AN ORIENTATION ON THE HISTORY, ISSUES, FUTURE EFFORTS & … · 2019. 1. 25. · Ammonia toxicity to...
Transcript of AN ORIENTATION ON THE HISTORY, ISSUES, FUTURE EFFORTS & … · 2019. 1. 25. · Ammonia toxicity to...
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© 2016 HDR, Inc., all rights reserved.
David L. Clark, HDR Engineering, Inc. [email protected]
Kate Harris, City of Boise. [email protected]
AIC 2019 WATER SUMMIT
AMMONIA CRITERIA 101 AN ORIENTATION ON THE HISTORY,
ISSUES, FUTURE EFFORTS & OPTIONS
January 23, 2019
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▪ Revised 2013 Federal Ammonia Criteria
▪ Northwest Ammonia Criteria Rulemaking
o Status of Northwest Ammonia Rulemaking
• Idaho Update
• Oregon and Washington
▪ Presence of Mussels and Snails
o Nationally and Idaho
▪ Mussel Surveyso Boise City Experience and Plans
• Survey Methods
• E-DNA
▪ Water Quality Based Effluent Limits and Site
Specific Ammonia Criteria
o Example Scenarios
o Criteria and Effluent Limits
AMMONIA CRITERIA 101
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REVISED 2013 FEDERAL AMMONIA CRITERIA
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BASIS FOR TOXICS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
RULEMAKING
Toxicity to Aquatic Animals
▪ Aquatic Life Criteria
o CWA Section 304(a)
▪ Relationship Between Pollutants and Effect on Aquatic Organisms
o Acute: Highest One-hour Average Concentration
o Chronic: Highest 4-day Average Concentration
o Adjustments
• pH, Salinity, Temperature, Hardness
Human Health Risk Driven Water Quality Standards
▪ Protect From Adverse HumanHealth Impacts
o Long-term Toxics Exposure
• Consumption of Fish, Shellfish, and Water
o Exposure Basis
• Fish Consumption Rate
• Drinking 2 L/d Water
o Carcinogens
• Criteria Based on Risk of 1 Additional Case in 1 Million People (i.e. 10-6)
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▪ Ammonia toxicity to aquatic life:
o Unionized fraction of ammonia (NH3) is toxic
o % unionized increases with increasing pH
o Increasing temperature also increases toxicity
▪ EPA recommended criteria history:
o 1976 – Redbook (0.02 mg/L NH3), simple pH and T matrix
o 1984 – bifurcated (with or without salmonids), acute and chronic (1986 Goldbook)
o 1992 – whitefish correction factor
o 1999 – major revision for salmonids, considers early life stages
Note – Not all states adopted or received EPA approval for 1999 criteria (e.g., Oregon)
AMMONIA TOXICITY CRITERIA HISTORY
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Source: WEF MOP #34, Nutrient Removal, 2011
TABLE 2.2 Comparison of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended ammonia
toxicity criteria.*
1984
1992
1999
Draft 2009
Temperature, oC
Freshwater
mussels
present
Freshwater
mussels
absent
Acute criteria, mg/L as N
15 12.2 -- 13.3 15.6 23.6
20 12.0 -- 13.3 10.3 17.8
Chronic criteria, mg/L as N
15 1.7 2.1 4.2 0.88 6.3
20 1.2 1.5 3.1 0.63 4.6
*All values shown are at a pH of 7.5; 1999 values shown assume salmonids and early life
stages present.
