U.S. EPA Issues Permit To Evoqua Water Technologies, LLC For Carbon Regeneration Facility Near Parker, Ariz.

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a hazardous waste permit to Evoqua Water Technologies, LLC and the Colorado River Indian Tribes for a commercial carbon regeneration facility located on the tribe’s land near Parker, Arizona.

“We issued this permit after careful consideration of comments from a diverse group of stakeholders, including the Colorado River Indian Tribes,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker. “The permit requires Evoqua to carry out important environmental and community protections.”

The Evoqua facility treats carbon used in filtering systems of industrial operations, such as oil refineries and sewage treatment plants, and removes pollutants so the carbon can be re-used. The permit decision follows a public comment period and engagement process during which EPA hosted a public meeting and public hearing.

The permit, valid for 10 years, restricts the type and level of substances treated and imposes emissions restrictions on a host of contaminants, including particulate matter, metals, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide. The permit also requires the facility to continuously monitor its carbon regeneration system to ensure proper operations and provide a contingency plan to local emergency responders. Under hazardous waste laws, EPA is required to conduct inspections every two years.

In October 2009 and again in April 2016, the Tribal Council of the Colorado River Indian Tribes voted unanimously to join the company as a signatory on the permit application. As Evoqua Water Technologies has previously been known as Siemens, US Filter, and Westates, these earlier names remain in older documents on EPA’s web pages.

Today’s decision includes the EPA’s responses to over 200 comments received during the public comment period.

The permit is subject to a 30-day appeal period before taking effect. Copies of the permit and response to comments are available at the Colorado River Indian Tribes Public Library, the Parker Public Library and online at https://www.epa.gov/az/evoqua