ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    August
    6,
    1987
    IN THE MATTER OF:
    PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
    TO 35
    ILL. ADM. CODE
    )
    R 86—17(A)
    304.120, DEOXYGENATING
    WASTES STANDARDS
    ADOPTED RULE.
    FINAL ORDER.
    FINAL OPINION AND
    ORDER
    OF THE BOARD
    (by 3. Marlin):
    This matter
    comes before the Board upon
    a proposal
    by the
    Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
    (Agency)
    to amend
    35
    Ill. Adm. Code
    304.120, Deoxygenating Wastes,
    filed with the
    Board on April
    23,
    1986.
    Hearings on
    this proposal were held by
    the Board on June
    24,
    1986 at Peoria
    (generating
    a transcript
    hereinafter referred
    to as
    RI)
    and June 27,
    1986 at Effingham
    (generating
    a transcript hereinafter referred to
    as Ru).
    On
    January
    5,
    1987, the Department of Energy and Natural Resources
    (DENR)
    filed with
    the
    Board
    its negative declaration.
    The DENR
    stated that “tihe
    net economic
    impact of the regulation is
    favorable and the costs of compliance are small
    or are borne
    entirely
    by the
    proponent of
    the regulation.”
    The Economic and
    Technical Advisory Committee concurred with DENR’s finding that
    economic impact studies were not necessary in this matter.
    By
    a
    letter dated December
    15,
    1986,
    DENR requested that
    the
    record
    in
    this matter
    remain open until
    January
    23,
    1987 so that
    DENR
    could
    submit two exhibits which would
    “aid
    the Board in its
    deliberations.”
    By
    a Hearing Officer Order dated December
    19,
    1986,
    the
    record was held open until February
    25,
    1987 to allow
    interested persons
    to comment upon
    the two DENR exhibits which
    were filed with
    the Board on January 23,
    1987.
    By its Order of March
    5,
    1987,
    the Board sent part of
    the
    Agency’s proposal to First Notice and opened Docket
    B
    to consider
    the remaining aspects of
    the
    Agency’s proposal.
    The Board’s
    proposed rule appeared
    in the Illinois Register on March
    27,
    1988.
    11
    Ill. Reg.
    5011.
    During the First Notice period, the Board received one
    public comment concerning the proposed rule.
    Citizens Utilities
    Company of
    Illinois
    (Citizens)
    filed
    a comment on April
    24, 1987,
    which requested that the Board’s proposed rule include wastewater
    treatment works
    of investor—owned utilities.
    That is, Citizens
    would
    like privately owned treatment facilities
    to qualify for
    a
    lagoon exemption if
    it has
    an untreated waste load between 2500
    and 5000 population equivalents.
    The rule applies only
    to
    a
    publicly owned treatment works
    (POTW).
    The Board notes
    that
    Citizen’s comment merits consideration, and the Board
    will
    explore this issue
    further under Docket B.
    80—237

    2
    On May
    28, 1987,
    the Board adopted
    the proposed rule for
    Second Notice.
    The Second Notice period began on June 10.
    On
    July
    22,
    the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted an
    objection to the proposed rule because of
    the Board’s failure to
    provide “adequate standards used
    to determine when a publicly
    owned treatment works has reached the end
    of its
    ‘useful
    life’.”
    In response to that objection, the Board has modified
    the previous version of the rule so as
    to include an additional
    subsection further defining the
    term useful life.
    The Board will
    adopt,
    as final,
    this modified version
    of the rule.
    The Agency proposal essentially requests that the Board
    expand
    the lagoon exemption
    of Section 304.120 to include
    publicly owned treatment works
    (POTW) whose untreated waste load
    is
    less than or
    equal
    to 5000 population equivalents
    (p.e.).
    The
    current regulation allows an exemption for any waste treatment
    facility whose untreated waste load
    is less than 2,500
    p.e.
    provided other exemption requirements are satisfied.
    The current
    and proposed
    lagoon exemption applies only to effluents whose
    dilution ratio
    is less than five
    to one.
    If
    a facility qualifies
    for
    an exemption,
    it is exempt from the requirements that the
    effluent not exceed
    10 milligrams per liter
    (mg/l) biochemical
    oxygen demand
    (BOD5)
    as well as
    12 nig/l
    suspended solids.
