ML20059M437

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 900806 & 10,samples of Fecal Coliform from Discharge 001 Exceeded Permit Limit. Caused by Water Processing Facility Not Sufficient to Reduce Number of Colonies

ML20059M437
Person / Time
Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	09/24/1990
From:	Mccormick M PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
To:	Noll P BUCKS COUNTY, PA
References
NUDOCS 9010040175
Download: ML20059M437 (3)

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PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY 2301 MARKET STREET <

P.O. BOX 8699  ;

PHILADELPHIA PA.19101 {

1215)841 4000

{ i September 24, 1990  ;

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Mr. Peter G. Woll Department of Health ,

County of Bucks Neshaminy Manor Center  ;

Doylestown, PA 18901  ;

SUBJECT:

Noncompliance with NPDES Permit Bradshaw Reservoir NPDES Permit No. PA-0052221 .

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Dear Mr. Noll:

DESCRIPTION OF NONCOMPLIANCE f During the period between Ac'ust 6 and August 10, 1990 i five-consecutive daily samples were collected from Discharge 001 to the East Branch Perkiomen Creek by RMC Environmental Services. The samnles were analyzed for fecal coliform and h the geometric mean for the five day period was 211. This result exceeded our permit limit of 200 colonies /100 mis.

CAUSE OF THE NONCOMPLIANCE  ;

The result of the fecal coliform sample collected on I August 8, 1990 at Discharge 001 was 1070 colonies /100 mis, j This result was considerably higher than the remaining four of the five consecutive day period because the Bradshaw- ,

Reservoir fecal co11 form level was the highest during this

.same day and the ozone concentration in the Water Processing- 1 Facility was not sufficient to reduce the number of colonies to the level that would have achieved the geometric mean of

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200.

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901O040175 900924 PDR ADOCK 05000352

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0, f' , Mr. Peter G. Noll Page 2 of 3 Sept. 24, 1990  ;

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DURATION OF iHE NONCOMPLIANCE The period of noncompliance began sometime after the Discharge 001 sample was collected on August 7, 1990 and '

ended prior to the Discharge 001 sample being collected on August 9, 1990. The duration of the noncompliance can only be estimated to be approximately 40 hours4.62963e-4 days <br />0.0111 hours <br />6.613757e-5 weeks <br />1.522e-5 months <br /> because the fecal coliform samples are required to be taken once a day and it takes a minimum of 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> to obtain analysis results.

During this period an estimated quantity of 56 million gallons of processed water was discharged to the East Branch of Perkiomen Creek.

CORRECTIVE ACTION Upon receiving notification on August 10, 1990 of the analysis result, the Operations personnel working at the Water Processing Facility were directed to gradually increase the ozone concentration in the process with additional sampling and analys2s for fecal coliform being performed by.RMC Environmental Services &o confirm that the number of colonies in Discharge 001 was decreasing.

PREVENTION OF FUTURE OCCURRENCES The Water Processing Facility was still going through its start-up and testing phase of operations whet. this noncompliance incident occurred. The operating personnel were still evaluating the operation of the ozone treatment process and trying to determine the appropriate concentration of ozote to generally maintain in the process.

By the time the fecal coliform sampling period started in September, the ozone concentration was being maintained around 4 percent and the results from this period indicated better than a 90 percent reduction in the geometric mean below the value determined for August fecal coliform results._ It is expected that current ozonation levels will '

be sufficient to prevent recurrence.

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(O o-E M. J. McCormick, Jr.

Plant Manager r

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Mr. Peter.G. Noll S:pt. 24, 1990 i

cc U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) r)cument Control Desk ,

Washington, D.C. 20555 Administrator Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Station Resident NRC Inspector l Tom Kenny, M.C. # NRC Program Management Section (3WM52)

Permits Enforcement Branch  !

Water Management Division Environmental Protection Agency Water Permits Section <

Region III 841 Chestnut Building >'

Philadelphia, PA 19107 D9partment of Environmental Resources Bureau of Water Quality Management i 1875 New Hope Street Norristown, PA 19401 1

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