On June 13, 2006 Merck discharged potassium thiocyanate from its pharmaceutical plant in Montgomery County, Pa., causing extensive fish kills in nearby Wissahickon Creek and the temporary closing of the Philadelphia Water Department’s Schuylkill River drinking water intake. In December 2007, Merck settled a federal-state lawsuit over the resulting violations of the federal Clean Water Act and state water pollution control regulations. Merck agreed to pay $10 million to put into place systems that will prevent future discharges, spend approximately $9 million for environmental projects, and pay $1,575,000 in penalties to the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.