1



## MEMORA**NDUM**

TO: Public Record for the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule

EPA Docket Number EPA

- HQ

- OECA

- 2009

-0274 (www.regulations.gov)

FROM: Carey A. Johnston, P.E.

USEPA/OECA/OC ph: (202) 566 1014 johnston.carey@epa.gov

DATE: 14 May 2014

SUBJECT: D ata E lements S upport ing the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey [DCN 01 13 ]

**Overview** EPA is seeking comment on including into Appendix A of the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule two data elements that support the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey . EPA conducts this survey under authority of Sections 205(a) and 516 of the Clean Water Act. These changes would reduce burden on states by eliminating most of the need for EPA to collect these two data elements from states as part of its quadrennial survey. These two POTW data elements are: (1) POTW Wastewater Treatment Technology Level Description [The highest level of treatment (e.g., primary equivalent to secondary, secondary, advanced, other) that the POTW provides at each outfall]; and (2) POTW Wastewater Treatment Technology Unit Operations [The treatment technology unit process information at each outfall for POTWs greater than 10 MGD]. Example lists of wastewater treatment technology level descriptions and unit operations are provided below.2 

### Proposed data Elements Supporting EPA’s Clean Watershed Needs Survey **:**

**Sections 205(a) and 516 of the Clean Water Act** 

POTW Wastewater Treatment Technology Level Description This data element describes the level of wastewater treatment technology (e.g., primary equivalent to secondary, secondary, advanced, other) at each outfall. This data element only applies to POTWs. 122.21 (j) (3) (iii) and CWA 516 1,2

POTW Wastewater Treatment Technology Unit Operations The code/description of the wastewater treatment technology unit operations (e.g, grit removal, flow equalization, complete mix activated sludge secondary treatment, biological nitrification) at each outfall. This data element only applies to POTWs that discharge above 10 MGD. 122.21 (j) (2) (ii) (A) and CWA 516 1,2



### Options for POTW Wastewater Treatment Technology Level Description (Select One of The Following)

• Raw Discharge : Effluent that is treated.

• Primary Treatment (45mg/ L<BOD): Process in which the effluent that is treated to remove floating debris and solids by screening and sedimentation.

• Advanced Primary : Process in which chemicals are added to further treat primary effluent and increase the amount of solid matter removed.

• Secondary Wastewater Treatment : The minimum level of treatment required for discharges from all municipal wastewater treatment facilities by the Clean Water Act; facilities granted ocean discharge waivers under section 301(h) are exempted from this requirement. The effluent must meet the EPA’s minimum removal standards for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (less than or equal to 30 mg/L), total suspended solids (TSS), and pH.

• Advanced Treatment : A level of treatment that is more stringent than secondary treatment or produces a significant reduction in nonconventional or toxic pollutants present in the facility’s effluent. The treatment is generally considered advanced if the BO D is less than or equal to 20 mg/L or one or more advanced treatment indicators are present. Advanced Treatment indicators include: BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), Nitrogen Removal, Phosphorous Removal, Ammonia Removal, Metal Removal, and Synthetic Organi c Removal.

All of the above categories (except Raw Discharge) will include their own drop down selections and each will also include a drop down for Disinfection and Solids Handling

.3



### Options for POTW Wastewater Treatment Technology Unit Ope rations The following are potential wastewater treatment technology unit operation selections for this data element. It is applicable for each outfall at a facility. This data element only applies to POTWs that discharge above 10 MGD.
**Preliminary Treatment** Aerated Grit Chambers Comminution Equalization, at POTW Flotation Grit Removal Dewatering assc. w/Grit Removal Microstrainer, Primary Pumping, Influent Pump Stations Screen (Bar Rack & Coarse) Screen (Fine & Microstrainers) Screen, Mechanical Bar Screen, Bar Scum Removal Storage (In

- line) Storage (Off

- line, e.g. Retention Basins) Storage (Lagoon) Storage (Underground) Storage (Off

