LibrQry — -
Surveillance & Ana1yei iv i .:
FEDERAL WASTE SURVEY
Water Pollution Control Facility
South Weymouth Naval Air Station
South Weymouth, Massachusetts
October 6, 1971
October 28, 1971
January 5, 1972

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FEDERAL WASTE SURVEY
South Weymouth Naval Air Station
South Weymouth, Massachusetts
At the request of the Federal Activities Section, the Technical
Studies Section of Region I, Envirorunental Protection Agency con-
ducted an efficiency et idy on the South Weyznouth Naval Air Station
Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) on October 6 and October
28, 1971 and January S , 1972. A survey of French Stream at the Air
Station was performed on October 6, 1971 •
-encLi Stream
French Stream which has a drainage area of 12S0 acres, flows along
the west fence line of the Air Station and eventually to the North
River. The Air’Statiozi discharges wastes into the st!’eam from two
outfaj3.e j the treatment plant’s effluent line and a w hwat r outfa.1l
ocnttntning dothr ent used in oleaning airortttt, These øutfal1 are
ShOWII In Figure 1. Tlrnre was no flow on the survey dates at the wash—
• water outfall. The effluent from the WPCF fi.owa in a ditch some 1200
feet to the!west Ibranch of the French Stream. Also another Stream
originates in a swamp on the east side of the Air Station and flows
into French Stream south of the fence line.
Wttttt,t wr i. r ‘ I’)’H’LI4iil t t Pitt , i I.
Viguro 2 uhow i a t3cii ’,,ua tic d l iigram of the pri inaxy LInd soC’ri’ I:
ntsignn of tJin wI nr.
The was tewater treatment plant treats domestic wan toe from a
population of approximately 1100 people. Maximum load is placed on
the plant during weekend8 when up to 1000 reservists are stationed at

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the base. Maximum daily peak load, as can be seen from Figure 3, occurs
between the hours of 0700 to 0900 and 2200 to 2400 with no appreciable
plow between midnight and 0700 hours. Recorded effluent flow rates for
the three sampling dates are:
Gallojis ner day
Design capacity 375,000
October 6, 1971 (Wednesday) 65,000
October 28, 1971(ThUr8daY) 66,000
January 5, 1972(Wednesday) 83,000
Since the actual flow is approximately 20 percent of the design’ flow
standard opersting procedure calls for fifty percent recirculation from
the fin i]. clarifier to the stilling basin and operation of one of the two
trickling filters. Information gained by the sampling crew regarding said
recirculation indicates that recirculation was not occurring. The sampling
crew observed the trickling filterarnis to be static for long periods of time
with little or no flow through the nozzles.
After passing through the trickling filter, the w i’ i g vity fed to
the secondary clarifier followed by disinfection by ohlQrination. Effluent
chlorination proportionate to flow requires 8 to 12 pounds per day in the
contact chamber having a detention of time of approximately 15 minutes to
maintain a nominal chlorine residual of 1.0 ppm at the effluent.
Sludge is pumped to two sludge holding tanks originally designed as
digesters. Open drying beds are used to dewater the sludge before being
trucked to a sanitary land—fill for d eposal.
Sample Information
Figure 1 shows the two outfalls as well as the stilling basin and
the stream stations sampled. Table 1 locates and describes the stations.
The field crew collected samples from the stilling basin (Station SWN—l),
the eff1t ent channel (SWN—2A), the effluent outfall to French Stream

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(SWN-2), and the outfall from the plane washdown area (SwN-3). As
stated previously, there was no flow at this location. However,
a sample of stagnant water was collected in the event that residua].
washwater was present. The crew also collected strewn samples from
the French Stream above the discharge (FBO-1), below the discharge and
upstream of the washwater outfall (FBO-2), at the south fence line
(FB0—3), and the east branch of the French Stream at the south fence
line (FBO—14).
Survey of October 6, 1971
Automatic samplers were set at the influent stil].ing basin (SWN-i),
effluent (SWN-2A) from the WPCF, and on the French Strewn at the south
fence line (FBO—3). The samplers at the treatment plant were set to
draw 250 milliliter aliquots per hour for 214 hours. The sampler at
the fence line in French Stream (FBO-3) was set to dr i 50 milliliter
aliquots every 7.5 minutes for 214 hours, Sampling at utationu SWN ,
FBO-1, FBO-2, and FBO- .3 was accomplished by hand dipping the storage
and transport containers directly into the sampling sources all stations
sampled at approximately two hour intervals with the exception of SWN-2
which was sampled every hour. The stream at station FBO-1.i and the wash-.
water outfall at station 1N-3 was sampled only once since there appeared
t., he U t,t,le or no flow tn the stream or from the outfall.
Surveys of October 20, 1971 and January 5, 1972
These surveys involved only the WPCF and automatic samplers were
set at the stilling basin and the effluent from the chlorine contact
chamber similar to the October 6 survey. Grab samples were obtained
at the stilling basin and effluent channel (SWN-2A) by hand dipping the
—3—

