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MPCA commissioner visits WWTPs to highlight investment needs
To highlight the need for investing in wastewater
infrastructure, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner John
Linc Stine toured wastewater treatment plants across northern and north-central
Minnesota in recent weeks.
“We’ve been doing visits like this for several years to put
a spotlight on the real needs for investment in wastewater infrastructure
across Minnesota,” says Stine. “My boss, Governor Dayton, has made long-term
investment in rebuilding these facilities a high priority. He knows we can’t be
committed to protecting clean water without also being committed to investing
in the resources we need to protect it.”
Along with agency staff from municipal wastewater, water
assessment and communications, Stine first visited treatment plants at Little
Falls and Alexandria before viewing a drinking water treatment plant under
construction in Morris. A week later
Stine toured the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) and the
improved wastewater ponds in Moose Lake.
The tours emphasize the challenges facing small- and medium-sized communities trying to manage the short- and long-term costs of wastewater
treatment, according to Stine. He also said the trips lead to media attention
about this important, but often underreported, topic.
At Little Falls, Stine toured the city’s aging WWTP along
with the Little Falls Mayor Greg Zylka, City Administrator Jon Radermacher and representatives from the Minnesota
Rural Water Association. Little Falls faces a projected $20 million wastewater
treatment plant improvement to address age and condition, and also to meet a
new phosphorous limit.
Later that day Stine and his colleagues visited officials
and managers of the Alexandria Lakes Sewage Control District. Alexandria has had long-term treatment
challenges due, in part, to discharging into a shallow lake.
The MPCA crew finished its tour in Morris at the central lime
softening water treatment facility that’s nearly halfway complete. The water treatment facility will help Morris
lower its chloride discharges, and hopefully eliminate or dramatically reduce
the needs of Morris residents to soften their water.
Several days later Stine and company headed north for Duluth
to tour the WLSSD, a district created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1971. The
unique facility serves 17 communities, including Duluth, and four large industrial
customers. In addition to wastewater treatment, WLSSD continues to lead in
finding more ways to extract value from the wastewater treatment process, producing
combined heat and power as well as bio-gas to name a few.
Heading back south, Stine stopped in Moose Lake to tour a
much smaller facility to see how it’s meeting limits designed to protect water
resources (photo above). Moose Lake received state funding in the past few years to upgrade
its system to meet phosphorus limits in its discharge permit.
Related media coverage:
Photos from the tours on Google photos:
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The MPCA continues to address chloride in wastewater through
follow-up to a work group’s recommendations, meetings with permit holders, and
planning an outreach program.
In
order to protect its freshwater fish and other species from salty water, the
MPCA is setting limits on chloride discharged from wastewater treatment
facilities (WWTFs). However, reducing chloride in wastewater is difficult, both
technically and economically, prompting the agency to convene a work group of
community representatives to study this issue in 2016.
The work group met several times in 2016-17 to discuss how
to address chloride in wastewater discharge permits. Pursuing a variance to
allow time to identify ways to meet a chloride limit was one of the work
group’s recommendations. MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine agreed with that
recommendation and waived
the variance fee to make this path more affordable to
communities.
The MPCA is now meeting with municipal wastewater discharge
permit holders with a reasonable potential to violate standards for chloride
and other salty parameters. The reasonable potential is based on a statistical
test to see if pollutants in wastewater are high enough to impact insects and
fish. In other words, it’s a permit limit.
The MPCA first notifies communities of new chloride and
salty parameter limits through a letter, and then meets with local
representatives in person to discuss options for compliance. So far the agency
has met with Altura, Avon, Lewiston, Madison, Morgan, Montgomery, Watertown and
Wykoff. The problem is the same (chloride and other salty parameters), but the solution
may be different. Some cities may first need
to work with industries to reduce chloride being discharged to the municipal
WWTF. Others may work with customers to upgrade their water softeners. Some may
be close to meeting the limit and others have much more chloride to remove.
But ultimately, the most economical solution continues to be
preventing or reducing chloride in water in the first place. That may mean going
to a centralized system that softens water before it goes to homes and
businesses, or convincing customers to not soften their water at all. The MPCA
has been working with the Minnesota Department of Health to address the
feasibility of centralized softening and elimination of in-home softeners.
A centralized water softening treatment plant – and then
removal of all softeners – would likely lead to chloride levels low enough to
comply with permit limits, but this option is very expensive. Fine-tuning water
softeners and investing in new flow-based softeners may allow a WWTF to ultimately comply with a chloride limit, but
there are other factors to consider such as:
- Institutional and industrial contributors
- Current loading to the WWTP
- Hardness of the water
- Willingness of the community to make changes
The agency is also working with several partners, including
those in the water softener business, to educate homeowners on how to reduce
the salt they use in softeners. Heading up this effort is Brooke Asleson of the
MPCA’s Resource Management and Assistance Division. Asleson led the Twin Cities
Metro Area Chloride Management Plan. This plan led to many successful
efforts to reduce the use of road salt, another source of chloride in lakes and
streams. Part of the new outreach will include an exhibit at the Minnesota
State Fair this year. Over the next several years the MPCA will be looking for opportunities to assist communities in need of reducing chloride from water softening units in homes and businesses.
