Aaron Rudner Realty Inc. of Worcester has been fined $1,150 by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) for several environmental violations.

The company has been required to make a supplemental environmental project to resolve violations of the surface water discharge permit regulations that occurred at its property at 19 Boston Turnpike Road in Shrewsbury.

In November 2009, MassDEP personnel saw an illicit discharge of pollutants from a sewer on the property to a municipal storm drain that flowed to Tilly Brook. The cause of the discharge was determined to be a blockage in a line, resulting in a backup and overflow of wastewater that flowed to the municipal storm drain. The sewer blockage was caused by accumulated fat, grease, and oil believed to be from a restaurant operating on the Shrewsbury property.

Under the terms of a consent order with MassDEP, Rudner Realty agreed to commence a program of regular inspection and maintenance of the property’s sewer line to prevent future reoccurrence of this blockage.

As part of the settlement, Rudner Realty also agreed to provide $3,450 for a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). The SEP will provide funding to the Lake Quinsigamond Commission to assist with the cost of a project for the treatment of nuisance aquatic vegetation in Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond.

"It is important that businesses properly operate and maintain their wastewater collection systems to prevent releases to the environment," said Paul Anderson, deputy director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. "Properly maintaining this infrastructure serves to protect the Commonwealth’s surface waters, benefiting both the public and the environment."