What's New at Oregon ACWA?
Readable Reference on Cadmium affecting livestock health
Read this good reference on cadmium affecting livestock health - Trace Minerals
and Cadmium Toxicity, Dr. Larry L. Berger, University of Illinois.
Update on Connecticut Nitrogren Trading Program
Keep up to date on changes and new issues in the Connecticut Nitrogen Trading
Program by reading their 2005 annual report.
DEQ Responds to SW Summit Questions
At the ACWA Storwmater Summit held in Eugene on April 12th, the group prepared
a list of questions for DEQ on various stormwater issues. DEQ's responses, and
a few attachments are included here; DEQ response; 401 guidelines; and UIC Q &
A.
DEQ moves to return UIC program to EPA
DEQ has initiated the process for returning the Underground Injection Control
(UIC) program to EPA. The attached Q & A details DEQ's plans; it plans to
stop accepting UIC registrations on 9/1/06 and is considering repeal or amendment
of some of the division 44 rules.
DEQ Updates 303(d) List
DEQ has updated the 303(d) list of stream segments that do not meet water quality
standards. Follow the link here to the information on DEQ's web site.
Got Data Quality?
A group of lab managers and others concerned with data quality are promoting
a plan for more Oregon municipal wastewater laboratories to be voluntarily accredited
to the Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP). Their
white paper A Call for Lab Quality outlines their thinking, and why senior wastewater
managers should be working with their laboratories to ensure adequate quality
procedures are in place.
DEQ Sets Policy to Govern Local Government Relations
DEQ has set out a policy to assist their staff in seting positive relationships
with local governments. The policy is available heres.
NEMO
The Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officals (NEMO) is a web site focused on
helping municipalities know how best to handle stormwater. The site is operated
by the University of Conn.
Wash Water Presentation to Stormwater Committee
Rick Fischl of Clean Water Services presented a detailed description of wash water
issues to the May Stormwater Committee. Click here to see a copy of his presentation.
CA. Water Boards - new Erase
the Waste Campaign
The California Water Boards (the Water Boards) are pleased to offer the free multilingual
California Storm Water Toolbox (below), a comprehensive set of educational and
outreach tools developed as part of the Board's Erase the Waste campaign. These
action-oriented tools are free to all interested parties. "Erase the Waste"
campaign, sponsored by the Water Boards, is a public education program, working
to reduce harmful storm water pollution and improve the environment of the region’s
coastal and inland communities.
Center for Watershed Protection Develops Benchmarking Tool Smart Watershed
Benchmarking Tool just released! Using lessons learned from around the country,
this self-assessment tool helps local program managers make better decisions on
watershed restoration priorities to maximize the performance of staff and financial
resources. Local watershed groups can also use this tool by determining how their
community compares to others and work with their local governments to encourage
adoption of practices that would improve scores. Link here
to learn more about the benchmarking tool and download a copy.
DEQ issues mixing zone policy for review
DEQ has released its guidance (called Internal Management Directives) on mixing
zones and mixing zone study review for public review and comment. Link here to
the DEQ web site for the draft policies. Comments are due to DEQ on 6/30/06.
Pacific Northwest Pretreatment Conference
September 27-29, 2006 at the Water Resources Education Center in Vancouver, Wa.
Conference fee is $150. Conference will run 8:00-4:30 Wed, Thurs and 8:00 till
noon on Friday.
EPA Guide Identifies Criteria Used by Inspectors to Evaluate CMOM Activities
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Compliance
has published the Guide for Evaluating Capacity, Management, Operation, and
Maintenance (CMOM) Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems. The guide
is designed to encourage EPA regions and states to use a CMOM approach for implementing
a performance-based strategy for handling sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). The
document is a compliance monitoring tool for use by federal and state inspectors
and a compliance assistance tool for use by the regulated community.
The guide identifies some of the criteria used by EPA inspectors to evaluate
a collection system’s management, operation, and maintenance program activities.
