N.J. Admin. Code § 7:14A-23.34 - Closure requirements for wastewater treatment units
(a) This section
applies to any and all wastewater and sludge facilities and equipment
permanently removed from use or operation at NJPDES permitted facilities or at
facilities for which a NJPDES permit has been revoked or an application for
renewal denied, unless a judicial or administrative stay is in effect. The
intent of this section is to protect public safety and health and to assure
that no contamination of ground or surface water will occur as a result of
removing such facilities and equipment from service either through the act of
closure or through continuing the discharge of pollutants into or through
equipment; or through leaking, leaching, or discharge of pollutants from
wastewater or residuals remaining in facilities or equipment which has been
removed from use but remains on site.
(b) The closure of a wastewater treatment
facility or equipment means either the termination of the source of wastewater
or sludge, or the permitted conveyance of wastewater or sludge to an alternate
location (such as a regional facility) in such a manner that no further
treatment storage or conveyance of wastewater or sludge is performed by the
facility.
(c) Wastewater treatment
works closures shall conform with the following procedures:
1. On or before 60 calendar days prior to
taking the facility or certain operating equipment out of service a permittee
shall:
i. Submit to the Division of Water
Quality's Watershed Permitting Element the following information concerning
closure activities:
(1) The date the facility
will cease operation or the date that discharge to specific operating equipment
will cease;
(2) The date the
influent and effluent pipes will be sealed;
(3) Plans (signed and sealed by a New Jersey
licensed professional engineer) for final disposition of the physical
facilities, including all treatment units, outfall line, and all mechanical and
electrical equipment and piping;
(4) Plans (signed and sealed by a New Jersey
licensed professional engineer) for elimination of all equipment and/or
conditions that could possibly pose a safety hazard, either during or after
shut-down of operations;
(5)
Verification that there are no lines in the collection system which are cross
connected (receiving both sanitary and stormwater) or which do not contain
adequate conveyance capacity as defined in N.J.A.C. 7:14A-1.9;
(6) The name of the licensed individual
responsible for the maintenance and operation of the wastewater pumping station
and/or wastewater collection or treatment systems that are still to be
maintained; and
(7) Proof of a
request to the Water Compliance and Enforcement Element for a site inspection
to verify cessation of the discharge. The Water Compliance and Enforcement
Element may be contacted by writing to:
Administrator
Water Compliance and Enforcement Element
PO Box 422
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0422; and
ii. Notify the Division of Water
Quality's Watershed Permitting Element, in writing, concerning any deactivated
lagoons or other actual or potential discharges to ground water which may exist
at the site. The Watershed Permitting Element may be contacted by writing to:
Assistant Director
Watershed Permitting Element
PO Box 029
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0029
2. Proper management and/or removal of all
residual materials (collected grit and screenings, scums, sand bed material,
and dried or liquid sludges), as well as filter media, and all other solids
from the treatment process that may remain in the abandoned treatment works is
required.
i. The permittee shall submit to
the Watershed Permitting Element proof of ownership of or contractual
arrangement with an operation or operations permitted to manage all such waste
materials. A contract with a hauler will only be accepted as proof of proper
waste management if documentation of management at an approved site or sites is
included. In addition, all necessary State or Federal permits/approvals must
accompany the submission.
ii.
Sludge quality assurance reports which are representative of the sludge removed
following closure shall be submitted. Where quality information is not
available, new samples shall be obtained and analyzed upon closure. All sludge
samples and analyses shall be prepared in accordance with the Sludge Quality
Assurance Regulations, N.J.A.C. 7:14C.
iii. All residual material shall be removed
within 180 calendar days after the facility is taken out of service. Proof of
proper residuals management shall be submitted to the Watershed Permitting
Element within 30 calendar days after their removal. The dates of removal and
quantities removed shall be specified.
3. Upon completion of closure activities, a
permittee must complete a "Certification of Closure" form (form can be obtained
by contacting the Water Compliance and Enforcement Element) which will provide
certification that all waste materials have been properly managed, and that the
remaining components of the facility have been properly secured regarding
public health and safety. This form shall be completed after closure activities
cease, signed in the presence of a Notary Public, and submitted to the
Watershed Permitting Element. Incomplete Certifications of Closure are
unacceptable and will be returned to the permittee.
(d) Upon satisfaction of closure requirements
specified in (c) above, the Water Compliance and Enforcement Element shall be
contacted, in writing, to schedule a final site inspection of any treatment
works which had a NJPDES discharge permit to verify that influent and effluent
pipes have been sealed and that all solid and residual materials related to the
treatment process have been removed.
(e) Upon satisfactory completion of the items
specified in (c) and (d) above, an "Application for Termination" (application
may be obtained from the Division of Water Quality or the Water Compliance and
Enforcement Element) from the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
shall be completed and submitted to the Division of Water Quality, Bureau of
Permit Management with a copy to the appropriate permitting bureau. The
application form includes information concerning the facility, its NJPDES
permit number, the nature of the discharge, and a certification to the effect
that the closure has been performed in accordance with all submissions made to
the Department. Applications received before completion of items (c)1 through 3
above, shall not be processed and shall be returned for resubmission upon
satisfactory completion of all closure requirements by the
permittee.
Notes
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