2009 DRAFT CRITERIA REFLECT MUSSEL SENSITIVITY
Present
Absent
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2013 NATIONAL AMMONIA CRITERIA REFLECT SENSITIVITY OF MUSSELS TO TOXIC AMMONIA
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▪ “Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria For Ammonia – Freshwater, 2013”o 225 pages with 14 appendices
• Appendix N. Site-Specific Criteria for Ammonia
▪ “Flexibilities for States Applying EPA’s Ammonia Criteria Recommendations”o EPA presents a number of flexibilities are available for state
consideration including:
1. Recalculation Procedure for Site-specific Criteria Derivation
2. Variances
3. Revisions to Designated Uses
4. Dilution Allowances
5. Compliance Schedules
FINAL 2013 AMMONIA CRITERIA PUBLISHED BY EPA
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Table 1. Summary Comparison of Ammonia Criteria at pH 7 and
Temperature 200C, and pH 8 and Temperature 250C
FINAL 2013 REVISED FEDERAL AMMONIA CRITERIA
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/aqlife/ammonia/index.cfm
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2004 Permit Revision
EXAMPLE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON FUTURE NPDES PERMIT LIMITS
2009 Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Comparison of Ammonia Criteria • Existing Permit
• Chronic Criteria 1.97 mg/L
• Draft 2009 Criteria• Revised 2009 Chronic Criteria ~0.2 mg/L
• Final 2013 -- Future Permits• Final 2013 Chronic Criteria ~1.0 mg/L
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NORTHWEST AMMONIA RULEMAKING
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▪ Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria Will Impact Reasonable Potential Analysis and
May (or May Not) Be More Restrictive in Discharge Permitting
▪ Must First Be Adopted In State Rulemaking
▪ State “Implementation Guidance” Needed to Inform Site Specific Circumstances
to Be Used in Permitting
AMMONIA CRITERIA RULEMAKING
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WASHINGTON RULEMAKING - AMMONIA
▪ Washington
o Last updated ammonia criteria in 2003
o Triennial review scheduled for 2019
• Aquatic life updates are included in the scoping document
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OREGON – 2015 AMMONIA RULEMAKING
▪ January 7, 2015: Environmental Quality Commission (DEQ governing
body) adopted revised Oregon’s ammonia standard consistent with
EPA’s 2013 recommendations regarding ammonia
o Oregon’s previous water quality criteria based on 1985 EPA guidance
o Oregon did not ever adopt the revised federal ammonia criteria of 1999
▪ August 4, 2015, USEPA approved revisions to Oregon’s ammonia
water quality standards for the protection of aquatic life.
▪ September 2015, DEQ completes ammonia RPA spreadsheet that
reflects the revised Oregon ammonia standard
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▪ Current Criteria
▪ 2017 Triennial Review
o Ammonia (aquatic life) identified as a high priority item
▪ Negotiated Rulemaking
o Several items driven by lawsuits or BiOp
• Copper, selenium, arsenic
▪ 2019 Schedule
o Undetermined if ammonia rulemaking will begin this year
IDAHO AMMONIA CRITERIA UPDATE
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PRESENCE OF MUSSELS AND SNAILS
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DISTRIBUTION OF MUSSELS AND SNAILS
▪ They’re everywhere!
▪ Highest diversity of
freshwater mussels in the
world (300 species)
▪ Declining numbers, water
quality is one reason
▪ 70% of mussels extinct or
imperiled
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UNIONIDAE DISTRIBUTION IN UNITED STATES
298 North American
species over 1/3 of
worldwide species
From Williams and
Neves 1995 and
Williams et al. 2017
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SHORT-DURATION GLOCHIDIUM STAGE HAS BEEN SHOWN
TO BE MOST SENSITIVE TO AMMONIA
▪ EPA notice of intent to re-
evaluate aquatic life criteria
for ammonia
▪ Seeks submittal of data on
freshwater mussels (Unionids)
▪ Early life stage that attaches
to fish (glochidium)
▪ Short duration glochidium
stage shown to be most
sensitive to ammonia
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▪ Estimated 117 mollusk species in Idaho from 35
genera and 15 families.