A limited number of hard copies of the document are available from the National
Service Center for Environmental Publications at 800/490-9198. To access the
report online, visit http://www.epa.gov/npdes/sso/ and click on the "featured
case studies, fact sheets and other information" link.
ACWA Stormwater Summit
Presentations from the ACWA Stormwater Summit held in Eugene on 4/12/06 can be
accessed below.
Integrating Stormwater Issues into overall PW Operations
...D. Rouse/H. Valenzuela
Linking land use changes and stream water quality
...C. Rohrer
Stormwater Management Issues in the Pacific Northwest
...C. Hamamoto - EPA
...B. Moore - WA Dept. of Ecology
...A. Liebe - DEQ
DEQ - Regulatory Update and 2007 Session Proposals
...L. Aunan
Working with your Homebuilders...
...J. Chander
...J. McCauley
Studies to Watch for - Results to steal from
...D. Felstul
...E. Strecker
What I would like to see in Municipal SW Management Programs
...J. Allen
Table Topic Summaries
At the Stormwater Summit, participants gathered by topic interest. Click on
the topics to read a summary of the discussion.
Education and Outreach Tools
BMP Effectiveness Monitoring
WERF National Research Projects
UICs for stormwater disposal
O & M Benchmarking
Handout
Industrial 1200Z permit revisions & agent issues
Construction 1200C permit revisions & agent issues
TMDL benchmarks for Phase I MS4s
Effectively Managing Stormwater Programs
Stealing from the Best – What manuals to use where…
Phase II MS4s – permit issues and schedule
Register Now for the ACWA Summer Conference
Register now for the ACWA Summer Conference, set at the Mt. Bachelor Village
Resort in Bend for July 26, 27 & 28, 2006. Link here to the registration
flyer. A detailed agenda will be available soon.
Stormwater Program Funding Manual Available
The National Association of Flood & Stormwater Management Agencies has prepared
a manual to provide guidance to local governments for funding stormwater programs.
The guidance includes procedural legal and financial considerations for developing
viable funding approaches.
The guidance is available at this link.
EPA shares draft revised model ordinance
EPA’s Pretreatment staff in Region 10 have developed this model ordinance
that incorporates the revisions needed under the EPA Streamlining Rule. Link
here for a copy.
Updated Pretreatment Program Information from EPA
EPA has updated its pretreatment program home page with the latest information
about the impact on local governments from the streamlining rule. Link here to
reach the page.
Learn more about the Willamette Partnership
Link here to learn more about the water quality trading program being developed
by the Willamette Partnership.
Schedule moves permits to watershed basis
DEQ has issued a permit issuance plan that will start putting water quality permits
in a single basin on the same permit renewal schedule. Link here to view the schedule
and see when specific permits are scheduled for renewal. In order to get all the
permits in a basin on a single schedule, some permits will be renewed before they
expire and some will be administratively extended.
New EPA Smart Growth and Stormwater Publications
There are three new publications that will be of interest to stormwater managers
at the local and state level.
-- Protecting Water Resources with Higher-Density Development (EPA publication
231-R-06-001) -- The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the U.S. population will
grow by 50 million people, or approximately 18 percent, between 2000 and 2020.
This study is designed to help communities better understand the impacts of
higher and lower density on water resources.
The findings indicated that low-density development may not always be the preferred
strategy for protecting water resources. Higher densities may better protect
water quality - especially at the lot level and watershed scale. www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_density.htm
-- Using Smart Growth Techniques as Stormwater Best Management Practices (EPA
publication 231-B-05-00) -- This publication reviews nine common smart growth
techniques and examines how they can be used to prevent or manage stormwater
runoff. This publication will help communities encourage smart growth and meet
the new regulatory requirements. www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/stormwater.htm
-- Parking Spaces/Community Places: Finding the Balance through Smart Growth
Solutions (EPA publication 231-K-06-001) -- This report highlights proven approaches
that balance parking with broader community goals. An oversupply of unnecessary
parking wastes money and creates places that degrade water quality and encourage
excess driving and air emissions. The highlighted solutions cover a range of
supply management, demand management, and pricing strategies. Communities have
found that combinations of parking pricing, shared parking, demand management,
and other techniques have helped them create vibrant places while protecting
environmental quality and still providing for necessary vehicle storage. www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/parking.htm
City of Austin Bans Coal Tar Driveway Sealants
The City of Austin (TX) has banned coal tar-containing driveway and pavement sealants
due to concerns about water pollution from runoff PAHs. Link here to review the
City's research, similar research conducted by the US Geological Survey, and read
a copy of the ordinance.
