ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
September 30, 1976
VILLAGE OF ADDISON
)
)
Petitioner,
v.
)
PCB 76—119
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondent.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Mr. Dumelle):
Petition for variance from Rule 602 of Chapter 3, Water
Pollution Rules and Regulations, was filed with the Board on
April 27, 1976. The Environmental Protection Agency (“Agency”)
filed its Recommendation on July 21, 1976. No public hearing
~as held. Additional material was filed by the Petitioner on
August 23, 1976. An Agency reply to the Petitioner’s material
was filed today.
The Village of Addison (“Addison”) asks to construct a
110,000 gpm (245 cfs) pumping station at Diversey Avenue dis-
charging combined stormwater from its sewer system into Salt
Creek which is tributary to Des Plaines River. The proposed
pumping station will provide drainage relief for 200 acres of
the Village served by combined sewers. Flooding of streets
and homes in 22 acres of this 200 acre area occurs affectinq
65 homes about 10 times a year (Pet. p. 1).
The Diversey Avenue Pumping Station is to augT~kentthe
existing Myrick Avenue Pumping Station which has a capacity of
21,000 gpm or 19 that of the proposed station. Diversey
Avenue will also handle storm flows from a 500 acre area which
has separate storm and sanitary sewers. This area also floods
and 105 single family homes and an apartment area of 60 units
are affected.
Addison asserts that compliance with Rule 602 will come
by May 1979. It received a Step 2 Grant on March 2, 1976 for
work on its South Sewage Treatment Plant and Intercepting Sewers.
The South Treatment Plant will provide complete treatment for
23
—
635
—2—
2.5 times dry-weather—flow and primary treatment for 10 times
dry-weather—flow.
The Petitioner asserts that because of inadequate pumping
capacity at Myrick Avenue the time of overflow to Salt Creek
extends well beyond the actual rain periods. In the period
from May 1974 to April 1975, precipitation occurred on 79 days
but Myrick Avenue pumped on 152 days. Gravity bypasses to
Salt Creek also occurred when the Creek level is below 661 ft.
elevation above sea level but no records are available for these
occurrences.
Using the same data it is estimated that the periods of
pumping would be reduced to 52 days from the present 152 days.
Thus the same total volume will be pumped to Salt Creek but in
a shorter time. And since presumably the Creek is at maximum
flow during and immediately after a rain, the effects upon its
dissolved oxygen levels should be no worse than now (7.6 mg/l).
The hardship that will be suffered by Addison if the variance
is not granted is the inability to relieve surface flooding to
the enumerated properties.
The Agency initially recommended denial of the variance
because it believed that the inclusion of storm sewers will make
it grant ineligible. Also the Agency found that the “cost-
effective survey” submitted by Addison was not sufficient to
check the sizings of the interceptor sewers to the sewage plant.
Thus it could not determine if Addison’s proposed compliance
plan is adequate.
The letter of August 19, 1976 from the Village President of
Addison points out that the Diversey Avenue Pumping Station is
not intended to be part of the grant—financed sewage work improve-
ments. Funds are on hand for this purpose which were raised from
a local bond issue. The question of interceptor sizinq to the
plant is also reviewed in the same letter to their consulting
enqineer.
The Agency’s September 30 submission found that the Diversey
Avenue Pumping Station does comport with planning principles for
the portion of the area it will serve. A grant of the variance is
recommended.
The variance thus is a request to build a supplementary
combined stormwater pumping station with local funds. The period
23
—
636
—3—
of pumping will be reduced by two-thirds and thus less retention
in the sewers should occur. Consequently the sanitary wastes portion
discharged should decrease.
We feel the variance should be granted. Some of the flooding
described is due to overbank inundation and may be reduced by the
proposed levee. How much flooding will then remain to be cured by
this variance is not clear. But the environmental effects of the
present sanitary discharges should be reduced.
On September 9, 1976 a petition was filed from three residents
affected by the flooding requesting a public hearing. Without
ruling on the validity of the hearing request we would note that it
is moot because of the grant of the variance.
This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
conclusions of law.
ORDER
Petition for variance from Rules 602(a), 602(c) and 602(d) (3)
in order to allow the construction of the Diversey Avenue Pumping
Station is granted. Petitioner shall apply for and obtain all
necessary construction permits.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
T, Christan T.. Moffett, Clerk of
the Tilinois Pollution
Control
Boarq~hereby certify the above Opinion and Ord r were adopted on the
~day
of September, 1976 by a vote of
.‘~
Illinois Pollution C
Board
23
—
637