1. Managing Septage Brett A. Ballavance, P.E.
February 2011
Brett A. Ballavance, P.E.
Brett Ballavance, P.E Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

2. POTWs accepting septage Septage acceptance programs
Topics
Not all POTWs accept septage
If accepting septage, POTWs need a septage acceptance program
What are my options in winter?
Centralized Storage/Treatment
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

3. Not all wastewater plants accept septage
Managing Septage
February 2011
Not all wastewater plants accept septage
748 POTWs
373
Ponds
218 Mechanical
157
Other
Small % not encouraged
22 %
Of the mechanical plants, most are majors
Majors = 1 mgd or more
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options
Brett Ballavance, P.E Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

4. Plants accepting septage
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

5. Duluth – an example of a well-managed septage program
Managing Septage
February 2011
Duluth – an example of a well-managed septage program
WLSSD accepts many special wastes including Biosolids and Septage, as well as:
Industrial Waste
Contaminated Groundwater
Landfill Leachate
Superfund Sites
What makes theirs a well-managed septage program?
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options
Brett Ballavance, P.E Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

6. POTWs accepting septage Septage acceptance programs
Managing Septage
February 2011
Well-managed program
Local ordinance allows for acceptance & enforcement
Written policy communicated
Pumpers are licensed and pay a license fee
Pumpers must report
Policy is written and they have a communication plan to ensure pumpers know what is expected /acceptable / unacceptable
For each load haulers must report monthly:
Source (Name, Address, Telephone of Customer)
Waste Type (Holding Tank, Septic, Portable Toilet, Grease Trap)
Volume
Within 30 days
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options
Brett Ballavance, P.E Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

7. POTWs accepting septage Septage acceptance programs
Managing Septage
February 2011
Well-managed program
Rates established – based on BOD and TSS
Site is
Secure
Monitored
Site is
Secure
Monitored by Camera
Video taped
Video is compared to monthly reports
Water available for clean-up
2 sites; large truck and small truck
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options
Brett Ballavance, P.E Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

8. POTWs accepting septage Septage acceptance programs
Duluth – WLSSD
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

9. Moose Lake card reader & grinder
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

10. Grand Marais Honey Monster
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

11. Grand Marais honey monster
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

12. Other septage programs
Grand Rapids
Aurora
International Falls
(NKASD)
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options

13. What about permitting for centralized storage/treatment?
Managing Septage
February 2011
What about permitting for centralized storage/treatment?
1. Get a Type IV license
2. Submit annual report
3. Get individual land- application site approval
Septage in
Centralized storage/treatment
Solids out
Liquids out
Mechanical Biosolids (MN 7041)
Non-mechanical Septage (Fed 503)
No discharge
Discharge to POTW – pretreatment agreement
Discharge to soil/surface water
MPCA SDS permit if >10,000 gal/day
County permit if <10,000 gal/day
MPCA NPDES permit if surface discharge
Click on Septage (Fed 503) to bring up pentagon with requirements; click on pentagon to make it disappear.
POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Winter options
Brett Ballavance, P.E Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

14. Summary Pumper Treatment plant POTWs accepting septage
Septage acceptance programs
Pumper
Permitting Centralized
Treatment plant