ML061010446

NRC e-mail from Wayne Slawinski to Anne Boland Questions from Bwd semi-public Mtg on Tritium 12/12

ML061010446
Person / Time
Site:	Braidwood
Issue date:	12/13/2005
From:	Slawinski W NRC/RGN-III
To:	Boland A NRC/RGN-III
References
FOIA/PA-2006-0115
Download: ML061010446 (5)

Text

Anne Boland - Fwd: Questions from Bwd semi-public mtg on tritium 12/12e From: Wayne Slawinski / Jig To: Anne Boland Date: Tue, Dec 13, 2005 5:07 PM

Subject:

Fwd: Questions from Bwd semi-public mtg on tritium 12/12 Attachei are the Q & A's from the Braidwood meeting last evening as transcribed by Nick Shah. This was the one document you did not have.

Anne Boland - Questions from Bwd semi~-public rntg on tritiumn 12112 j ]g From: Nirodh Shah / 11 To: Jan Strasma Date: Tue,'Dec 13, 2005 4:02 AM Subjec-t: Questions from Bwd semi-public mtg on tritium 12/12 Jan, here are the questions asked by the local residents (and the answers provided by the licensee) that I wrote down during the meeting. Please take a look and let me know if you remember a different answer or if there were some questions that I missed.

thanks...

CC: Gregory Roach; John House; Richard Skokowski; Steven Orth

!Anne Boland - Questions from 12.wpdf Page 1 11 Anne Boland Questions from 12.wpd Page 11 Questions from 12/12 Tritium Meeting at Braidwood Unless stated, all answers are those provided by the licensee (John Moser).

1. When did the licensee dig the sampling wells ?

The wells were dug in Nov and Dec 2005.

2. Is there any tritium in the blowdown pipe today ?

There is no tritium in the pipe since liquid radwaste releases were suspended. The pipe contains normal blowdown from the lake.

3. What is being done with the liquid radwaste since the licensee has suspended radwaste releases ?

It is being stored on-site in tanks.

4. How much liquid radwaste is currently being stored on-site ?

About 80,000 gal.

5. How much liquid radwaste is normally discharged from the site ?

About 250,000 gal/year. The radwaste is held in tanks and periodically discharged into the blowdown line.

6. When did you start suspending liquid radwaste discharges ?

About 2 weeks ago.

7. Since you stopped discharging have you seen an Increase or decrease in the tritium levels ?

Have not collected many duplicate samples, as still doing characterization. However, samples to date show no significant variation.

8. Since you can't store forever, does this mean you have to fix this problem this year ?

We have obtained additional tanks and we are reviewing our options for future discharges.

9. What is the blowdown line made of ?

Stainless Steel.

10. Do you plan to do a pressure test on the blowdown line ? How long will your evaluation take ?

• Anne Boland - Questions from 12.wpd Page 2 1 Ann.Bo-and_ ue.sti f om 1 w _n- _ __ __- P- I 2_

irk A pressure test was one of several options considered, but we decided that acoustical monitoring of the piping was the best choice. We expect this monitoring to take 3-4 days and begin next Monday. If you wish, we will share the results of the monitoring with you.

11. If a vacuum valve fails where does the water go ? Into the water table ?

The water will collect in the valve pit and then overflow into the environment.

12. When did you start inspecting the blowdown line and valves ? Did you start after the 2000 event ?

We had performed walkdowns of the blowdown line and valves prior to the 2000 event, but we increased our inspection frequency after the event.

13. What is the normal concentration of tritium in the blowdown line ?

About 90,000 pCVL in 2000, but since then about 30,000 pCiL.

14. This concentration Is higher than the EPA limit. Is this ok ?

Yes. The release is diluted by the river. Before each release we monitor both river flow and level to assure adequate dilution.

15. How often did you test the liquid radwaste for tritium ?

Before each discharge and on a 30 day average.

16. What do you mean by "background levels ?"

Background levels are those levels of tritium that can be attributed to natural sources or as fallout from atomic bomb testing.

17. What is the EPA limit based on (dose to adult or child)? I have an 18 month old baby and expensive show horses--do I need to be concerned ?

The EPA limit is based on an adult. If you were to imbibe water having a tritium concentration equal to this limit, you would get a dose of 4 mrem/yr. The highest well sample measured so far, would equate to a dose of 0.3 mrem/yr.

18. Which well had the highest tritium sample ?

The highest well water sample result was 1524 pCVL. We cannot divulge whose well had that sample due to personal privacy concerns.

19. What should I do with my horses if you see >20,000 pCi/L in the residential well samples?

We do not expect to see these tritium levels in the samples.

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Anne Boland - Questions from 12.WDd Pacie 31

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20. What testing frequency do you plan for the future ?

That has yet to be determined.

21. Do you plan to do sampling in the vicinity of the blowdown piping by the river ?

Yes.

22. What are the EPA standards/requirements for future testing ?

Don't know. We will get back to you.

23. Why are you concerned if the well samples are below the EPA drinking water limits ?

Even though the levels are below the EPA limits, because the tritium migrated offsite we are concerned.

24. Ifthe spill occurred in 1998, why are you concerned so many years after the fact ?

What did you do for the 1998 event ?

This question will be reviewed during the root cause evaluation.

25. Was any testing done for tritium during site construction ? What were the results

? Was any testing done for the 1998 spill ? Who was responsible for sampling the 1998 event?

Yes, testing was done in 1976, but I don't know the results. Don't know what was done for the 1998 spill. This will be evaluated as part of the root cause.

26. How many gallons of water were spilled in the 2000 event ? How come nobody noticed the leakage for so long ?

About 3 million gallons were spilled during the 2000 event. -Why it went undetected will also be evaluated as part of the root cause evaluation.

27. Did the leakage (1998 and 2000) occur from the 8 Inch diameter vent piping ?

No. The leakage occurred in the valve pit and escaped through the manhole.

28. What caused the failure of the vacuum breaker valve ? Is there a way to stop the water flow if the valve failed ?

A leak detection system was being evaluated, but does not appear to be very reliable.

29. What else Is In the water besides tritium? Is Co-60 present ?

Besides tritium, the samples were analyzed for radioactive particulates; none were found. 0o-60 is a particulate and, as stated, was not identified.