ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL !3OARD
    May
    1,
    1980
    VILLAGE OF HARTSBURG,
    Petitioner,
    v.
    )
    PCB 80—26
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    PROTECTION AGENCY,
    )
    Respondent.
    OPINION AND ORDER OF
    THE
    BOARD
    (by Dr. Satchell)
    This matter comes before the Board upon a petition for variance
    filed February 11, 1980 by the Village of Hartsburg.
    The petition
    requests for public water supply zeolite softening backwash a
    variance from the requirements of Rule 203 of Chapter
    3:
    Water
    Pollution
    (Chapter
    3)
    as they apply to total dissolved solids
    (TDS)
    and
    chloride.
    On March 24,
    1980 the Environmental Protection Agency
    (Agency)
    recommended that,
    in addition, Hartsburg be granted a vari-
    ance from the effluent standard for TDS contained in Rule 408(b)
    of
    Chapter
    3.
    The
    hearing was waived and no public comment has been
    received.
    Hartsburg operates a public water supply serving a population
    of about 363 persons
    in Logan County.
    The supply draws water from
    two wells.
    Treatment includes
    zeolite softening.
    The softener is
    backwashed daily resulting in a discharge
    of 2500 gallons
    (9500
    1)
    throuqh a
    120 foot tile to the point of discharge into an unnamed
    ditch along the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad right of way.
    The
    ditch, 2.8 miles downstream,enters Sugar Creek, which
    is tributary
    to Salt Creek and the Sangamon River.
    Hartsburg possesses NPDES permit No.
    IL 0053082
    for the
    backwash discharge.
    This permit expired December 31, 1979 and
    is
    not renewable in part because of violations of standards by the
    backwash discharge
    (Pet.
    3, Ex.
    III,
    p.
    3;
    Rec.
    1).
    Grab samples
    of the backwash have ranged from 1000 to 2870 mq/l TDS and 140 to
    680 mg/i chloride,
    in excess of the water quality standards of
    1000 mg/i TDS and 500 mg/l chloride of Rule 203 of Chapter
    3
    (Pet.
    Ex.
    II).
    Rule 402 of Chapter
    3 provides that effluent not cause
    water quality violations.
    Since the railroad ditch is an inter-
    mittent stream,
    this
    discharge constitutes its entire flow at times,
    necessitating
    a variance
    from the water ouality standards
    (Pet,
    5)
    The Agency had monitoring stations which were apparently eight
    miles upstream and eight miles downstream of the point where the
    unnamed ditch enters Sugar Creek.
    From 1975 through
    1977 these
    showed 23 to 62 mg/l chloride upstream and 26 to 80 mg/l downstream.
    This
    is well within the Rule 203(f) water standard of 500 mg/l
    chloride and indicates probable compliance with the TDS standard.
    Hartsburg alleges that elimination of the softening unit would
    be impractical because
    the water would be undrinkable.
    The un—
    softened water would result in pipe corrosion, mineral deposits and
    increased soap use.
    This last could also cause septic tank problems
    (Pet.
    3)
    No sanitary sewer
    is available or anticipated which could re-
    ceive the backwash
    (Pet.
    2).
    Treatment for TDS and chloride would
    involve either reverse osmosis or flash distillation which are
    economically unrealistic
    (Pet.
    9).
    Furthermore,
    these treatment
    techniques would produce concentrated brines requiring disposal.
    Hartsburg’s point of discharge
    is
    77 and 140 feet from its
    wells
    (Pet.
    3)
    .
    Since 1972 the chloride and TDS concentrations
    in
    Hartsburg’s raw water have increased considerably.
    The Agency be-
    lieves
    the discharge point may be in the pumping cone of the wells
    and therefore
    a contributing factor to this increase
    (Rec.
    2).
    In
    the petition Hartshurg proposed to move its point of discharge 300
    feet southeast.
    The Agency believes this will still be
    in the
    pumping cone and asks that Hartsburg be ordered to consult with the
    State Water Survey and submit a relocation plan for Agency approval
    within ninety days.
    Hartsburg proposes to begin regenerating its zeolite more
    frequently, twice instead of once per day,
    to reduce its discharge
    levels
    (Pet.
    4).
    The Agency contends that this would result in
    more efficient softener operation and actually increase the amount
    of solids discharged
    in the backwash
    (Rec.
    2).
    Since the effects
    would be mixed the Board will neither require nor prohibit the
    regeneration twice daily.
    Although Uartshurq has not requested
    it, the Agency recommends
    a variance from the 3500 mg/i TDS effluent standard of Rule 408 (h)
    (Rec.
    2)
    .
    However,
    of thirty-three samples,
    none exceeded 2900
    mg/l TDS.
    Only one exceeded 2000 mq/l
    (Pet.
    Ex.
    II).
    The Agency’s
    request that the Board grant a variance from Rule 408(h) will be
    denied.
    The Board will reciuire that Hartsburg’s discharge not cause
    the water in
    the receiving stream to exceed 2000 mg/l TDS.
    —3—
    Jiartsburcj’s discharge ranges
    from 140 mq/1
    to 680 mg/i chlor-
    ide.
    The second highest chloride concentration reported of thirLy—
    four samples was 620 mq/l.
    The Board will require that Hartsburg’s
    effluent not cause the receiving stream to exceed 650 mg/l chloride.
    This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
    conclusions of law in this matter.
    ORDEH
    Petitioner, the Village of Hartsburq,
    is granted
    a variance
    from the water quality standards for chloride and total dissolved
    solids
    (TDS)
    found in Rule 203(f)
    of Chapter
    3:
    Water Pollution,
    as these apply to its discharge of zeolite softener backwash, sub-
    ject to the following conditions:
    1.
    This variance will expire on March 31,
    1985.
    2.
    Petitioner shall not cause the water quality in the
    unnamed ditch to exceed 2000 mq/l TDS or 650 mg/l
    chloride.
    3.
    Petitioner shall consult with the Illinois State Water
    Survey concerning relocation of its discharge to a point
    outside the pumping cone of its wells.
    Within ninety
    days of
    the date of this Order, Petitioner shall present
    to the Environmental Protection Agency for approval
    a
    plan for such relocation.
    4.
    Petitioner
    shall stay abroast of current treatment
    technology
    for TDS and chloride and submit to the Agency
    annual progress reports.
    5.
    Within forty-five days of the date of this Order, Peti-
    tioner shall execute and forward to the Illinois Environ-
    mental Protection Agency, Variance Section,
    2200 Churchill
    Road,
    Soringfield,
    Illinois 62706, a Certificate of
    Acceptance and Agreement to be bound to all terms and
    conditions of this variance.
    This forty-five day period
    shall be held in abeyance for any period this matter is
    being appealed.
    The form of the Certificate shall be
    as
    follows:
    CERTIFICATION
    I,
    (We)
    ,
    _________________________________,
    having
    fully read and understanding the Order in PCB 80-26,
    hereby accept that Order and agree to be bound by all
    of its terms and conditions.
    —4—
    IT
    IS SO ORDERED.
    SIGNED
    TITLE
    DATE
    I, Christan
    L.
    Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
    Control Board, he ~by
    certify the above Opinion and Order were
    ado ted on the
    ‘~
    day of
    (Y\
    ,
    1980 by a vote
    of
    _______.
    Illinois Pollution Co t ol Board

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