OGDEN, Utah — The owner of a recycling center in Ogden is now facing charges after officials say his business violated the Water Quality Act by illegally dumping wastewater on his property without a permit. David Rawson, 54, was charged on Thursday.
Court documents obtained by FOX 13 News state that around August 17, 2022, the Weber-Morgan Health Department and Utah's Department of Environmental Quality discovered that Rawson's business, Recycled Earth, had constructed an unpermitted pipe system on his property.
Officials say the pipe system was meant to divert non-stormwater or liquid oil and gas-related wastewater that Rawson was accepting and dumping on his property.
The city and Department of Environmental Quality began investigating the suspected discharge once they received multiple complaints about a noxious smell and traced the source to Recycled Earth. Authorities say Rawson knew he wasn't allowed to accept the wastewater.
Officials say they installed a plug at Recycled Earth's outfall to stop the liquid from entering the water system before experts could devise remediation for the site. However, in September of 2022, the city learned that the plug had been compromised and was leaking water. An Order of Compliance suspended Recycled Earth's access to the water system and required the company to submit an industrial storm water pollution prevention plan.
In January 2023, the city again issued a compliance order and penalties for the company's discharges into the system. The city of Ogden says this was following multiple written warnings.
A $1,000 penalty to Recycled Earth was recorded at the time, however, the city says there is no record of payment for that citation.
