The city of Perth Amboy, N.J., has agreed to spend $5.4 million to repair, upgrade and expand its combined sewer system and pay a $17,000 penalty as part of an EPA settlement for Clean Water Act violations.

Under the agreement signed June 6 in federal court, the city must reduce the amount of sewage and other pollutants that flow out of 16 combined sewer points into the Raritan and Arthur Kill rivers. The consent decree is pending a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

Perth Amboy violated the Clean Water Act and its New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection discharge permit by failing to properly maintain and operate its system, conduct regular inspections and have a pollution prevention plan in place, EPA says. The city also violated a previously issued EPA order to address Clean Water Act violations.

Under the EPA agreement, Perth Amboy will increase the amount of wastewater that reaches a treatment plant; reduce its combined sewer overflows into the rivers; conduct annual inspections of all of its combined sewer system control facilities; and develop and implement a system overflow pollution prevention plan.

New York

CHA Merges With RW Armstrong

Engineering and construction firm Clough, Harbour & Associates (CHA), Albany, N.Y., says it has merged with RW Armstrong, Indianapolis, creating a global $210-million firm with 1,250 employees. Terms were not disclosed.

Under the deal, RW Armstrong has become a wholly owned subsidiary of CHA.

RW Armstrong, which will retain its name, has 500 employees in 11 offices in the U.S. and five offices in Azerbaijan, the Middle East, North Africa and the Pacific Rim. CHA, which has 30 offices along the East Coast, says it plans to expand its work force to 2,000 by 2016.

CHA was named ENR New York's 2012 Design Firm of the Year (ENR New York 5/7 p. 36).