A former employee of the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority has been charged with urinating into a filter unit at a water treatment plant operated by the authority.

State police at Schuylkill Haven have charged Paul Herb, 52, of Marlin, with one count each of institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, and tampering with public water system.Troopers said the incident occurred on April 20 at the Indian Run Water Treatment plant in Branch Township. The plant is located off Route 901 (Gordon Nagle Trail). The plant provides drinking water to the western portion of Pottsville, Forest Hills, Bunker Hill, and Mount Carbon areas. It also provides drinking water to portions of North Manheim and Norwegian townships.Troopers said on the date stated, about 9 a.m., the chief water operator for the SCMA, who was not named by troopers, arrived at the Indian Run plant to assist Herb, who was a certified water treatment operator, with maintenance on faulty valves within the plant. Upon entering the filtering room of the plant, the chief operator observed Herb urinating into filter unit No. 2.Since the incident Herb's position with the SCMA has been terminated. The charges were filed at the office of District Judge David Rossi of Tremont.