Public Hearing and Comment Period to Accept Comments on the
Department of Ecology's Plan to Reauthorize the Water Treatment Plant General Permit
Reauthorizing the Water Treatment Plant General Permit:
The water treatment plant (WTP) general permit, issued by the
Washington state department of ecology (ecology) on June 16,
2004, expires on July 15, 2009. Ecology proposes to
reauthorize the general permit, with minor changes. The draft
WTP general permit, fact sheet, and fact sheet addendum are
available for review and public comment from May 6, 2009,
through June 9, 2009. Ecology will host a public hearing on
its proposal to reauthorize the WTP general permit. Ecology
will accept written comments on the draft permit, fact sheet,
and fact sheet addendum or oral comments can be given at the
public hearing.
Purpose of the Water Treatment Plant General Permit: The WTP general permit is a statewide permit providing permit coverage for thirty-two water treatment plants. Water treatment plants under this permit treat water through filtration processes producing a finished water for drinking or for industrial activities. The filtration process removes silt, organics, microorganisms, and other impurities, trapping this material in the filter. Periodically, plant operators back-flush filters to remove the trapped material and restore filtration capacity. Other wastewaters are generated through routine cleaning. Treatment plants typically treat these wastewaters using settling basins. Potential pollutants include fine silt, and trace amounts of organics, microorganisms, additives and other impurities removed during filtration as well as additives. Additives may include chlorine, chemicals to adjust pH, and chemicals that enhance the removal of impurities in the water.
Applying for Coverage under the Water Treatment Plant General Permit: Facilities covered under the existing WTP general permit will be automatically covered under the reissued permit. New or unpermitted facilities may obtain coverage under the reauthorized general permit by submitting a complete permit application to ecology and satisfying all applicable public notice and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements (WAC 173-226-200). The application is available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/wtp/index.html.
Requesting Copies of the Permit: You may download copies of the draft permit, fact sheet, and fact sheet addendum from the web site at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/wtp/index.html, or you may request copies from Julie Robertson, phone (360) 407-6575, e-mail jrob461@ecy.wa.gov.
Submitting Written and Oral Comments: Ecology will accept written and oral comments on the draft WTP general permit, fact sheet, and fact sheet addendum. Comments should reference specific text when possible. Comments may address the following:
• Technical issues,
• Accuracy and completeness of information,
• The scope of facilities proposed for coverage,
• Adequacy of environmental protection and permit conditions, or
• Any other concern that would result from issuance of the revised permit.
Ecology prefers comments be submitted by e-mail. Send comments via e-mail to Carey Cholski at the department of ecology (cgru461@ecy.wa.gov). Written comments must be postmarked or received via e-mail no later than 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 9, 2009.
You may provide oral comments by testifying at the public hearings.
If you are sending comments via the mail, mail your comments to Carey Cholski, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47775, Olympia, WA 98504-7775.
Public Hearings: The public hearing on the draft general permit will be held at the Washington State Department of Ecology, 300 Desmond Drive, Lacey, (360) 407-6000 (Driving directions http://www.ecy.wa.gov/images/offices/map_hq_swro.pdf), Lacey, Washington, on June 8, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the hearings is to provide an opportunity for people to give formal oral testimony and comments on the draft permit.
Reauthorizing the Final WTP General Permit: The final permit will be issued after ecology receives and considers all public comments. If public comments represent a substantial departure from the scope or conditions in the original draft permit, another public notice of draft and comment period may ensue.
Ecology expects to issue the general permit on July 15, 2009. It will be effective September 1, 2009. When issued, a copy of the notice of issuance and ecology's responses to the comments will be sent to all persons who submitted written comment or gave public testimony.