Sewage Enforcement Officer Chris Wood offers cautionary tale, and the promise of new technology

Published Mar 19, 2015 at 3:37 pm (Updated Mar 19, 2015)

By Anya Tikka DINGMAN TOWNSHIP Anything that happens upstream affects a whole lot of wildlife downstream.

Chris Wood, Dingman Townships Sewage/Zoning Enforcement Officer, reported on his attendance at the Pennsylvania Association of Sewage Enforcement Officers Conference at a recent township meeting.

Shellfish, including oyster beds, and rockfish have already disappeared in Chesapeake Bay, he said, offering a cautionary tale for Pike County's streams, which are designated by the state to be High Quality or Exceptional Value.

Chesapeake Bay is a mess, Wood said. There are a lot things controlling industrial and chemical waste. Of course, once you kill one species, you mess up the whole ecology. They are trying to bring back the bay.

He said its going to take many years to do, but Maryland has put together a series of laws of how to develop properties to achieve this. Nitrates are the most abundant runoff, mainly from farming. Although Pennsylvania is working with nitrates a little differently, its important to know about new developments, he added.

As far as Dingman Township and Pike County go, things are looking good.

We test all of our streams on a regular basis," he said. "Nitrates are extremely low in Dingman Township."

He said he believes its the same in most other townships around the area, based on what he sees on his rounds.

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Protecting Dingman's water

TALLAHASSEE, FL -

Information from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

This week the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Clean Water State Revolving Fund disbursed an additional $14,261,486 to Cape Coral, bringing the total project loans to $71 million, to enable the city to expand its potable water, sanitary sewer and irrigation water infrastructure to meet future demands of its growing community.

The department is proud to support projects like this one, which benefit both our natural resources and communities, said DEP Secretary Jon Steverson.

This project will provide potable water and municipal sewer services to approximately 5,200 residential lots, which are currently served by on-site septic tank/drainfield systems and potable water wells. Residents will have access to a more reliable water supply and sewer system. Moreover, water resources will be better protected by utilizing the city's unified water supply and pollution control program, a 25-year effort by Cape Coral officials and the South Florida Water Management District to safeguard residents' quality of life while also protecting natural resources.

In addition to pumping stations and other equipment, this project consists of more than 700,000 feet of irrigation and wastewater lines that will improve water reuse and reduce impacts to the environment by reducing overall withdrawals from natural freshwater aquifers and minimizing potential groundwater pollution in both canals and drain fields.

The state revolving funds allow the city of Cape Coral to continue moving forward with these essential utilities projects, said Paul Clinghan, Cape Coral's utilities extension program manager. These loans enable the City to keep the overall costs to our property owners lower than other available financing options.

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program was established in 1989 to provide low-interest financing for the planning, design and construction of wastewater and stormwater facilities, in compliance with the Clean Water Act. This program has awarded nearly $4 billion in loans since its inception, providing more than $1.4 billion in funding for 96 projects in just the past five years. Funded by federal grants, state matching funds, loan repayments and interest earnings, state revolving fund loans are offered at low interest rates. Repayments from earlier loans are used to make new loans, allowing the program to continue operating.

For more information on the State Revolving Fund program, click here.

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State loans millions more to Cape Coral for water projects

Raw sewage from a broken pipe flowed into Lost Lake in Mahtomedi on Tuesday.

It took the Metropolitan Council's Environmental Services team more than six hours to clean up the spill, starting two hours after the leak was reported, officials said.

They aren't saying how much sewage leaked into the 10-acre lake but estimate up to 40,000 gallons.

Residents say this was the second leak from that pipe since October.

The Met Council has now taken the damaged sewer pipe out of service permanently.

They are planning to start work this year draining and cleaning the sewer and filling it with grout.

Met Council Environmental Services will monitor the lake's bacteria levels until they are normal.

Officials don't anticipate any long-term effects from the spill, but some residents are concerned the sewage will leak into their drinking water.

