Planning for NPDES Permit compliance to meet changing stream standards at Los Alamos National Laboratory
In New Mexico, the application of water quality based effluent limitations in NPDES Permit has recently begun, as the pre-1987 technology-based permits are expiring and permittees are attempting to renew their permits. Water quality standards and water quality-related effluent limitations can require levels of treatment considerable higher than those required by technology-related effluent limitations. The Clean Water Act does not set specific minimums for state standards, instead the regulations require that such standards specify and protect appropriate water uses (e.g, water suppley fisheries, wildlife, irrigation and recreation) and set specific numerical criteria where possible to attain these ends. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has begun an aggressive program to meet the more stringent effluents limitations of the future. The Laboratory`s current NPDES Permit allows discharge of effluent from approximately 130 separate outfalls into ephemeral streams. Similar quality outfalls are grouped into eight categories with each category having set effluent limits. LANL`s near-future compliance strategy includes outfall elimination through the consolidation of outfalls of the same category, and the elimination of non-essential discharges. Also, LANL is planning the development of managed wetlands as a means to improve the local riparian habitat, and to contain effluent discharges within the Laboratory boundary. The longer-term strategy calls for reducing effluent discharges to zero. Zero discharge will be achieved through land application/irrigation and conservation through effluent re-use with evaporation of non-reusable discharges. One reuse program is currently underway, where sanitary wastewater effluent is recycled and used in a number of cooling water applications. Other reuse options may include recycling once-through cooling water through a number of process.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10129376
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-94-705; CONF-9404107-2; ON: DE94007554
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: New Mexico conference on the environment,Albuquerque, NM (United States),24-26 Apr 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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