Ramada Inn accused of missing 2017 deadline to fix the issue
KCJJ Staff
02/24/19
A Williamsburg hotel has reached an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to fix wastewater discharge issues it was first alerted to five years ago.
In a consent order, the DNR says Avari Investments was informed of the violations prior to buying the Ramada Inn on U Avenue in July 2014. The DNR had discovered the illegal discharge of ammonia and E. Coli from the hotel’s three lagoon system into a tributary of Clear Creek in 2012. At the time of the purchase, the DNR and Avari – operated by Yule Park – agreed to fix the wastewater discharge system by February 2017.
But the DNR says Avari has not submitted any plans to update the lagoon system and Park claims they cannot afford to implement any of the options given to them by multiple engineering firms.
But in a consent order issued last week, Avari has agreed to submit a construction schedule for improvement to remediate the discharge problems by July 1, 2020, and to have the improvements finished by Dec. 31, 2021. However, the DNR states in the order if it does not find Avari’s construction schedule reasonable, it will institute its own construction schedule. Avari is also required to submit quarterly reports on its progress on construction.
As part of the order, the DNR is agreeing not to fine Avari at this time, though it notes an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 is warranted and fines of up to $5000 per day there are violations are also still possible if Avari does not meet the terms of the agreement.