SITE INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE_1993-2003

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WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIRLIGIENTS ORDER NO. R5-2002-0213 • 17 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DEFENSE DISTRIBUTION DEPOT SAN JOAQUIN SHARPE GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION SYSTEM SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY 29. The Basin Plan provides that the pH (of surface waters) shall not be depressed below 6.5 nor raised above 8.5 pH Units. The Basin Plan further provides that changes in normal ambient pH levels shall not exceed 0.5 pH Units in fresh waters with designated COLD or WARM beneficial uses. Air strippers may influence the pH of groundwaters subsequent to treatment. This Order retains effluent and receiving water limitations and monitoring requirements for pH. 30. The beneficial uses of the underlying groundwater are municipal and domestic, industrial, and agricultural supply. 31. Previous Order 95-258 included an average daily flow limit of 1.152 mgd. The Discharger requested an increase in the average daily flow to 1.9 mgd to accommodate all design flows from all three GWTPs, including the Central Area treatment plant. This Order includes a new average daily flow limitation of 1.9 mgd, providing for an increase in the volume and mass of pollutants discharged. The permitted discharge is consistent with the antidegradation provisions of 40 CFR 131.12 and State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 68-16. Compliance with these requirements will result in the use of best practicable treatment or control of the discharge. The increase will not cause significant impacts on drinking water supplies, agricultural"'supply, or aquatic life, which are the beneficial uses most likely affected by the discharge. The increase in the discharge allows the discharger to cleanup a contaminated groundwater source and the subsequent cleanup is considered to be a benefit to the people of the State. This Order requires the Discharger to further evaluate the quality of the discharge and receiving waters, and determine whether the discharge will cause or contribute to an exceedance of water quality standards. For bioaccumulative pollutants identified in the discharge (i.e. mercury), mass limitations have been established in this Order which are more restrictive than the previous Order. 32. Effluent limitations, and toxic and pretreatment effluent standards established pursuant to Sections 301 (Effluent Limitations), 302 (Water Quality Related Effluent Limitations), 304 (Information and Guidelines), and 307 (Toxic and Pretreatment Effluent Standards) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and amendments thereto are applicable to the discharge. 33. The action to adopt an NPDES permit is exempt from the provisions of Chapter 3 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Relations Code Section 21000, et. Seq.), in accordance with Section 13389 of the California Water Code. 34. The Regional Board has considered the information in the attached Information Sheet in developing the Findings of this Order. The attached Information Sheet is part of this Order. Attachments A, B, C, and D are also a part of this Order. 35. The Regional Board has notified the Discharger and interested agencies and persons of its intent to prescribe waste discharge requirements for this discharge and has provided them with an opportunity for a public hearing and an opportunity to submit their written views and recommendations.