Tracking Natural Radium in South Jersey Water

Groundwater, Drinking Water Treatment Systems, Waste

Water Treatment Plants, and Disposition of Sludge

New Jersey Water Monitoring Council (NJWMC)

January 24, 2018 Meeting

James McCullough

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Environmental Radiation

Mailing Address: Mail Code 25-01, PO Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420

Physical Address: 25 Arctic Parkway, Ewing, NJ 08638

Phone: 609-984-5400

Fax: 609-633-2210

www.agreementstate.nj.gov

www.njradon.org

NJDEP Bureau Of Environmental Radiation (BER)

Jenny Goodman, Manager

Industrial Radioactive

Materials Section

Medical Radioactive

Materials Section

Radiological & Environmental

Assessment SectionRadon Section

https://nj.usgs.gov/infodata/aquifers/figure_1.html

HTTPS://PUBS.USGS.GOV/OF/2004/1050/URANIUM.HTM

HTTPS://PUBS.USGS.GOV/OF/2004/1050/THORIUM.HTM

Maximum Contaminant Level Recommendations For

Radium In Drinking Water Basis And Background, New

Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute (May 20,

2002)

Appendix III: Report of the Testing Subcommittee New

Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute New Jersey

Department of Environmental Protection

Recommendation to the Institute on Radium-224 (Ra-

224) Testing, January 7, 2002.

(http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/pdf/radium_bb

_5_20_02.pdf)

MANAGING AN EXCEEDANCE

• CONSIDER ALTERNATE SOURCE WATER

• BLENDING SOURCE WATER

• INTERCONNECTION - PURCHASING WATER FROM ANOTHER AREA

• TREATMENT

https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/radionuclides-rule

RADIUM TREATMENT SYSTEMS

• REGENERATION SYSTEMs

• Ion Exchange media to remove the contaminant

• Periodic regeneration using NaCl brine.

• Limited accumulation of radioactive contaminants

• Discharging contaminants and brine

• CONTINUIOUS ACCUMULATION

• System continually accumulates contaminant

• No routine effluent discharge

• Higher radioactive contaminants accumulated

• Higher potential for human exposure

• waste disposal to a licensed site

https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/radionuclides-rule

GENERAL LICENSE REGISTRATION

• 0.1 to 10 microcuries radium (combined 226 & 228) total activity

accumulated at one time

• Annual fee (currently $205)

• Annual registration form 664w(ra) submission to verify

• System is maintained

• System parameters for accumulation calculation

• Water usage

• Raw water concentration

• Frequency of backwash or media exchange

• Periodic inspections as time/situation permits

SPECIFIC LICENSES

• >10 microcuries radium (combined 226 & 228) total activity accumulated at one time

• Annual fee ($305 to $2,550 per year)

• Initial license application & renewal submission every 10 years

• More detailed oversight

• Radiation safety officer

• Worker exposure

• Public exposure

• Area monitors

• Facility diagrams

• Notifications for system changes

• Waste disposal of spent media

• Submission of data on exposure, media sampling, discharge monitoring

• Routine inspections every 3 to 5 years

BER REGULATORY LIMITS FOR RADIUM TREATMENT SYSTEM REGISTRATION OR

LICENSING

# Treatment

Systems

# Water

Systems

Radium Activity

Accumulated

(microcuries)

BER Authority

- - <0.1 Exempt from regulation

15 15 0.1 to 10 General License

45 23 >10 Specific License

CURRENT BER LICENSE/REGISTRATION SUMMARY FOR RADIUM TREATMENT

Specific

License

Systems

General

License

Systems

Treatment TypeRadioactive

Disposal Type

40 1 Continual Accumulation Spent media solid waste

disposal

4 14 Ion ExchangeRoutine discharge of

liquid effluent

1 0

Ion Exchange, then

secondary continual

accumulation resin

Spent media solid waste

disposal

SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL EXAMPLE

• A few recent media exchanges:

Ra-226 & Ra-228

Average

Concentration

Total

Consignment

Activity

# 42 ft3 IP-1

supersack packages

Site 1,

Z-88

828 pCi/g

450 pCi/g

11.32 mCi

5.04 mCi

12

10

Site 2,

Z-88

156 pCi/g

502 pCi/g

145 pCi/g

468 pCi/g

2.89 mCi

8.82 mCi

2.52 mCi

8.13 mCi

16

15

15

15

DISCHARGE DATA EXAMPLE

Sample Point Ra-224

pCi/l

Ra-226

pCi/l

Ra-228

pCi/l

Sum of Fractions (SOF) of

discharge limits

Treatment System 1

Backwash256 195 490 1.27

Treatment System 2

Backwash1103 940 2900 6.95

NJPDES Permit

Compliance

Monitoring Point

25 75 134.5 0.18

Discharge to Sanitary Sewer limits:

2000 pCi/L Ra-224

600 pCi/L Ra-226

600 pCi/L Ra-228

James T. McCullough

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Environmental Radiation

Radiological & Environmental Assessment Section

Mailing Address: Mail Code 25-01, PO Box 420, Trenton,NJ 08625-0420

Physical Address: 25 Arctic Parkway, Ewing, NJ 08638

Phone: 609-984-5480 | Fax: 609-633-2210 | Emergency: 1-877-WARN-DEP

James.McCullough@dep.nj.gov | www.agreementstate.nj.gov

http://www.nj.gov/dep/aqes/index.html

So what happens to all that water treatment waste?

Jenny GoodmanNew Jersey Department of Environmental ProtectionBureau of Environmental Radiation

NJWMC MeetingJanuary 24, 2018

Interagency Steering Committee on

Radiation Standards (ISCORS)

2003-2005

ISCORS Assessment of Radioactivity in Sewage Sludge:Radiological Survey Results and AnalysisModeling to Assess Radiation DoseRecommendations on Management of Radioactive

Materials in Sewage Sludge and Ash at POTWs

Comprehensive Radiological Analysis of Product (CRAP)

• $72,000 analysis grant (Safe Drinking Water)

• 29 POTWs

• 4 Septic Systems

• 3 land application sites

• 60 sampling episodes

• 336 sludge/ash samples analyzed

• 32 E-PERMS deployed for Radon in air levels

“Ash”

Influent and EffluentRa-226 + Ra-228

Influent Effluent

66.5 pCi/L 0.99 pCi/L

21.8 pCi/L 0.74 pCi/L

Radium Concentrations in Plant A

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

9/19

/2001

9/19

/2001

dup

4/9/

2002

dup

4/9/

2002

dup

6/5/

2002

3/5/

2003

6/11

/2003

9/2/

2003

9/2/

2003

dup

10/29/2

003

1/6/

2004

3/1/

2004

3/30

/2004

5/19

/2004

5/19

/2004

dup

8/4/

2004

8/4/

2004

dup

8/4/

2004

dup

9/15

/2004

9/15

/2004

dup

9/15

/2004

dup

10/25/2

004

10/25/2

004

dup

Co

ncen

trati

on

(p

Ci/

g)

Ra-226

Ra-228

ISCORS

95th

Percentile

for Ra-226

ISCORS

95th

Percentile

for Ra-

228

Radium Concentrations in Plant B

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

7/17

/2001

7/17

/2001

dup

8/29

/2001

8/29

/2001

dup

4/9/

2002

4/9/

2002

dup

6/5/

2002

3/5/

2003

3/5/

2003

dup

3/5/

2003

dup2

6/11

/2003

9/2/

2003

10/29/2

003

1/6/

2004

3/1/

2004

3/30

/2004

3/30

/2003

dup

5/19

/2004

Co

ncen

trati

on

(p

Ci/

g)

Ra-226

Ra-228

ISCORS

95th

Percentile

for Ra-226

ISCORS

95th

Percentile

for Ra-228

Production and Management of Biosolids May Lead to Radiation Exposure

– Treatment plant operations may lead to exposure to workers

– Three common biosolids management practices may lead to exposure to the general public:• Beneficial Use: land application as a fertilizer or soil amendment

to agricultural land, land reclamation sites, lawns and parks

• Surface Disposal: municipal solid waste landfills, sludge monofills, and surface impoundments

• Incineration: air emissions, ash typically disposed of in landfills

Potential sources entering

POTW? (see criteria of

Section 5.2)

Collect and analyze

sludge/ash samples.

