ML20247F521

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 890309,effluent Ph of Unit 1 Sewage Treatment Plant Observed to Be 3.6 Std Units. Unknown Quantity of Effluent W/Ph Less than 6.0 Std Units Discharged.Sodium Carbonate Added to Correct Ph to 6.2

ML20247F521
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	05/11/1989
From:	FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:
Shared Package
ML17223A150	List: ML20247F521 ML20247F526
References
NUDOCS 8905300095
Download: ML20247F521 (1)

Text

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DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT The following is a description of a non-conformance event'which occurred at the St. Lucie Plant. This event was reported to Priscilla Oliver of EPA by telephone on March 9, 1989.

At 10:20 a.m., on March 9, 1989, the effluent pH of the Unit #1 sewage treatment plant was observed to be 3.6 standard units (su).

On the previous day at 9:15 a.m., the pH'was 6.5 su. Addition of sodium carbonate corrected the pH to 6.2 su by 11:00 a.m. Influent water was observed to be 8.8 su. While there was no actual flow from the plant to the intake canal at that time an unknown quantity of effluent (less than 7,500 gallons) with a pH of less than 6.0 su had been discharged since the previous day's sample. Average daily flow for the previous week was approximately 0.0075 MGD.

This effluent is diluted by approximately 720 MGD of sea water flow which is. pumped by once-through cooling water pumps through the l

Unit #1' Power Plant.

While a definite cause for the low pH has not been determined, it is suspected that an acidic solution was disposed of into the Unit

1. 1 sewage system. There were presently 1,000 extra people on site for the Unit #2 refueling work. A letter was distributed to all employees, including temporary employees, that no chemical should be discarded down any drain.

No adverse effects to the environment were observed.

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8905300095 890511 PDR ADOCK 05000335 R PDC

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