ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARI)
September 20, 1~84
LAKE
WILLIAMSON
CHRISTIAN
CENTER,
)
)
Petitioners
)
V.
)
PCB 84—145
)
ILL1NO1$
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
)
)
)
Respondent.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by W.
J. Nega):
This
provisional variance request comes before the Board
upon a September
18,
1984 Recommendation of the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency (Agency).
The Agency recommends
that a 45-day provisional variance be granted to Illinois
District Assembly of God
Lake
Williamson Christian Center from
35
Iii.
Adm. Code 304.141(a)
to provide relief from its NPDES
Permit effluent limitations during the period that repairs are
made to its wastewater treatment facility.
The Petitioner owns and operates a Christian Center which
holds retreats and seminars near the City of Carlinville in
Macoupin County, Illinois,
?he total permanent population which
is served by the sewage treatment facilities is less than 350
persons.
The Petitioner’s wast~stertr..t~t
facilities
consists of
three naturally aerated lagoon cells which have volumes of
1.3
million gallons,
3.1 million gallons,
and
4.5 million gallons
respectively, as well as chlorination facilities,
Effluent from
the wastewater treatment facilities
La discharged into Lake
Williamson via an unnamed tributary.
(Rec.
1).
The requested provisional variance
is sought to allow higher
concentrations of BOO and
suspended
solids during the time period
that the berms of the largest lagoon cell are being repaired.
(Rec,
2).
This 4.5 million gallon capacity cell will be de—
watered over
a 15-day
period,
thereby resulting in a maximum
discharge of 335,000 gallons per day (i.e.,
300,000 gallons per
day from
the
large lagoon cell
and
influent flow of up to 35,000
gallons per day
=
maximum discharge of 335,000 gallons per day).
60-157
The Petitianer~splan provides that the water from the large
lagoon cell will be treated in the other two cells, operated in
series,
along with
the
incoming raw sewage flow and then
chlorinated and discharged.
(Rec,
2).
It is estimated that the
detention
time
in the other two lagoon cells will be approx-
imately 13 days, assuming a maximum flow rate of 335,000 gallons
per day
~
(Rec
2
Depending on weather conditions at the time the repairs are
rnade~ it
is anticipated that the repairs to the berms may take up
to 30 days.
During this time period,
it is estimated that the
maximum
flow
rate would be 35,000 gallons per day of raw sewage,
which would result
in a detention time of about
125 days.
The
large lagoon cell would be returned to service upon completion of
the requisite repairs.
(Rec.
2).
Pursuant. to its present NPDES Permit No.
1L0045373, the
Petitioner is allowed to discharge 10 milligrams per liter
(rn/i)
BOD and 12 mg/i suspended solids in its treated effluent.
During
the time of this requested provisional variance, the Petitioner
has requested that it be allowed to discharge an effluent with
120 mg/i BOD and 90 mg/i suspended solids.
However, considering
the previously mentioned detention times, the Agency considers
that the effluent limits requested by the Petitioner are
excessive.
Thus, the Agency has recommended an effluent limit of
50 mg/i for both BOD and suspended solids during the time period
that the large lagoon cell
is being drained, and has suggested
that effluent limits of
30 mg/i BOD and 37 mg/i suspended solids
during the actual repair period are reasonable and appropriate in
the instant case.
(Rec,
2).
Temporary storage as an alternative to discharging the
contents of the large lagoon cell into Lake Williamson has been
ocnsidered by the Petitioner.
However, this potential alter-
native would increase construction costs by 27
and
is estimated
to cost about $16,900.
Such an expensive alternative would not
only greatly increase the Petitioner’s costs, but it would also
significantly lengthen the time period before necessary repairs
to the berms of the large lagoon would be completed.
The
Petitioner would have to spend time
in obtaining an Agency permit
and in reclaiming the temporary storage site, and repairs might
not be completed ~before the onset of inclement winter weather~.
(Rec.
3).
The Agency has concurred with the Petitioner that the berms
of the large lagoon cell are in need of repair and that the
controlled discharge of the contents of the large
cell, will
present a minimal environmental impact upon Lake Williamson.
(Rec.
2).
ifl light of the expected minimal environmental impact
60-158
—3—
of the controlled discharge of the contents of the large lagoon
cell to Lake Williamson,
the
Agency
has concluded that the
expensive alternative of temporary
storage would be an un-
necessary hardship.
The Agency has concluded that compliance on a short-term
basis with the provisions of 35 111.
Mm.
Code 304.141(a) would
impose an arbitrary or unreasonable hardship upon the Petitioner.
Therefore,
the Agency recommends
that the Board
grant
the
Illinois
District Assembly of God Lake Williamson Christian Center a
provisional variance from Section
304.141(a)
for a period of
45 das, subject to certain
conditions.
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 Illinois District Assembly of God
Lake Williamson
Christian Center
is hereby granted a provisional variance from
35 Ill, Adm, Code 304.141(a), subject to the following
conditions:
1.
This provisional variance shall commence when draining
of the large lagoon cell is begun and shall continue for 45 days,
or until the large cell
is returned to service, whichever occurs
first.
2.
During the period that the large cell
is being drained,
the effluent discharged s?iall be limited to 50 mg/i BOO and
50 mg/i suspended solids and pH of 6.0 to 9.0.
3.
During the remainder of the provisional variance
period, the effluent discharged shall be limited to 30 mg/i BOO,
37 mg/i suspended solids,
and
p11 of 6.0 to 9.0.
4.
The Petitioner shall record the flow and sample the
effluent a minimum of once per week.
Each sample shall be
analyzed for BOD, suspended solids, and ph.
The analysis results
shall then be recorded with the flow data.
5.
The Petitioner shall notify
Sandra Bron (the Agency
field representative)
via telephone at 217/786—6892
when
draining
of the large lagoon cell
is begun; when draining of the
large
cell
is completed; and
when
the
large
cell
is
placed
back
into
service.
6.
Within
10 days after
the large lagoon cell
is placed
back in service,
the Petitioner shall submit to the Agency a
60-159
—4—
written
report
containing the
sampling
and
analysis
information
obtained as delineated in items 44 and #5
above.
This report
shall be sent to:
Mr. James Frost
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Division of Water Pollution Control
Compliance
Assurance
Section
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield,
Illinois
62706
7.
The Petitioner
shall provide the best treatment
practicable during the period
of
this provisional variance.
8.
Within 10 days of the date of the Board’s Order, the
Petitioner shall execute a
Certificate
of
Acceptance
and
Agreement which shall be sent to the Agency at the address
specified
in item #6 of this Order.
This
certification shall have the following form:
I,
(We)
,
having
read the Order of the Illinois Pollution Control Board in
PCB 84-145 dated September
20, 1984, understand and accept said
Order,
realizing
that
such
acceptance
renders
all
terms
and
conditions thereto binding and enforceable.
Petitioner
~T~’Authorized
Agent
Title
Date
IT IS SO ORDERED.
60-160
I, Dorothy L
Guan,
Clerk of
the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify that the above
Opinion
and
Order
was
adcred on the
~
day
of
____________,
1984 by a vote of
a~4~e7
~
Dorothy M. Gunn,
Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
60-161