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FLORIDA COMPANY AND OWNER FINED FOR SEWAGE DISCHARGE

Release Date: 05/18/2000
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2000

FLORIDA COMPANY AND OWNER FINED FOR SEWAGE DISCHARGE

South Bay Utilities Inc., of Sarasota County, Fla., and its president Paul L. Paver, signed agreements on May 15, in which they agreed to plead guilty to violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) by inadequately discharging treated sewage directly into Dryman Bay. The plea agreements call for the defendants to pay a combined fine of $1.75 million which is the largest CWA fine ever paid in the Middle District of Florida. Inadequately treated sewage often contains high concentrations of E.coli bacteria and pathogens which can cause a variety of infections in humans and can harm fish and other aquatic life. The case was investigated by EPA, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement, the Sarasota County Office of Pollution Control and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa, Fla.

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