Mich. Admin. Code R. 323.2216 - Permits for specific discharges

Rule 2216.

(1) A wastewater described in this rule may be discharged under a permit issued by the department in compliance with R 323.2217 if the conditions of R 323.2204 are met.

(2) A person may discharge less than 20,000 gallons per day of sanitary sewage that has been treated by a system described in subdivision (a) or (b) of this subrule if the treatment system is operated to achieve optimum treatment efficiencies for the specified design as follows:

(a) The discharge receives treatment by a constructed wetland and associated treatment system that meets all of the following requirements:

(i) A minimum of 2 septic tanks installed in series precedes the constructed wetland. The septic tanks shall have a minimum combined volume of 2 times the daily design flow. The outfall to the constructed wetland shall be equipped with a septic tank effluent filter.

(ii) The system shall have a treatment process to enhance nitrification prior to discharge to the constructed wetland.

(iii) If the discharge is expected to have high concentrations of oil and grease, such as sanitary sewage from a food service establishment, then the discharge shall be treated to remove oil and grease.

(iv) The system shall have a minimum of 2 wetland cells to allow for isolation or maintenance of individual cells.

(v) Each wetland cell shall have an aspect ratio, which is length to width ratio, of between 2:1 and 4:1.

(vi) The constructed wetland shall have a composite bottom liner in compliance with R 323.2237. The bottom of the wetland cell shall be constructed to be level.

(vii) The wetland cell filter media shall consist of ½-inch to 1-inch washed gravel with 100% passing the 1.0-inch sieve and a maximum of 3% passing the 1/2-inch sieve.

(viii)The filter media shall not be less than 18 inches or more than 30 inches in depth.

(ix) The effective water depth in the wetland cell shall be maintained between a range of 2 to 6 inches below the filter media surface.

(x) The constructed wetland shall be insulated with at least 6 inches of mulch or other comparable substitute and designed to protect against freezing.

(xi) The filter surface area hydraulic loading rate is not more than 1.2 gallons per square foot per day.

(xii) The design retention time shall not be less than 7 calendar days.

(xiii)Indigenous or sterile wetland vegetation, such as bulrushes, common reeds, and cattails, shall be planted on a 1-foot grid across each wetland cell.

(xiv) Wetland vegetation shall be cultivated to maximize the rooted depth throughout the gravel filter media.

(xv) The system shall have the capability to recirculate effluent back into the influent end of the system when additional flow is needed into the system.

(xvi) The wetland cell shall discharge to a tile field designed and constructed in accordance with the provisions of the publication entitled "Michigan Criteria for Subsurface Sewage Disposal," April 1994, and approved by the county, district, or city health department that has jurisdiction. Copies of the criteria may be obtained without charge at the time of adoption of these rules from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Drinking Water and Radiological Protection Division, P.O. Box 30630, Lansing, Michigan 48909. If the county, district, or city health department that has jurisdiction chooses not to review the tile field design, then the department shall review and approve the system under this subrule.

(b) The discharge is treated by an alternative treatment system or combination of systems that is determined by the department to provide a similar quality effluent to the treatment system specified in subdivision (a) of this subrule.

(c) For a treatment system described in subdivision (a) or (b) of this subrule, if flow is more than 10,000 gallons per day, then the effluent shall be monitored in accordance with R 323.2232(a),(b),(e), and (f).

(3) A person may discharge less than 50,000 gallons per day of sanitary sewage if all of the following provisions are satisfied:

(a) The sanitary sewage is not mixed with other waste.

(b) The discharge meets the isolation distance requirements specified in R 323.2204(2)(d)(ii).

(c) The sanitary sewage is treated by a treatment system in accordance with R 323.2230 and R 323.2231.

(d) The discharge is limited and monitored in accordance with the requirements of R 323.2232.

(4) A person may discharge less than 20,000 gallons per day of laundromat wastewater if the laundromat is open to the general public, does not contain a dry cleaning operation, and all of the following requirements are met:

(a) The discharge is treated by a lagoon treatment system that meets the requirements of R 323.2231(1)(a) to (e).

(b) The wastewater treatment system is operated in accordance with R 323.2231(1)(g) to (j) and maintained in accordance with R 323.2231(k).

(c) Disposal is by means of low-rate application in accordance with R 323.2233 and utilizing spray irrigation under pressure to enhance volatilization of organic constituents in the discharge.

(d) The discharge limitations and monitoring requirements are as follows:

(i) Flow shall be measured on a daily basis.

(ii) The discharge will be monitored on a annual basis for all of the following:

(A) The pH.

(B) Chemical oxygen demand (COD).

(C) Conductivity.

(D) Volatile organics using environmental protection agency (EPA) test method 8260 or other method approved by the department for this purpose.

(E) Aluminum.

(F) Arsenic.

(G) Cadmium.

(H) Total chromium.

(I) Hexavalent chromium.

(J) Copper.

(K) Lead.

(L) Nickel.

(M) Zinc.

(N) Total phosphorus.

(O) Ammonia nitrogen.

(P) Nitrate nitrogen.

(Q) Nitrite nitrogen.

(R) Sodium.

(S) Chloride.

(T) Potassium.

EPA test method 8260 is adopted by reference in these rules and is contained in the EPA document entitled "Test Methods for the Evaluation of Solid Waste, Physical-Chemical Methods," SW-846, 3rd Edition, September 1986, as updated through the effective date of these rules. SW-846 is available for inspection at the Lansing office of the department of environmental quality, waste management division. The document and updates may be purchased from the United States Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15250-7954, or the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Waste Management Division, P.O. Box 30241, Lansing, Michigan 48909, at a cost at the time of adoption of these rules of $319.00, plus shipping and handling.

(iii) The application rate shall be measured in inches per day and in inches per week and recorded twice per month. The application rate shall not be more than 1 inch per day or 3 inches per week.

(e) The discharger shall report monitoring results in compliance with R 323.2225.

Notes

Mich. Admin. Code R. 323.2216

1980 AACS; 1998-2000 AACS