Because of the many factors involved, the agency is meeting
with communities to discuss options. The ultimate goal is compliance with the
water quality standard to protect Minnesota’s fresh-water species from salty
water. But the hard part is how to get there. Discussion topics include
compliance schedules in permits and variances to the standard. For more
information, contact your permit writer,
or for variance information, contact Elise Doucette at 651-757-2316 or elise.doucette@state.mn.us.
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The MPCA is reissuing a
new general permit for Stabilization Pond Wastewater Treatment Facilities
(WWTFs). Reissuance of the Stabilization Pond General Permit has been
significantly delayed due to Minnesota’s adoption of the River Eutrophication
Standards and initiating phosphorus effluent limit reviews on a watershed
basis. Currently, a number of watershed and effluent limits reviews for pond
WWTFs are complete, while some are still pending.
The MPCA has developed a
strategy to issue a new general permit with a different permit number and name:
Wastewater Pond General Permit (MNG585000). This will allow the
agency to issue a Notice of Coverage (NOC) under the new Wastewater Pond General Permit (MNG585000) to pond WWTFs with completed watershed and effluent limits reviews.
Meanwhile, the remaining pond WWTFs will continue to be covered under the
expired Stabilization Pond General Permit (MNG580000) until their
watershed and effluent limits reviews are complete. Once all pond WWTFs are
covered under the new general permit, the MPCA will terminate the expired
Stabilization Pond General Permit (MNG580000).
Here’s what pond WWTFs
need to know:
- MPCA is issuing a new general pond permit
– Wastewater Pond General Permit (MNG585000).
- This new general permit will allow Notices
of Coverage (NOC) to be issued to eligible pond WWTFs as their phosphorus
watershed and effluent limit reviews are completed.
- Pond WWTFs will remain covered under the
expired Stabilization Pond General Permit (MNG580000) until the MPCA
issues them a Notice of Coverage under the new Wastewater Pond General
Permit (MNG585000). The MPCA will contact pond permittees about
any new limits.
- When issued a Notice of Coverage under the
new pond general permit, your permit number will change from MNG580000 to
MNG585000. For example, if your current general permit
number is MNG580001 your new number will be MNG585001.
- The EPA has completed its review of the
new general pond permit and the MPCA is preparing the draft permit for
pre-public notice review.
- All pond WWTFs on the MPCA’s potential general
permit coverage list will receive a letter in the near future detailing
the process and next steps. The pre-public notice version of the new
general pond permit will then be emailed to all pond permittees for review
and comment.
- Please keep an eye out for MPCA
communications.
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It is important that the agency has your
correct contact information. If you think your email address or mailing
address may be out of date, please send the facility name, permit number,
and new contact information to: npdes.pca@state.mn.us.
If
you have any questions about the permit, please email the MPCA at generalpondpermit.pca@state.mn.us.
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The MPCA has withdrawn its wild rice rule from the rulemaking process that it has been in for nearly a year.
Recent findings by an Administrative Law Judge and the ongoing expressions of concern from all sides led the agency to reevaluate its plans, according to MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine. The agency engaged Minnesota Native American tribes, elected officials, businesses and municipal wastewater systems that may be impacted by the rule, and also received thousands of comments from environmental advocacy groups, other stakeholders and the public. However, the MPCA concluded it was time to withdraw the proposed rule to allow for more work on the implementation process.
The agency is now waiting for Gov. Mark Dayton’s decision on whether to veto a last-minute legislative proposal. After he vetoed a bill that would have nullified state rules to protect wild rice, the Legislature passed a revised bill in the waning hours of the 2018 session.
Background and context
Wild rice is an important part of the ecosystem in many Minnesota lakes and streams. Wild rice has strong cultural significance and use to many Minnesotans, and is an important economic resource to those who harvest and market it.
In 1973, Minnesota adopted a sulfate standard to protect wild rice based on studies showing that wild rice was found primarily in low-sulfate waters. The MPCA and many other organizations and individuals have been working on revising and updating this standard for several years.
In 2011, the Minnesota Legislature directed the MPCA to conduct research on the effects of sulfate and other substances on the growth of wild rice. This research was intended to inform an evaluation of the existing wild rice sulfate standard.
After extensive research, data analysis and discussions, the MPCA proposed changes in the fall of 2017 to the water quality standard designed to protect wild rice from adverse impacts due to sulfate pollution. During the last year, the draft rule went through a public notice and comment period. The MPCA modified its proposal based on that public input before forwarding the updated draft Wild Rice rule to an Administrative Law Judge with the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings.
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Things can go wrong and wastewater releases occur even for
communities that only collect wastewater for treatment elsewhere. When
discharging wastewater to a different entity for treatment, these communities
are still responsible for releases from their collection systems when wet
weather overwhelms their systems, equipment fails, or other problems occur. The
MPCA is providing the following information to help you respond to an unauthorized
release from a collection system.
These actions include:
1) Notify the Minnesota Duty Officer immediately:
1-800-422-0789 (651-649-5451 in the metro area).
