Below is email notice about a problem with Pall/Gelman's discharge from
their dioxane removal system.
This discharge violation and resultant shutdown is apparently the first
since Pall/Gelman started using their less effective Ozone-Oxidation
treatment system at the end of March, 2005.
SRSW had opposed DEQ's decision to let Pall-Gelman use this unproven
treatment system prior to more analysis of its effectiveness and without a
formal permit change or a public hearing.
The new system had not treated the dioxane to non-detect (less than 1
ppb) for any of the first 31 days of sampling that have been made
public... compared with 47% of the days for the previous officially
permitted and proven UV/Ox system over its last 12 months. The April
monthly average discharge ppb is about 3 times what it had been for the
previous UV/Ox system over its last 12 months.
Furthermore, the new treatment system has resulted in the probable human
carcinogen Bromate being discharged into the Honey Creek tributary at up
to 10-12 ppb (10 ppb is the EPA limit and 50 is the MDEQ discharge limit.)
Apparently, the requirement to use Best Available Technology has been
tossed aside... and without any prior public hearing.
--Roger Rayle--
Vice-Chair, Scio Residents for Safe Water (SRSW)
...
srsw website: www.srsw.org