Department of Natural Resources Wastewater Compliance Evaluation Inspection Report
STATE OF
I
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DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
THOMAS J. VILSACK, GOVERNOR
SALLY J. PEDERSON, LT. GOVERNOR
LYLE W. ASELL, INTERIM DIRECTOR
Field Office #1
909 West Main St. - Suite #4
Manchester, Iowa 52057
Phone: 319/927-2640
Fax: 319/927-2075
City of Dubuque
City Hail
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
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July 5, 2000
ATTENTION: Mayor and Council
RE: Wastewater Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Facility No. 31-26-0-01
We have enclosed the inspection report prepared by our Field Office Staff and a copy for
your wastewater operator.
You will find the inspection report self-explanatory. We encourage you to make every effort
to comply with the recommendations.
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to write or call this office.
Sincerely,
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION
(~(7)'1 ~.~
Ron Stellick
Environmental Specialist
Encs.
cc: Wastewater Supt. - Paul Horsfall
DNR - Wastewater Section - Des Moines
Water Compliance Branch - U.S. EPA, Region 7, 901 North 5th Street. Kansas
City, KS 66101
WALLACE STATE OFFICE BUILDING / DES MOINES, IOWA 50319
515-281 -5 1 45 TOO 515-242-5967 FAX 515-281-8895 WWW.STATE.IA.US/ONR
NPDES Permit #31-26-0-01
RESPO:NSI~.LE
OPERATOR>
File Name g:dubuquecei.doc
Fonn WWins.dot
File # 63126001
Field Office 1 Manchester
Page 1 of 3
ADDRESS:
Ci Hall, 50 W. 13th Street
STREAM NAME:
Mississi i River
DATE THIS INSPECTION:
6-12-00
PURPOSE:
Com liance Evaluation Ins ection
PHONE:
DATE LAST INSPECTION:
7-1-99
DTrickling filter
Lagoon
DLa oon
MGD:
17.3
MGD (average daily):
9.05 (A r. 00)
[8]Activated sludge DRBC
DSBR
DAerated
[8]Disinfection
POUNDS BOD/DA Y:
24,400
POUNDS BOD:
16,400 (A r. 00)
NAME:
Paul Horsfall
NAME:
Paul Horsfall
GRADE:
IV
TITLE:
Superintendent
CERTIFICATION NUMBER:
7025
PERMIT COMPLIANCE SUMMARY
SELF-MONITORING RESULTS: SAMPLES THIS INSPECTION
[8] Sat. DMar', DUnsat. DSat. DMar . DUnsat.
[8]None collected
TYPE:
N/A
OPERA TION REPORTS
SUBMITTED:
[8] Sat. DMar, DUnsat.
LAB DATA ATTACHED?
o Yes [8] No
REQUIRED DATA ON REPORT: TESTING ADEQUACY:
[8] Sat. DMar, DUnsat. [8] Sat. DMar. DUnsat.
SIGNATURE
INSPECTOR: , / / DATE:
~Q'>o. A /T-e<- '-/ ")- J-_01>
DOUG A. HAWKER
ENVIRONMENT AL SPECIALIST
REVfE;~
RON STELLICK
ENVIRONMENT AL SPECIALIST
DATE:
7-5-00
. .
Facility Name: Dubuque Municipal WWTP
Inspection Date: 6- 12-00
Page 2 of 3
Observations & Recommendations:
On June 6,2000, I inspected the wastewater treatment plant that serves the City of Dubuque. I met with
Wastewater Superintendent, Paul Horsfall, and toured the facilities. Below is a list of observations made
and comments received during the course of this inspection.
DESCRIPTION:
1. There is one pem1itted discharge that has monitoring and reporting requirements listed on the
NPDES permit for this facility. Outfall 001 is listed as the discharge from an activated sludge
WWTP. The discharge enters directly into the Mississippi River. Outfalls 002, 003, 004, 005, 006,
and 007 are listed as various lift station overflows located throughout the sanitary sewer collection
system.
