Hayden business violated Clean Water Act

COEUR d’ALENE — The Rooter Guy, LLC, and its founder Ben Broyles, pleaded guilty today in federal court to violating the Clean Water Act.

The Rooter Guy, LLC, admitted to the commission of a felony and Broyles a misdemeanor, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

According to the plea agreements, between March 17, 2014, and May 16, 2014, the defendants violated the Clean Water Act by pumping septic waste into the city of Hayden’s municipal sewer system operated by the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board. Although The Rooter Guy, LLC is licensed to collect septic waste from commercial and residential customers, it is required to dispose of septic waste at facilities designed to collect and treat waste in accordance with environmental considerations and EPA regulation. Hayden’s municipal sewer system is not designed to accept and treat septic waste.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 2, 2016, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the United States Courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.

The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency with the assistance of the city of Hayden, the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board, FBI, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Secret Service, and the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 2.