3/20/2012. Millions of Gallons Year. CSO/Untreated Volume. RTB Volume. 050A Volume

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1 Emerging Issues from DEQ s Perspective March 14, 2012 Pete Ostlund Water Resources Protect and Monitor 4 Great Lakes 3,288 miles of Great Lakes shoreline 11,000 inland lakes 77,000 river miles 5.5 million acres of wetlands For swimming, fishing, drinking water and aquatic ecosystems. New Directions Governor Synder: Green card Metrics Problem solver approach 1

2 DEQ/WRD Specifics Director Wyant Leaders in environmental stewardship Full partner in Michigan s economic recovery Excel in customer service WRD Communication calls Problem solving Using metrics to focus our approaches 2

3 WRD Metrics Raw and Partially Treated Sewage Millions of Gallons CSO/Untreated Volume RTB Volume 050A Volume Year 3

4 Phosphorus in Saginaw Bay Annual Median Phosphorus Concentration in Saginaw Bay Total Phosphorus in mg/l Year Mercury in Fish Tissue Mercury from WWTPs Figure 4. Six Years of Total Annual Mercury Data from Eleven Wastewater Treatment Plants 35 Total Rolling Average Mercury Loading (lbs/year) Year 4

5 So what is new or on the horizon? New RTB/CSO/SSO Reporting Form Total Discharge of Raw and Partially Treated Sewage 5

6 Discharges by Category Millions of Gallons CSO/Untreated Volume RTB Volume 050A Volume Year Discharges of SSOs Annual Precipitation 6

7 MS4 Program Our challenges in implementing the MS4 program in Michigan Court challenge to our MS4 program (waiting for Court of Appeals to hear case) Back to 2003 permits Finished stakeholders process (listening) Started to develop the new approach EPA rule-making addressing developed sites and more Pesticide Permit Separate General Permit for each category Mosquito and other flying insect pest control Nuisance plant and algae control Nuisance animal control and fish reclamation Forestry canopy pest control Acknowledge existing programs/requirements FIFRA Aquatic Nuisance Control Part 33 Agriculture Part 83 (Pesticide Control) Reporting practices/forms Replaces most Rule 97 authorizations Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCP) Used to get a lot of attention, but that dropped off a bit DEQ grants for proper disposal (but 99% from normal excretion) Hormones and musks dominate the top 20 priority EOCs (emerging organic contaminants). Occurrence Studies: The Detroit River Watershed was sampled for 51 PPCPs and EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals). Other studies as well. The key issues are still antibiotic resistance and endocrine disruption USGS Paper - reported on upgrades to a WWTP in Colorado that resulted in reduced endocrine disruption in the fish downstream of the plant 7

8 EPA Electronic reporting rule Integrated municipal wastewater and storm water control Data transparency (DMR loading tool) Green infrastructure Asset management Nutrient pollution Other Issues of Interest State Revolving Fund changes Reforms for resource programs - exemptions for utilities (water and sewer construction) Worth Township Supreme Court Lake Erie phosphorus concerns MiWaters Our new database - MiWaters (coming in about 2 years) Comprehensive database wastewater and resources Combines multiple legacy databases Electronic application process and on-line tracking Accepts electronic reports by regulated facilities. Also has a compliance assistance function to remind them of report deadlines (note new EPA rule on e-reporting expected in early 2012) Integrates GIS within the database to improve efficiency Mobile use (staff can take the system with them for field inspections and compliance assistance) Provides the public with access to data on-line What are your needs for on-line data or compliance assistance? 8

9 Peter Ostlund Water Resources Division, DEQ 9