Bethlehem City Council voted unanimously to approve a formal settlement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, agreeing to pay a $26,900 one-time civil penalty and complete a series of infrastructure improvements at the city's wastewater treatment plant by 2030.
Violations Dating Back to 2021
The Consent Order and Agreement settles violations of Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law that occurred primarily between August 2021 and October 2025. The violations include ammonia-nitrogen concentrations in treated effluent that exceeded the plant's permit limits, sanitary sewer overflows caused by blockages attributed to grease, rags, and fibrous material, and a June 2026 incident in which fecal coliform output surpassed the permitted level. Violations at the plant were first identified as early as 2018. The settlement came after approximately two years of negotiations between city officials and state regulators.
A 2030 Roadmap for Improvements
Under the consent order, Bethlehem must complete a set of infrastructure improvements by 2030. City water and sewer officials have separately outlined a $1.4 million upgrade to the plant's organic processing capacity. That project would raise the daily limit from 39,365 to 50,000 pounds of organic waste, a roughly 21 percent increase, through the introduction of a coagulating agent that causes organic matter to settle more effectively in the facility's clarifiers. Officials have attributed rising organic levels at the plant to increased kitchen waste from both residential and commercial sources across the service area.
Growing Regional Demand
The Bethlehem plant already serves a broad regional footprint, providing treatment for sewage from the cities of Bethlehem and Allentown as well as multiple townships in Lehigh and Northampton counties. The plant's workload is expected to increase: Palmer Township has announced plans to retire a pump station built in 1972 and redirect some of its sewage to Bethlehem through new gravity lines, a shift expected in December 2026. City officials have said the Palmer addition will not affect current user rates.
At a Glance
- Bethlehem City Council unanimously approved a Consent Order and Agreement with PA DEP.
- The city will pay a $26,900 one-time civil penalty for Clean Streams Law violations from 2021 to 2025.
- Required plant improvements must be completed by 2030.
- A planned $1.4 million upgrade would raise organic processing capacity by roughly 21 percent.
- Palmer Township plans to redirect sewage to the Bethlehem plant starting December 2026, with no change to current user rates.
