Dekalb County, Ga., sewer upgrades, projects may reach $700 million

By Jennifer Chiou

New York, Dec. 13 - Dekalb County, Ga., announced that it plans to make major improvements to its sanitary sewer systems under an agreement with the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The county said in a news release that it will pay a civil penalty of $453,000, to be split evenly between the United States and the state of Georgia, and implement a supplemental environmental project valued at $600,000 that will provide additional environmental benefits to the local community as part of the overall roughly $700 million it will cost to cover the targeted injunctive relief and other related improvements.

The sewer system upgrades are part of an effort to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated sewage, the release stated, noting that the consent decree provides for the injunctive relief for priority areas, consisting primarily of the most aged sewer pipes.

The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in Atlanta and resolves the joint federal and state complaint filed at the same time alleging violations of the Clean Water Act and the Georgia Water Quality Control Act, the release added.

The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

The county seat is Decatur, Ga.

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