Gateway Extrusions, LTD., formerly Crystal Extrusions Systems, LTD., ("CES") is a corporate entity located in Union, Missouri and designs, produces, finishes and packages residential and commercial building and industrial aluminum shapes. The company produced a waste of concentrated sodium hydroxide and aluminum that contains a pH of approximately 14 and is considered a pollutant. The waste mixture was held in a neutralization pit where CES neutralized the pH before disposing the material off-site. There was a drain pipe, the point source, which connected the neutralization pit with a trench type storm water drain outside the facility. The trench type water drain discharged to Flat Creek, a water of the United States.

On or about August 7, 2013, a CES employee left a water hose running overnight and the hose fell onto the floor. The water from the hose filled the nearby pit which ultimately led to the neutralization pit overflow and discharge of caustic material, a hazardous pollutant, into Flat Creek. CES and its contractor, Environmental Restoration, recovered approximately 30,000-35,000 gallons of caustic impacted water from the creek during a four day cleanup period which affected 300-400 yards of Flat Creek. CES did not have a permit to discharge into Flat Creek and acted so negligently.

• Clean Water Act (CWA)