MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER PERMITS

Transcription

1 MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER PERMITS TCEQ Water Quality & Stormwater Seminar September 17, 2014 Dex Dean & Becca Moore

2 APPLICATION FORMS inst Instructions for Completing the Domestic Wastewater Permit Application (PDF) Domestic Wastewater Permit Application Administrative Report (PDF) Domestic Wastewater Permit Application Technical Report (PDF)

3 TYPES OF APPLICATIONS New* Renewal Amendment Brand new facility Expired permits re-apply as new facilities Continue an existing authorization Can include a minor amendment Major Amendment*- substantially change or relax the permit Minor Amendmentchange permit without relaxing the permit *Requires additional notice to adjacent and downstream landowners

4 PERMIT CLASSIFICATIONS Minor < 1.0 MGD Standard pollutant screening Major 1.0 MGD Full pollutant screening Biomonitoring Standard pretreatment requirements (for POTWs) Possibly expanded pretreatment

5 APPLICATION HELP If I have questions Call (512) If I have lots of questions or unique issues Consider pre-application meeting with TCEQ staff If I need to renew my existing permit Submit application 180 days before the existing permit expires

6 HELPFUL WEBSITE RESOURCES

7 THE PERMITTING PROCESS Applications Team NOD & NORI Water Quality Assessment Pretreatment Region & Enforcement Issued Permit APPLICANT EPA / Public Comments Permit Coordinator Draft to Applicant Chief Clerk s Office NAPD

8 DON T GET BOGGED DOWN Respond to Notices of Deficiency Publish both public notices and return documents (30 days each) Check for bilingual requirements Check accuracy and formatting Complete/correct affidavit and verification Review draft permit and send approval or comments

9 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW: AVOID COMMON ERRORS Fill out all contact information Sign the form Provide complete maps Arrange to have the application displayed in a public building Update the location description (as needed) Provide a complete landowner list (as needed)

10 TECHNICAL REVIEW: AVOID COMMON ERRORS Address Other Requirements Provide a clear buffer zone map: should be 8.5 X 11, black and white, not google maps Provide a complete, current pollutant analysis with lab sheets Include justification for unbuilt phases or flow request Provide description of treatment process, list unit dimensions, complete process flow chart

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12 COMPLIANCE HISTORY REVIEW High No further review Satisfactory Admin Orders or 10 NOVs Executive Review Committee Poor Other Review

13 REGIONALIZATION State policy prefers regional or area-wide wastewater treatment systems over a large number of smaller treatment systems New and expanding plants contact existing wastewater treatment providers Provide a 3 mile radius map from the point of discharge that lists all permitted municipal facilities or collection systems CCN issues ( )

14 ANTIBACKSLIDING Any change in a permit that leads to less stringent conditions Material alteration BACKSLIDE WITH CARE What is backsliding? BACKSLIDING Federal Anti-backsliding regulations 40 CFR Part (l)(2)(i) New information No control, no remedy Are there any circumstances where a less stringent permit can be issued? Appropriate treatment can t meet limit

15 WHAT S IN YOUR PERMIT BOD, TSS, DO, NH3-N, bacteria, others Other Requirements Pretreatment Requirements Biomonitoring Requirements Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Segment & geographic issues Treatment technology Past performance Segment & geographic issues Past performance Permit specific issues POTW Full program required for >4.0 MGD Major permits Major permits Past performance

16 TCEQ/EPA BACTERIA LIMITS Bacteria limits in all discharge permits Typically 126 CFU per 100 ml E. coli for freshwater Typically 35 CFU per 100 ml enterococci for saltwater May be less with TMDL Flow (MGD) Minimum Required Bacteria Monitoring Frequency (30 TAC Table 2) Chlorine Systems Ultraviolet Systems Natural Systems >10 5/week Daily Daily >5-10 3/week Daily 5/week >1-5 1/week Daily 3/week > /month Daily 1/week /month 5/week 2/month <0.1 1/quarter 5/week 1/month

