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Oregon Mobile Home Park Issued Drinking Water Order
Release Date: 6/1/2001
Contact Information: Harold Rogers
rogers.harold@epamail.epa.gov
(206) 553-2715
June 1, 2001 - - - - - - - - - 01-016
As part of an ongoing effort to protect the purity and insure the safety of Oregon’s drinking water, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued an administrative order to an Oregon drinking water supplier for failure to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The order requires the water system to comply with testing and reporting to the public about their drinking water quality.
The order is the first direct EPA action under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act since 1986, when the state assumed enforcement responsibility to ensure Oregon water suppliers comply with federal drinking water requirements. EPA is taking the enforcement action against Marie Benz of the Appleblossom Mobile Home Park located in Silverton, Oregon, at the request of the State Health Division after continued state efforts to obtain compliance were unsuccessful.
According to Michael Bussell, Deputy Director of EPA’s Water Division in Seattle, EPA and the Health Division agreed to share the enforcement responsibilities against water suppliers in Oregon who persistently violate the drinking water rules.
“The Health Division has made repeated efforts to obtain the missing data from this system,” Bussell said. “They have previously taken an action and have given the water supplier every opportunity to comply with that action.”
Appleblossom Mobile Home Park is one of seven drinking water systems recently referred to the EPA by the Health Division for repeated testing and reporting violations.
The Health Division has already assessed civil penalties against water systems for testing and reporting violations, but a few continue not to test or report the quality of their drinking water. Violation of an EPA order could result in an administrative civil penalty of up to $25,000 or a civil penalty of $27,500 per day of violation.
Four of the water systems referred to EPA by the State have already decided it is easier to cooperate with the State and do the required testing and reporting than contest the EPA’s administrative order and penalties.
“Although enforcement action can be taken by EPA, we prefer to encourage voluntary compliance with the State,” said EPA’s Bussell. “Oregon water suppliers can comply with the rules on time, comply with a State action as prescribed, or they can choose to meet with the EPA. The choice is theirs.”
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