Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Natural Resources › NR 800 - Environmental Protection - Water Supply › Chapter NR 811 - Requirements For The Operation And Design Of Community Water Systems › Subchapter VII - Treatment › Section NR 811.55 - Radionuclide removal

Current through June 24, 2024
(1) RADIUM REMOVAL. Water treatment to remove
				  radium shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
General.
Radium may be
				  removed by using the water treatment processes of zeolite softening, lime-soda
				  softening, reverse osmosis, hydrous manganese oxides, and adsorptive resins.
				  Other processes may also be used to remove radium as approved by the department
				  on a case-by-case basis. The process design shall address the fate of radium in
				  the treatment process including waste disposal. Where applicable, disposal of
				  treatment plant wastes containing radium shall normally be to a sanitary sewer
				  or wastewater treatment plant.
Note:
It is recommended that measures be taken
					 to protect workers from gamma radiation exposure and radon gas inhalation where
					 applicable.
(b)
Finished water quality.
Radium removal processes shall be
				  designed to provide a finished water with a radium content as close to 0
				  picocuries per liter as practical while maintaining a finished water that is
				  not corrosive. The department shall determine allowable plant outlet water
				  quality, including radium concentrations, based on the raw water quality and
				  the treatment process proposed. If corrosive water is produced during the
				  radium removal process, a department approved method of corrosion control shall
				  be provided.
(c)
Finished
				  water sampling and reporting.
For the radium removal processes listed
				  in par. (a), a minimum of 4 consecutive quarters of finished water sampling for
				  radium shall be required after the plant becomes operational to demonstrate
				  treatment effectiveness. For other proposed radium removal treatment methods,
				  the required radium monitoring program shall be established by the department.
				  The sampling shall be conducted under worst case conditions. Radium analyses
				  shall be performed by a U.S. environmental protection agency approved
				  laboratory. The laboratory shall forward a copy of the radiological analyses to
				  the department in an electronic format. Water hardness monitoring equipment
				  shall be provided to monitor for hardness breakthrough when softening is used
				  for radium removal. Daily water hardness measurements shall be reported on the
				  monthly operating report submitted to the department. Use of hardness
				  monitoring to substitute for radium analyses shall only be allowed if
				  demonstrated effective by simultaneous radium and hardness sampling conducted
				  for one year.
(d)
Water
				  softening.
Treatment for radium removal using standard water softening
				  processes shall comply with the requirements of s.
				  NR
				  811.57.
(e)
Hydrous manganese
				  oxides.
Water treatment using hydrous manganese oxides for radium
				  removal shall meet the following requirements:
1. Each installation shall be individually
				  pilot tested on-site under a department approval unless the pilot testing
				  requirement is waived by the department based upon documentation of successful
				  similar treatment performance at wells with similar water quality.
2. Pre-mixed or on-site mixed hydrous
				  manganese oxide chemicals shall conform to the applicable NSF/ANSI Standard 60
				  and AWWA standards as required by s.
				  NR 810.09 (1)
				  (c).
(f)
Adsorptive resins.
Water
				  treatment using adsorptive resins for radium removal that will continuously
				  accumulate radium on the resin shall meet the following requirements.
1. Each installation shall be individually
				  pilot tested on-site under a department approval unless the pilot testing
				  requirement is waived by the department based upon documentation of successful
				  similar treatment performance at wells with similar water quality.
2. The radiation protection section of the
				  department of health services shall be contacted to obtain a radioactive
				  material license to operate pilot and full scale installations prior to
				  constructing or operating the systems.
(g)
Other treatment.
Other
				  radium removal treatment processes may be approved by the department on a
				  case-by-case basis using information obtained from department approved on-site
				  pilot studies conducted on the water to be treated.
(h)
Waste disposal.
Disposal
				  of radium removal treatment plant waste shall comply with subch. XII.