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storage and transport containers at one hour intervals.
Field Te ta
Field tests included temperature measured with a metal thermometer, pH
measured with an electrode pH meter and chlorine residual with a chlorine
comparitor (only October 6th survey). Also, settleable solids analyses
were conducted using Imhoff cones.
Sanwj.e Preservation
All eamplo containere were either one gallon or one quart plaetio
containers except those for bacterial and dissolved o gen analyses.
Bacteria samples were collected In sterile, wide mouth bacteria sample
bottles and dissolved o gen samples were collected in standard 300
milliliter BOD bottles. AU samples were preeerved cording to Environ-
mental Protection Agency standard methods and returned to the Needham,
Massachusetts laboratory for analysis.
Result
Tables 2 and 3 eummariee the rosulte of the laboratory atialyeto.
In all wastewater treatment plants, overall performance is gauged
by the quality of the waste effluent compared to influent quality. The
loading and efficiencies are shown in Table 4. Flow variation is apparent
as seen from Figure 3, the flow for October 6, which is typical of the
flow through the facility during the October 28 survey and January 5 survey.
The overall BOD efficiency of the WPCF on January 5, 1972 was 79 percent.
The composite samples for the period from 1200 to 2400 hours on January 5,
showed an efficiency of 88 percent. (See table 4 and 5) These efficiencies
are similar to the efficiency noted by the grab samples on October 28, 1971.
The composite samples on October 6 and 28 ware inconclusive.
-4-

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The plant operators were reportedly maintaining 1.0 mg/i of chlorine
residual in the plant effluent as it enters the ditch. Only one out of
five chlorine residual tests on the effluent from the ditch shoved any
appreciable chlorine residual (see Table 2).
On October 6, the high bacterial densities In the effluent indicate
inadequate disinfection. During that survey the total coliform bacterial
density ranged from 300,000/lOOm]. to 1,200,000/lOOmi.
These effluent bacterial densities are far above the values expected
from the reported residual levels and contact time. The bacterial densities
observed on October 28, 1971 are more representative of the expected effluent
quality. If a minimum level of 1.0 mg/i chlorine residual was maintained
then there exists a possibility of short circuiting in the chlorine contact
chamber.
As noted previously the WPCF effluent is a major portion of the bench
Stream flow. The high bacterial densities in the Frenoh Stream below the
WPCF discharge (FBO—2) are a direct reflection of the high bacteria], den’.
aities in the WPCF effluent.
Executive Order 11507 requires federal installation to comply with the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act which establishes stream classifications.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has classified the French Stream as Class
“B”. As can be seen from Table 6, the bacterial, phosphorus, ammonia-nitrogen,
dissolved oxygen, and oil and grease criteria were violated.
Also there is a pollutional load placed on the stream upstream of the
WPCF outfall at station (FBO —l). The origin of this load is probably run-
off from the surrounding area.
Sample analyses also shows exces8Ively high concentrations of oil and
grease (111.5 m Ji), phosphorus (8 mg/i), and ammonia’nitrogen (17.6 mg/i)
—5—

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in the stagnant water at the aircraft washvater outfall which indicates
the type of waste from the airplane washing. This waste should be tied
into the WPCF.Since the percent reduction in the WPCF of phosphorus and
ammonia nitrogen are only 2].% and ll respectively, the treatment of this
aircraft waahwater must be accompanied by adequate upgrading of the existing
facility in order to meet stream standards.
—6—

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South Weymouth
TREATME NT
North
Ablngton
LEGEND
— Outfall Line
• Sample Station
iN
— — a
4-
SOUTH WEYMOUTH NAVAL AIR STATION
Rockland

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t
EFFLUENT
IN FLUE N T
IGESTER
LEGEND
Sewage Piping
— — — — Recirc4iat ion Piping
— • — Sludge, Scum, and
Supernatan? Piping
TREATMENT PLANT
SOUTH WEYMOUTH NAVAL AIR STATION
SWN I
SWN2A
— 4

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13
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1000)

