~\VIT8p
    RECEIVED
    CLERK’S OFFICE
    1
    DEC 06
    2004
    i~r.t
    Vi11a~eof Mannattan
    _______________
    MANHATIAN,IncorporatedILLINOISin
    1886
    245 South State
    (._)
    Street, P.O. Box 31, Manhattan, Illinois
    60442
    Pollution Control Boar
    Phone: (815) 478-3483
    Fax: (815) 478-5103
    December 1, 2004
    Ms. Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
    Illinois Pollution Control Board
    James R. Thompson Center
    100 West Randolph Street
    Suite 11-5000
    Chicago, 1L60601
    RE:
    Docket No. R-04-021
    Revisions to Radium Water Quality Standards
    Dear Ms Gunn
    I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments to the Illinois Pollution Control Board
    ~thjs iinpditthitisstietb ~ut’cöni~athity~.the ViI1d~eofManhattan present population
    is a community of5,000 residents located ~n.Squthern Will. County. The Village is
    currently expenencing a large influx ofnew developmentwhich projects the population
    to grow to over 30,000 within the next, five to ten years The public water supply at this
    time has two deep wells and two shallow wells with a annual daily pump age of30,000
    gallons. The purposed developments within the Village have additional wells and
    treatment to be installed to support the increase ofdemand to the water system.
    The current wastewater plant discharges into Manhattan Creek and has been domg so
    since the 1960’s Manhattan has also been praised by environmental groups for its efforts
    in the restoration ofManhattan Creek, as noted in a recent issue ofthe Star Newspaper by
    the Chief Executive Officer ofThe Conservation Foundation, “Here’s this little town of
    Manhattan, and theyhave the best stream protection ordinance.” The Village of
    Manhattan has worked with conservation groups on establishing effluent limits pertaining
    to orthophosphate that therewill be no increase to the annual average after the present
    expansion at the current wastewaterplant. The Village has also proposed to adhere to
    these limits at any future wastewaterplants within the Village
    The Village ofManhattan supports the EPA proposal to allow the current practice
    di~ehä~ging~radiümefflü~iit.The Village is âlwa~’sopen ‘to cornthuiiicate with the EPA
    or any group concerned with environmental issues. The EPA, water supply, and
    wastewãter planth have worked with EPA regulations and have always been based on

    science and not by a company’s interest in fmancial gains. The Village ofManhattan
    supports the EPA proposal to allow the current practice discharging radium effluent.
    Radium is already being discharged to Illinois streams formany years with no effect to
    plant and wildlife. The EPA proposal of a no increase ofradium would result in
    establishing a numerical standard to radium effluents. The EPA proposal has been
    libeled in some recent news articles that establishing the numerical standard would
    actually increase the amount ofradium discharge from wastewater plants. This
    numerical standard would respond to Illinois residents that there would be additional
    pollution. The radium influent, effluent and the handling ofbiosolids has not
    demonstrated to be any risk to workers at wastewater plants. The Village ofManhattan is
    faced with the cost of implementing the new drinking water standards and wastewater
    standards which have been established over the years ofstudying the science ofwater and
    wastewater. The establishment of standards that eliminate radium in effluent discharges
    would increase cOst oftreatment dramatiôally without additional positive impact to the
    environment.
    -
    The Village ofManhattan would again like to thank you for allowing the Village to
    comment on this very important issue. I believe that we have made some sound and
    strong points and looking forward to the decision.
    Sincerely,
    • James M. Doyle
    William L. Liszka
    Village President
    Superintendent ofStreets and Utilities
    L

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