Freshwater Mussels
▪ Order Unionida
o Family Unionidae
o Family Margaritiferidae
▪ Order Veneroida
o Clams
MOLLUSKS IN IDAHO
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MUSSEL SURVEYS
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▪ Lower ammonia criteria would impact the
City of Boise
▪ Investigating impacts and alternatives
o Macroinvertebrate data since 1995 – snails and
clams present, study not designed for mussels
o Mollusk survey 2016 – 25 sites
o USFS Genomics Laboratory – eDNA
o City of Boise Freshwater Mussel Surveys
BOISE CITY WORK
Lander Street West Boise
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▪ 2018 – City of Boise Whitewater Park construction site
o Before and after dewatering
▪ 2019 – “Reconnaissance” of potential mussel habitat
▪ 2019 – Focused survey using visual and eDNA
seasonal sampling at potential mussel habitat reaches
▪ 2019 – Citizen science/crowd sourcing survey
CITY OF BOISE SURVEY
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WATER QUALITY BASED EFFLUENT LIMITS AND SITE SPECIFIC CRITERIA
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▪ EPA presents a number of flexibilities
available for state consideration including:
1. Recalculation Procedure for Site-
specific Criteria Derivation
2. Variances
3. Revisions to Designated Uses
4. Dilution Allowances
5. Compliance Schedules
POTENTIAL IMPACT ON PERMIT LIMITS
▪ 2013 Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
o 2013 v. 1999 Ammonia Criteria
o Mussels Present
▪ Site Specific Criteriao Mussels Absent, Early Life Stage Fish Present
o Mussels Absent, Early Life Stage Fish Absent
“Flexibilities for States Applying EPA’s
Ammonia Criteria Recommendations”
Example Scenarios
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2013 V. 1999 FEDERAL AMMONIA CRITERIA
2014 NPDES Permit
Chronic Criteria: 0.941 mg/L
Acute Criteria: 3.15 mg/L
2013 Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Chronic Criteria: 0.445 mg/L ( - 47%)
Acute Criteria: 1.95 mg/L ( - 62%)
2013 Criteria (Unionids Absent, Fish Present)
Chronic Criteria: 01.65 mg/L ( +75%)
Acute Criteria: 3.2 mg/L ( + 1%)???
Example NPDES Permit and Fact Sheet
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▪ Mass Balance Equation
▪ Does predicted Receiving Water Concentration (RWC)
have the reasonable potential to exceed water quality
criteria after allowable mixing?
▪ If yes, WQBELs are established in the NPDES permit.
REASONABLE POTENTIAL TO EXCEED ANALYSIS (RPTE, RPA)
Mass Balance Equation
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IDAHO, WASHINGTON AND OREGON HAVE MIXING ZONE RULES AND GUIDANCE
Idaho Guidance Illustration
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LTA to WQBELs
Maximum Day Limit (MDL)
Average Monthly Limit (AML)
TRANSLATION TO EFFLUENT LIMITSEPA 1991 TECHNICAL SUPPORT DOCUMENT WQBELS FOR TOXICS
WLA to Long Term Average (LTA)
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▪ Scenarioso A Medium Discharge, Small Stream
o B Medium Discharge, Small River
o C Medium Discharge, Medium River
▪ Reasonable Potential Analysis
o All Example Scenarios Have Reasonable
Potential for Exceedance
o Regulatory Agency Spreadsheet
Calculators Used for Analysis
EXAMPLE SCENARIOS ANALYSIS
▪ Effluent Limits Calculations
o All Example Scenarios Result in Low
Limits
o 95th Percentile: Average Monthly Limit
(AML)
o 99th Percentile – Max Daily Limit (MDL)
ASSUMPTIONS FOR RPA AND EFFLUENT LIMITS CALCULATIONS
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SCENARIO A: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO SMALL STREAM
▪ Treatment Plant
o Max Day 10.2 mgd
▪ Receiving Water
o 7Q10: 24 cfs
• Dilution Factors
» Chronic 1.5
» Acute 1.0
o Temperature: 220C
o pH: 8.8
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SCENARIO A: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO SMALL STREAM
AMMONIA CRITERIA
Criteria Chronic%
ChangeAcute
%
Chang
e
Remarks
Current 0.41 -- 1.23 -- Baseline
2013 EPA Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Mussels Present, Fish
