ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 25, 1976
VILLAGE OF STEWARDSON,
Petitioner,
)
v.
)
PCB 75—445
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
)
Respondent.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Mr. Dunielle):
On November 14, 1975 the Village of Stewardson, Illinois
(Village) filed before this Board a petition for variance from
Rules 203(c) and 402 of the Board’s Water Pollution Control
Regulations. On November 26, 1975 this Board ordered the Village
to supply additional information. Petitioner filed an amended
petition for variance on January 2, 1976. On February 10, 1976
the Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) filed its Recommenda-
tion. The Agency recommends that the petition be granted subject
to two conditions.
The Village, with a population of 729 in 1970, presently
has no sewage treatment plant. On October 21, 1975 the Village
was offered a State grant for the purpose of constructing a
sewage collection system and treatment plant to replace the
present individual septic tanks and tile fields. However,
this grant offer is conditioned upon the Village receiving a
Variance from the Water Quality Standard for phosphorus, Rule
203(c). The proposed sewage treatment plant will contribute
to a violation of this Rule unless a phosphorus removal facility,
at an estimated cost of $105,000.00 is installed.
The Village’s amended petition provides cost estimates
for two alternatives to phosphorus removal. The first alternative
is a discharge, via force main, to the Wabash Basin. The second
alternative is effluent disposal by land application. However,
the Village estimates the cost of the alternatives at $224,700
and $249,000 respectively. It is therefore clear that phosphorus
removal would be the least costly method if needed.
The issue in this matter, therefore, is whether compliance
with the phosphorus standards would impose an arbitrary or
unreasonable hardship upon the Village of Stewardson. The
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additional construction and operating costs demonstrate
a definite hardship. However, this hardship must be balanced
against the adverse environmental effects which may be caused
by operation of the proposed plant.
The effluent from the Village’s plant will be discharged
into Wolfe Creek, which is a tributary of Big Creek and the
Kaskaskia River, which then flows into Carlyle Reservoir.
Rule 203(c) sets the Water Quality Standard for phosphorus
for reservoirs and lakes, and streams flowing into any
reservoir or lake so as not to exceed 0.05 mg/l. Rule 402
provides that no effluent shall, alone or in combination
with other sources, cause a violation of any such water
quality standard. Both Big Creek and the Kaskaskia River are
in violation of the 0.05 mg/i standard. The Agency calculates
an average phosphorus level of the Kaskaskia River to be
0.29 mg/l, almost six times the phosphorus standard. There
is no question that the Village’s proposed discharge would
contribute to the violation of the standard.
However, the Village states (and the Agency agrees)
that the phosphorus contribution from the proposed plant would
be insignificant. The Agency calculates that the proposed
discharge would represent a 0.17 increase of phosphorus in
the Kaskaskia River. Such an increase may, indeed, be insigni-
ficant. However, such a comparison ignores the possibility
that Stewardson’s contribution will be of the largely algae-
stimulating orthophosphate type compared to the stream load of
phosphorus bound to soil particles, (hence not growth stimulating to
algae). If this is the case, the Village’s effluent could con-
tribute to an increase of algae in the Carlyle Reservoir.
Therefore, while the Village’s proposed discharge would
appear to be insignificant, it is quite possible that at
some future date a determination will be made that such a
contribution may cause adverse environmental effects.
The Board will grant a variance from the cited regulations
for a period of one year so that the grant can be made and
the plant built. Further, the Board will require that provision
be made in the sewage plant design for phosphorus removal facilities
(adequate space, blanked pipe flanges, etc., to facilitate
installation) should it be found necessary at some future date.
This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact
and conclusions of law.
ORDER
Petitioner Village of Stewardson is hereby granted a variance
from Rules 203(c) and 402 of the Board’s Water Pollution Control
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Regulations for one year, from the date of this order, subject
to the following conditions:
The proposed sewage treatment plant shall be designed
and constructed so as to allow for the possible future
installation of phosphorus removal facilities.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were adopted on the
~~4’\
day of March, 1976 by a vote of
~.-o
Illinois Pollution Con
Board
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