ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    June 10, 1987
    VILLAGE OF TONICA STP,
    )
    )
    Petitioner,
    vs
    )
    PCB 87—80
    )
    ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
    )
    AGENCY,
    Respondent.
    OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by J.D. Dumelle):
    This provisional variance request comes before the Board
    upon a June 10, 1987, Recommendation of the Illinois
    Environmental Protection Agency (Agency). The Agency recommends
    that because of an arbitrary and unreasonable hardship, the
    Village of Tonica (Tonica) be granted a provisional variance
    subject to certain conditions to allow Tonica to exceed BOD and
    Total Suspended Solids (TSS) effluent limitations in its NPDES
    permit No. 1L0023639 while repairs are made to the sand filters.
    Tonica owns and operates a wastewater treatment facility
    with a design average flow of 0.1 million gallons per day (MGD)
    consisting of contact stabilization type activated sludge, sand
    filtration and effluent chlorination. Tonica is required by its
    NPDES permit to meet interim effluent limitations of 15 mg/i for
    BOD and 20 mg/i for suspended solids on a monthly basis.
    Effluent is discharged to Bailey Creek, a tributary of the
    Vermilion River (North).
    Tonica plans to begin repair work on June 22, 1987. Repairs
    will consist of replacing 12” of the sand with new sand and
    installing .a 10” wild cement wall in the center of the two
    filters to separate them. Tonica also plans to rip rap the banks
    of the filters and to repair some filter drains. Tonica has
    stated, and the Agency concurs, that this repair work is needed
    in order to achieve compliance by July 1, 1988, and there is no
    alternative to removing the filters from operation during the
    repair work.
    The Agency believes that an arbitrary and unreasonable
    hardship would occur if the provisional variance were denied.
    The Agency has determined that no downstream public water
    supplies will be adversely affected, as the nearest public water
    supply is approximately 65 miles downstream. As Tonica has
    represented that the effluent will be chlorinated when the sand
    filters are bypassed, the Agency believes that there will be no
    78-433
    —2—
    adverse environmental impact. Although Tonica has not requested
    specific effluent limits, the Agency has determined that
    limitations of 30 mg/i for both BOD and TSS on a monthly average
    are reasonable and attainable with the filter out of service.
    Concluding that no federal laws preclude the granting of this
    provisional variance, the Agency recommends that the Board grant
    this provisional variance subject to the conditions incorporated
    into the Board’s order.
    Pursuant to Section 35(b) of the Illinois Environmental
    Protection Act, the Board hereby grants the provisional variance
    as recommended.
    This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
    conclusions of law in this matter.
    ORDER
    The Village of Tonica is hereby granted a provisional
    variance from 35 Iii. Adm. Code 304.120 and 304.141(a) subject to
    the following conditions:
    1. The variance shall commence on June 22, 1987, and
    continue for 30 days until July 21, 1987, or until the
    sand filters are returned to service, whichever occurs
    first.
    2. During the period of this variance, the effluent
    discharged shall be limited to 30 mg/i BOD and 30 mg/i
    Total Suspended Solids on a monthly basis and 60 mg/i
    BOD and 60 mg/l TSS on a daily maximum.
    3. Tonica shall sample and perform laboratory analysis as
    required in NPDES Permit No. 1L0023639.
    4. Tonica shall notify Harris Chien of the Rockford
    Regional Office via telephone at 815/987—7755 when
    repair work is begun and when the filters are returned
    to service. Written notification confirming the
    telephone notification shall be submitted within 5 days
    thereof. Written notification shall be submitted to:
    Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
    Division of Water Pollution Control
    Compliance Assurance Section
    2200 Churchill Road
    Post Office Box 19276
    Springfield, IL 62706—9276
    ATTN: Jim Frost
    78434
    —3--
    5. Tonica shall operate and maintain the wastewater
    treatment facility so as to produce the best effluent
    practicable.
    6. Within 10 days of the date of the Board’s order, Tonica
    shall execute a Certificate of Acceptance and Agreement
    which shall be sent to the address indicated above.
    CERTIF ICATION
    I, (We) the Village of Tonica, hereby accept and agree to be
    bound by all terms and conditions of the Order of the Pollution
    Control Board in PCB 87—80, June 10, 1987.
    Petitioner
    Authorized Agent
    Title
    Date
    IT IS SO ORDERED
    I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, hereby certify that the above Opnion and Order was
    adopted on the
    /0 ~
    day of
    _____________
    1987 by a vote
    of
    ____________
    Illinois Poll
    Control Board
    78435

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