ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    September 6,
    1973
    )
    CITY
    OF
    FREEBURG
    )
    )
    )
    v.
    )
    PCB 73-312
    )
    )
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    )
    )
    OPINION AND ORDER OF
    THE
    BOARD
    (by
    Mr.
    Dumelle)
    Petition for variance was filed with the Board on July 31,
    1973.
    Freeburg,
    a city in St.
    Clair County asks to exceed the
    water quality standard of 0.02 mg/i for copper contained
    in
    Rule 203(f)
    of the Water Pollution Control Regulations while
    dosing its 6,500,000 gallon water reservoir with copper sulfate
    to prevent algae blooms.
    Algae blooms cause taste and odor pro-
    blems
    in
    the finished water.
    The Agency’s recommendation,
    filed September
    5,
    1973
    is
    to grant the variance with certain conditions which we
    adopt in
    the order.
    The Board has issued similar variances
    in some
    20
    cases this year
    (City of Mount Olive, et al,
    PCB 73-124,
    August
    9,
    1973)
    and the reasoning remains the same.
    Copper sulfate usage
    may present
    a long term hazard and at least five alternative
    chemicals
    exist which may prove to be
    suitable substitutes under
    Illinois conditions.
    But we do not yet know the extent of the
    hazard nor the environmental suitability of the alternative algicides.
    We therefore await Dr.
    Charles
    B. Muchmore*s final report on this
    subject and again urge that
    it be completed well before the 1974
    algae
    growing season.
    ORDER
    1.
    Variance is granted from Rule 203(f)
    of the Water Pollution
    Regulations to exceed the 0.02 water quality standard for
    copper when dosing with copper sulfate for algae control.
    2.
    Treatments are limited to
    a maximum of
    10 lbs.
    each on a
    monthly frequency for August, September and October of
    1973.
    9—211
    -2-
    3.
    Copper concentrations
    at
    the
    raw
    water intake to the
    water
    treatment plant shall not exceed
    1.0
    mg/l
    at any time.
    4,
    Copper
    concentrations
    in
    the
    reservoir
    shall
    be
    measured
    before and
    after
    each
    treatment
    with
    copper sulfate and
    the
    results
    reported
    to
    the
    Agency
    on
    a
    monthly basis.
    IT
    15
    30
    CRDEREI).
    Mr.
    Odell
    abstains.
    Cont ro I
    adopted
    ‘3~o
    Christan
    C.
    Mofiett,
    Clerk
    of
    the
    hinds
    Pollution
    Board,
    hereby
    c;ertify
    the
    above
    Opinion
    and
    Order
    were
    on
    the
    ~~day
    of
    September.
    1973
    hr
    a
    vote
    of

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