Group sues Patriot, Warren for alleged water act violations.
The environmental group Freshwater Accountability Project has filed a federal lawsuit against Patriot Water Treatment of Warren and the city of Warren alleging the company has committed violations of the U.S. Clean Water Act.
It says the city is in violation of the conditions of its Environmental Protection Agency permit to operate its wastewater-treatment plant.
They include zinc, molybdenum, ammonia, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids and total dissolved solids.
The suit says the city violates its permit to operate by “failing to issue adequate control mechanisms to Patriot, a significant industrial user, to ensure compliance with pretreatment standards.” Andrew Blockson, president of Patriot, did not return a phone call seeking comment on the suit.
The suit has been assigned to Judge Benita Y. Pearson of Youngstown District Court.
The city has been in discussions with Patriot in recent weeks over an odor problem reported by residents and other companies on the north end of Warren not far from Patriot, which is on Sferra Avenue.
Patriot discharges its wastewater into the sewers.
Patriot temporarily halted its discharges about two weeks ago to address the odor complaints.
The lawsuit seeks a declaration by the judge that the company and city are violating the Clean Water Act and to stop them from further violating the act.