"I have on-site well and septic here and I'm worried this is going to get into my drinking water," resident Tim DeWuske told KARE11.

Katie Kather can be reached at 651-228-5006. Follow her at twitter.com/ktkather.

The rest is here:
Raw sewage spills into Mahtomedi lake

Close to twenty Greene and Madison County Residents congregated at the PVCC Eugene Giuseppe Center in Stanardsville last Thursday evening to discuss strategies to protect local streams and rivers.

Representatives from a number of agenciesRappahannock Rapidan Regional Commission (RRRC), Blue Ridge Emergency Services (BRES), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)came to speak to concerned residents regarding an implantation plan for the Upper Rapidan Watershed. Affected rivers and stream stretch across Madison, Orange, Greene and Albemarle Counties.

The [DEQ] has measured excessive fecal bacteria levels, BRES president and CEO Byron Petrauskas said, noting high levels found in Rippin Run, Blue Run, Marsh Run, Beautiful Run, Popular Run and the Rapidan River. High levels result from feces from warm-blooded animals, which can contain various bacteria (such as E. Coli), parasites and viruses. Petrauskas said ingesting contaminated water could result in infection or diarrhea to more serious conditions such as ulcers, arthritis, chronic conditions or death.

First, the DEQ takes [water] samples and compares results to the bacteria count in the water quality standard, Petrauskas said. If 10.5 percent of samples exceed the bacteria water quality standard[the body of water] is considered impaired.

Once placed on this list, development of an implementation plan is required by law.

He said bacteria can source residentially from straight pipes (pipes which drain waste directly into watershed), failing septic systems, pet waste and residential land use runoff. Agriculturally, bacteria can source from direct defecation into rivers and streams by livestock and pasture and cropland runoff. Wildlife feces are also a factor.

General agricultural strategies or best management practices (BMP) to reduce bacterial contamination include excluding livestock from stream corridors using fencing, buffering or a setback, reforestation and rotational grazing. Residential strategies include eliminating straight pipes, repairing or replacing failing septic systems and hooking up to a sanitary sewer.

However, Petrauskas said before actions can be taken to lower bacteria levels, goals are set, cost and benefit calculations conducted and stakeholders are identified.

We want to get [these streams and rivers] off of the impaired water list, he said, noting strategies should strive lower bacteria levels to not exceed standard water quality. Milestones should be established to see how implementations are going and how the water quality is responding. He noted the SWCD and Virginia Department of Health track installations while the DEQ will continue to monitor bacteria levels.

But who is going to implement [the plan] and what are potential funding sources? Petrauskas asked. He said stakeholders can include local government, landowners, RRRC and SWCD on the local and regional levels, a number of state programs, federal agencies and programs including the United States Department of Agriculture, Clean Water Act, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and private sources. In the past 75 and 85 percent reimbursement was available for landowners willing to take initiative to fence off or protect stream and riverbanks and other agricultural BMPs on their property through a combination of federal, state, non-profit and private sourced funding. Culpeper SWCD district manager Greg Wichelns said 100 percent reimbursement is currently being offered through federal and state cost share programs.

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Many people say plan needed to improve Upper Rapidan water quality

By: Edan Schultz March 3, 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- On the first day of the legislative session, North Florida lawmakers are looking ahead to some of the issues at stake.

Governor Rick Scott sounded familiar themes in his state of the state address, touting an improving economy and more jobs. He pushed the same agenda he's been following for five years, calling for added tax cuts and more money for schools.

Republican State Representative Halsey Beshears of Monticello calls the K-12 funding proposal "fantastic." In previous years, lawmakers have pulled back on education funding because of tight budgets. Beshears says that's hurt rural school districts especially hard.

"All our rural counties have problems with it. They struggle financially because they don't have the property tax base to support that funding. So anytime we can get this help for the state we're going to bring it home for our rural counties," said Beshears.

