ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    December 19,
    1974
    CITY OF STAUNTON
    PETITIONER
    v.
    )
    PCB 74—345
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    RESPONDENT
    OPINION
    AND ORDER OF
    TUE BOARD (by Mr.
    Narder)
    This action involves a variance request by the City of Staunton
    for relief from the 0.02
    mg/i effluent standard for copper in
    Rule
    203 (f)
    of Chapter
    3
    of the Board’s Rules
    and Regulations, so as to
    apply copper sulphate as an algicide in its water storage reservoir.
    The Petition was filed September 23, 1974.
    The Agency filed its Recommendation November 22, 1974. In the
    Recommendation the Agency suggests the Board deny this Petition as
    moot.
    No hearing was
    held.
    The
    reservoir contains 105 acres. It is used as storage in the
    city’s
    public water supply system. Copper sulphate has been used in
    the
    lake since 1925 as a method of eliminating algae from the water.
    When such algae are allowed to remain in the water, they produce an
    unpleasant taste to the users.
    The city reports no problems with aquatic life in the lake when
    copper sulphate is applied. It is alleged that the lake is used for
    fishing.
    The city proposes to have bi-annual applications for algae control.
    The Agency states that copper sulphate treatment has been a stand-
    ard method of alleviating algae problems in water reservoirs for 45
    years. In 1973 Dr. Charles Muchmore of Southern Illinois University
    issued a report to the Board stating that after testing other methods
    of algae treatment, including biodegradable algicides, copper sulphate
    is still the best available treatment.
    The Agency estimates that with a 700-pound application to the
    361,700,000 gallon reservoir, the maximum copper levels in the water
    should not exceed 0.06 mg/i.
    The Agency notes that there have been applications of copper
    sul-
    phate
    into
    the reservoir
    in the past two years, for which no variance
    was applied.
    14
    —
    755
    —2—
    The Agency investigation elicited from the city that this variance
    is for applications to be made in 1975. There ~i11 be either t~o 700-
    pound applications
    ot bi-monthly applications
    between April and October.
    On November 22, 1974, the Board adopted Chapter 6 of our Rules and
    Regulations relating to public water supplies.
    Rule 203 of that
    Chap-
    ter requires public water supply operators to apply for and receive a
    permit to apply algicides to public
    water supplies from the Agency. In
    adopting this Rule,
    tha’ Board felt that the Agency was best suited to
    supervise algicide treatments.
    This Rule is now in effect, and so we
    feel that the proper course is to dismiss this action and suggest that
    the Petitioner file
    a permit application
    with the Agency.
    This Opinion constitutes
    the findings of fact and conclusions of law
    of the Board.
    ORDER
    IT IS TUE ORDER of the Pollution Control Board that this Petition
    be dismissed as moot.
    I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, certify that the above Opinion and Order was adopted by the
    Board on the 19th day of December, 1974, by a vote of 4 to 0.
    14
    —
    756

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