BOSTON – The Mass. Department of Environmental Protection has fined a Fairhaven company for dumping waste paint-wash water into a storm drain at the Dartmouth Mall, the agency announced.

According to a news release, ProGroup Network Inc. – doing business as Certa Pro Painters – was fined $5,750. The allegations arose from a September 2012 complaint that colored water was emanating from a storm drain and discharging into Dartmouth’s Paskamansett River. The department, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Dartmouth Fire Department all responded, quickly tracing the source back to a storm drain at the mall.

Upon questioning, Certa Pro Painters admitted responsibility, the department said. A subsequent inspection of the company’s facility in Fairhaven found hazardous waste storage violations, including unlabeled, 55-gallon drums of waste stored outside without containment.

Once notified by MassDEP of the discharge, Certa Pro Painters immediately ceased the discharge and took immediate actions to clean up the material, the news release said.

MassDEP has agreed to suspend $2,875 of the assessed penalty, provided that Certa Pro Painters does not have any additional discharges to storm drains or surface water, the department said earlier this month. •