Present0.19 -54% 0.73 -41% More Stringent
Mussels Absent, Fish
Present0.70 +70% 1.23 0% Fish Control Acute
Mussels Absent and Fish
Absent 0.70 +70% 1.92 +56% More Lenient
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SCENARIO A: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO SMALL STREAM
EFFLUENT AMMONIA LIMITS
CriteriaMonthly,
mg/L
%
Change
Daily,
mg/L
%
Chang
e
Remarks
Current 0.31 -- 1.26 -- Baseline
2013 EPA Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Mussels Present, Fish
Present0.17 -45% 0.69 -45% Lower Limits
Mussels Absent, Fish
Present0.31 0% 1.27 0% Reverts to Current
Mussels Absent and Fish
Absent 0.49 +58% 1.99 +58% Relaxed Limits
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▪ Treatment Plant
o Max Day 10.2 mgd
SCENARIO B: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO SMALL RIVER
▪ Receiving Water
o 7Q10: 116 cfs
• Dilution Factors
» Chronic 3.7
» Acute 1.2
o Temperature: 20.60C
o pH: 9.1
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SCENARIO B: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO SMALL RIVERAMMONIA CRITERIA
Criteria Chronic%
ChangeAcute
%
Chang
e
Remarks
Current 0.291 -- 0.76 -- Baseline
2013 EPA Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Mussels Present, Fish
Present0.13 -55% 0.50 -34% More Stringent
Mussels Absent, Fish
Present0.46 +59% 0.76 0% Reverts to Current
Mussels Absent and Fish
Absent 0.49 +69% 1.19 +57% More Lenient
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SCENARIO B: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO SMALL RIVEREFFLUENT AMMONIA LIMITS
CriteriaMonthly,
mg/L
%
Change
Daily,
mg/L
%
Chang
e
Remarks
Current 0.21 -- 0.85 -- Baseline
2013 EPA Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Mussels Present, Fish
Present0.12 -43% 0.48 -43% Lower Limits
Mussels Absent, Fish
Present0.21 0% 0.85 0% Reverts to Current
Mussels Absent and Fish
Absent 0.33 +57% 1.35 +59% Relaxed Limits
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SCENARIO C: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO MEDIUM RIVER
▪ Treatment Plant
o Max Day 8.5 mgd
▪ Receiving Water
o 7Q10: 573 cfs
• Dilution Factors
» Chronic 13.1
» Acute 2.1
o Temperature: 18.10C
o pH: 8.1
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SCENARIO C: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO MEDIUM RIVERAMMONIA CRITERIA
Criteria Chronic%
ChangeAcute
%
Chang
e
Remarks
Current 1.77 5.00 Baseline
2013 EPA Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Mussels Present, Fish
Present0.80 -55% 4.08 -18% More Stringent
Mussels Absent, Fish
Present2.44 +38% 5.01 0% Reverts to Current
Mussels Absent and Fish
Absent 3.02 +71% 7.82 +56% More Lenient
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SCENARIO C: MEDIUM DISCHARGER TO MEDIUM RIVEREFFLUENT AMMONIA LIMITS
CriteriaMonthly,
mg/L
%
Change
Daily,
mg/L
%
Chang
e
Remarks
Current 0.14 0.57 Baseline
2013 EPA Revised Federal Ammonia Criteria
Mussels Present, Fish
Present0.73 % 2.98 % Lower Limits
Mussels Absent, Fish
Present1.23 % 5.01 % Reverts to Current
Mussels Absent and Fish
Absent 1.93 % 7.82 % Relaxed Limits
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ADDRESSING POTENTIAL AMMONIA EFFLUENT LIMITS
▪ Treatment Technology
o Evaluate Current Plant Performance
• Not All Plants are Optimized for Ammonia
Removal
o Evaluate How Permit Limits will Change
• Reasonable Potential Analysis
• WQBELs
▪ Site Specific Criteria
o Consider Mixing Zone and Dilution Analysis
o Revised Federal Criteria Provide
Flexibility
• Are Early Life Stage Fish Present?
• Are Sensitive Mussels Present?
Revised Water
Quality Standards
Regulatory Solutions
Appropriate and Feasible
Effluent Limits
Best Management
Practices
Capabilities of
Wastewater Treatment
Technology
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© 2016 HDR, Inc., all rights reserved.
David L. Clark, HDR Engineering, Inc. [email protected]
Kate Harris, City of Boise. [email protected]
AIC 2019 WATER SUMMIT
AMMONIA CRITERIA 101 AN ORIENTATION ON THE HISTORY,
ISSUES, FUTURE EFFORTS & OPTIONS
January 23, 2019