ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

March 25, 1976

VILLAGE OF STEWARDSON,

Petitioner,

)

v.

)

PCB 75—445

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,

)

Respondent.

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Mr. Dunielle):

On November 14, 1975 the Village of Stewardson, Illinois

(Village) filed before this Board a petition for variance from

Rules 203(c) and 402 of the Board’s Water Pollution Control

Regulations. On November 26, 1975 this Board ordered the Village

to supply additional information. Petitioner filed an amended

petition for variance on January 2, 1976. On February 10, 1976

the Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) filed its Recommenda-

tion. The Agency recommends that the petition be granted subject

to two conditions.

The Village, with a population of 729 in 1970, presently

has no sewage treatment plant. On October 21, 1975 the Village

was offered a State grant for the purpose of constructing a

sewage collection system and treatment plant to replace the

present individual septic tanks and tile fields. However,

this grant offer is conditioned upon the Village receiving a

Variance from the Water Quality Standard for phosphorus, Rule

203(c). The proposed sewage treatment plant will contribute

to a violation of this Rule unless a phosphorus removal facility,

at an estimated cost of $105,000.00 is installed.

The Village’s amended petition provides cost estimates

for two alternatives to phosphorus removal. The first alternative

is a discharge, via force main, to the Wabash Basin. The second

alternative is effluent disposal by land application. However,

the Village estimates the cost of the alternatives at $224,700

and $249,000 respectively. It is therefore clear that phosphorus

removal would be the least costly method if needed.

The issue in this matter, therefore, is whether compliance

with the phosphorus standards would impose an arbitrary or

unreasonable hardship upon the Village of Stewardson. The

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additional construction and operating costs demonstrate

a definite hardship. However, this hardship must be balanced

against the adverse environmental effects which may be caused

by operation of the proposed plant.

The effluent from the Village’s plant will be discharged

into Wolfe Creek, which is a tributary of Big Creek and the

Kaskaskia River, which then flows into Carlyle Reservoir.

Rule 203(c) sets the Water Quality Standard for phosphorus

for reservoirs and lakes, and streams flowing into any

reservoir or lake so as not to exceed 0.05 mg/l. Rule 402

provides that no effluent shall, alone or in combination

with other sources, cause a violation of any such water

quality standard. Both Big Creek and the Kaskaskia River are

in violation of the 0.05 mg/i standard. The Agency calculates

an average phosphorus level of the Kaskaskia River to be

0.29 mg/l, almost six times the phosphorus standard. There

is no question that the Village’s proposed discharge would

contribute to the violation of the standard.

However, the Village states (and the Agency agrees)

that the phosphorus contribution from the proposed plant would

be insignificant. The Agency calculates that the proposed

discharge would represent a 0.17 increase of phosphorus in

the Kaskaskia River. Such an increase may, indeed, be insigni-

ficant. However, such a comparison ignores the possibility

that Stewardson’s contribution will be of the largely algae-

stimulating orthophosphate type compared to the stream load of

phosphorus bound to soil particles, (hence not growth stimulating to

algae). If this is the case, the Village’s effluent could con-

tribute to an increase of algae in the Carlyle Reservoir.

Therefore, while the Village’s proposed discharge would

appear to be insignificant, it is quite possible that at

some future date a determination will be made that such a

contribution may cause adverse environmental effects.

The Board will grant a variance from the cited regulations

for a period of one year so that the grant can be made and

the plant built. Further, the Board will require that provision

be made in the sewage plant design for phosphorus removal facilities

(adequate space, blanked pipe flanges, etc., to facilitate

installation) should it be found necessary at some future date.

This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact

and conclusions of law.

ORDER

Petitioner Village of Stewardson is hereby granted a variance

from Rules 203(c) and 402 of the Board’s Water Pollution Control

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Regulations for one year, from the date of this order, subject

to the following conditions:

The proposed sewage treatment plant shall be designed

and constructed so as to allow for the possible future

installation of phosphorus removal facilities.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Board, hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were adopted on the

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day of March, 1976 by a vote of

~.-o

Illinois Pollution Con

Board