ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

December 19, 1974

VILLAGE OF ADDISON,

Petitioner,

vs.

)

PCB 74-288

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,

Respondent.

)

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Mr. Duaielle):

This is a Petition for a Variance filed by the Village of Addison

(hereinafter Addison) with the Environmental Protection Agency (here-

inafter Agency) on July 29, 1974.

On August 15, 1974, the Board found the petition to be inadequate

in that it did not address the issue of environmental impact of the

discharge on Salt Creek. On September 4, 1974, the Agency received

Petitioner’s amended petition.

Petitioner seeks a variance from certain rules of Chapter 3:

Water Pollution Regulations of Illinois (hereinafter Chapter 3) to

continue operation of the existing wastewater treatment facilities at

the South Plant in Addison until the proposed improvements can be

designed, constructed, and placed into service. The Agency interprets

the petition as requesting a variance from Rule 2O3(d’)., 203(f), 203(g),

and 4O4(c)(ii) of Chapter 3, Water Pollution Regulations.

Addison’s South Sewage Treatment Plant consists of two plants

operating in parallel. The first plant is a high-rate trickling filter

plant and the second is an activated sludge plant. The effluent is

presently passed through tertiary filters and discharged through a

comon pipe. Total plant effluent presently meets the current BOD

and suspended solids standards of 20/25 mg/i but will be unable to meet

the 10/12 mg/i standard of Rule 404(c)(ii) upon the effective date

of December 31, 1974. The Agency calculated the low flow of Salt Creek

to be 6.2 MGD using the discharges of the sewage treatment plants into

Salt Creek above the Addison South Plant. Using the design average

flow of the South Plant of 2.1 MGD the dilution ratio is about 3 to 1.

Listed below are BOD and suspended solids concentrations as reported

by Petitioner in its monthly operational reports to the Agency.

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DATE

BOD

July 1973

16

11

August 1973

14

10

September 1973

16

12

October 1973

20

November 1973

15

1

December 1973

11

9

January 1974

13

10

February 1974

16

9

March 1974

12

12

April 1974

12

7

May 1974

12

11

June 1974

11

July 1974

31

15

The subject plant has been designated as a regional wastewater

treatment facility. A 2.0 MGD expansion has been proposed for the

activated sludge process with the elimination of the trickling

filter operation. Petitioner believes that the proposed improvements

should produce an effluent conforming to the standards of Rule 404(c)

(ii).

The Step 1 grant priority for this project is #40. Petitioner

alleges that the Village would suffer an unreasonable hardship if

required to meet the December 31, 1974 deadline since it would have

to relinquish its grant for Federal assistance. The estimated cost

for the upgrading project is $5,281,500.

The impact of the Addison South Sewage Treatment Plant on Salt

Creek is difficult to assess.. Nine treatment plants discharging

above Addison South Sewage Treatment Plant have a total dry weather

flow of 6.23 MGD. There are five more discharges with a combined dry

weather flow of 9.73 MGD below the plant.

The following Agency data indicate that the stream below Addison

is of lesser quality than upstream for the parameters of dissolved

oxygen, ammonia, and fecal coliform.

1973

ABOVE ADDISON

BELOW ADDISON

LOCATION:

IRVING PARK RD. RR. AT WOOD DALE

ST CHARLES RD. RR. AT VILLA PARK

AMMONIA

AMMONIA

PARAMETER

D.O.

FECAL COLI.

AS N.

D.O.

FECAL COLI.

AS N.

# of Analysis

9

9

9

11

11

11

Max. Value

11.9

30000

1.80

10.4

880000

4.10

Mm. Value

4.0

10

.13

1.5

100

.37

Mean

7.5

389

.64

5.7

4939

1.37

Median

7.7

500

.44

6.0

3700

.90

Criterion

5.0

200

1.50

5.0

200

1.50

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-3-

1972

ABOVE ADDISON

BELOW ADDISON

LOCATION

IRVING PARK RD.

RR. AT WOOD DALE

ST. CHARLES RD. RR. AT VILLA PARK

AMMONIA

AMMONIA

PARAMETER

D.O.

FECAL COLI.

AS N.

D.O.

FECAL COLI.

AS N.

# of Analysis

4

2

3

3

3

4

Max. Value

10.0

400

.70

10.0

16000

2.30

Mm. Value

7.5

200

.20

7.5

100

.20

Mean

8.6

199

.40

8.5

2519

.89

Median

8.5

250

.30

8.0

10000

.53

Criterion

5.0

200

1.50

5.0

200

1.50

It is clear from the above that Petitionerts effluent diminishes

water quality and results in apparent violation of Rules 203(d),

203(f) (Ammonia Nitrogen), and 203(g). The Agency believes that the

operation and maintenance of the Addison South Sewage Treatment Plant

and other sewage dischargers to Salt Creek must be continued and

optimized to produce the best effluent possible from existing

facilities to prevent critical stream degradation until upgraded

treatment facilities are in operation.

The Agency believes that it will be at least 1 1/2 to 2 years

before construction can begin on the addition to Plant No. 2 and may

take even longer depending on design approval and grant priority.

Thus, in the event the requested variance is~granted, renewal will

apparently be required.

Balanced against the adverse environmental harm described above,

we must weigh the hardship to Petitioner in the event the variance

is denied and must consider the explanations or justifications for

the delay in compliance. In the event Petitioner proceeded with

upgrading, the possibility of grant assistance would be eJimi~ated.

Requiring the ‘Village to bear the total cost in excess of $5 million

would impose an extreme financial burden on the municipality and

its taxpayers.

The Agency has recommended a grant of the Variancewith certain

conditions and we agree.

This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions of

law of the Board.

IT IS THE ORDER of the Pollution Control Board that:

1. A Variance from Rules 203(d), 203(f) (Ammonia Nitrogen),

and Rule 203(g) of the Water Pollution Regulations be granted

for a period of one year;

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721

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2. That a Variance from Rule 404(c)(ii) be granted fora period

from December 31, 1974 until one year from the date of the Board

Order in this matter; and

3. That the above Variances be granted subject to the

following conditions during the term of the variances:

i. That Petitioner not increase the strength

or quantity of contaminants discharged;

ii. That plant BOO and suspended solids concentrations

at no time exceed 20/25 mg/i.

I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Board, hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were adopted was on

/71*

day of December, 1974 by a vote of

1/

Christan L. Moffett, Cler

Illinois Pollution Control Board