DOD Can Make Further Progress in Controlling Pollution From Its Sewage Treatment Plants

Gao ID: NSIAD-84-5 February 3, 1984

GAO evaluated Department of Defense (DOD) efforts to control pollution from its sewage treatment plant operations and attempted to determine whether DOD plants are meeting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discharge permit requirements.

GAO found that, while DOD has made great efforts to improve its sewage treatment plants, these efforts have not been fully successful because: (1) the services have not always selected the most cost-effective treatment methods available; and (2) plant upgrades and modifications often have serious design and construction flaws that reduce plant efficiency. Major upgrades have occurred in the last 10 years at 11 of the 13 plants visited by GAO, but many of the upgraded plants are not meeting the sewage treatment levels expected because of design deficiencies. In addition, 11 of the 13 plants had been unable to consistently meet National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit requirements. GAO identified problems leading to noncompliance, including: (1) lack of specific guidance on how to ensure adequate operation, maintenance, and compliance; (2) lack of follow-up on problems found by DOD, EPA, and state environmental inspectors; (3) equipment deficiencies; (4) infiltration and inflow problems; and (5) deficient operation and maintenance practices.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Harry R. Finley Team: General Accounting Office: National Security and International Affairs Division Phone: (202) 512-5187


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