Iowa Department of Natural Resources Asking for Public Comment on Proposed Wastewater Discharge Permits

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking for public comment on a pair of new wastewater discharge permits.  The two new general permits will cover a variety of wastewater discharges to Iowa soils and streams.

DNR plans to issue two new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permits known as General Permit #8 (GP8) and General Permit #9 (GP9). GP8 allows for discharges of hydrostatic test water (water used to test the integrity of a pipe or tank), underground storage tank ballast water (water used to weight a tank to facilitate underground installation), and water associated with installation, repair, and replacement of potable water lines. GP9 allows for discharges from dewatering associated with construction and small residential geothermal heating and cooling systems.  GP8 is of particular interest to PMCI and PMCI’s members.  GP8 is being created in response to EPA’s 2015 Underground Storage Revisions which requires the integrity of containments sumps and spill buckets to be tested every three years using a hydrostatic (liquid), pressure, or vacuum test method.  Hydrostatic testing is widely accepted as the most practical method for meeting EPA’s containment testing requirements.

Industry has great concerns with hydrostatic testing of containments.  Once test water is introduced into a containment, the test water must be properly disposed of.  In many cases the test water will come into contact with the petroleum products dispensed through UST systems.  It’s likely that upon introduction to a containment, test water contaminant levels will rise to a level classifying the test liquid as a hazardous waste.  Once hazardous waste is generated, strict rules apply to its disposal.  PMCI is particular concerned with the disposal process involving contaminated test water and its potential impact on PMCI member properties.  You certainly have to question the rationale of federal and state agencies tasked with protecting soils and water creating a testing protocol that involves the generation of a hazardous waste which ultimately must be disposed of.

The Iowa DNR has scheduled the following three public hearings to discuss their new permits:

1. Wednesday, Mar. 7, 4 p.m. at the Coralville Public Library, 1401 Fifth St., Coralville. 
2. Thursday, Mar. 8, 4 p.m. at the Harlan Public Library, 718 Court St., Harlan.
3. Wednesday, Mar. 14, 4 p.m. at the Urbandale Public Library, 3520 86th St., Urbandale.