17 GEOMETRIC MEAN FOR BACTERIA By hand In Excel On the web n S 1 S 2 S n =GEOMEAN (choose cells) Search for Geometric Mean Calculator on the TCEQ webpage Sample 1 5 Sample 2 7 Sample Sample 4 2 Average 254 Geomean 16

18 BEFORE ACCEPTING WASTE Domestic septage (septic tanks) or chemical toilet waste Is it good for my treatment process? Domestic WWTP biosolids Grit or grease Do I have organic capacity? Brewery, bottling, and food processing wastewater Animal feed or animal processing wastewater

19 DRAFT PERMIT PACKAGE Public Notice (NAPD) Statement of Basis Fact Sheet Cover Letter Draft Permit Draft Permit Package Cover Letter Public Notice (NAPD) Statement of Basis Fact Sheet Draft Permit Package Draft Permit

20 KNOWING YOUR DRAFT PERMIT Standard Provisions Sludge Provisions Effluent Limits Other Requirements Authorization Page Draft Permit Authorization Page (review carefully) Effluent Limits (review carefully) Standard Provisions Sludge Provisions Other Requirements (review carefully) Pretreatment & Biomonitoring (review carefully) Permit Pretreatment & Biomonitoring

21 RECENT CHANGES Samples taken on or after July 14, 2014 must use the new minimum analytical level (MAL) New application forms are now available MAL Lab Result (one sample) Valid? 10 μg/l 15 μg/l Yes 10 μg/l 5 μg/l Yes 10 μg/l < 5 μg/l Yes 10 μg/l < 15 μg/l No retest

22 2010 Implementation Procedures Nutrient criteria (as chlorophyll a) has been added for reservoirs Applies to all new or expanding permits larger than 0.25 MGD, and renewals on a case-by-case basis May result in total nitrogen or total phosphorus limits For details refer to Procedures to Implement the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards (2010) and 30 TAC, Chapter 307, Appendix F

23 CONTACT INFORMATION Dex Dean Becca Moore

24 ANY QUESTIONS?

25 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION Supplemental Information

26 PROGRAM LOCATION QUICK REFERENCE Commissioners Executive Director Chief Clerk Office of Administrative Services The TCEQ's Office of Water handles wastewater permits. The Office of Water and the Chief Clerk's Office are in different branches of the TCEQ. The Office of Water is under the Executive Director. Other Offices in this branch include the Office of Administrative Services, Chief Engineer s Office, Office of Chief Compliance Engineer s and Enforcement, Office Office of Legal Services, Office of Air, and Office of Water. Office of Compliance and Enforcement Office of Legal Services Office of Air Office of Waste Office of Water

27 PROGRAM LOCATION QUICK REFERENCE Office of Water Water Quality Permits Water Availability Industrial Water Quality Municipal (Domestic) Water Quality Planning Stormwater Water Supply Agriculture

28 HELPFUL RESOURCES TCEQ website: Keyword/forms search (database, Spanish templates, 10053, 10054, municipal wastewater permits, etc.) Central Records Chief Clerk s Office: Water Quality Division: Regional Offices

29 GET FORMS ON THE WEB 1 To access the forms: (1) open the TCEQ webpage, (2) click on the Forms link, and (3) enter the form number in the Forms Search page. The forms page can also be searched by keyword or subject. 3 2

30 KEEPING TRACK OF PERMIT STATUS PART 1

31 KEEPING TRACK OF PERMIT STATUS PART 2

32 KEEPING TRACK OF PERMIT STATUS PART 3

33 KEEPING TRACK OF PERMIT STATUS PART 4

34 KEEPING TRACK OF A PERMIT STATUS PART 5 Search results will show you: Where the permit is in the permitting process Who the Admin Reviewer is Who the Permit Coordinator is If there have been any public comments

35 PERMIT SEARCH PART 1 Use permit search tab Use Advanced Search Option

36 PERMIT SEARCH PART 2 Used the Advanced Search option to: Find a group of specific type of permits Permits within a certain region, county, etc. Active/expired

37 COMMISSIONERS INTEGRATED DATABASE PART 1

38 COMMISSIONERS INTEGRATED DATABASE PART 2

39 COMMISSIONERS INTEGRATED DATABASE PART 3