Darigold agrees to pay $318K fine over waste in Boise River

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined a Caldwell, Idaho, dairy processing facility $318,000 for discharging contaminated waste into the Boise River, in violation of the Clean Water Act. The agency announced the penalty on Jan. 17, following a legal settlement reached in September 2024.

According to court documents, the facility, which processes milk into non-fat milk, cream, and butter, released approximately 300,000 gallons per day of “cow water”—a condensed byproduct of whey—into the river. The discharge contained E. coli levels more than six times the allowable limit, posing a significant environmental threat.

The EPA also found that the facility used municipal drinking water for cooling systems, which was later discharged untreated. Inspections in 2022 revealed that the plant was no longer operating equipment covered under its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, which had been terminated earlier that year.

Additionally, stormwater runoff from the facility was contaminated with milk powder and wash water, which flowed into the Boise River through stormwater outfalls. The EPA documented multiple other violations during its investigation.

Under the settlement, the company neither admitted nor denied the allegations but agreed to pay the civil penalty within 30 days of the final order. The EPA emphasized the importance of adhering to environmental regulations to safeguard water quality and public health.