2. This facility utilizes a high purity oxygen activated sludge process. The treatment units consist of
two mechanically cleaned bar screens. two combination grease, grit and tlocculation units, three
primary clarifiers, three separate oxygen activated sludge basins, four final clarifiers, effluent
disinfection using gas chlorine, and dechlorination. Sludge removed from the primary and final
clarifiers is thickened by centrifugation and standby belt presses, prior to being bumed in a fluidized
bed incinerator. Ash is transported to a pair of ash storage lagoons on site. It is periodically dried
and hauled to the Dubuque County Landfill with a Special Waste Authorization (SW A).
OBSERVATIONS:
3. On the date of this inspection, all treatment units were on line with the exception of one of the three
aeration basins which is on standby. The City may end up taking another aeration basin offline later
this summer once the Fam1land Food plant closes down. Three of three final clarifiers were on line
at the time of this inspection. The City will be taking down one of these clarifiers in the near future
for routine maintenance.
4. On the date of this inspection, the final effluent from the chlorine contact chamber appeared to be
very clear. This facility has routinely remained in compliance with all NPDES permit discharge
limitations since the date of the last inspection on July L 1999, with the exception of a TSS
violation in September 1999. This violation resulted from an equipment failure in one of the final
clarifiers.
5. The Catfish Creek pump station is currently being rebuilt. This constmction is expected to be done
by the end of August.
6. Since last year's inspection report, a number of old valves, pumps, and other metal stmctures located
primarily near the headworks area of the WWTP have been repainted, repaired, or replaced. In
addition to these mechanical structures, it is noted that there are numerous other valves and pumps
located throughout the WWTP that will need to be refurbished or replaced in the upcoming years.
As the WWTP continues to age, increasingly frequent maintenance of these high wear mechanical
items will need to take place.
7. It is noted that the general housekeeping around the treatment plant grounds was very good. There
continues to be a small amount of excessive parts and metal debris located near the oxygen plant that
will be removed in the near future.
8. Dubuque continues to work to decrease the infiltration and inflow of extraneous water into the
sanitary sewer collection system during precipitation events. These excessive flows routinely result
in the direct bypass of raw sewage at several points within the collection system. This office has met
with the City regarding this matter. Dubuque has developed a fairly comprehensive Sanitary Sewer
Action Plan and is actively pursuing infiltration and intlow reduction efforts for FY 2000. There
have been some obvious improvements in these matters over the past year. Most notable is that fact
that the Cyclone grit removal system has not become plugged with sand. gravel, and mud this year
despite several heavy rainfall events. The City is encouraged to continue to work on several sanitary
sewer bottlenecks located primarily in the northwest section of town.
9. The Dubuque WWTP laboratory is fully certified for wastewater analysis.
10. The City has recently completed the cleaning of one of their ash storage lagoons. The removed fly
ash is currently drying and will be land applied in the near future.
11. One of the town's major industrial users, Farmland Foods packing plant closed in June. Friday, June
9th was the last day of kill operations. At this time. the city is certain as to how much industrial
activity will resume at this industry once the new owner's resume production. It is anticipated that
there will not be a kill line in the future. The final disposition of Farmland's anaerobic pretreatment
lagoon is unknown. This plant closure has the potential of cutting Dubuque WWTP's organic load
by 1/3.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Wastewater Treatment Plant that serves the City of Dubuque was in good overall condition on the date
of this inspection. The final discharge was very clear and no significant problems were noted.
The City of Dubuque must continue to concentrate their infrastructure maintenance efforts on their sanitary
sewer collection problems. The city should continue to keep this office infom1ed as to the progress being
made to eliminate the routine bypasses of raw wastewater from the collection system during heavy rains.
Except for the previously noted TSS violation, the Dubuque WWTP has routinely been in compliance with
all NPDES pennit limitations throughout the past year. The time and cooperation of Mr. Horsfall during
the course of this inspection was appreciated.