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Table 1
Sample Station Identification
Station Latitude Longitude Description
0 I II 0 I UI
SWN1 42 09 32 70 56 39 Ini 1uont to treatment plant
in stilling basin
SWN2 42 09 23 70 56 53 Ti eatinent plant effluent out—
fall to French Stream
SWN3 4209 15 70 56 149 Washwater outfall to French Stre
SWN2A 42 09 30 70 56 41 Treatment plant effluent from
chlorine contact chamber
(Stream)
FBO1 42 09 24 70 56 514 French Stream upstream from trea
ment plant discharge
FBO2 42 09 13 70 6 50 French Stream downstream of treat
ment plant discharge and upstrean
from Washvater outfall at culvert
FBO3 42 07 09 70 56 08 French Stream at the south t’ence
of A .r Station
FB0 42 07 U 70 ó 0 1! a t br n }i tiP ?i i üh ti o i g at
Sot th fence of Air Station

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Analyses Reported
Temperature
pH
DO
BOD
SAMPLE ANALYSES
ABBREVIATIONS AND UNITS OF MEASURE
Description Measured In
Sample temperature Degrees centigrade (°C)
Hydrogen ion concentration standard units (s.u.)
Dissolved o gen Milligrams per liter (mg/i)
s-day biochemical (Mg/i
o gen demand, incubated
at 20°C
f’ig/l -
Chlorine residual
Total Coliforme
Fecal coliforme
Total nonfilterable
residue
Fixed nonfilterable
reaidue
Settleable Solida
Oil and grease
Total coilform bacteria
Fecal coliform bacteria
Total suspended soi ds
per 100 milliliters
per 100 milliliters
Ingan pgn §g
Milliliters per liter
Volume of matter that settles (mi/i)
out in one hour
mR/i as oil and grease
Hexane xtraotables
Ammonia-Nitrogen
NH 3 ...N
Total Phosphorus
Code
J - estimated as, value not accurate
K — less than
L- greater than
- — L _. _._L_
mg/). ae nitrogen
mgJl aB Phosphorus

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TABLE 2
Summary Sheet
South Weyrnouth Naval A±r Station
October 6, 1971
Non-Filterable
Field Cl 2 Total Total Fecal Oil & NH 3 -N Residue
T np I X ) pH BOD-5 Residual Phosphorus Coliform Coliforrn Grease Total Fixed
Station Time (°C) (mg/i) (SJJ.) (mg/i) (mg/i) (mg/i) (/iOOml) (/lOOml) (mg/i) (mg/i) (mg/i) (mg/i)
----TREATMENT PLANT----
SWN1 Composite — — - 200
SWN2 0930 19.3 — 6.8 - 0.2 1,200,000 600
1130 20.0 0.5 7.0 1(0.1 710,000 200
1330 20.5 - 7.0 1(0.1 300,000 1(100
SWN2 10145 20.0 0.0 6.8 - 1,100,000 700
ft 1230 20.0 0.5 7.1 1(0.1 390,000 200
U 11430 20.0 0.7 7.0 - 1(0.1 — 530,000 100
SWN2A Composite — - - 320 — 11.014
FBO1 0915 15.0 — 6.7 8.5 O.08 15,000 So 99.60 — _j38.8 3.0
SWN3 1130 16.5 1.5 6.7 28.0 8.00 830,000 300 111.50 17.60 12.2 69.1
FBO1 1130 15.0 2.2 5.8 J3.2 0.52 38,000 70 67.00 — 8147.5 306.9
1330 16.0 1.9 6.3 12.5 2.00 La ,ooo 60 59.30 — 63.1 29.8
FBO2 1130 17.0 1.1 6.7 31i.0 0.10 9140,000 1000 62.30 13.80 55.1 114.3
11400 17.5 2.2 6.9 W. .0 7.68 L14,000,000 200 147.10 15.140 17.6 2.1
FBO3 1215 16.0 6.5 7.2 — 29,000 110 — 0.614 - -
l1.i50 17.5 8.0 7.6 — 17,000 100 - 0.96
Composite — — — 9.0 2.76 - — - - — —
FB0i 1300 16.9 7.3 6.6 60.0 — 18,000 1. oo 114.10 0.114 6.5 3.5