    Instead, the exempted facility would be subject to limits
    of
    30
    mg/l BOD5 and
    37 mg/i suspended solids.
    The Agency proposal changes the requirements for
    a source to
    qualify
    for such
    an exemption.
    Under the proposal, several
    of
    the current exemption requirements are unaltered.
    First,
    a
    source must employ third—stage treatment lagoons.
    Secondly,
    the
    lagoons must be properly constructed, maintained and operated.
    Also,
    in order
    to qualify for an exemption,
    an effluent’s
    deoxygenating constituents must not, alone or
    in combination with
    other sources,
    cause
    a violation of the applicable dissolved
    oxygen standard.
    The Agency’s proposal
    seeks
    to change the
    requisite factors dealing with population equivalents.
    The
    language of the proposal requires that the source qualify under
    one of the following three categories.
    1)
    Any wastewater
    treatment works whose untreated waste
    load is less than 2500 p.e.
    and
    is sufficiently isolated
    that combining with other sources to aggregate 2500 p.e.
    or more
    is not practicable.
    2)
    Any publicly owned treatment works
    in existence on
    January
    1,
    1986 whose untreated waste load is 5000 p.e.
    or
    less and sufficiently isolated that combining
    to
    aggregate 5000 p.e.
    or more
    is not practicable.
    3)
    Any publicly owned treatment works whose untreated waste
    load
    is 5000 p.e.
    or less which has reached the end
    of
    its useful life and
    is sufficiently isolated that
    combining
    to aggregate 5000 p.e.
    or more
    is not
    80—238

    3
    practicable.
    The current regulation contains only the first category.
    It
    is the Agency’s position that
    a p.e. maximum of
    5000
    equates with the concept of
    a small
    town lagoon exemption better
    than the current maximum of
    a 2500 p.e..
    According to the
    Agency,
    POTW’s serving communities with
    a population greater
    than
    5000 generally do not utilize lagoons.
    (R
    II.
    5,
    48).
    The Agency asserts that the alternative
    to lagoon use
    is
    the
    employment of mechanical treatment systems, such
    as an activated
    sludge filter system.
    Mechanical treatment systems have
    the
    ability
    to produce an effluent that
    is within 10 mg/i DOD5 and
    12
    mg/I suspended solids.
    However,
    the Agency states that small
    towns often do not operate these systems properly and that as
    a
    result performance levels decline.
    (R
    II.
    13).
    On the other
    hand,
    the Agency asserts
    that
    lagoon systems,
    although often not
    capable of maintaining 10/12 standard, are more forgiving when
    subject
    to less than adequate operational attention.
    That is,
    the lagoon system provides
    a more consistent and stable
    performance with
    a less than sophisticated operator.
    (R II.
    24—
    5).
    The mechanical
    treatment systems are generally more
    expensive to build and operate than lagoon systems.
    The Agency
    claims that the current exemption limitation of 2500 p.e. does
    not take into account the economic hardship of small communities
    which are faced with utilizing the more costly mechanical
    treatment systems
    in order
    to achieve the 10/12 standard.
    According to
    the Agency,
    the communities between
    a 2500 and 5000
    p.e.
    level were once able
    to take advantage
    of federal and state
    grants.
    However,
    the Agency states
    that such grants have dried
    up and that only low interest loans
    are available for
    these
    communities.
    As
    a consequence, communities within
    the 2500
    to
    5000 p.c.
    level must now bear the full capital and operational
    costs
    of
    their wastewater treatment systems.
    (R
    I.
    6).
    It
    is the
    Agency’s position that the economic burden of requiring
    communities of 5000 p.c. and under
    to utilize mechanical
    treatment facilities
    is unjustified.
    The Agency believes
    that
    5000 p.c.
    is
    a logical upper limit for the lagoon exemption since
    almost all POTW’s treating more waste have chosen mechanical
    systems, probably due
    to economies
    of scale.
    (R II.
    48).
    The Board notes that the Agency’s proposal would not exempt
    private wastewater
    treatment works which operate at levels
    between 2500 and 5000 p.c.
    The current regulation allows an
    exemption for private facilities that operate below 2500 p.c.
