WASHINGTON, D.C. – 16 Senators, led by U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, I – Vt., today wrote the EPA urging it reconsider its “blending” rule, which would allow more frequent discharges of partially treated sewage into receiving water.
Jeffords is the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
“We are concerned that EPA's proposed policy puts public health at risk because it would allow more frequent use of blending and undo many of the public health and environmental gains achieved under the Clean Water Act,” wrote the Senators.
On November 7th, the EPA proposed a new "blending" rule that would allow water that receives only primary treatment to bypass the secondary treatment process and be discharged into receiving waters. Disinfection is not required by the proposed guidance as a condition of the use of blending, and it is not consistently required in areas where human contact with water is expected.
The main concern with the increased use of "blending" is its effect on the presence of bacteria, viruses, and pathogens in wastewater discharges. Some familiar examples commonly found in wastewater are cryptosporidium, E. Coli, and giardia, all of which cause intestinal illnesses of varying severity.
In 1993 a huge cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, caused more than 400,000 people to become ill and more than 100 people died.
Along with Jeffords, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy, D – Vt., John Kerry, D – Mass., Edward Kennedy, D - Mass., Chris Dodd, D – Conn., Joe Lieberman, D – Conn., Frank Lautenberg, D – NJ, Jon Corzine, D – NJ, Richard Durbin, D – Il., Jack Reed, D – RI., Harry Reid, D – Nev., Hilary Clinton, D – NY., Charles Schumer, D – NY, Daniel Akaka, D – Hi, Paul Sarbanes, D – Md., and Barbara Boxer, D – Cal.
The full text of the letter is below.
December 20, 2004
Administrator Michael Leavitt
Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20460 Dear Administrator Leavitt, We are writing to you regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) proposed guidance entitled "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Requirements for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Discharges During Wet Weather Conditions," which was published in the Federal Register on November 7, 2003 (68 FR 63042)(EPA Water Docket, ID # OW-2003-0025). This policy would permit a process called "blending" which mixes partially treated sewage with fully treated sewage and discharges it directly into receiving waters. We recognize that in extremely limited circumstances, when no feasible alternatives exist, blending may provide an important, temporary solution to water quality problems associated with peak wet weather flows. However, we are concerned that EPA's proposed policy puts public health at risk because it would allow more frequent use of blending and undo many of the public health and environmental gains achieved under the Clean Water Act. The main concern with the increased use of blending is its effect on the presence of bacteria, viruses, and pathogens in wastewater discharges. Some familiar examples commonly found in wastewater are cryptosporidium, E. Coli, and giardia, all of which cause intestinal illnesses of varying severity. A huge cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1993 caused more than 400,000 people to become ill and more than 100 people died. Secondary treatment and disinfection are the two processes most critical to reducing the presence of these contaminants. The proposed blending guidance would allow water that receives only primary treatment to bypass the secondary treatment process and be discharged into receiving waters. Disinfection is not required by the proposed guidance as a condition of the use of blending, and it is not consistently required in areas where human contact with water is expected. Because EPA's proposed guidance increases the allowable uses of blending, it increases the likelihood that bacteria, viruses, and pathogens present in wastewater flows entering treatment plants will be discharged and will come into contact with people through swimming or drinking water. In addition, the Agency's blending guidance undermines the 1994 EPA Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) policy which requires, as part of a long-term control plan, the evaluation of alternatives to eliminate CSOs. By expanding the potential use of blending, it is likely that more communities will select blending instead of other alternatives with greater water quality benefits. The result will be a missed opportunity to clean up the nation=s CSO discharges. The public health ramifications of moving forward with the proposed blending guidance should not be ignored. We urge you to end consideration of this guidance. Sincerely,
Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20460 Dear Administrator Leavitt, We are writing to you regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) proposed guidance entitled "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Requirements for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Discharges During Wet Weather Conditions," which was published in the Federal Register on November 7, 2003 (68 FR 63042)(EPA Water Docket, ID # OW-2003-0025). This policy would permit a process called "blending" which mixes partially treated sewage with fully treated sewage and discharges it directly into receiving waters. We recognize that in extremely limited circumstances, when no feasible alternatives exist, blending may provide an important, temporary solution to water quality problems associated with peak wet weather flows. However, we are concerned that EPA's proposed policy puts public health at risk because it would allow more frequent use of blending and undo many of the public health and environmental gains achieved under the Clean Water Act. The main concern with the increased use of blending is its effect on the presence of bacteria, viruses, and pathogens in wastewater discharges. Some familiar examples commonly found in wastewater are cryptosporidium, E. Coli, and giardia, all of which cause intestinal illnesses of varying severity. A huge cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1993 caused more than 400,000 people to become ill and more than 100 people died. Secondary treatment and disinfection are the two processes most critical to reducing the presence of these contaminants. The proposed blending guidance would allow water that receives only primary treatment to bypass the secondary treatment process and be discharged into receiving waters. Disinfection is not required by the proposed guidance as a condition of the use of blending, and it is not consistently required in areas where human contact with water is expected. Because EPA's proposed guidance increases the allowable uses of blending, it increases the likelihood that bacteria, viruses, and pathogens present in wastewater flows entering treatment plants will be discharged and will come into contact with people through swimming or drinking water. In addition, the Agency's blending guidance undermines the 1994 EPA Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) policy which requires, as part of a long-term control plan, the evaluation of alternatives to eliminate CSOs. By expanding the potential use of blending, it is likely that more communities will select blending instead of other alternatives with greater water quality benefits. The result will be a missed opportunity to clean up the nation=s CSO discharges. The public health ramifications of moving forward with the proposed blending guidance should not be ignored. We urge you to end consideration of this guidance. Sincerely,
