Full Description

The Clean Water Act directs the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop national industrial technology-basedregulations to limit the amount of pollutants that are discharged to surface waters (usuallycalled "effluent guidelines") or to sewage treatment plants (called "pretreatmentstandards"). Pretreatment standards ensure that pollutants do not pass through or interferewith the safe and effective operation of these treatment plants. The Clean Water Act alsodirects USEPA to develop national industrial technology-based regulations (called "newsource performance standards") for new facilities.Furthermore, the Clean Water Act requires USEPA to identify industries, not yetregulated by effluent guidelines, which may be discharging more than trivial amounts oftoxic or "nonconventional" pollutants, such as nutrients. USEPA published the 2004 effluentguidelines program plan (September 2, 2004; 69 FR 53705) and identified the "drinkingwater treatment point source category" as a candidate for effluent guidelines orpretreatment standards or both. It is important to note, however, that USEPA has made nodecisions about whether any national technology-based discharge controls are necessaryfor residuals produced by drinking water treatment facilities. More detailed investigationsare warranted in order to support a final action. Consequently, USEPA is conducting arulemaking to evaluate whether USEPA should establish any national technology-baseddischarge controls for this point source category. The Clean Water Act directs USEPA totake final action by September 2007. USEPA is developing a set of documents to facilitate the technology options andcosting methodology for drinking water treatment residuals management. Fourdocuments are to be prepared by USEPA and include: Identification and Characterization of Typical Drinking Water Treatment Residuals; Identification of Technology Options; Evaluate Potential Subcategorization Options for the Category; and, Application of Prevention and Treatment Technology Options. The impact to utilities is discussed.

Product Details

Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 06/01/2006 Number of Pages: 4File Size: 1 file , 220 KB