ML19341A138

Notification of Noncompliance W/Effluent Limitations.Three Samples Collected on 801222 Exceeded Max Permit Limitation of 9.0 Units When Valve Was Inadvertently Left Open.Plant Employees Instructed to Check All Valves

ML19341A138
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	01/16/1981
From:	Elashry M TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:	Patrick J ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
References
NUDOCS 8101220202
Download: ML19341A138 (2)

Text

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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY I woam.Tc==e ccsveas 215 Natural Resources Building Mr. James R. Patrick, Jr. , Chief Compliance Section. Water Enforcement Branch Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV 345 Courtland Street Atlanta, Georgia 30365

Dear Mr. Patrick:

NOTIFICATION OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH EFFLUENT LIMITATI0?iS - HPDES PERMIT

• NO. TN0026450 - SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT Description of the discharge--Discharge 007 Yard Drainage Pond Discharge.

Three samples collected e December 22, 1980, had pH values of 9.7, 9.4, and 9.2 units, respectively, exceeding the maximum permit limitation of 9.0 units.

Cause and period of the noncomplianie--During treatment of preoperational metal cleaning wastes in the unlined chemical cleaning wastes pond, pumps were being used to mix the wastes. A valve in the piping was inadvertently left open, resulting in the discharge of about 500,000 gallons of the 15 million gallons in the treatment pond to the yard drainage pond. The wastes in the treatment pon'! had a pH value of 10.9 units at this time and this high pH influent to the yard drainage pond caused the noncompliance.

A yard drainage pond effluent sample collected at 2300, EST, on December 22, 1980, had a pH value of 8.7 units, so the period of noncompliance was probably less than 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.

Steps tajgn to reduce, eliminate, and prevent recurrence of the loncomplyiq discharop -Plant employees have been instructed to check all valves in the recirculation and discharge lines prior to pump operation to ensure that they arc in the proper position. Samples of the wastes in the unlined chemical cleaning wastes pond collected on December 8, 1980, contained the following concentrations: pH = 4.7 units, total iron = 1.4 mg/1, total copper = 0.03 mg/1, phosphorus = 0.14 mg/1, C0D = 20 mg/1, oil and grease <5 mg/1, and suspended solids = 14 mg/1. After the pH of the wastes had been raised'to 10.9 units, a sample collected on December 22, 1980, contained 0.34 mg/l of total iron. Since the concentrations of these parameters in the wastes were low at the time of the inadvertent discharge and the elevated pH only if lasteti for a gihort period of time, we believe that this discharge had no Es._significant environmental impact on the Tennessee River.

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Sincerely,

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M Mohamed T. El-Ashry, Ph.D.

Director of Environmental Quality L

cc: See page 2

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8.101220$0% , , _ _

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Mr./ ame. R. Patrick, Jr.

cc: Tennessee Department of Public Health ,

Division of Water Quality Control l 621 Cordell Hull Building Nashville, Tennessee 37219 Mr. Hatold_E.Jenton,Jitector_

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission '

l 7920 Norfolk Avenue >

Washington, DC 20555 Mr. James P. O'Reilly, Director '

Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II - Suite 3300, 101 Marietta Street Atlanta, Georgia 30303 e

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