2) Be sure to tell the Duty Officer that the event is a
“wastewater” release. The word “wastewater” will make sure the right MPCA staff
are assigned to help communities respond to the release.
3) Collect the following information, calling the Duty
Officer again as needed to provide supplemental information:
- Location of the release
- Time that the release began
- If the release has ended
- The point where the release entered a water body
- Name of the water body
- Amount of the release (approximate, in gallons)
- Actions taken by staff to respond, recover, and
mitigate the release
- Cause of the release (weather event, equipment
failure, etc.)
4) Sample the release to determine the impact to waters of
the state. A Release Sampling Form is available on the MPCA website: www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-wwtp7-20a.doc.
Work with your MPCA
compliance and enforcement officer to collect the appropriate data and
report it.
5) Prevent releases by developing and implementing an
asset management program and/or capital improvement plan that promotes routine
collection system operation and maintenance activities. Additionally, the MPCA
recommends that collection system owners develop a sanitary sewer overflow
response plan to ensure staff are prepared for such an event and to minimize
the impact to the public and the environment. For more information, visit these
websites:
Also, do not hesitate to call on MPCA
staff for assistance: www.pca.state.mn.us/water/wastewater-compliance-and-enforcement-staff-contacts.
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As a reminder, permit holders are responsible for all data entered into
Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs), even if using the calculator tool provided
online. So ensure the data is accurate and manually change any data that is
inaccurate prior to submittal.
If you have questions or need help, please contact your MPCA compliance and enforcement officer or visit the MPCA DMR webpage.
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The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (PFA) recently awarded a
$600,000 grant to the city of Clarissa in Todd County for improvements to its
wastewater collection system.
The funding from the PFA’s Water Infrastructure Fund will support
a $2.6 million project to replace vitrified clay pipes and manholes. The
federal Office of Rural Development is also supporting the project with a $1.67
million loan and a $324,000 grant.
“This funding will enable
Clarissa to replace aging pipes and other wastewater infrastructure that is
deteriorating,” said Shawntera Hardy, who chairs the PFA board and is
commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic
Development. “These improvements are a good investment that will benefit
residents and local businesses.”
The PFA provides financing and
technical assistance to help communities build and maintain infrastructure that
protects public health and the environment and promotes economic growth. Since 1987, the PFA has financed $4.5 billion in public infrastructure
projects in communities throughout Minnesota. Read more at the PFA website.
In a letter
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a proposed rule that would
restrict science used to develop regulations that protect human and
environmental health, MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine and Minnesota Dept. of
Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm
wrote:
“The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota
Department of Health (MDH) are deeply disappointed in, and troubled by, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule, 'Strengthening
Transparency in Regulatory Science,' published April 30, 2018, at 83 FR 18768,
under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2018-0259. This proposed rule to ‘strengthen
transparency’ does not provide transparency or clarity at all — rather, it
causes confusion and mistrust, and it will threaten the lives of real people.
EPA should withdraw this dangerous proposal.”
The EPA’s “Transparency of Science” proposal
would extremely limit scientific study and exploration by blocking all
scientific reports that are not fully “public information.” This would
mean data tracked by agencies like MDH across the United States that looks at
human health disease patterns, and in many cases uses blood and other health
data to identify health patterns, would not be useable in making rules to
protect environmental and human health from pollutants. The data is not fully
public because it can include people’s personal data such as names and other
identifying information. If such a rule had been in place during the 1970s, a
link to the harmful effects of leaded gasoline on developing brains would not have
been identified and regulated.
The letter concludes with:
“The promulgation of
this proposed rule would set a dangerous and potentially life-threatening
precedent regarding the use of health-based data, modeling, and research
in regulatory decision-making. As proposed, the
rule is arbitrary, capricious, unethical, and intellectually dishonest. The EPA
should immediately announce that it is
withdrawing this proposal.”
Related media coverage:
The City of Rochester recently took a creative approach to
educating citizens on what and what not to flush. Chelsea Wiegand, an
environmental specialist with the city, dressed up as “The Clog” at the city’s
Earth Fest and Arbor Day events. The costume is part of an educational toolkit
developed by the MPCA and partners. Wiegand passed out Hershey chocolate kisses
to students who could explain how to properly dispose of personal wipes. City
staff estimate they talked with about 600 students at the Arbor Day event. They
also passed out stickers advising people to flush only the 3 Ps: pee, poop and
toilet paper.
Related resources:
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Changes at industrial or municipal wastewater
treatment facilities, or collection systems, that result in an increase of a
certain size may require MPCA environmental review. Environmental review has two primary objectives:
- To give the
public access to decision makers, to help ensure public awareness and
meaningful input into public and private decision making.
- To inform the
decision makers so they can write better permits and better protect the
environment before the project is built.
The environmental review program recently revamped its webpages
to make it easier for citizens and permit holders to find information. The
redesigned website uses plain language and divides content based on user needs.
Citizens
can learn how to get involved while project
proposers can find guidance for submitting projects. The webpages include a
list of current
projects under environmental review.
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