- line) Storage (Other) Subsurface Flow Swirl Concentrators Vortex Solids Separators

**Primary Treatment** Aerated Grit Chambers Aeration (Pre

-treatment) Aeration (Post

-treatment) Chemical Addition

- Coagulants Chemical Addition (Alum), Primary Chemical Addition (Ferric Chloride), Primary Chemical Addition (Ferrous Sulfate), Primary Chemical Addition (Other), Primary Clarification, In

- Channel4

Clarification, Intermediate Clarification, Tube Settlers Clarification, Other Equalization, Flow Imhoff Tank Lagoon, Aerated Lagoon, Anaerobic Lagoon, Gas Utilization Land Application, Slow Rate, W/O Underdrain Land Application, Slow Rate, With Underdrain Land Application, Other Microstrainer, Secondary Neutralization Overland Flow System Pond, Total Containment Rapid Infiltration System, W/O Underdrain Rapid Infiltration System, With Underdrain Rapid Infiltration System, Other Sedimentation, Primary Septage Treatment

– Separate Stage Trickling Filter Plastic Media Trickling Filter, Redwood Slats Trickling Filter, Rock Media Trickling Filter, Biofilter Trickling Filter, Other Media

**Secondary Treatment** Activated Sludge, Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic Activated Sludge, Complete Mix Activated Sludge, Conventional Activated Sludge, Extended Aeration Activated Sludge, High Rate Activated Sludge, Pure Oxygen Activated Sludge, Step Aeration Activated Sludge, With Biological Denitrification Activated Sludge, with Phosphorus Removal Activated Sludge, Other Mode Chemical Addition (Alum), Secondary Chemical Addition (Ferric Chloride), Secondary Chemical Addition (Other), Secondary Chemical addition (Phosphorus), Secondary5

Clarification, Secondary Duckweed (Lemna) Filter, Slow Sand Filter, Denitrification with Coarse Media Filter, Denitrification with Fine Media Filter, Mixed Media Filter, Moving Bed Filter, Pressure Filter, Rapid Sand Filter, Rock Filter, Other Flocculation Freesurface/Wetland (Marsh System) Growth Process, Other Attached Growth Process, Other Suspended Lagoon, Aerated Lagoon, Anaerobic Lagoon, Facultative Lagoon, Natural (Large Area) Lagoon, Other Package Plant, Rotating Biological Contractor (RBC) Package Plant (Other) Pond, Stabilization Reactor (Oxidation Ditch) Reactor, Sequencing Batch (SBR) Reactor (Fixed Film) Reactor (Other) Sedimentation, Chemical Precipitation Sedimentation, Other Settling Tank Trickling Filter, Plastic Media Trickling Filter, Redwood Slats Trickling Filter, Rock Media Trickling Filter, Biofilter Trickling Filter, Other Media Aeration Pumping, Effluent Plant Closure Costs

**Advanced Treatment** Activated Carbon, Granular6

Activated Carbon, Powdered Activated Carbon, Other Activated Sludge, Anaerobic/Anoxic Activated Sludge, Contact Stabilization Activated Sludge, Extended Aeration Activated Sludge, With Biological Denitrification Activated Sludge, Oxic Activated Sludge, Other Ammonia Stripping Biological Denitrification Carbon Regeneration Chemical Addition (Alum), Tertiary Chemical Addition (Ferric Chloride), Tertiary Chemical Addition (Polymer) Chemical Addition (Sodium Hydroxide) Chemical Addition (Sodium Hypochlorite) Chemical Addition (Other) Distillation Duckweed (Spirodela) Duckweed (Wolffia) Duckweed (Other) Evaporation Filter (Activated Bio

- ) Filter (Gravity Sand Beds, single media) Filter (Other) Foam Fractionation Freezing Gas

