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An environmental group has filed suit against the town of Celina, claiming that local officials have illegally allowed overflows of sewage from its treatment plant to be discharged into Cordell Hull Lake and the Columbia and Obey Rivers for more than three years.
In a federal lawsuit filed last week, the nonprofit environmental advocacy group Tennessee Riverkeepers said the discharges have adversely impacted water quality and aquatic life, making the waters less suitable for boating, fishing and enjoying nature.Â
Celina, a town of fewer than 1,500 people located in north central Tennessee near the Kentucky border, operates its own wastewater treatment plant. The lawsuit alleges it failed to comply with wastewater discharge limits set by the state and federal environmental law, violating the federal Clean Water Act and Tennessee law.
Celina Wastewater department officials did not respond to a message left Monday.Â
The lawsuit is seeking a ruling that Celina has violated federal and state law, an order forcing the practice to stop and an assessment of a $75,000 fine.Â