National Association of 

Clean Water Agencies

1816 Jefferson Place, NW

Washington DC 20036-2505

202.833.2672 202.833.4657 FAX

info@nacwa.org www.nacwa.org

Who is NACWA?The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) is the leading advocate for responsible national policies that advance cleawater and a healthy environment. NACWA represents the interests of America’s clean watutilities - dedicated public servants and true environmental champions.For over 35 years, NACWA has been the clean water community’s voice in Congress, at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the media and in the courts in the pursuit of scientifi cally-based, technically sound, cost-effectivlaws and regulations.What is NACWA’s Mercury Workgroup?Through the efforts of NACWA’s Mercury Workgroup, the Association is actively involved in the national dialogue on mercury ancontinues to explore effective and reasonable approaches to controlling mercury discharges to the nation’s waters. One of the initial tasks of the Mercury Workgroup, which consists of 62 members representing 31 public agencies, was to gather information about mercury discharges into publicly-owned treatment works (POTWs) in order to assist such agencies in the development of effective mercury control programs. 

Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, WisconsinThe GBMSD has been actively involved in the management and reduction of mercury at its wastewater treatment facility and in the collection system for more than a decade. Through partnerships and collections, GBMSD has prevented thousands of pounds of mercury from entering the local sewerage system and the county landfi lls. GBMSD’s current discharge permit requires the preparation of a Pollutant Minimization Program. This plan will contain guidance for monitoring and outreach for four sectors: medical, dental, schools, and industrial. For more information contact:John Kennedy920.438.1071JKennedy@gbmsd.org Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, WisconsinThe MMSD has been a leader in mercury reduction since 1997, when it produced a Mercury Source Sector Assessment for the Greater Milwaukee Area. Mercury collection programs occurred in 1998, 2000, and 2001. In 1998 and 1999, the District promoted a curriculum package for middle and high school students titled: Mercury in Your Community and the Environment. A thermostat recycling initiative occurred in 1999, along with a workshop for hospitals. In 2000 and 2001, Mercury in Schools Clean Sweeps provided rewards to schools for eliminating thermometers, barometers, blood pressure gauges, and bulk mercury. In 2004, Milwaukee became the fi rst community in the United States on the Great Lakes to require dental offi ces to both implement BMPs and install amalgam separators. For more information contact:Tom Nowicki414.225.2275TNowicki@mmsd.com

Narragansett Bay Commission, Rhode IslandIn 2004, the NBC gave dental facilities the option to either install an amalgam separator or meet a discharge limit. Regardless of the option chosen, dental facilities must also follow mandatory best management practices (BMPs) for facility cleaning and disposal of wastes. These BMPs have been used by the state of Rhode Island as a model for its statewide program, and a bill was recently passed requiring all dental facilities in the state to install amalgam separators. For more information contact:Kerry Britt401.461.8848Kerry.Britt@narrabay.comNortheast Ohio Regional Sewer District, OhioThe NEORSD has been addressing mercury issues for more than a decade and is developing and implementing a pollutant minimization program for mercury. A numeric local limit to achieve the 1.3 parts-per-trillion water quality criterion for mercury in NEORSD treated effl uent is infeasible, and a narrative local limit was instead adopted. This narrative local limit requires dischargers of mercury into the sewerage system to implement BMPs to minimize the amount of mercury discharged. Mercury sources identifi ed as signifi cant, initially including 518 dental clinics and 14 hospitals, have been required to develop, submit, and implement BMP plans. The NEORSD has also conducted several waste mercury collections and thermometer exchanges and has prepared a brochure for the general public titled Household Mercury. 