    It
    is the Agency’s position that an exansion of
    the exemption for
    private facilities
    is unnecessary.
    According to the Agency,
    the
    private facilities have had
    a better compliance record when
    compared with POTW’s of
    similar size.
    The Agency also states
    that the technical ability
    of the private operators as well as
    the private facilities’
    ability
    to pass cost on to the customer
    80—239

    4
    are important factors which distinguish private wastewater
    treatment works from POTW’s.
    Therefore,
    private facilities are
    not
    included in the Agency’s proposed expansion of
    the lagoon
    exemption.
    (R I.
    21—2).
    The Board will further address this
    issue
    in
    Docket
    13.
    The Agency filed with the Board a United States
    Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA)
    response to the
    Agency’s proposal.
    In
    a letter
    to the Agency dated August
    12,
    1986,
    the U.S.EPA states,
    “Our review of the prepared amendments
    indicated
    that overall,
    the changes should not result
    in any
    conflicts with applicable Federal regulations.”
    (P.C.
    #9).
    Economic Impact
    At hearing,
    the Agency stated that there were 15 communities
    presently utilizing lagoon systems which would
    immediately
    benefit from the proposed rule change.
    (RI.16; RII.ll;
    Ag.
    Exh.
    #8).
    After
    the hearing,
    the Agency submitted data to the Board
    which indicates that
    21 communities would be
    “eligible
    to apply
    to
    a lagoon exemption immediately upon the adoption
    of the
    proposal.”
    The Agency indicated that two of
    these communities
    are currently using mechanical treatment systems.
    (P.C.
    #2,
    Attachment
    1).
    By including these two communities
    on such
    a
    list,
    the Agency implies that the mechanical treatment systems
    of
    these two communities are currently at the end of their useful
    lives.
    Other data presented by the Agency indicates that
    approximately 144 other communities, currently using mechanical
    treatment systems, would qualify for an exemption under the
    Agency proposal once the systems
    reach the end of
    their useful
    life.
    The Agency notes that some
    of these facilities may be
    consolidated with other plants
    or expanded
    so as
    to remove them
    from exemption eligibility.
    (P.C.
    #2, Attachment 2).
    The
    following economic data comparing the cost of compliance with and
    without the proposal were also supplied by the Agency as well as
    by testimony at the hearing.
    80—240

    5
    Compliance Cost
    Compliance Cost
    Without
    the
    Proposed Exemption
    With the Proposed Exemption
    POTW
    Monthly House
    Monthly House
    Discharger
    Capital
    OM&R
    Hold Cost
    Capital
    OM&R
    Hold Cost
    Aledo
    $2,509,000
    108,000
    1,910,000
    50,000
    Christopher
    2,800,000
    ————
    16.78
    800,000
    9.55
    (Would receive $1.4 million
    grant from EPA)
    Coal City
    3,206,000
    166,700
    68.95*
    757,000
    62,400
    31.23*
    Gillespie
    2,991,000
    826,000
    110,000
    Johnston
    City
    2,500,000
    800,000
    Kincaid
    3,000,000
    703,000
    45,000
    McLeans—
    boro
    **
    1,500,000
    41,500
    16.50
    1,000,000
    25,800
    11.00
    New Baden
    1,500,000
    141,000
    260,000
    71,000
    Staunton
    3,800,000
    192,000
    2,000,000
    79,000
    Virden
    **
    5,012,000
    2,840,000
    *
    :
    (for
    20 years)
    **
    :
    Denotes current mechanical plant.
    Denotes Data Not Presented.
    (P.C.
    #2 Attachment
    1;
    RI.
    29;
    RIl.
    31
    RII.
    38; RII.
    43)
    It
    is clear that the communities listed above would save
    a
    considerable amount of money
    if the Agency’s proposal
    is
    adopted.
    If such costs are representative,
    the proposal,
    if
    adopted, would eventually result
    in a savings to over one hundred
    communities.
    As previously stated, DENR has concluded that the
    net economic impact
    of the proposed amendement would
    be
    favorable.
    Environmental Impact
    It
    is the Agency’s position that mechanical systems,
    such
    as
    activated sludge systems and trickling filters,
    generally show
    “more identifiable
    impact and detriment than properly designed
    and operated lagoon systems.”
