Sludge Watch ==> Maryland - $10, 000 sludge penalty - secret lagoon

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Here is another story that shows that sewage treatment plans can get away 
with violating environmental laws for years and years...a citizen complaint 
brought this lagoon violation to light.
Hey..where are the regulators! Where were the inspectors? Who is minding the 
shop?

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061216/NEWS01/612160305/1002
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City to pay $10,000 sludge penalty
By Joseph Gidjunis
Staff Writer


SALISBURY -- The City of Salisbury has agreed to a minimum $10,000 fine from 
the Maryland Department of the Environment for improperly discharging and 
maintaining sewage sludge -- for nearly 20 years -- from Lagoon 2 at its 
wastewater treatment plant.

The consent agreement signed last month by MDE and the city charges the 
plant with violating state laws regulating discharge and maintenance of 
sewage sludge, also known as biosolids. Lagoon 2 received a short-term 
permit to operate for a few months in 1980s, but the plant has continued to 
utilize the lagoon as a holding area, said David Pushkar, MDE division chief 
for the Eastern Division of Water Management.


If Salisbury fails to correct the problem by July 20, 2007, the city must 
pay at least $40,000 more and an additional $100 per day for non-compliance. 
By this April, the city must also create a plan for disposing of its 
synthetic liner, used to prevent nitrogen, phosphorus and bacterial seepage 
into groundwater.

There is no evidence, however, suggesting the site is clean or dirty.

"It was in a lined lagoon. Depending on who you talk to, the liner is shot 
or it might still be holding," Pushkar said. "We have no data to say either 
way. There has not been any evidence of any seepage on the downslope side."

But if any ground contamination is found, the city will act, said Salisbury 
Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman.

"Certainly, if there is any evidence that there has been leakage, if the 
liner has been compromised, we'll act responsibly and accordingly," Tilghman 
said. "If we believe that there was any evidence about any concern about 
leakage or any compromise, we would be the first to do whatever it took to 
get the sludge out of there and take care of it."

MDE said the lagoon was discovered in February after a citizen complained 
about its existence. Pushkar said his agency had no records of the lagoon 
because the permit was issued through another agency.

Despite the penalty and corrective action required, Tilghman remained upbeat 
about the order and spoke positively about the transaction.

She had good reason to -- the fine was reduced by $15,000 and the city 
received much more time to effect a cleanup. Granting the city until July 
also allows the city to dispose of the sludge "conservatively" through its 
wastewater treatment facility, rather than have to pay thousands in expenses 
for special equipment to remove the sludge expediently.

"The MDE has been understanding of what were faced with it and acted in a 
way that is responsible for the environment," she said.

With the extension, the city is expected to minimize the risk of spillage by 
disposing the sludge on days when the plant has lighter daily usage and 
there is a low storm risk.

Tilghman also defended the lagoon by saying the city had every intention to 
remove it, as it has other lagoons in the past, but it was waiting for the 
upgrades to the treatment plant to finish. It is scheduled to enter 
operations in 2008.

The mayor also downplayed concerns that the city may have trouble removing 
the sludge because it is a very dry, even solid due to the plant's past 
efforts to pump out all liquids.

"This sludge is very dry. The city generally tries to pump off the water as 
it fell, rather than let it sit and get sloppy," Pushkar said. "The fact 
that it is so dry, it is going to cause problems."

Tilghman said the city is pumping water back in, and the sludge is being 
removed easily.