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Radionuclide Regulations, Treatment and Affordability

Radionuclide Regulations, Treatment and Affordability. Anthony E. Bennett, R.S. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Water Supply Division. Introduction. Rules Schedule Radionuclides Gross Alpha Radium 226 and 228 Uranium Gross Beta Treatment Costs. Rules Adoption.

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Radionuclide Regulations, Treatment and Affordability

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  1. Radionuclide Regulations, Treatment and Affordability Anthony E. Bennett, R.S.Texas Commission on Environmental QualityWater Supply Division

  2. Introduction • Rules Schedule • Radionuclides Gross Alpha Radium 226 and 228 Uranium Gross Beta • Treatment • Costs

  3. Rules Adoption Public Water System Rule Schedule EPA Initiated Rules DWSRF IMR PMR Sulfate SWA Feb-99 Cap Dev -New Sep-99 Cap Dev-Existing Sep-00 Op Cert Aug-00 CCR Aug-00 PWS Def Aug-00 IESWTR Dec-00 DBP-1 Rules Dec-00 Unreg Cont Aug-01 Lead/Copper Sep-01 Public Not Dec-01 Rad-Chem Dec-02 Arsenic Jan-03 Backwash Jun-03 LT1 Nov-03 Six Year Review CCL Determination Radon Nov-05 GWR SDWA Ammended Aug-05 1996 DBP-2 May-06 LT2 May-06 New MCLs Aug-06 Aug-94 Aug-95 Aug-96 Aug-97 Aug-98 Aug-99 Aug-00 Aug-01 Aug-02 Aug-03 Aug-04 Aug-05 Aug-06 Dates Comment on EPA proposal Develop Plans After EPA Guidance EPA Review Comments - Final Rule December 9, 2002 TNRCC Prepare and Propose Rule TNRCC Prepare Final Rule

  4. Gross Alpha 15 pCi/L Radium 226 and 228 5pCi/L Gross Beta 4 mrem/yr Existing Radionuclide Rules

  5. Radionuclides (except Radon) • EPA published NODA on April 21, 2000 Maintain current 5 pCi/L for Ra 226/228 Maintain current 15 pCi/L for Gross Alpha Three options for Uranium MCL at 20, 40 and 80 pCi/L • December 7, 2000 final regs on radium, uranium, alpha, and beta

  6. Radionuclides Schedule • TCEQ Propose Rules May 2004 • TCEQ Final Rules December 2004 • Federal Effective Date December 2003 • TCEQ Effective Date January 2004

  7. Proposed Radionuclide MCLs • Gross Alpha 15 pCi/l - 94 violations • Radium 226 & 228 5 pCi/l - 94 violations • Uranium 30 pCi/l - 23 violations • Radon 300 pCi/l - 850 violations 4000 pCi/l - 50 Violations

  8. Compliance Options • New/Different Water Source Managing Existing Sources Developing New Sources Purchasing water • Treatment

  9. Treatment for Radionuclides • Demineralization • Ion Exchange • Lime Softening

  10. Demineralization • Membrane process that removes a percent of most soluble inorganics • Produces a “Reject” stream of concentrated contaminants

  11. Ion Exchange • Resin adsorption process which exchanges one cation for another • Produces a “Regeneration” stream of high levels of salt and concentrated contaminants

  12. Lime Softening • High pH precipitation and removal process • Produces a “Lime Sludge” which includes concentrated contaminants

  13. No Discharge Contaminant Specific Resins • Essentially an Ion Exchange process which has a long life • Produces no onsite discharge or waste • Resin is removed when “spent” and replaced with new media

  14. Residuals Management • Liquid Residuals • Can • Discharge to environment • Must meet effluent standards (60/60/300) • Discharge to Sewage Collection System • Must meet effluent standards (600/600/3000) • Non Commercial Class I injection well • Can’t • Residuals above effluent standards • Commercial Class I well

  15. Residuals Management • Solid Residuals • Can • Out of State Licensed NORM Facility • Can’t • In State NORM Waste Facility • In State Class I NORM injection well

  16. Treatment Costs • Capital Costs • Operation and Maintenance Costs • Residuals Management Costs

  17. Treatment Costs • Surveyed Water systems or applied models • Cost Range (Per Connection) $1 per month for managing existing sources $140 per month for small water system RO treatment • New Treatment Technologies in the range of $10 to $25 per month per Connection

  18. Conclusions • Radionuclides are naturally Occurring in Parts of Texas • Radionuclide regulations have recently been revised • New Regulations will create more violations • Several Compliance Options • Treatment options Limited by residuals management options and costs

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