(Section 5.3)

If NORM/TENORM

sources, consider

testing for radon in

air. (Section 5.2)

Evaluate

radon in air.

Is calculated radon

result greater than

4.0 pCi/L or 0.02 WL?

Calculate indoor radon

concentration. (Section

6.1.2, Table A.2)

If NORM/

TENORM

are

present

Test for radon in air.

(Section 5.3)

YES

If radon

measurements

not available

Is measured radon

result greater than

4.0 pCi/L or 0.02 WL?

If radon

measurements

already

available

YES

Follow EPA

recommendations.

(Section 6.1.4)

While radon levels

should be as low as

practicable, no

further action is

recommended.

• Consult with your

State Radiation

Control Program

(Appendix E).

• Consider site

specific evaluations

and refer to ISCORS

recommendations.

(Section 6.2 and

Chapter 7)

NO

NO

YES

No further action is

warranted regarding

radioactive material in

sludge or ash.

Are any analytical results

of sludge/ash above

Reference Values for

Screening Calculations?

(Table A.1 or Table B,

Section 6.1.2)

Is total dose greater

than Consultation

Level of 10 mrem/y?

(Chapter 6)

Determine total dose

by summing individual

nuclide doses.

(Section 6.1.3)

YES

NO

YES

NO

Evaluation of Radon (gray)

NO

On-Site Resident Scenario (Application for 20 years)

Nuclide Dose to Source

Ratio

(mrem/y per pCi/g)

Average Sludge

Result

(pCi/g dry weight)

Annual Dose

(millirem per year)

Ra-226 0.982 14.7 14.4

Ra-228 0.412 12.2 5.0

Th-228 0.049 2.8 0.14

Total Dose 19.5

On-Site Resident Scenario (Application for 50 years)

Nuclide Dose to Source

Ratio

(mrem/y per pCi/g)

Average Sludge

Result

(pCi/g dry weight)

Annual Dose

(millirem per year)

Ra-226 2.45 14.7 37.3

Ra-228 0.462 12.2 5.6

Th-228 0.049 2.8 0.14

Total Dose 43.0

ISCORS Model Results

(Plant A)

POTW Facility Worker Scenario

Nuclide Dose to Source Ratio

(mrem/y per pCi/g)

Average Sludge Result

(pCi/g dry weight)

Annual Dose

(millirem per year)

Ra-226 0.484 14.7 7.1

Ra-228 0.259 12.2 3.2

Th-228 0.455 2.8 1.3

Total Dose 11.6

Agricultural Application Worker (20 years)

Nuclide Dose to Source

Ratio

(mrem/y per pCi/g)

Average Sludge

Result

(pCi/g dry weight)

Annual Dose

(millirem per year)

Ra-226 0.147 14.7 2.2

Ra-228 0.112 12.2 1.4

Th-228 0.021 2.8 0.06

Total Dose 3.7

ISCORS Model Results

(Plant A)

Soil Results

• Sample every 5 years• 2 episodes: 2010 and 2015

• Ra-226 range: 0.2 to 1.38 pCi/g

• Ra-228 range: 0.2 to 0.56 pCi/g

• Bottom Line• Not much there – no conclusive trend.

• Where does it go?• Mixing

• Uptake

• Back into groundwater

New Jersey Teddy Bear Company®

Sewage Sludge Sampling Bear

Questions?

Jenny Goodman, ManagerBureau of Environmental Radiation

609-984-5498Jenny.Goodman@dep.nj.gov