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EPA Nears New Storm Sewage Guidelines
H. JOSEF HEBERT
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency is leaning toward allowing
sewage plants to skip some stages of treatment during heavy rains or melting
slow as long as the treated water meets all permits and other safeguards are
provided, agency sources said Wednesday.
The issue of whether a treatment facility can bypass one of three treatment
stages when there is heavy rainfall or melting snow has plagued the EPA for
several years with some EPA regions interpreting the requirements differently.
The agency hopes to have guidance clarifying the issue early next year.
But agency staff has recommended that treatment facilities be allowed to skip a
process for killing some pathogens after heavy rains or snow melts and allow a
blending of fully and partially treated sewage during these peak flow periods,
according to agency sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the
guidance is not yet final.
The recommendation, outlined in a staff working paper, is similar to what the
EPA proposed a year ago, although there have been some revisions and
clarifications based on thousands of public comments that have been received by
the agency on the issue, one agency official said.
But Ben Grumbles, the EPA's assistant administrator for water issues, said
neither he nor other senior officials had reviewed the staff report and that he
could provide no details.
"It's still very much a draft and we have not committed to it," said Grumbles in
an interview.
But Grumbles said whatever guidance the agency issues, probably early next year,
"we will continue to ensure that discharges from sewage treatment plants meet
the Clean Water Act permit requirements."
Grumbles said it had been widespread practice by the EPA regions to allow
treatment facilities to discharge a blend of fully and partially treated sewage
water during peak flow periods. But the issue became clouded when some EPA
regional officials stopped allowing such practices.
Adam Krantz, government affairs director for the Association of Metropolitan
Sewage Agencies, said the industry is awaiting clarification on whether "a
long-accepted practice would be accepted by the EPA."
He said during heavy rain or snow melts the alternative would be to not accept
some water for treatment. Another option would be to build additional treatment
capacity that would be used only during high flow periods. Such expansion, if
required nationwide, could cost as much as $200 billion with the extra capacity
rarely used, said Krantz.
Environmentalists, however, argue that when bypassing some treatment stages -
even if the water is blended with fully treated sewage - there is an increased
risk of people contracting waterborne illnesses.