Scottsdale TCE update: Arizona American Water fined by ADEQ

From the East Valley Tribune story, written by Ari Cohn -

State environmental officials Thursday slapped Arizona American Water Co. with $69,000 in fines for two recent incidents in which elevated levels of a suspected cancer-causing chemical entered the drinking water supply of 12,000 people in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.

The Trib article went on to state that AZAmWater (AAWC) still faces penalties from the EPA and the Arizona Corporation Commission. A call to Vicki Rosen, the EPA's community involvement coordinator for the North Indian Bend Wash Superfund site (NIBW), sort of confirmed this.

When asked if there was anything in the consent agreement entered into by ADEQ and AAWC that blocked the imposition of penalties from other agencies, she indicated that she didn't believe so, but referred me to an EPA lawyer, with whom I left a message. She also indicated that while AAWC may or may not face EPA-imposed sanctions, the participating companies (the companies responsible for the contamination in the NIBW) that hired AAWC may themselves face sanctions.

My workweek starts soon, but I'll follow up with the EPA attorney early next week, and update if appropriate.


The ADEQ press release is here.

Arizona American Water's press release is here.

I'd link to the AZ Rep's article on this, but it's just a rehash of the above two press releases.

Later!