The city of Holyoke, Mass., will pay a $36,000 fine to settle a complaint brought by federal environmental officials about wastewater discharges from the city´s sewer system in violation of the Clean Water Act.

In addition, the city will pay at least $70,000 to upgrade its stormwater system in an effort to prevent future problems with combined stormwater and sanitary sewer system overflows. Under the settlement, the city will help property owners pay the costs of disconnecting roof leaders and sump pumps from the collection system and routing the water to rain gardens, rain barrels, on-site recharge areas with native plantings, green roofs, cisterns and dry wells or porous pavement.

The city´s wastewater treatment plant takes both sewage and stormwater runoff. During heavy rains, the system becomes overwhelmed and discharges wastewater into the Connecticut River and other waters.

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