As for tax cuts, Beshears says any mention of those and you'll hear the Republican house give a hearty cheer. The governor has called for lowering the tax on cable television and cell phone bills, saving the average family about $40 a year. He also wants to eliminate the state sales tax on college textbooks and a sales tax on manufacturing equipment.

Meanwhile, GOP legislative leaders have suggested they will propose additional cuts. Beshears applauds the governor's proposal to touch a broad range of taxpayers, calling it a great approach.

"I can't speak for what the leadership is going to do but they're going to try to find some common ground there and we're going to try to find some way to put dollars back in the Florida people's pockets," said Beshears.

On the other side of the aisle, State Senator Bill Montford, a Tallahassee democrat, says any tax cuts should be considered carefully.

"I'm not opposed to seriously considering any tax cut. But also think we need to go to the next step and see what will it cost us. What services will we not receive if we continue to cut these taxes," said Montford.

More here:
North Florida Lawmakers Talk Legislative Agenda

Melissa May, a natural resource specialists with San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District, stands for a portrait on Monday at her office in Aztec. (Jon Austria The Daily Times)

From left, Warren Rider, a volunteer, and Geoffrey Smith, a New Mexico State University professor, test field equipment on the San Juan River in this undated photo. (Courtesy of San Juan Watershed Group)

FARMINGTON The final results from a study of contaminants in the San Juan and Animas rivers will be presented at San Juan College on Thursday. A preliminary analysis of study samples found high levels of bacteria associated with human waste in both rivers.

"We're definitely going to have some more sure conclusions than before," said Melissa May, a San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District natural resource specialist.

The conservation district and the San Juan Watershed Group, both local agencies, are partners in the study that is seeking to identify land-use practices contributing to river contamination.

Melissa May, a natural resource specialists with San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District, works on Monday at her office in Aztec. (Jon Austria The Daily Times)

May and New Mexico State University professor Geoffrey Smith will present the study's 2013 and 2014 results at 6 p.m. in room 9008 in the Henderson Fine Arts building. Only the 2013 results have been reported.

As part of the two-year study, scientists analyzed samples collected from five sites along the San Juan and Animas rivers to test for bacteria E. coli and Bacteroides that indicate the presence of human and animal waste. They determined both bacteria are being introduced in San Juan County, and most samples tested positive for human bacteria.

Officials involved in the study have said leaking septic tanks and illegal waste dumping could be the sources of the bacteria. But New Mexico Environment Department spokesman Jim Winchester has said he knows of no evidence to support that conclusion.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to say," San Juan County Commission Chairman Keith Johns said.

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Final results of river pollutant study to be presented

Cape communities have until September to get plans in place to clean up the peninsulas nitrogen pollution problem.

This is the opportunity for you to do the right thing by the Cape, said Johanna Hunter, acting director of the federal Environmental Protection Agencys surface water program.

Or someone else might.

Chris Killian of the Conservation Law Foundation, which sued the EPA for not living up to its obligations under the Clean Water Act on Cape Cod, said this was a hopeful time. The suit is in abeyance for six months to give Cape towns a window of opportunity to move forward. If they fail, said Killian, litigation is back on and the Cape could end up with an agency akin to the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, an agency that controls water and sewer systems for Boston and surrounding communities. It was formed in 1985 to help clean up Boston Harbor, and the Conservation Law Foundation, which sued to start that cleanup, still reviews reports to see that it is fulfilling its mandate.

We dont want to go there, said Killian, looking at a crowded room filled with half the elected officials on the Cape and many other interested residents. But I dont see how that outcome can be avoided.

The Cape isnt starting from scratch. The Cape Cod Commission, with help from scores of stakeholders on the peninsula, has written a 300-page draft 208 plan named for a section in the EPA regulations.

The plan was first written in 1978, but the suit claims it was never implemented or updated and the Capes water quality paid the price.

At the One Cape Summit at the Cape Cod Resort and Conference Center Wednesday, Paul Niedzwiecki, Cape Cod Commission executive director, provided some quick background on how the Cape reached this crossroads.

