patrick bradley limnotech - michigan water environment ... weather permitting_bradley.pdf ·...

MWEA NPDES Permit Compliance Seminar December 2, 2009

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Patrick Bradley

LimnoTechMWEA Government Affairs Committee

NPDES Compliance Seminar

December 2, 2009

Bath, MI

� POTWs◦ Capacity issue� Additional treatment facilities

� Bypass/blending

� Collection system◦ CSOs◦ Capacity issue� SSOs

� MS4◦ Flood control◦ Erosion control◦ Watershed enhancement


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� MS4◦ Urban runoff

� MEP

� CSOs ◦ NMC

◦ LTCP

� Construction◦ Erosion control

� Post-construction/Development

� Industrial activities

� Agriculture

� Forestry


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� What are the “real issues”??

� Where would the watershed spend the dollars?

� The discharge from the WWTF is probably not a major problem during wet weather events

� The major issues originate in the “non-point sources” or the point sources that act like non-point – wet weather sources


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� CSOs

� Storm water

� SSOs

� Peak Flows (Blending)

Water Quality Standards-to-

Permits Process

� Designated uses

� Criteria to protect the uses

◦Numeric

◦Narrative

� Anti-degradation Policy


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� Water Quality Standards

◦Generally, WQ standards do not

specifically address wet weather

◦WQ standards apply in the water, not

end of pipe – unless specifically stated in

the standard

◦Without data, regulatory agencies will

make conservative assumptions

� Wet Weather Permitting Challenges

◦ CSOs – NMCs, LTCPs (Presumption versus

Demonstration), Post Phase II???

◦ Municipal Storm water – MEP is the requirement for

control

◦ SSOs – Are point sources, so cannot discharge

without a permit

◦ Peak Flows (a.k.a. “Blending”) – Supposedly these are

bypasses, but they are not


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� Focus on the permit and how to determine if the discharge will meet permit requirements

� Assure that Effluent Limitations are Appropriate (and Achievable)

◦ NMC, LTCP, post-LTCP

� Watch out for broad, poorly defined limits

� At all times the discharge shall not cause receiving waters to contain substances, materials, floating debris, oil or scum:◦ That will settle to form putrescent or otherwise

objectionable deposits;

◦ That are in amounts sufficient to be unsightly or

deleterious;

◦ Yada, yada, yada

� Permittees should question permit language if they can’t clearly demonstrate compliance


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� Advantages

◦ Applicable for WQBELs

◦ Opportunity to address discharges on a system-wide

basis

◦ Gain some economy of scale

◦ More efficiently use resources

� Disadvantages

◦ Permit writers lack experience and resources

� CSOs

◦ NMC meets TBEL

◦ Regulations require permit writers to calculate numeric

limits; options exist

◦ Make sure the permit reflects your LTCP

� Storm water (how does MEP fit in?)

� SSOs (TBEL is challenge)

� Peak Flows (combination)


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� Provides a framework for evaluating water quality related issues in a comprehensive, prioritized manner

� Convergence of regulatory frameworks◦ CSO vs. SSO� 3-4/yr vs. “0”

◦ WWTF vs. MS4� Tech-based vs. BMP

◦ Grey vs. Green� Concrete & steel vs. plants

� Stormwater, CSO and SSOs are all controlled via BMP limits (or can be)

� Why not have a single “Wet Weather” BMP control system?


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� Tension between objectives

◦ Enhancement of riparian corridors

� Increase in wildlife populations

◦ Reduction in bacteria levels

� Integrated Water Resources Management

� “Water is Water”

� Prioritization

� Comprehensive, Innovative Solutions


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Patrick BradleyPatrick BradleySenior ScientistLimnoTech1705 DeSales Street, NW, Suite 600Washington, D.C. 20036Tel. [email protected]

� NPDES Permit Program: www.epa.gov/npdes

� Overview of the Water Quality Standards-to-Permits Process: cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/wqbasedpermitting/wqoverview.cfm

� EPA. 2007. Watershed-Based National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permitting Technical Guidance. www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/watershed_techguidance.pdf

patrick bradley limnotech - michigan water environment ... weather permitting_bradley.pdf ·...

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