For more information contact:Elizabeth Toot-Levy 216.641.6000toot-levye@neorsd.org 
The following are examples of mercury 

control efforts in several NACWA member communities and one community in British Columbia, Canada.City of Boise, Idaho In 2002, the City of Boise’s Pollution Prevention Strategy identifi ed mercury as a high priority. To control mercury in wastewater the Idaho State Dental Association developed and adopted statewide Best Management Practice (BMP) guidelines for dental care providers. Boise is now evaluating all humancaused sources of mercury to the environment to develop local mercury minimization goals, plans, and actions to reduce mercury releases. Over the next few years, the city anticipates implementing several new mercury pollution prevention initiatives to complement existing programs. The objective is to promote the proper management of all mercury generated by the community and reduce the contribution to the local, regional, national, and global mercury load. For more information contact:Robbin Finch 208.384.3916rfi nch@cityofboise.orgEast Bay Municipal Utility District, CaliforniaEBMUD was the fi rst large wastewater agency in California to require dental facilities to install amalgam separators. An innovative dental plumbing cleaning project indicated that dental facilities are a source of legacy mercury. EBMUD partnered with the University of California to develop a mercury reduction program for educational institutions, leading to the collection of over 1,200 pounds of mercury waste and a template for other agencies to use. Data indicate a 30% reduction of mercury loading to EBMUD’s wastewater treatment plant as a result of these efforts. For more information contact:Deirdre Mena510.287.1559dmena@ebmud.com 

Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, CaliforniaThrough “Be Mercury Free,” an educational outreach program aimed at reducing mercury sources found in households, schools and universities, hospitals and dental offi ces, the SRCSD and its regional partners strive to protect the environment and residents of the Sacramento region by reducing mercury pollution in the local watershed. SRCSD, in cooperation with the local and state regulatory agencies, is leading the nation in investigating the feasibility of a new mercury regulatory compliance tool, mercury offsets. SRCSD staff has developed numerous tools to educate the public regarding proper methods of mercury disposal, including educational brochures, an informative Web site, www.bemercuryfree.net, and an interactive “Be Mercury Free” exhibit for use at thermometer exchange and other public events. For more information contact:Linda Cochran916.876.5287cochranli@saccounty.net City of San Francisco, CaliforniaThe City of San Francisco utilizes a combination of outreach/education and enforcement/compliance in order to reduce the amount of mercury pollution entering the San Francisco Bay and Pacifi c Ocean. The City supports three major mercury reduction programs. Dental Mercury Reduction requires all City dental offi ces to implement BMPs and install amalgam separators. Recovery of Mercury Containing Products and Equipment includes Fluorescent Light Tube Recycling, a Mercury Thermometer Recovery Program, and other mercury-containing recovery programs. The City has also adopted an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Ordinance, referred to as EP3, with the goal of minimizing the purchasing of products and equipment made by City departments that are environmentally problematic, such as those containing mercury. For more information contact:Meg Gale415.695.7378mgale@sfwater.org

City of San Jose, CaliforniaIn addition to comprehensive stormwater and wastewater mercury pollution reduction programs, the City is conducting a study of the fate and transport of mercury through the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant. Sampling for total and fi lteretotal mercury, methylmercury, and ancillary parameters at selected treatment steps began in October 2004. Total and methylmercury are removed with approximately 99% and 98effi ciencies respectively. Total mercury in plant effl uent averages about 2 ppt. Dissolvemercury is removed with 53% effi ciency. Flows and concentrations of mercury in sludge appear to be suffi cient to account for the mercury removed. There is no evidence of methylation at any treatment step, even biological treatment under anoxic and anaerobic conditions. For more information contact: David Tucker 408.277.5695David.Tucker@sanjoseca.govWestern Lake Superior Sanitary District, MinnesotaIn 1993, the WLSSD determined that end-ofpipe control for mercury was cost-prohibitivand therefore began intensive source identifi cation and reduction activities to eliminate sources of mercury to the wastewatreatment plant and incinerator. Mercury sources identifi ed include scrubber water from the incinerator and industrial customecontaminated by mercury. At this same timeWLSSD also began working with dental clinics which led to the development of BMPand the installation of amalgam separators. WLSSD also provides programs for the publto minimize their potential mercury release to the environment by providing household hazardous waste collection, a small business collection, fever thermometer exchanges and mercury-free schools program. For more information contact: Tim Tuominen218.740.4815tim.tuominen@wlssd.duluth.mn.us