    According to the Agency, this poor
    performance level
    of mechanical
    systems
    is primarily due
    to plant
    80—241

    6
    upsets,
    solids washout,
    and difficulties
    in achieving stable and
    consistent ammonia
    reduction.
    (Rh.
    10).
    Consequently,
    the
    Agency concludes that “lagoons may
    be more protective
    of
    receiving stream water quality than mechanical facilities.”
    In
    support of this conclusion, the Agency refers the Board
    to Stream
    Surveys
    it has provided.
    (P.C.
    #4).
    Attached
    to the stream surveys are NPDES monitoring data
    reports
    for the years
    1983 through
    1985.
    These
    reports present
    data on the quality of the POT~effluents over
    three years.
    On
    the other hand,
    the stream surveys of the same POTW’s did not
    always sample
    the effluent for BODç and suspended solids.
    Even
    when the effluents were sampled,
    tFie results merely represent the
    quality of the effluent at one point
    in time.
    Consequently,
    the
    data shown below is taken from the NPDES monitoring reports.
    The
    figures presented
    are averages of the yearly average for the
    years
    1983,
    1984 and 1985.
    Flow
    BOD5
    Suspended Solids
    Discharger
    (MGD)
    (rng/l)
    (mg/l)
    Mechanical Systems
    Walnut
    0.20
    15.0
    18.0
    Lake County,
    Sylvan—Diamond Lake
    0.26
    18.7
    14.3
    Red Bud
    0.51
    5.7
    9.0
    Bushnell
    0.57
    11.3
    7.0
    Lagoon Systems
    Greenfield
    0.21
    8.7
    13.0
    Mount Sterling
    0.47
    11.3
    21.7
    Breese
    0.53
    2.3
    9.7
    (P.C.
    #2)
    A flow rate range from
    .25 to
    .50 million gallons per day
    (MGD)
    roughly represents
    a population equivalents
    range of
    2500
    to 5000.
    (P.C.
    #2).
    The Board notes that at hearing the Breese
    facility’s near—compliance performance level was classified
    as an
    exceptional case among lagoon systems. (Rh.
    45).
    The record does not indicate how or why the seven plants and
    the associated stream surveys were selected from the universe of
    available facilities.
    The Board does not know
    if these are
    representative of the facilities and streams that may fall under
    the proposed rule.
    The record would also have benefited
    from a
    more complete discussion of
    the various design configurations
    80—242

    7
    that lagoon and mechanical plants may use and the capabilities
    and costs
    of each.
    The information provided does not
    conclusively support the Agency’s contention that lagoons
    generally have less adverse impact on receiving streams or
    that
    lagoons cannot produce effluent of
    a better quality than 30/37 on
    a consistent basis.
    Agency data show that the performance levels vary
    considerably between POTW’s of the same system type and size,
    as
    well
    as across system types.
    It
    is also apparent that with
    regard
    to these facilities neither
    system type consistently out
    performs the other.
    The proposed
    rule,
    as well as
    the current
    regulation,
    provides that no exemption may be granted
    to
    a facility
    if the
    discharge
    from that facility,
    alone
    or
    in combination with other
    discharges will cause
    a violation of the applicable dissolved
    oxygen water quality standard.
    DENR points out that the
    environmental impact
    of
    a lagoon exemption will vary from site
    to
    site.
    (DENR Exh.
    #1, p.3).
    DENR asserts that the Agency’s
    modeling techniques
    do not adequately take into account such
    factors
    as sediment oxygen demand and algal respiration.
    Consequently, DENR concludes that the Agency will always
    overestimate the existing dissolved oxygen content of
    a stream.
    Such
    a situation would lead
    to an inaccurate evaluation of
    whether water quality standards will
    be violated by
    a POT~1
    exemption,
    according to DENR.
    DENR requests that the regulation
    include methods of calculation
    to ensure that dissolved oxygen
    standards are not violated by POTW exemptions.
    (DENR Exh.
    #1,
    p.
    11).
    The foundation
    for the proposal
    is the Agency’s view that
    POTW’s treating
    a load less than 5000 p.c.
    can neither
    afford
    to
    utilize nor properly operate mechanical systems to meet the 10/12
    standard.
