ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    April
    18, 1974
    )
    CITY OF NASHVILLE
    )
    )
    )
    v.
    )
    PCB
    74-35
    )
    )
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    )
    )
    OPINION AND
    ORDER
    OF THE BOARD
    (by Mr.
    Dumelle):
    The City of Nashville
    (Nashville)
    filed
    a Petition for a
    Variance from Chapter
    3,
    Part II
    of the Pollution Control Board’s
    Rules
    and Regulations
    (Water Pollution Rules) on January
    25, 1974.
    The Agency filed
    a Recommendation on March
    25,
    1974 recommending
    a grant of the variance subject to certain conditions.
    No hearing
    was held.
    Petitioner operates
    a public water supply system serving
    the residents of the City of Nashville.
    A 40-acre reservoir
    which drains 1.39 square miles provides the surface waters used
    as raw water supply in Petitioner’s
    system.
    The Agency states
    that the water supply reservoir currently meets
    the requirements
    of
    the Environmental Protection Act and the relevant Rules and
    Regulations of the Board.
    Because of plant nutrients present in the surface water
    reservoir,
    algae growth presents
    a serious problem
    to
    the Petitioner
    during warm weather months.
    Algae presents taste and odor problems
    and tends
    to
    clog Petitioner~swater treatment system.
    In order to control algae growth, Petitioner seeks
    a variance
    from the limit of 0.02 mg/i of copper found in Rule 203(f)
    of the
    Water Pollution Rules.
    Petitioner seeks to do what it has done for
    19 years,
    treat the water supply reservoir with copper sulfate.
    Nashville proposes to use
    350 lbs. of copper sulfate per treat-
    ment in its 78,900,000 gallon reservoir.
    At the maximum dosage,
    the copper levels should not exceed 0.13 mg/i.
    The Board notes that treatment of surface water supply reservoir
    with copper sulfate
    is
    an effective way of controlling
    algal growth
    (Algae Growth in Public Water Supply Reservoirs, and Alternatives_
    to the Use of Copper Sulfate-TA Discussion, Mr.
    G.E.
    Margrave, Division
    of Public Water Supply, Envirôninent~1Protection Agency).
    However,
    a concern of the Board,
    is
    the possible buildup of copper in the
    bottom sediments sufficient
    to poison benthos or affect bottom-feeding
    fish.
    A requirement
    to obtain a permit from the Agency for
    the
    activity proposed by Nashville
    is currently before the Board in
    the Proposed Amendments
    to the Public Water Supply Systems
    Rules
    and Regulations,
    R73-l3.
    12
    —
    107
    -2-
    The Board grants
    the City of Nashville the variance requested
    and notes essentially the same request was granted last year,
    City of Nashville
    V.
    EPA,
    PCB 73-227
    (June
    28,
    1973).
    This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings
    of fact and
    conclusions of law.
    ORDER
    The Board hereby grants the City of Nashville
    a variance from
    Rule
    203(f)
    of
    the
    Water Pollution Rules subject
    to the following
    conditions:
    1.
    That copper sulfate treatments be limited to
    1 treatment
    per month during
    the months of May through and including
    October,
    1974;
    2.
    That copper sulfate dosages not exceed
    350 lbs. per
    treatment
    3.
    That copper concentrations
    at
    the raw water intake to
    the
    treatment plant never exceed the 1.0 mg/i recommendation
    of
    the
    U.S. Public Health Service Drinking Standard;
    and
    4.
    That the copper concentrations in the reservoir be measured
    immediately prior to and after each copper sulfate treatment,
    and the results
    of the measurements be submitted to
    the Agency
    on
    a monthly basis.
    I, Christan
    L.
    Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board,
    hereby
    certify
    the above Opinion and Order was adopted on
    the
    j~4’day of April,
    1974 by a vote of ___________________________
    Christan L. Mbffet /~9lerk
    Illinois Pollution Co~itro1Board
    12—
    108

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