The owner of the Kerite Power Cable & Pump Cable factory in Seymour was sentenced Thursday to three years of probation and must pay $2.4 million for violating the Clean Water Act.
U.S. District Court Judge Kari A. Dooley imposed the sentence on Marmon Utility LLC.
Of the $2.4 million, $800,000 is a federal penalty, and $1.6 million is a community service payment which will go toward cleaning up the Naugatuck River.
According to the government, Marmon Utility violated the Clean Water Act by failing to properly operate and maintain the industrial wastewater treatment system and sludge-processing equipment at the Kerite factory, which is at 49 Day St., Seymour, near the Naugatuck River.
Marmon Utility pleaded guilty to the offense in December 2021.
Kerite manufactures large power cables and generates industrial wastewater containing heavy metals such as lead and zinc, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Per its permit with the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP), Marmon was required to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment system at the factory. This was necessary to reduce heavy metals before wastewater discharge to the local sewage treatment plant.
In September 2016, the superintendent of the Seymour sewage treatment plant observed “unusual, rusty brown wastewater” flowing into the plant and notified state environmental officials.
Samples of the liquid showed it had a lead concentration 127 times greater than normal, and a zinc concentration 10 times the normal level, according to the government.
The superintendent had to order truckloads of biologic microorganisms to break down the unprocessed sewage, and it took about two weeks for the treatment plant to return to its usual capacity. An investigation determined that the rusty brown waste had come from the Kerite facility, according to the government.
Investigators also determined that Marmon had cut back on environmental safety measures, and had employees who lacked proper training.
David T. Grudberg, an attorney with Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey, who represents the company, said it moved quickly to remedy issues once they were brought to its attention.
It has improved its treatment system and arranged for training of key personnel on the proper operation of the wastewater treatment system, Grudberg noted, in a pre-sentencing memorandum to the court.
“It has accepted full responsibility for those mistakes, and has agreed to a substantial penalty for them,” Grudberg added.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