    Therefore,
    the Agency concludes that these POTW’s
    should be allowed
    to utilize lagoon exemptions.
    The Agency
    presumes that the only viable option for these POTW’s
    is
    a lagoon
    system and less stringent effluent limitations.
    DENR submitted
    a
    report which concluded that land treatment systems could provide
    an alternative for wastewater treatment.
    The report states that
    any point discharge from
    a land treatment system would be well
    within the 10/12 standard.
    In many instances,
    a land treatment
    system would have no point discharge.
    (DENR Exh.
    #2,
    p.
    1—2,
    3—
    2,
    3—20).
    The report makes
    a strong case for land treatment
    systems.
    Such systems would store effluent in lagoons
    for later
    application to land.
    It
    is also possible
    to develop
    a hybrid
    system which would discharge to streams during high flow and
    irrigate land during the growing
    season. The effluent can be
    spread
    by
    a number
    of methods including standard agricultural
    irrigation systems.
    The table below given approximate lagoon
    size and the land required for
    slow rate application.
    The
    information
    is derived from DENR Exh.
    #2,
    pp.
    3—27 and 4—6.
    80—243

    8
    Wastewater Flow Rate
    (MGD)
    Storage Lagoon
    Land for Application
    0.1
    2.18 acres
    38.4 acres
    0
    2
    4
    36
    76
    8
    0
    3
    6.54
    115
    0.4
    8.70
    154
    0.5
    10.9
    192
    The Agency responded
    to this report in
    a cursory fashion,
    characterizing land treatment
    as
    a technology that has
    consistently failed
    to be adopted by consulting engineers and
    their clients.
    The DENR report raises issues which the Board
    would like see expanded upon.
    Specifically, what economically
    reasonable alternatives are available
    for POTW’s
    to treat
    wastewater
    and what standard could
    they meet.
    This topic will
    be
    discussed further under Docket
    13.
    S
    U
    mrnary
    It
    is clear that the net economic effect of expanding the
    lagoon exemption would
    be positive.
    Many communities would save
    considerable amounts of money
    by being allowed
    to utilize lagoons
    to meet
    a 30/37
    rather than
    a 10/12
    standard.
    However,
    the Board
    is disappointed by
    the
    quantity and quality of data presented by
    the Agency concerning
    the costs and capabilities
    of various
    treatment alternatives and the environmental impact
    of the
    proposal.
    According to the Agency’s own figures, over 150
    communities could eventually take advantage of
    this proposed
    expansion of
    the lagoon exemption.
    The Agency has given
    the
    Board effluent information on only seven POTW’s.
    If data
    presented at hearing
    by Coal City
    is counted,
    the Board has
    before it effluent information from eight POTW’s.
    Although the Agency proposal
    is written
    so that no exemption
    will be granted which would result
    in
    a violation of dissolved
    oxygen standard,
    the Agency proposal could
    still result
    in
    a
    decline
    in
    the quality of
    the receiving streams.
    Given the
    record,
    it
    is impossible
    for the Board
    to assess the
    environmental
    impact that will
    result
    if up to 150 communities
    switch
    to lagoon systems.
    The Clean Water Act requires all POTW’s
    to be
    in compliance
    with effluent limitations by July 1,
    1988.
    The Board recognizes
    the urgent need for
    a number of POTW’s
    to ascertain whether or
    not they will qualify for an exemption so that they may alter
    their operations accordingly
    in order to achieve compliance by
    the deadline.
    It
    is apparent that many communities presently
    need relief
    so that their compliance will
    be assured by July 1,
    1988.
    However,
    the record
    is insufficient to support the full
    extent of
    the exemption proposal requested by the Agency.
    As
    a
    result, the Board will allow lagoon exemptions
    for those POTW’s
    treating
    a load of less than 5000 p.c.,
    which are presently
    utilizing lagoon systems
    or which have
    a system that has reached
    the end of its useful life by January
    1,
    1987.
    Such action will
    80—244

    9
    essentially preserve
    the
    status quo regarding impact on streams
    while allowing communities to take advantage of the coming
    construction season.
