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=Regulations=
=Regulations=
The limitations placed on the effluent of wastewater treatment plants by the Federal Clean Water Act are based on a [[Best Available Technology]] system which is run by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Every plant must fill out an application for a permit from the NPDES. These permits make the applicant consider both the impact on the quality of the water that's receiving the effluent, as well as the best practical technology available to them. If the effluent will be dumped into a watershed area then the applicant may also have to include the results of a [[Total Maximum Daily Load]] (TMDL) test with their application. If the effluent of the applicant is no clean enough to meet the water quality standards from TMDL of their region the NPDES will reject the application and force them to put in place more stringent expectation and invest in better technology.  
The limitations placed on the effluent of wastewater treatment plants by the Federal Clean Water Act are based on a [[Best Available Technology]] system which is run by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Every plant must fill out an application for a permit from the NPDES. These permits make the applicant consider both the impact on the quality of the water that's receiving the effluent, as well as the best practical technology available to them. If the effluent will be dumped into a watershed area then the applicant may also have to include the results of a [[Total Maximum Daily Load]] (TMDL) test with their application. If the effluent of the applicant is not clean enough to meet the water quality standards from TMDL of their region the NPDES will reject the application and force them to put in place more stringent expectation and invest in better technology.  


=Links=
=Links=
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*[http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_laws/docs/fedwaterpollutioncontrolact.pdf Federal Clean Water Act]
*[http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_laws/docs/fedwaterpollutioncontrolact.pdf Federal Clean Water Act]


[[Category: Wastewater Treatment]]
[[Category:Arcata marsh]]

Revision as of 12:58, 22 April 2008

Template:115inprogress

What it is

Wastewater treatment effluent or discharge is the final product from a wastewater treatment plant. Because of the Federal Clean Water Act, the requirements for the cleanliness of the water is set on a plant by plant basis determined by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

Effluent of the Arcata Wastewater Treatment plant in northern California Photo: Dustin Poppendieck

Where it goes

Most effluent is dumped into rivers and large bodies of water or used in place of drinking water for irrigation and industrial use. It has also been used to indirectly boost drinking water supplies by spraying or injecting the discharge into the ground above an aquifer and letting it seep down. Using the effluent directly from the plant for drinking water has been done in the United States once, and it was on a very small scale, but it is gaining popularity as more studies are being done. One concern with this is that there are chemicals from pharmaceutical drugs, and hormones that get past the wastewater treatment, not only have these been an issue when they are dumped into a body of water but these would be getting into the drinking water in higher concentrations. There are technologies available that can remove these chemicals but they have so far proven unpractical for widespread use.

Regulations

The limitations placed on the effluent of wastewater treatment plants by the Federal Clean Water Act are based on a Best Available Technology system which is run by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Every plant must fill out an application for a permit from the NPDES. These permits make the applicant consider both the impact on the quality of the water that's receiving the effluent, as well as the best practical technology available to them. If the effluent will be dumped into a watershed area then the applicant may also have to include the results of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) test with their application. If the effluent of the applicant is not clean enough to meet the water quality standards from TMDL of their region the NPDES will reject the application and force them to put in place more stringent expectation and invest in better technology.

Links

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