ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

November 22, 1974

PRECISION FABRICATOR, INC. and

CITY OF SOUTH BELOIT,

Petitioners,

vs.

)

PCB 74—337

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,

Respondent.

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

Petitioners seek variance from a sewer extension ban in order

to connect a metal fabrication plant to the sewer system of the

City of South 13e’oit. The ban has been imposed by the Agency

pursuant to the requirements of Rule 921 of Chapter 3, Water

Pollution Regulations.

The record reveals that the City of South Beloit operates a

sewage treatment facility employing brush aeration providing

secondary treatment for a design average flow of 1 million gallons

per day and a maximum flow of 2.5 mgd. After receiving chlorination

the plant effluent is discharged directly into the Rock River.

Influent flows exceeding 2.5 mgd are by—passed to the Rock River

without receiving even primary treatment. Storm water infiltration

has been a problem. Flows in the past have reached 5 mgd at times

but the City has expended $100,000 to curtail excessive infiltration

and did thereby reduce the average influent flows to 3.3 mgd for

the months of January through December 1973.

This plant is required to meet the following standards: 20 mg/i

for BOD, 25 mg/l for suspended solids and 400 per 100 ml. for fecal

coliform. Grab samples taken in 1974 showed the plant consistently

meeting the standard for suspended solids and slightly over the

standard for BOD on only one occasion. However, fecal coliform

counts substantially exceeded the limitation on every date samples

were taken with counts ranging from 2,000 per 100 mu to 32,000 per

100 m/l.

The chief products of Precision Fabricators are weidments varying

from sheet stock to heavy plate stock. However, the only facilities

that will require sewer connection are the toilets and basins. These

14 —521

---

—2—

facilities provide accomodations for 13 full—time employees in

the day shift and 7 second shift employees. The company has

existed at its present location for a number of years and was

serviced by a private sewage disposal system until the “Easter

weekend” flood of 1973 which rendered this private system in-

operative. Since the Spring flood of 1973 the septic system has

remained flooded and attempts to drain the septic field have been

unsuccessful. The Agency agrees that ground water conditions may

make proper operation of a septic system impossible.

At the present time sewage from this septic system is spilling

upon the top of the ground causing a serious nuisance and health

hazard. The President of Precision Fabricators states that the

sewage problem interferes with the hiring of new employees pre-

sumably because potential employees do not wish to work in such

unhealthy conditions. He states that he needs 25 men to handle

his work backlog but that two more men are now quitting and he

cannot maintain the shop with just 11 people on his work force. The

President states that if his Company is not granted a permit to

attach to the sewer the Company will be forced out of business.

The plan is to construct a 310’ extension to the existing sewer

line of the City of South Beloit. According to Thomas Nee, a

Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor, this sewer connection

is “the most economically feasible alternative, considering the

life of

the

system and the ground water condition for a new septic

or holding tank installation”. Mr. Nee also states that the

extension will cause no overflows upstream or downstream of the

connection.

The Agency states that the additional load from the Petitioner

would be inconsequential at the South Beloit sewage treatment

plant and recommends that the variance be granted.

The Board finds that the faulty septic system causes a health

hazard which is a substantial hardship to Precision Fabricator, Inc.,

its employees and the public generally. The health hazard will be

eliminated by a sewer connection to the South Beloit sewage system.

The health hazard apparently cannot be reduced by minor maintenance

of the existing sep~ic system. Therefore, the variance will be

granted and the parties uiged to take the necessary steps to make

this sewer connection as soon as possible.

This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions

of law of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.

14—522

---

—3--

ORDER

It is the Order of the Illinois Pollution Control Board that

Petitioners, Precision Fabricators, Inc. and City of South

Beloit, be granted variance from the sewer extension ban in order

to connect the metal fabrication plant at 200 Oak Grove Avenue

to the sewer system of the City of South Beloit. Petitioner

Precision Fabricators, Inc. shall apply for all necessary permits.

I,

Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Board, hereby certify the above Opinion and Order was adppted

this _____________day of

f)~’~r4~i.4.4&~

,

1974 b~a vote of ton.