    Due
    to the unresolved questions in this record,
    it
    is
    necessary for the Board to consider under
    a separate docket the
    proposal for expanding the lagoon exemption to
    those non—lagoon
    facilities which have not reached the end of their useful lives
    by January
    1,
    1987.
    This docket allows the Agency and the
    public,
    including DENR,
    to provide information
    on
    a number
    of
    topics including whether well designed and run lagoon systems can
    produce an effluent
    of better than 30/37 quality;
    the costs of
    various
    treatment alternatives;
    the practical feasibility of
    using land treatment
    in Illinois alone or
    in combination with
    other methods;
    and the impact
    of various systems on streams.
    In P.C.
    #6,
    the Agency questioned the propriety of DENR
    filing
    its exhibits
    #1 and
    #2 after
    issuing
    a negative
    declaration.
    The concern would appear
    to be that the exhibits
    could
    lead
    to
    a modified proposal with altered
    economic
    impact.
    In
    this matter,
    the Board
    has already opened Docket
    B based on
    a
    desire for an expanded record.
    The stated concern will,
    therefore, not impact Docket A.
    The type of information
    contained
    in the two exhibits
    is most helpful
    to the Board
    in
    reaching informal decisions on complex rules.
    The Board
    encourages DENR and other
    knowledgeable persons
    or entities
    to
    participate
    in the regulatory process.
    The Board specifically
    notes that DENR’s ability
    to participate
    is by no means limited
    to its EcIS function.
    That function
    is separate from its
    right
    to provide such technical
    input to the process as it deems
    appropriate.
    DENR
    is diverse and includes the Scientific Surveys
    as well
    as the remnants
    of the Institute for Environmental
    Quality which was originally mandated
    to among other things “give
    expert guidance
    to
    the
    Agency
    and
    to
    the Board
    in the formulation
    of
    regulations”.
    Ill Rev. Stat.
    1975,
    ch.
    1111/2,
    par.
    1006.
    Technical input
    to
    a proceeding,
    such
    as that contained
    in the
    two exhibits,
    is appropriately introduced at hearing and may be
    considered
    in the EcIS process.
    Such information
    is generally
    presented by DENR personnel while
    the EchS
    is often prepared by
    outside consultants under contract.
    The Board recognizes the
    potential problems associated with the timing
    of the filing
    in
    question and the fact that the exhibits were not discussed at
    hearing.
    However,
    the Agency and other participants did have 30
    days to comment on the two exhibits.
    The coming hearings
    in
    Docket B will provide the opportunity
    to correct any problems
    that would otherwise exist because of the lateness of the
    filings.
    As stated earlier, DENR requests that the Board include
    in
    the regulation modeling methods to ensure that dissolved oxygen
    water quality standards
    are not violated by the lagoon
    exemptions.
    DENR claims that
    the modeling methods used by the
    Agency overestimate the dissolved oxygen content of the
    streams.
    Such modeling techniques are certainly within the field
    80—245

    10
    of the Agency’s expertise.
    The Board will defer
    to the Agency’s
    technical expertise
    in choosing the proper
    modeling method
    in
    Docket
    A.
    The issue
    can be explored on the record by all
    participants
    in Docket
    B.
    ORDER
    In response to the objection of the Joint Committee on
    Administrative Rules,
    the Board hereby modifies its rule to add
    subsection
    (f)
    and directs the Clerk
    to cause the publication of
    a notice
    of this response in the Illinois Register.
    Section 41 of
    the Environmental Protection Act,
    Ill.
    Rev.
    Stat.
    1985 ch.
    11?
    ½
    par.
    1041, provides for appeal of final
    Orders
    of the Board within
    35 days.
    The Rules of
    the Supreme
    Court of Illinois establish filing requirements.
    The Board hereby directs
    the Clerk
    to cause the filing of
    the following final,
    adopted rule with the Secretary of State.
