Gallup’s wastewater permits up for renewal

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Gallup Wastewater Treatment Plant is seeking renewal of two wastewater discharge permits.

According to New Mexico Environment Department, Ernest Thompson, water and wastewater superintendent, proposes to renew and modify a permit to discharge up to 1,250,000 gallons per day of domestic wastewater to a treatment and disposal system.

Potential contaminants from this type of discharge include nitrogen compounds. Ground water beneath the site is at a depth of approximately 80 to 485 feet and has a total dissolved solids concentration of approximately 1,000-3,775 milligrams per liter.

GWTP also proposes to renew and modify a permit to discharge up to 3.5 million gallons per day of domestic wastewater to a treatment and disposal system. Potential contaminants from this type of discharge include nitrogen compounds. Ground water beneath the site is at a depth of approximately 8.31 to 14.71 feet and has a total dissolved solids concentration of approximately 1,000 milligrams per liter.

Provided GWTP has met applicable requirements, the New Mexico Environment Department will propose approval of the discharge permit containing limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions intended to protect ground water quality for present and potential future use.

The Environment Department will accept comments and statements of interest regarding applications and will create facility-specific mailing lists for persons who wish to receive future notices.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, in Dallas cited the plant in a Dec. 4 administrative order for violations of the Clean Water Act. Violations included failure to meet effluent limits at one of its outfalls and failure to submit required discharge monitoring reports.

GWTP’s federal discharge permit places certain limitations on the quality and quantity of effluent discharged to the Rio Puerco in the Lower Colorado River Basin. Certified discharge monitoring reports show the facility exceeded permitted effluent limits for fecal coliform, E. Coli bacteria, total residual chlorine, and biochemical oxygen demand.

EPA officials held a show-cause hearing with GWTP officials via closed conference call in April regarding the violations, however, EPA said the case is still under review and has not determined yet whether it will take any enforcement action.

There is no deadline for EPA to make a determination.

Questions, comments or statements of interest regarding renewal of GWTP’s discharge permits should be directed to Robert George at (505) 827-2900 or at the following address: Ground Water Quality Bureau, P.O. Box 5469, Santa Fe, N.M. 87502-5469.

Information: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/gwb/NMED-GWQB-PublicNotice.htm.