Wastewater And Toxics Don’t Mix Preventing Toxic Discharges To Municipal Treatment Plants

1. Wastewater And Toxics Don’t MixPreventing Toxic Discharges To Municipal Treatment Plants Judy Kennedy, WA State Dept. of Ecology Jessica Shaw, City of Wenatchee

2. Toxic Effects • Interference and reduced treatment capability

3. Toxic Effects • Treatment plant pass- through • Violate permit limits • Possible fines or citizen lawsuits

4. Toxic Effects • Equipment damage

5. Toxic Effects Threaten health and safety • fumes • explosions • confined space hazards

6. Toxic Effects • Operational problems • Sludge bulking • Poor sludge thickening • Foaming • Odors

7. ToxicEffects • Biosolids may fail to meet standards for land application • Call for new standards for persistent toxic organics

8. Toxic Effects • Liability • Superfund responsibility

9. Documented Problems WDOE report on W.E.T. testing, 1994-1998: • 68% of permittees have had toxic events of regulatory concern • Episodes of toxicity in nearly half of POTW discharges

10. Pass-Through • 1992-1996 • 140 million pounds of partially-treated toxics passed through POTWs to receiving waters in U.S. • Estimate based on TRI data, according to WASHPIRG (Troubled Waters, 1998)

11. Toxics and Salmon Recovery • Common surfactant in dishwashing detergents, cosmetics, plastics, pulp mills, industry • Passes through treatment plants, kills young salmon

12. Passing Through POTWs • other medications: • cholesterol drug • chemotherapy drugs • anti-inflammatory compounds • aspirin • anti-convulsive drug • hormones • psychiatric drugs • nicotine • caffeine • plasticizers • endocrine disrupters • halogenated compounds • brominated flame retardants

13. Need ForControls • 77% of industrial toxics not under permit (GAO, 1994) • Only the largest industries permitted

14. Small Toxic Dischargers • High potential collective impact of smaller, unpermitted facilities • EPA: 15% of priority pollutants and 2/3 of toxic metals come from small sources.

15. Small Toxic Dischargers • photoprocessing chemicals (from printing, photo, medical) • solvents (painting, auto, labs, fiberglass, dry cleaner water) • cleaners and disinfectants (food processing, car wash, steam cleaning, oil/water separators) • metals (vehicle maintenance, metal finishers, dental)

16. Benefits of Keeping Toxics Out Of Sewer Systems • Better treatment plant performance • More cost effective than end-of-pipe controls • Reduces environmental impacts • Protects public’s investment in treatment and collection facilities • Protects health and safety • Helps avoid law suits

17. Strategies To Keep Toxics Out Of Sewer Systems • Use local sewer ordinances to set requirements • Use the state industrial waste permit system • Establish a local pretreatment program with authority to visit, monitor, enforce, charge fees • Maintain Industrial User Surveys • Target outreach to key industry sectors • Respond promptly to clandestine dumping • Determine toxicity of discharges

18. City of Wenatchee A Case Study Jessica Shaw Environmental Supervisor

19. It Does Happen! • Wastewater Treatment Plant Upsets • Discharge Permit Violations • Environmental Lawsuits • Consent Orders & Consent Decrees • Over $7 Million spent so far……………

20. Problems at the POTW • High Strength • Toxic Discharges • Nitrification Inhibition

21. Getting Started • Sewer Use/Pretreatment Ordinance – 2003 • Reviewed treatment plant data • Researched methods for detecting toxics • Surveyed and compiled data on dischargers

22. Program Areas • Grease • Restaurants, cafes, bakeries, cafeterias • X-ray & Photo Processing • Medical and dental offices, print shops, photo processor • Cooling Water & Boiler Water Discharges • Food storage facilities, office buildings, schools

23. Program Areas Continued… • Industrial Dischargers with State Permits • Fresh Fruit Packing Facilities, Categorical Industrial Users • Medical Wastes • Medical laboratories, mortuaries, pharmacies • Other Pretreatment Facilities • Automotive repair shops, car washes, research laboratories

24. The Printer • WWTP Data & Photo X-ray Survey • Hydroquinone – developer • Most X-ray developing solutions %1-5 • Some developing solutions are as high as 30% • Used Nitrification Inhibition Test

25. Nitrification Test Results • November 2003 100% Inhibition • Discharger began collection developing solution • August 2004 100% Inhibition • Was not collecting another developing solution containing phenylcellusolve (2-phenoxyethanol) • September 2004 24% Inhibition • New Chemicals, no phenols just a few biocides

26. Solvents in the Sewer • Solvent smell detected by Collections Crew • Monitoring confirmed the presence of several volatile organic chemicals • Chemicals traced to dry cleaners, industrial facilities and automotive shops

27. Actions & Results • City and WDOE met with business owners • WDOE hazardous waste conducted inspections with City staff • Informational letter and solvent brochure • Follow-up monitoring, specifically for “perc”, showed significant reduction in solvent levels

28. Preventing Toxic Discharges • Informational Brochures • Surveys • Seminars • Inspections

29. Signs of Progress • Fewer slug loads of prohibited discharges • Better relationship with dischargers • Improved sludge quality • Less grease

30. Questions? Judy Kennedy WA State Dept. of Ecology Jessica Shaw City of Wenatchee