    TITLE
    35:
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
    SUBTITLE
    C:
    WATER POLLUTION
    CHAPTER
    I:
    POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    PART 304
    EFFLUENT STANDARDS
    SUBPART
    A:
    GENERAL EFFLUENT STANDARDS
    Section 304.120
    Deoxygenating Wastes
    Except as provided
    in Section 306.103,
    all effluents containing
    deoxygenating wastes shall meet the following standards:
    a)
    No effluent shall exceed
    30
    ing/l
    of five day biochemical
    oxygen demand
    (BODç)
    (STORET number 00310)
    or 30 mg/l
    of
    suspended solids (~TORETnumber 00530), except that
    treatment works employing three stage lagoon treatment
    systems which are properly designed, maintained and
    operated, and whose effluent has
    a dilution ratio no
    less than five
    to one or who qualify for exceptions
    under paragraph
    (c)
    shall not exceed
    37 mg/i of
    suspended solids.
    b)
    No effluent from any source whose untreated waste load
    is 10,000 population equivalents
    or more,
    or from any
    source discharging into the Chicago River System or
    into
    the Calumet River System,
    shall exceed
    20 mg/i of BaD5
    or
    25 mg/l
    of suspended solids.
    c)
    No effluent whose dilution ratio is less than five
    to
    one shall exceed 10 mg/l
    of BOD~or
    12 mg/i of suspended
    solids, except that sources employing third—stage
    treatment lagoons shall
    be exempt from this paragraph
    (c) provided all
    of the following conditions are met:
    80—246

    11
    ~
    The ~nea~e~
    was~e~ea~ ~s ~ess than ~SO9
    pep~m~4~ert
    e
    a~eri~s~nd
    1)
    The waste source qualifies under one
    of the
    following categories:
    A)
    Any wastewater treatment works with an
    untreated waste
    load less than 2500 population
    equivalents, which
    is sufficiently isolated
    ~Ehatcombining with other sources
    to aggregate
    2500 population equivalents or more is not
    practicable.
    B)
    Any publicly owned
    treatment works
    in
    existence on January
    1,
    1986 whose untreated
    waste
    load
    is 5000 population equivalents
    or
    less and sufficiently
    isolated that combining
    to aggregate
    5000 population equivalents or
    more is not practicable.
    C)
    Any publicly owned
    treatment works with an
    untreated waste
    load of 5000 population
    equivalents or
    less, which has
    reached
    the end
    of
    its useful life
    by January
    1,
    1987, and
    is
    sufficiently isolated that combining
    to
    aggregate 5000 population equivalents
    or more
    is not practicable.
    ~s s
    ~e4~en~ry ~se~a~ed ~ha~ eemb~n4r~gw±4~h
    other
    sei~n=ees~e e~g~ega~e
    ~5OO pepe~a~4orie
    a~en~se~
    mere 4s ne~p~ae ea~ei-and
    32)
    The lagoons are properly constructed, maintained
    and operated; and
    43)
    The deoxygenating constituents of
    the effluent do
    not, alone
    or
    in combination with other sources,
    cause
    a violation of
    the applicable dissolved
    oxygen water quality standard.
    d)
    No effluent discharged
    to the Lake Michigan basin shall
    exceed
    4 mg/i
    of BOD5 or
    5 mg/i of suspended solids.
    e)
    Compliance with the numerical standards
    in this Section
    shall
    be determined on the basis
    of the type and
    frequency of
    sampling prescribed by the NPDES permit for
    the discharge
    at the time
    of monitoring.
    f)
    For
    the purposes of this Section,
    useful life
    is the
    period
    of time during which
    it
    is cost effective
    to
    operate and maintain
    a particular wastewater
    treatment
    works under consideration.
    At
    a minimum,
    the followin~~
    80—247

    12
    factors re1atir~y to
    a wasiewater
    treatment works
    shall
    be
    considered
    in
    a determination of
    its useful
    life:
    1)
    Structural and oFerational condition
    of components
    2)
    Past operations
    and maintenance
    record
    3)
    Cost for continued
    use;
    and
    4)
    Description and costs
    for
    treatment alternatives.
    (Source:
    Amended at
    11
    Ill.
    Req. ______________________________
    effective ____________________________________
    IT
    IS SO ORDERED.
    3.
    Dumelle concurred.~
    1,
    Dorothy
    M.
    Gunn,
    Clerk of
    the
    Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, h&reby certify
    that the above Order was adopted on
    tne
    ~
    ‘-I
    aay of
    __________________,
    l9b7,
    by
    a vote
    of
    C
    .
    Dorothy
    M. Gunn,
    Clerk
    Illinois Pollution Control Board
    80—248

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