ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL
    BOARD
    March
    10,
    1983
    CITY OF WAVERLY,
    )
    Petitioner,
    )
    V.
    )
    P~B
    83—33
    )
    ILLINOIS
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    )
    PROTECTION AGENCY,
    )
    )
    Respondent.
    OPINION AND ORDER OF THE
    BOARD
    (by J.D. Dumelle):
    This provisional variance request comes before the Board
    upon a March 10, 1983 Recommendation of the Illinois Environmental
    Protection
    Agency
    (Agency).
    The
    Agency
    recommends
    that
    a
    provisional
    variance
    be
    granted
    to
    the
    City
    of
    Waverly
    until
    March 24, 1983.
    The
    City of Waverly (City) owns and operates a Wastewater
    Treatment Plant
    (WWTP)
    in
    Morgan
    County
    which
    serves
    approximately
    1500 persons.
    This WWTP consists of an influent structure,
    barminutors, aerated grit chamber, activated sludge package plant,
    and
    polishing pond with chlorination for treatment of flows up to
    0.45 MGD.
    Excess flows can be diverted to an Imhoff tank to the
    polishing pond.
    A trickling filter also exists; however, it has
    not been used in several years.
    Discharge from the WWTP is to an
    unnamed tributary of Apple Creek, a tributary of the Illinois
    River.
    The
    return
    activated
    sludge
    line
    became
    clogged
    on
    or
    about
    March
    7,
    1983 as evidenced by clear liquid being returned to the
    aeration
    tank
    from
    the
    clarifier.
    With
    the
    system
    unable
    to
    return
    the
    sludge,
    near
    cessation
    of
    biological
    activity
    has
    probably
    occurred resulting in very little,
    if any, treatment from this
    unit.
    The City’s WWTP operator has attempted to
    unclog
    the line
    by using a ‘jet cleaner,’ a hose with water under pressure, etc.;
    however, all attempts have failed.
    The only option appears to
    be to manually
    remove
    the
    clog.
    In
    order
    to
    do this,
    the
    clarifier
    and 6 of water inches from the aeration tank will be drained to the
    polishing pond in order to expose the return sludge line so that
    repairs
    can
    be made.
    While actual repairs are being made, all
    wastewater flows need to be bypassed around the activated sludge
    package plant; however, partial treatment can be provided
    if
    flows
    are
    diverted
    to
    the
    Imhoff
    tank
    and
    thus
    to
    the
    polishing
    pond
    and
    chlorination
    unit.
    51-273
    —2—
    Draining the activated sludge package plant and bypassing
    according to the methods described above
    could
    result
    in
    a
    deteriorated effluent.
    However, a poor quality effluent will
    exist indefinitely if the clogged line is not repaired.
    The Agency
    has
    concluded
    that
    compliance
    on
    a
    short-term
    basis
    with
    35
    Ill.
    Mm.
    Code 306.103(c) would impose an arbitrary
    or
    unreasonable
    hardship.
    It,
    therefore,
    recommends
    that
    the
    Board
    grant
    the
    City
    a
    variance
    from
    Section
    306.103(c)
    until March 24,
    1983, subject to certain conditions.
    Pursuant to Section 35(b) of the Act, the Board hereby
    grants the provisional variance as recommended.
    ORDER
    The City of Waverly is hereby granted a provisional
    variance from 35 Ill. Adm. Code 306.103(c) subject to the
    following conditions:
    1.
    The City shall inform Robert Broms, Manager, Compliance
    Assurance Section, Division of Water Pollution Control
    (217/782—9720) of the following:
    a.
    The day the clarifier is drained; and
    b.
    The day the system is returned to operation.
    2.
    The
    City
    shall
    begin
    immediately
    to
    pump
    clarifier
    sludge
    to
    the
    aeration
    tanks
    in
    order
    to
    restore
    some
    biological
    treatment;
    3.
    The
    City
    shall
    drain
    all
    clarifier
    wastewater
    only
    to the polishing pond;
    4.
    The City shall drain no more than 6 inches of water
    from the aeration tanks with as much as possible to be
    drained to the digester with the remaining to be drained
    to
    the
    polishing
    pond;
    5.
    During
    draining
    and
    repair
    work,
    all
    flows
    shall
    receive treatment from the Imhoff tank and polishing pond
    as well as chlorination;
    6.
    The City shall complete repairs as quickly as possible;
    7.
    The City shall sample its effluent up until the units
    are returned to service at least
    2 times per week for
    BOD and TSS;
    8.
    The City shall submit the results of these samples
    to Robert Broms, Manager, Compliance Assurance Section,
    no later than April
    1, 1983.
    51-274
    9.
    CERTIFICATION
    I,
    (We)
    __________
    having read the Order of the Illinois Pollution Control Board
    in
    PCB 83~13
    dated March
    12,
    1983, understand and accept said
    Order,
    realizing that such acceptance renders all terms and
    conditions thereto binding and enforceable.
    Petitioner
    By:
    Authorized
    Agency
    Title
    Date
    IT
    IS
    SO
    ORDERED.
    Board Member Nega abstained,
    I, Christan L.
    Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
    Control
    Board,
    hereby
    certify1that
    the
    above
    Opinion
    and
    Order
    was
    adopted
    on
    ~he
    jç~
    “~
    day
    of
    ~
    i983byavoteofJ~
    ,
    Christan L,
    Moff~t~t~l~erk
    Illinois Pol1uti~ Control
    Board
    51-275

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