LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — The Pennsylvania attorney general alleges that the Dallas Area Municipal Authority (DAMA) on Route 309 in Kingston Township dumped untreated sewage into TOBY creek, which runs right along their facility.
Toby Creek flows quickly as it leaves the Back Mountain and makes its way into the Wyoming Valley.
The Pennsylvania attorney general's office alleges that DAMA fed something else into these waters — untreated sewage.
"As far as the attorney general's office, we're cooperating with them. We will continue to cooperate and will resolve the issue," said Tom Keiper, DAMA executive director.
DAMA handles garbage, recycling, and wastewater collection for Kingston Township, Dallas Township, and the borough of Dallas.
Several charges are being brought against DAMA for an overflow incident in the spring of 2017.
"An overflow is just too much water. We can't pump it fast enough. If there's stormwater or groundwater coming into our system, which shouldn't."
The alleged unreported dumping took place over a 17-day span.
"It was in a meltdown system when there's snow melting down, and it went on forever. So it's pretty easy to do the math — 50 gallon a minute coming from a sump pump versus 200 gallons a minute coming from a home, 200 gallon a day."
The lawsuit claims that 13 years ago, DAMA built a secret system that allowed for the dumping of sewage without any permits from the state DEP.
Keiper says during overflow events, sometimes untreated sewage overflows and makes its way into the creek, but it has always been reported when he has known about it since he started in 2016.
Since then, he tells Newswatch 16 he has been working to rectify the situations that lead to overflow events, spending millions of dollars on fixes, like replacing manhole covers and inspecting sump pumps in area homes.
"They should not go into the sewer system. They should go into the stormwater system, and we found close to 200 tying into the sewer system."
DAMA admits the changes take time and may result in higher fees for homes and businesses.
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