Sanitary Sewer Chapter 7. Fixed Treatment Unit Hearst and Strawberry Sewer Outfalls Wastewater Monitoring for Radiation Return to Table of Contents Sanitary sewer discharge monitoring is divided into two major areas, based on regulatory and DOE requirements. What is generally termed self-monitoring is mandated by the wastewater discharge permits granted to Berkeley Lab by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. In general, samples are analyzed for pH, total suspended solids, and chemical oxygen demand. Analyses for volatile organic compounds and metals are included when required by permit conditions.
Analysis is performed by a state-certified outside contract laboratory.
Analysis is confined to radioisotope activity, normally gross alpha, gross beta, iodine-125, and tritium. Gross alpha and gross beta measurements are used as a screening mechanism to determine if specific radionuclide measurements are required. Currently it is performed biweekly, and split samples are analyzed by both LBNL's in-house Radiation Assessment and Measurement Laboratory and by an outside laboratory as a quality control measure. These two locations capture all wastewater leaving the site, although the discharge from Strawberry Sewer also includes effluent from certain UCB facilities in Strawberry Canyon. Details of the sewage system are given in the Sanitary Sewer Systems section of Chapter 2, Introduction .