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TABLZ3
Summary Sheet
South Weymouth Naval Air Station
October 28. 1971
Total
Total NOFO
Fixed
N 0 F .
Settleable
Total
Fecal
Station
Time
Temp _
(°c) -
PH
(S.u.)
BOD
(mg/I)
P NH3-N Residue Residue
(mg/i) (mg/i) (nigh) (mg/i)
INFLUENT
Solids
(mi/i)
Coliform
(/i00ml)
Coliform
(/iOOmI)
SWN1
•
0930
i030
22.5
22.5
7.2
6.7
200
260
16.00
20.96
31.5 139.6 2.0
49.0 2i3,2 13.6
6 O
16.5
130,000,000
130,000,000
7,900,000
6,500,000
‘
i130
22.5
6 8
250
17.60
30.5 20i 6 19.6
-
i30,000,000
7,100,000
• :
1230
1330
22.0
23.5
6.3
6.3
250
370
24.00
20.80
28.5 191.6 22.6
25 5 236.4 10.0
l0 0
-
93,000,000
120,000,000
7,200,000
5,500,000
Comp
-
7.0
230
15.52
- 182.2 13.3
EFFLUENT
SWN2A
0930
22.5
6.6
24
14.88
26.0 31.7 1.9
0 .4
5,000
Ki00
q
1030
2i .5
6.7
24
16.0
27.0 33.6 6.8
0.4
1,000
Kl00
,
1130
22.0
6.6
24
14.08
28.0 33.5 2.3
-
1,000
K100
1230
22.8
6.6
30
23.04
3405 38.9 4.5
0.4
8,000
KiOO
1330
22.0
6.8
J42
12.16
35.5 28.6 2.i
-
Ki,000
100
Comp
-
701
J280
12 .80
38.1 3.7

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TABLE li
EFFICIENCY
Average Average Average
Loadingofl plafltlnfluent Effluent Removal
Parameter (lbs / day) Concentration Concentration Efficiency
_____ (mg/I) (mg/i)
October 6, 1971
Composite BOD 5 108 200 320 _600/ .
(based on 65,000 GPD)
October 28, 1971
BOD 5 137 27Ô jf29 89%
Total
Nonfilterable residue 107 195 33 83%
Fixed Non-
filterable residue 6 ],3 3.5 73%
Settleabl
Solids 5.5 10 0.4 96%
Total
Phosphorus 10.5 19 ID 21%
N H 3 -N 18 33 11%
Composite BOD 5 127 230 J280 22°h
Composite Total
Nonfilterable resiaue 100 182 38.1 77%
January 5, 1972 ?
BOD 5 96 118 29 797
1200 -2400
Composite BOD 5 122 160 19 88%

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TABLE
ORGANIC LOADINGS
SOUTh WEYMOUTh NAVAL AIR STItTION
JANUAI 5, 1972
SWN1 SWNZ&
Flow B0D BOD BODq WADING EFFLUENT BOD 5
TIME (Gallons) (mEll) (nig i1.) ( lbal (lbB)
0000 4160 106 50.0 3.70 1.75
0100 2710 80 38.0 1.80 0.86
0200 1880 50 34.0 0.78 0.53
.0300 2080 92 34.0 1.55 0.60
0400 1040 50 30.0 0.44 0.26
0500 416 36 25.0 0.13 0.09
0600 625 42 32.0 0.22 0.17
0700 1880 23 22.0 0.36 0.34
0800 4160 22.0 —— 0.76
0900 5000 210 21.0 8.80 0.88
1000 6460 190 20.0 10.20 1.08
1100 5840 22.0 — 1.06
1200 5210 62 24.0 2 .eg 1.04
1300 4160 200 24.0 6.95 0.83
1400 5630 300 26.0 14.10 1.22
1500 1960 140 24.0 2.28 0.39
1600 4590 76 28.0 2.89 1.07
1700 4800 210 38.0 8.40 1.52
1800 5640 170 26.0 7.95 1.22
1900 4590 190 28.0 7.25 1.07
2000 5640 220 34.0 10.30 1.59
2100 1880 180 36.0 2.81 0.56
2200 835 80 25.5 0.55 0.17
.300 1880 120 28.5 1.87 0.L5
Total 83,066 96.11 19.51

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TABLE 6
STREAM .ANkLYSES
MASS.
WQS
CR1 T RIA
FBO 1 FBO 2 FBO 3 CLASS B
Minimum -
Dissolved oxygen 2.1 mg/i 1.7 mg/i 7.2 mg/i 5.0 mg/i
Average
Oil and grease 75.3 mg/i 55 mgJi None allowable
Average
Coliforrn bacteria 32,000 / 100 ml L2,I. 7O,O0O / 100 ml 23,000 / 100 ml 1000 / 100 ml
Average
Total phosphorus 0.86mg/i 3.89mg/i 0.05 mg/i as
Average
Annnonia as nitrogen 114.6 mg/i 0.80mg/i 0.5 mg/i as N
CLASS B STANDARD : Suitable for bathing and recre tiona]. purposes including water contact sports.
Acceptable for public water sup 4y with appropriate treatment. Suitable for
agricultural and certain industri i ooL: ex el1ent fish
and wildlife habitat; excellent aesthetic value.
* Massachusetts water quality standards set limif s on total phosphate as phosphorus.

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