11. NetDMRs reported with TCEQ, in compliance with the permit, show discharges of pollutants from the facility that exceed the permitted effluent limitations established in the permit, as specified in Attachment B, which is incorporated herein by reference. 12. Each instance in which Respondent discharged pollutants to waters of the United States in amounts exceeding the effluent limitations contained in the permit was a violation of the permit and Section 301 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1311. Docket No. CWA-06-2025-1716 Page 2 SECTION 309(a)(3) COMPLIANCE ORDER GENERAL PROVISIONS 13. Based on the foregoing Findings and pursuant to the authority of Section 309(a)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(a)(3), EPA hereby orders Respondent to take the following action: A. Take such measures as are necessary to comply with all permit conditions, including Effluent Limitations and Monitoring and Reporting Requirements, no later than thirty (30) days from the effective date of the Order. B. Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this Order, Respondent shall submit a list of the specific actions taken to correct the E. coli, Ammonia Nitrogen, Total Suspended Solids and Total Phosphorus effluent violations. C. Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this Order, Respondent shall provide written certification to EPA Region 6 that the violations cited herein have been corrected and the facility is compliant with the requirements of the permit. D. In the event the Respondent believes complete correction of the violations cited herein is not possible within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this Order, Respondent shall, within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this Order, submit a comprehensive written plan for the elimination of the cited violations within the shortest possible time. Such plan shall describe in detail the specific corrective actions to be taken and why such actions are sufficient to correct the violations. The plan shall include a detailed schedule for the elimination of the violations within the shortest possible time, as well as measures to prevent these or similar violations from recurring. E. Any information or correspondence submitted by Respondent to EPA under this Order shall be submitted, via email, to the following: l Respondent may seek federal judicial review of the Order pursuant to Chapter 7 of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 701-706. Issuance of this Section 309(a)(3) Compliance Order shall not be deemed an election by EPA to waive any administrative, judicial, civil, or criminal action to seek penalties, fines, or other relief under the Act for the violations cited herein, or other violations that become known to EPA. EPA reserves the right to seek any remedy available under the law that it deems appropriate. Failure to comply with this Section 309(a)(3) Compliance Order or the Act may result in further administrative action, or a civil judicial action initiated by the United States Department of Justice. This Order does not constitute a waiver or modification of the terms or conditions of Respondents NPDES permit, which remain in full force and effect. Compliance with the terms and conditions of this Order does not relieve Respondent of its obligation to comply with any applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation. The effective date of this Order is the date it is received by Respondent. & Date Digitally signed by MARGARET OSBOURNE Date: 2025.02.28 12:44:56 -06'00' Cheryl T. Seager, Director Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Mr. Alan S. Vaughn vaughn.alan@epa.gov Attachment A City of San Marcos TPDES Permit Number: TX0047945 Effluent Parameter Ammonia Nitrogen Total Phosphorus Total Suspended Solids E. Coli, CFU or MPN per 100 ml Daily Avg. mg/L (lbs/day) 2 (150) 1 (75) 5 (375) 126 Daily Max mg/L 10 4 20 399 Attachment B City of San Marcos TPDES Permit Number: TX0047945 Monitoring Period 06/30/2023 07/31/2023 07/31/2023 07/31/2023 08/31/2023 09/30/2023 10/31/2023 01/31/2024 01/31/2024 01/31/2024 01/31/2024 03/31/2024 03/31/2024 03/31/2024 03/31/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 04/30/2024 05/31/2024 05/31/2024 06/30/2024 07/31/2024 08/31/2024 08/31/2024 08/31/2024 08/31/2024 09/30/2024 09/30/2024 09/30/2024 Outfall Parameter 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 E. coli 001 E. coli 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 E. coli 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 E. coli 001 Solids, total suspended 001 Solids, total suspended 001 Solids, total suspended 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 E. coli 001 E. coli 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 E. coli 001 E. coli 001 E. coli 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 001 Phosphorus, total [as P] 001 E. coli 001 E. coli 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Statistical Base DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV Units mg/L CFU/100mL CFU/100mL mg/L CFU/100mL mg/L mg/L CFU/100mL lb/d mg/L mg/L lb/d mg/L mg/L mg/L CFU/100mL CFU/100mL lb/d mg/L mg/L lb/d mg/L mg/L CFU/100mL CFU/100mL CFU/100mL mg/L lb/d mg/L mg/L mg/L CFU/100mL CFU/100mL lb/d Permit Limit 1. 126. 399. 1. 126. 2. 1. 399. 375. 5. 20. 150. 2. 10. 4. 126. 399. 150. 2. 10. 75. 1. 4. 126. 399. 399. 2. 150. 2. 10. 4. 126. 399. 150. DMR Value 1.61 132.41 1299.7 1.03 153.46 3.34 1.17 2419.6 472. 6.26 41. 220.17 4.56 19. 4.68 162.31 2419.6 303.74 6.83 34.2 102. 2.38 19.4 141.6 2419.6 980.4 2.34 167.02 4.07 12.2 4.6 154.08 551. 228.88 09/30/2024 001 09/30/2024 001 09/30/2024 001 10/31/2024 001 10/31/2024 001 10/31/2024 001 10/31/2024 001 10/31/2024 001 11/30/2024 001 11/30/2024 001 11/30/2024 001 11/30/2024 001 11/30/2024 001 12/31/2024 001 12/31/2024 001 Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Phosphorus, total [as P] E. coli E. coli Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Phosphorus, total [as P] E. coli E. coli Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] E. coli E. coli DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY AV DAILY MX DAILY AV DAILY MX mg/L 2. mg/L 10. mg/L 1. CFU/100mL 126. CFU/100mL 399. lb/d 150. mg/L 2. mg/L 1. CFU/100mL 126. CFU/100mL 399. lb/d 150. mg/L 2. mg/L 10. CFU/100mL 126. CFU/100mL 399. 5.4 10.9 1.44 165.14 649. 227.46 5.66 1.24 173.66 1414. 257.29 5.91 11.8 138.9 548. The permittee needs to ensure that the Signatory Roles and Subcriber Agreements associated to this permit in the NetDMR system reflect the current Cognizant Official and any authorized users.