DONALD E . SANDIDGE
MAYOR
101 East Third Street
Alton, IL 62002
(618) 463-3500
Fax (618) 463-3525
May 9, 2007
Pollution Control Board, Attention
: Clerk
100 West Randolph Street
James
R. Thompson Center, Suite 11-500
Chicago, IL 80601-3218
RE: AS 2007-2 (Petition for Adjusted Standard)
To Whom It May Concern
:
I am writing to you on behalf of the City of Alton and its 30
.500 residents in support of Illinois
American Water's petition to extend the adjusted standard that allows the Company to continue
to
discharge residuals from its Alton water treatment facility into the Mississippi River
.
Discharging residuals into the Mississippi River has been the practice here in Alton for more than
100 years
. It is my understanding that this direct discharge practice has been studied
and does
not adversely affect the river environment
. Moreover, when the adjusted standard was renewed
in 2000, the renewal was tied to a soil savings offset project in the Piasa Creek Watershed .
The
elimination of two pounds of sediment for every one pound generated
by the water treatment
facility has an overall positive impact on the environment and the river
. The project has received
numerous awards due to its overwhelming success .
The partnership between Illinois American Water and Great Rivers Land Trust reflects a creative
alternate solution that has benefitted the Alton community and our environment
. It serves as an
example of the positive results that can be achieved when industry and environmentalists
work
together in the best interests of a community .
These types of partnerships must be encouraged
and not discouraged by regulations .
As Mayor of the City of Alton, I have four major concerns if the petition to extend
the adjusted
standard is denied
.
1 . The alternative is lagoons at the water treatment site
. At a July 1998 public meeting
at the historic Stratford Hotel in Acton, with Illinois EPA officials
in attendance, local
homeowners voiced their strong concern about the potential of lagoons being constructed
at the new water plant
. Local residents and city officials did not want lagoons
in their
backyards
. I can assure you today that these residents and the City of Alton still
do not
want lagoons at the plant site
.
2. Increased truck traffic on scenic byway
. On-site treatment of residuals would
require
the daily hauling of river sift from the water treatment plant site to a landfill
. This could
mean as many as 17 truckloads per day and was projected to require at least three truck
trips per day
. As a result, on-site treatment means increased truck traffic along
one of
the nation's most scenic highways, which also runs near a public park and bike trail
.
RECEIVED
CLERK'S
OFFICE
MAY 1 4 2007
STATE OF ILLINOIS
Pollution Control Board
cot
1
3.
Higher water rates for our residents . There would be a financial
impact on water
customers in the Alton area
. Lagoons and the alternate residual-handling technologies at
the treatment facility are substantially more expensive than the direct discharge option .
These additional costs would be passed on to water ratepayers, our local residents
.
4. Environmental benefits could be lost
. While local costs would go up, we would see a
negative impact on the environment. In addition to the lagoons and increased traffic,
there is a threat to continued maintenance of the Piasa Creek Watershed Project
. Illinois
American Water has been the primary contributor to the Great Rivers Land Trusts
Piasa
Creek Watershed Project.
Numerous sediment reduction projects have been
implemented as a result of the Company's contributions . The sediment reduction
projects have benefited our community, which is partially located in the watershed . It is
my understanding that eliminating the direct discharge allowance will eliminate the largest
funding source for the maintenance/upkeep of these valuable offset projects .
I hope you will consider the benefits to the residents of the City of Alton, as well as our concerns,
and approve Illinois American Water's petition for an adjusted standard that allows Illinois
American Water to continue to direct discharge river sediment back into the Mississippi River.
Thank you
Don Sandidge
Mayor, City of Alton
cc:
Senator William Haine
Representative Dan Beiser
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