He said the population of the Cape grew 400 percent from 1950 to 1990. The majority of that growth, 97 percent, used septic systems, which release nitrogen into the groundwater and bays and estuaries. Nitrogen is the primary culprit behind the Capes water quality problems, causing excessive plant growth and starting a cascade leading to unhealthy waters that dont support shellfish and fish and can ultimately lower property values.

The Capes biggest water quality issues are in spots that are the most developed.

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Cape at pollution 'tipping point,' says EPA

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Published: Monday, March 2, 2015 at 12:33 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, March 2, 2015 at 11:54 p.m.

Incumbent Mayor Marlene Wagner is hoping to add three years to the nine she has already served. She will face former Town Council Chairman Ralph Harris in the April 7 election.

Wagner wants to bring in new business and expand the town's visible presence on U.S. 27.

A large part of that, she said, is bringing in sewer lines where there are only septic tanks right now. Lake Hamilton has fewer businesses and jobs than there could be because the town did not have sewers.

"Businesses don't want to come in if you only have septic tanks," she said. "New buildings need an advanced sewer system to handle a lot of people."

The mayor's hope is that her town can team up with Dundee to connect to its southern neighbor's sewage lines to allow businesses to open up shop in Lake Hamilton. On Feb. 27, she said the town had entered into a memorandum of understanding with Dundee.

"We have a memorandum with Dundee to use their sewers," Wagner said. "If it interconnects we'll be working together the sewer will go to their sewage treatment plant. They have capacity."

Dundee Town Manager Ryan Taylor said he had worked closely with town planner Doug Leonard and with Wagner as well. He said Dundee tries to maintain close relationships with neighboring towns.

In addition, Wagner also wants to continue working on the roads and water lines all over Lake Hamilton. New roads and water lines have been installed in the northeast section of town and Marye Jayne Heights. Next, the town plans to work on Crump Road and other areas, including the streets around Town Hall.

"We do the best we can with what we have," Wagner said.

Read the original here:
Lake Hamilton Incumbent Mayor Marlene Wagner Wants to Increase Town's Visibility

Published: Friday, February 27, 2015 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 8:51 p.m.

Statewide, 475 proposed projects totaling $1.2 billion have flowed into the Florida House of Representatives' Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.

Alachua County's local governments and officials have got in on the action as well.

The largest local request is $12 million that state Rep. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, is seeking to dredge Bivens Arm, the polluted, muck-filled lake into which a large swath of Gainesville drains, carrying phosphates, nitrates and sediment.

Perry has lived in a home on the shore of Bivens Arm for 28 years. He said it has never been a particularly healthy lake during that time, but he said its health and water levels have continued to decline as algae, high nitrate and low oxygen levels have choked the water body and led to fish kills.

East of Gainesville, Alachua County government has submitted a much smaller request for a study on how to clean up a much larger lake with much greater public access.

The county has put in a $312,400 request for an Orange Creek Basin Restoration Initiative study that would look at potential ways, including dredging, to remove and dispose of the 8 feet of muck on average that coats the bottom of Newnan's Lake.

Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Director Chris Bird said one significant question involved in potentially dredging Newnan's Lake is the presence of several dozen ancient canoes, some dating back 5,000 years, scattered across the lake bed.

Other parts of the county's requested study include looking at ways to stop stormwater runoff from eroding the natural phosphate deposits in Little Hatchet Creek and carrying them downstream to Newnan's Lake.

Six local municipalities Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, Newberry and Waldo have submitted a combined $13.3 million in requests for water and sewer infrastructure projects. Waldo, Hawthorne and Alachua want to upgrade or replace aging water and sewer infrastructure. Archer continues to seek money $3 million in this request to construct a sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. High Springs seeks nearly $2.5 million to expand its sewer system. Newberry seeks $3 million for a sewer plant upgrade and a reclaimed water system for irrigation.

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Among local water requests, Perry seeks $12 million to dredge polluted Bivens Arm