----- Original Message -----

From: Karen Grimes

Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 3:22 PM

Subject: May 31, 2007, econewswire

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

May 31, 2007
For immediate release

1. Water quality, landfill rules and contracts on June 5 EPC
agenda
2. Bypass in Fairfield


WATER QUALITY, LANDFILL RULES AND CONTRACTS ON JUNE 5 EPC AGENDA

MEDIA CONTACT: Karen Grimes at (515) 281-5135.

MUSCATINE - The DNR will present an update on current efforts to
designate Iowa streams for aquatic life and recreational uses at the
June 5 meeting of the Environmental Protection Commission in Muscatine.


The DNR has been assessing streams to determine the highest attainable
aquatic life and recreational uses. These uses will help determine the
appropriate level of protection for a specific stream or river.

In other action, commissioners will be asked to replace the existing
rules for design and operation of municipal solid waste landfills with
rules that will reflect the federal requirements. The changes will
require all municipal solid waste landfills to install a liner and a
collection system for liquids passing through the landfill by Oct. 1.
These standards are designed to protect the ground water. 

Commissioners will also be asked to approve contracts for ongoing
environmental services such as air and water quality monitoring,
administration of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, manure
applicator certification, and environmental assistance to small
businesses.

The commission will meet at 9 a.m., June 5, in the Riverview Center,
110 Harbor Drive in Muscatine. Public participation is scheduled for
10:30 a.m.  There is an appointment at 10:15 a.m. with Richard Kelley,
University Hygienic Laboratory. Another appointment with MidAmerican
Energy Company is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The meeting is open to the public.

The meeting will be preceded by presentation of the DNR Pollution
Prevention Program and a tour of Monsanto, 2500 Wiggins Rd., Muscatine
at 2:30 p.m. June 4. Commissioners will also have dinner at the Button
Factory Woodfire Grille, 215 W. Mississippi Dr., at 6 p.m., followed by
a tour of the Muscatine Industry/Pearl Button Museum, 117 W Second St.
at 8 p.m. on June 4.

The complete agenda is as follows:
 
● Approval of Agenda
● Approval of Minutes
● Director's Remarks
● Contract - Polk County Board of Supervisors - Air Quality
Program
● Contract - Linn County Board of Health - Air Quality
Program
● Contract - Iowa Department of Economic Development - Small
Business Environmental Assistance Liaison
● Contract - University of Northern Iowa's (UNI) Iowa Waste
Reduction Center - Small Business Assistance Program
● Contracts - Eastern Iowa Regional Utility Service Systems,
Regional Utility Service Systems, ADLM Facilities Management Systems,
Wastewater Management Services of Central Iowa, Rural Utility
Solutions
● Contract - Iowa State University Extension Service - Manure
Applicator Certification Training
● Contract - Iowa State University for Nonwadeable Stream
Assessment Development
● Contract - Iowa State University - Intensive Lake
Monitoring
● SFY 2008 DNR/UHL Air Quality Bureau Support Contract
● Environmental Monitoring and Laboratory Services - University of
Iowa Hygienic Lab
● Contract - University Hygienic Laboratory (UHL) for impaired
waters monitoring and assessment
● Contract - University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory for Staff
Support
● Referrals to the Attorney General
● Joint State Agency Agreement Between the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources, Iowa Finance Authority, and Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Division of Soil Conservation
● Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund - 2008
Intended Use Plans
● Final Rule - Rescind 567-Chapter 113 "Sanitary Landfills:
Municipal Solid Waste" and adopt the following new chapter in lieu
thereof as 567-Chapter 113 "Sanitary Landfills for Municipal Solid
Waste: Groundwater Protection Systems for the Disposal of Non-Hazardous
Wastes"
● Final Rule - Chapter 64 - Wastewater Construction and Operation
Permits
● Amendments to Chapter 135 - Technical Standards and Corrective
Action Requirements for Owners and Operators of Underground Storage
Tanks
● Use Assessment and Use Attainability Analyses (UA/UAA)
Presentation
● Solid Waste Alternatives Program - Recommendations
● Monthly Reports
● General Discussion

More information about the agenda items can be found on the DNR Web
site under Commissions and Boards at www.iowadnr.gov. 

The members of the commission are Darrell Hanson, Chair, Manchester;
Mary Gail Scott, Vice-Chair, Cedar Rapids; Suzanne Morrow, Secretary,
Storm Lake; David Petty, Eldora; Henry Marquard, Muscatine; Charlotte
Hubbell of Des Moines; Susan Heathcote, Des Moines; and Ralph Klemme,
LeMars. The director of the DNR is Rich Leopold. 

Writer: Karen Grimes

# # #

BYPASS IN FAIRFIELD

MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Sievers at (319) 653-2135.

DES MOINES - The City of Fairfield discharged an estimated 240,000
gallons of untreated wastewater to Crow Creek and a tributary of Big
Cedar Creek.

The release began Wednesday night at 11:20 and ended at 6 a.m. Thursday
after heavy rainfalls in Jefferson County.

City crews have collected water samples and will be monitoring the
situation. The city also has work underway to correct problems with
sanitary sewer overflows.

Heavy rain can overload wastewater collection systems, which are the
underground pipes that carry sewage to a treatment plant. When sewer
pipes are overwhelmed, the excess rainwater and sewage have nowhere to
go. Cities bypass to lower the wastewater level in the collection system
and prevent backups into basements through floor drains. Although
discharging wastewater to a stream is not desirable, it does prevent a
greater and more immediate health risk in people’s homes.

Collection systems are most likely to be overwhelmed when heavy
rainfalls or excess snow melts, saturates the ground and enters a
sanitary sewer system through cracks in the underground sewer pipes.

Storm water can also enter piping through improper connections, such as
roof drains or sump pumps that are hooked up to the sanitary sewer
system instead of the storm water system. If the storm water entered the
storm sewer system, it would flow directly into a nearby stream or lake.
When it enters the sanitary sewer system it flows to a wastewater
treatment system. When heavy rains or snowmelt occurs, the volume of
storm water entering the sanitary sewer system can be more than the
wastewater treatment system can treat.

According to DNR design standards for construction of new wastewater
treatment systems, facilities should be able to handle the amount of
water in the collection system from all three of these events happening
at the same time:
§ Peak sewage flows from homes, businesses and industry
§ Peak groundwater levels
§ A storm that drops two inches of water in an hour.

While many collection systems in Iowa already have or are in the
process of upgrading their collection systems to handle these events,
many more need to upgrade.

The DNR tracks bypass reports submitted by facilities and follows up
with the facility to determine problems and help them upgrade their
systems, although it can be a long-term process. The DNR has also formed
a committee to discuss how it handles wet weather bypasses.
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Karen Grimes
515-281-5135
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