Updated Infrastructure Management Manual Released
The International Infrastructure Management Manual has been updated. The revised
manual reflects the advancing field of asset management providing additional guidance
in each section on the core elements of Asset Management, adding more case studies
from around the world, including best practices and detailed examples. Link here
to the New Zealand web site for further details and ordering information.
OSU Report Details Benefits of Hyporheic Injection
A recent report completed by OSU and funded by DEQ has detailed the likely temperature
benefits of hyporheic injection for dischargers wrestling with temperature issues
on the Willamette. The report may be useful for dischargers in other parts of
the state also. A copy of the report is linked here.
Rainwater Not All That Clean...
The ACWA Stormwater Committee learned that rainwater is not all that clean, in
a presentation by Frank Wildensee of the City of Portland along Lacey Sullivan,
a PSU Master's Student. A copy of the presentation to the Stormwater Committee
is included here and a copy of the paper included
here.
Need Comparision Sewer Rate Information?
Click here
to get to the League of Oregon Cities web site with a 2004 and 2002 wastewater
rate survey.
EPA Issues Stormwater Guidance
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a voluntary guidance for states,
localities, and tribes to manage urban runoff from parking lots, buildings,
and homes.
The guidance document, National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source
Pollution from Urban Areas, is dated November 2005, though it was posted Dec.
5 on EPA's website. EPA says the voluntary guidance is intended to provide "technical
assistance to state and local program managers and other practitioners on the
best available, most economically achievable means of managing urban runoff
and reducing nonpoint source pollution of ground and surface waters. But EPA
has clarified and emphasized within the document that the guidance is not legally
binding.
EPA says the guidance is a valuable tool for small urban areas that may not
be issuing permits for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program
for stormwater.
NACWA White Paper on Financial Impacts of Wet Weather Controls The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) is pleased to announce the release of its much-anticipated Financial Capability and Affordability in Wet Weather Negotiations White Paper (PDF). The White Paper provides an in-depth review of existing EPA guidance on affordability-related issues and recommends modifications to existing policy and practice on wet weather compliance and its financial impacts. Through detailed Case Studies, the White Paper also provides information for, and guidance on, affordability negotiations and details viable approaches for reducing the financial impacts of wet weather projects on low-income households.
DEQ Sets Biosolids Policy Guidance
DEQ has issued a new guidance (called an Internal Management Directive) for
the Oregon biosolids program. Click here for a copy of the guidance, dated December,
2005.
Calculating Reasonable Potential Analysis
Use this DEQ spread sheet to calculate your effluent RPA under difference scenarios.
EPA Issues Draft Industrial Stormwater Permit
EPA has issued a draft industrial stormwater permit. This permit might be
of interest to POTWs that hold 1200Z permits - DEQ will likely be carefully
reviewing EPA's thinking when drafting the revised 1200Z. The 70-page review
document is attached.
DEQ Toxics Criteria Calculator
Revised DEQ toxic criteria standards were adopted and slated to take effect on
2/05, but EPA has not adopted them. Use this draft spread sheet from DEQ to determine
either existing Oregon, or revised Oregon standards are more stringent for specific
types of toxic pollutants.
