Radionuclide Regulations, Treatment and Affordability

1
Radionuclide Regulations, Treatment and
Affordability

• Anthony E. Bennett, R.S.Texas Commission on
  Environmental QualityWater Supply Division

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Introduction

• Rules Schedule
• Radionuclides
• Gross Alpha
• Radium 226 and 228
• Uranium
• Gross Beta
• Treatment
• Costs

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Rules Adoption
Public Water System Rule Schedule
EPA Initiated Rules
DWSRF
IMR
PMR
Sulfate
SWA
Feb-99
Cap Dev -New
Sep-99
Cap Dev-Existing
Sep-00
Op Cert
Aug-00
CCR
Aug-00
PWS Def
Aug-00
IESWTR
Dec-00
DBP-1
Rules
Dec-00
Unreg Cont
Aug-01
Lead/Copper
Sep-01
Public Not
Dec-01
Rad-Chem
Dec-02
Arsenic
Jan-03
Backwash
Jun-03
LT1
Nov-03
Six Year Review

CCL Determination

Radon
Nov-05
GWR
SDWA Ammended
Aug-05
1996
DBP-2
May-06
LT2
May-06
New MCLs
Aug-06
Aug-94
Aug-95
Aug-96
Aug-97
Aug-98
Aug-99
Aug-00
Aug-01
Aug-02
Aug-03
Aug-04
Aug-05
Aug-06
Dates
Comment on EPA proposal
Develop Plans After EPA Guidance
EPA Review Comments - Final Rule
December 9, 2002
TNRCC Prepare and Propose Rule
TNRCC Prepare Final Rule
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Existing Radionuclide Rules

• Gross Alpha 15 pCi/L
• Radium 226 and 228 5pCi/L
• Gross Beta 4 mrem/yr

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Radionuclides

• (except Radon)

• EPA published NODA on April 21, 2000
• Maintain current 5 pCi/L for Ra 226/228
• Maintain current 15 pCi/L for Gross Alpha
• Three options for Uranium MCL at 20, 40 and 80
  pCi/L
• December 7, 2000
• final regs on radium, uranium, alpha, and beta

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Radionuclides Schedule

• TCEQ Propose Rules
• May 2004
• TCEQ Final Rules
• December 2004
• Federal Effective Date
• December 2003
• TCEQ Effective Date
• January 2004

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Proposed Radionuclide MCLs

• Gross Alpha
• 15 pCi/l - 94 violations
• Radium 226 228
• 5 pCi/l - 94 violations
• Uranium
• 30 pCi/l - 23 violations
• Radon
• 300 pCi/l - 850 violations
• 4000 pCi/l - 50 Violations

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Compliance Options

• New/Different Water Source
• Managing Existing Sources
• Developing New Sources
• Purchasing water
• Treatment

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Treatment for Radionuclides

• Demineralization
• Ion Exchange
• Lime Softening

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Demineralization

• Membrane process that removes a percent of most
  soluble inorganics
• Produces a Reject stream of concentrated
  contaminants

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Ion Exchange

• Resin adsorption process which exchanges one
  cation for another
• Produces a Regeneration stream of high levels
  of salt and concentrated contaminants

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Lime Softening

• High pH precipitation and removal process
• Produces a Lime Sludge which includes
  concentrated contaminants

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No Discharge Contaminant Specific Resins

• Essentially an Ion Exchange process which has a
  long life
• Produces no onsite discharge or waste
• Resin is removed when spent and replaced with
  new media

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Residuals Management

• Liquid Residuals
• Can
• Discharge to environment
• Must meet effluent standards (60/60/300)
• Discharge to Sewage Collection System
• Must meet effluent standards (600/600/3000)
• Non Commercial Class I injection well
• Cant
• Residuals above effluent standards
• Commercial Class I well

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Residuals Management

• Solid Residuals
• Can
• Out of State Licensed NORM Facility
• Cant
• In State NORM Waste Facility
• In State Class I NORM injection well

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Treatment Costs

• Capital Costs
• Operation and Maintenance Costs
• Residuals Management Costs

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Treatment Costs

• Surveyed Water systems or applied models
• Cost Range (Per Connection)
• 1 per month for managing existing sources
• 140 per month for small water system RO
  treatment
• New Treatment Technologies in the range of 10 to
  25 per month per Connection

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Conclusions

• Radionuclides are naturally Occurring in Parts of
  Texas
• Radionuclide regulations have recently been
  revised
• New Regulations will create more violations
• Several Compliance Options
• Treatment options Limited by residuals management
  options and costs