The Baltimore Department of Public Works has settled charges of inadequate risk management procedures at the Montebello Water Treatment Plant by agreeing to pay a $25,337 fine to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The penalty was assessed for the department’s failure to establish clear guidelines and procedures for handling unexpected chlorine releases at the treatment plant and failure to maintain eyewash stations and first-aid kits in the control room, scale room, tank room and hallway.

Montebello stores up to 70,000 pounds of highly toxic chlorine, used in very small doses to kill bacteria and other microbes in tap water.

The shortcomings came to light during an EPA inspection on November 15, 2012. Last May, DPW reported that it had corrected the problems.

Payment of the fine was approved this morning by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Board of Estimates without comment.