Mountaire completes Phase 2 of wastewater upgrades
Officials from Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control recently announced that Mountaire has completed Phase 2 of upgrades to the wastewater treatment facilities at its Millsboro poultry processing plant.
DNREC spokesman Michael Globetti said in addition, Mountaire’s plant has been operating in compliance with both its construction permit and operating permit, as well as the total nitrogen effluent limit of less than 10 milligrams per liter and a total nitrogen concentration of 3 milligrams per liter or less in its effluent.
Mountaire was mandated to spend $120 million on upgrades to the wastewater plant as part of settlement agreements for state and federal class-action lawsuits against the company. Litigation in the case went on for nearly three years before it was settled in 2021.
The suit had its start in 2017, when Mountaire’s wastewater treatment plant and spray irrigation system failed, and the company did not make improvements to the plant. Area residents began experiencing health issues related to contaminated groundwater, in addition to decreases in their property values. As a result of the settlements, Mountaire had to pay $205 million, with $65 million going to class members, $120 million for the plant upgrades and $20 million for operations and maintenance.
Phase 1 of the upgrades focused on pretreatment, with the aim of reducing nitrogen and increasing efficiency. Phase 2 encompassed physical upgrades to the plant.
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