- Phase Separation Ion Exchange Lagoon, Polishing Lime Treatment, Single Stage Primary Lime Treatment, Two Stage Primary Lime Treatment, Two Stage Tertiary Lime Treatment, Other Membrane Process (Dialysis) Membrane Process (Electrodialysis) Membrane Process (Reverse Osmosis) Membrane Process (Other) Nitrification, Biological (Combined and BOD Reduction) Nitrification, Biological (Separate Stage) Nitrification, Biological (Other)7

Phosphorus Removal, Biological Phosphorus Removal, Biological (Modified Bardenpho) Phosphorus Removal, Biological (Phostrip) Phosphorus Removal, Biological (Other) Phosphorus Removal, Chemical Reactor (Oxidation Ditch) Reactor, Vertical Loop Reactor, Other Recarbonation Reduction Sedimentation, Other Solvent Extraction Sorption Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) Membrane Bio

- Reactor (MBR) Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR)

- Aeration Biological Nutrient removal (BNR)

- Other Advanced Treatment (Other) Plant Closure Costs

**Disinfection** Dechlorination, Bisulphite Dechlorination, Sulphur Dioxide Dechlorination, Other Disinfection, Breakpoint Chlorination Disinfection, Chlorination Disinfection, Gaseous Chloride Disinfection, Liquid Chloride Disinfection, Other Chemical Disinfection, Ozonation Disinfection, Ultraviolet Radiation Disinfection, wet Weather Disinfection, Sodium Hypochlorite Disinfection, Chlorine Dioxide Disinfection Hypochlorite Bisulfite Disinfection, Other

**Solids Handling** Biosolids Aerated Storage Biosolids Aerobic Digestion, Air Biosolids Aerobic Digestion, Autothermal Thermophilic8

Biosolids Aerobic Digestion, Oxygen Biosolids Air Drying, Sand Beds Biosolids Air Drying, Other Media Biosolids Anaerobic Digestion, Thermophilic Biosolids Anaerobic Digestion, Other Biosolids Digestion, Other Biosolids Chemical Addition (Alum) Biosolids Chemical Addition (Ferric Chloride) Biosolids Chemical Addition (Polymer) Biosolids Chemical Addition (Oth er) Biosolids Chlorinate Oxidation (Purifax) Biosolids Co

- Incineration With Solid Waste Biosolids Co

- Pyrolysis With Solid Waste Biosolids Composting, In

-Vessel Biosolids Composting, Static Pile Biosolids Composting, Window Biosolids Composting, Other Biosolids Digestor Gas Utilization Facilities Renewable Energy Photovoltaic Systems Biosolids Digestor Gas Flaring Biosolids Disposal (Monofil) Biosolids Disposal (Ocean) Biosolids Disposal (Waste Receiving Station) Biosolids Disposal (Other) Biosolids Distribution And/Or Marketing of Biosolids Biosolids Elutriation Biosolids Freezing Biosolids Heat Drying Biosolids Heat Recovery and Utilization Biosolids Incineration, Fluidized Bed Biosolids Incineration, Multiple Hearth Biosolids Inci neration, Rotary Kiln Biosolids Incineration (Other) Biosolids Lagoon Biosolids Land Treatment (Spreading) Biosolids Landfill/Trenching Biosolids Lime Stabilization Biosolids Mechanical Dewatering (Centrifuge) Biosolids Mechanical Dewatering (Filter Press) Biosolids Mechanical Dewatering (Pressure Filter) Biosolids Mechanical Dewatering (Vacuum Filter)9

Biosolids Mechanical Dewatering (Other) Biosolids Pyrolysis Biosolids Recalcination Biosolids Thickening, Dissolved Air Flotation Biosolids Thickening, Gravity Biosolids Thickening, tank Biosolids Thickening, Other Biosolids Vibration Biosolids Wet Air Oxidation Biosolids (Heat Treatment

- Blowers) Biosolids Other Treatment Chemical Addition (Polymer) Biosolids Cake Storage Hopper Biosolids Land Costs (Storage) Biosolids Land Costs (Landfill)