Extreme Permit Makeover - Municipal Workshop
Here's the presentations from the ACWA 12/1/05 workshop on Reasonable Potential
Analysis and mixing zone issues
- DEQ Changes in Toxics Review & Mixing Zones - Lauri Aunan
- DEQ's REasonable Potential Analysis Guidance - J. Nusrala/M. Fitzpatrick
- Reasonable Potential - Why do I care? - Michael Campbell
- DEQ's Current Thinking on Mixing Zones - Ranei Nomura
- Key Considerations for your mizing zone - Walt Meyer
- Developing a plan - Peter Ruffier/James Ollerenshaw
If you are an ACWA member and interested in a copy of the NPDES permit application template discussed by Peter Ruffier at the workshop, contact the ACWA office.
DNA Fingerprinting Shows Interesting Results
ACWA members may be interested in this presentation Jan Miller from Clean Water
Services made to the ACWA Stormwater Committee on bacteria DNA fingerprinting
conducted in the Tualatin basin. More details in the ACWA fall newsletter.
Report to DEQ
NACWA Issues White Paper on Pharmaceuticals
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has issued a white
paper on pharmaceuticals and personal care products, with a focus on options
for the wastewater treatment community. A link to the paper is here.
EPA Finalizes Streamlined Pretreatment Rule
EPA has finalized its "streamlined" pretreatment program rule. Link here to the EPA revised regulations.
DEQ Tools for Calculating Shade Targets
Municipalities will be required to develop plans for meeting shade targets under
temperature TMDLs being developed in many parts of the state. These two DEQ
tools outline approved approaches for calculating how the number of trees planted
in a basin relate to shade targets:
1. Shade-a-lator - this spread-sheet
based calculation sheet has been used in the past. DEQ now prefers the additional
changes they made in the Heat Source Model - available on the DEQ web site link
below.
2. Heat Source model - link here Shortcut to: http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/TMDLs/WQAnalTools.htm
Is Your System Prepared for Emergencies?
Wastewater treatment systems and other utilities may be getting more questions
about emergency preparedness. Use this planning tool developed by the Water
Environment Research Foundation (with funding from EPA) to check your existing
emergency plans for adequacy or develop new plans.
DEQ GUIDANCE ON 'REASONABLE POTENTIAL' AVAILABLE
DEQ has released it guidance (called an Internal Management Directive) that details
the monitoring and reporting requirements for POTW NPDES permit holders related
to 'reasonable potential' to violate ambient water quality standards.
This policy will affect all Oregon POTWs over 1 MGD. Oregon POTW system managers
will want to read the guidance carefully and consider how to plan for and budget
for the needed additional studies and analysis. The DEQ policy is linked here.
A New Look at the Effects of Common Disinfectants
Recent research suggests that decisions regarding the need for effluent disinfection
must be made on a site-specific basis. In a newly released report from WERF, Effects
of Wastewater Disinfection on Human Health (stock no. 99HHE1), researchers have
reexamined common assumptions associated with wastewater disinfection and provided
detailed characterization of the effects of common disinfectants on bacteria and
phage in wastewater. With a focus on chlorine and ultraviolet radiation disinfection
methods, the research team studied common wastewater bacteria, in terms of their
initial response to disinfectant exposure, changes in the bacterial community
post-exposure, and the nature and extent of bacterial physiological damage resulting
from exposure to these disinfectants. In general, (viable) bacterial populations
showed an immediate decline as a result of disinfectant exposure; however, incubation
of disinfected samples under conditions that were designed to mimic the conditions
in a receiving stream resulted in substantial recovery of the total bacterial
community. After a five-day incubation period, the total bacterial population
in disinfected samples was generally greater than or equal to the bacterial population
in the undisinfected controls. It should be noted that non-culture-based assays
designed to assess the nature and extent of damage among bacteria resulting from
exposure to chlorine or UV revealed that the extent of damage, as defined by these
assays, tended to be far less than that defined by conventional bacterial viability
assays, such as membrane filtration. Researchers drew their conclusions based
primarily on analyses of samples collected from five municipal wastewater treatment
facilities. Facilities were selected to provide a broad spectrum of effluent quality,
particularly as related to nitrogenous compounds. Water Environment Research Foundation
subscribers can download a copy of the full report at www.werf.org