Libz’az y — EPA E r3,1 1
Surveillance & Analyslo vi i
POTATO SERVICES, INC., STUDY REPORT
PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE
MARCH 8-— 12, 1976
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region I
Surveillance & Analysis Division
240 Highland Avenue
Needham, Massachusetts 02194

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POTATO SERVICE, INC.
INTRODUCTION
On the week of March 2, the Enforcement Branch requested the
Surveillance and Analysis Division to conduct a survey for possible
enforcement action. The plant, Potato Service, Inc., is located in
Presque Isle, Maine. For a description of the plant and its wastewater
system, please refer to the report dated November 6—12, 1974, on Potato
Service, Inc. The survey was conducted during the week of March 8.
OBSERVATIONS
During the week of sampling a ntthiber of observations were made
which are summarized below. An inspection of the treatment system
revealed that the mud and primary clarifiers were in operation. Aeration
Lagoon No. 1 was full; however, none of the aerators were working.
Aeration Lagoon No. 1A was empty as were both aerobic digesting ponds.
The secondary clarifiers were operating along with the three polishing
ponds. Mr. Harold Britton of Potato Service, Inc., told us that the
system was being operated anaerobically per order of the state. Mr.
Britton said that 300,000 to 400,000 gallons per day of the total flow
was nonprocess water. Throughout the week, a large dome of foam was
noticed where the effluent met the river. It appears that the foam Is
generated by the turbulent action as the effluent passes through the
parshall flume and down the rocks to the river. This dome would reach
forty feet in diameter and five to eight feet in height at times. There
was also a noticeable odor normally associated with an anaerobic system
prevalent throughout the week.

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2
On Thursday morning, the flow dropped off drastically. This was
due to plant shut down. Mr. Britton said that the plant stopped
production due to lack of potatoes on Tuesday at 2300 hours and had
not started up until Thursday at 0700 hours. He said that these shut
downs were common and that the plant usually spends its time repacking
broken cartons. The flow began to increase on Thursday about 2100 hours.
SAMPLING PROGRAMS
The sampling program was designed to monitor the final effluent
for three operating days. This would coincide with the operating day
composite quantity and instantaneous maximum concentration parameters
listed in the NPDES permit. Each day consisted of two composites spaced
over the 24 hours, three grab samples, and hourly pH, temperature, flow,
and settleable solids measurements. Each composite consisted of 12 flow
proportioned grab sanqiles spaced at two hour intervals. One composite was
taken on the even hours, the other on odd. The grab samples were taken
at 1500 hours, 2300 hours, and 0700 hours, respectively. The first
day composite started on Tuesday morning and the third operating day
ended on Friday morning.
All samples that were taken during the survey were analyzed at
the New England Regional Laboratory at Needham, Massachusetts. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region I ’s standard chain of
custody procedures were used in the collection, handl i , and shipping
of all samples.
RESULTS
The results of the March 8 — 12 survey are in tabular form (see

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3
Table 3); however, certain points about the data can be stmirarized here.
BOD 5 was the only parameter in violation of the operating day composite
quantity . Total suspended solids and total phosphorus were not in
violation of the NPDES permit quantative limits. All of the grab
samples for BOD 5 , TSS, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform were in
violatd.on of the instantaneous maximum concentration parameters. The
settleable solids always showed only a trace. The temperature was in
keeping with the ambient conditions, and the pH, most of the time, was
just under the 6.0 limit.
DISCUSSION
The data collected during the week of March 8 shows that Potato
Service, Inc., is in clear violation of their operating day composite
quantity for the BOD 5 parameter. The total suspended solids and total
phosphorus data are not in violation of the above limit. All four
parameters — BOD 5 , TSS, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform are in
violation of their limits for the instantaneous maximum concentration
parameter. The pH values ranged from 5.5 to 6.0 which is at and below
the lower limit for the pH range.
In conclusion, the data collected shows Potato Service, Inc., in
violation of its permitted conditions on a number of accounts and will
most likely continue to produce the same values as long as the system
is operated anaerobically.

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TABLE 1
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE REPORT
P bbreviation
Description
Units of Measure
Temp
pH
DO
Camp
MCD
BOD 5
Nonfilterable
Residue
Total
Vol
Fixed
Total P
Coliforms
Total
Fecal
Settleab le
Solids
temperature of sample
field pH
dissolved oxygen
composite sample
millIon gallons per day
five day biochemical oxygen demand
incubated at 20°C
suspended solids
total suspended solids
loss on ignition at 6000C (organic)
remaining after Ignition at 600°C
(inorganic)
total phosphorus
coliform bacteria
total coliforin bacteria
fecal coliform bacteria
amount of solids settled in one
hour in 1—liter imhof cone
degrees centigrade, (°C)
standard units, (SU)
milligrams per liter, mg/i
million gallons per day
mg/i
mg / 1
mg / 1
- mg / 1
mg / 1
mg/i as phosphorus
number per one hundred
milliliters of sample
number per one hundred
milliliters of sample
mi/i

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TABLE 2
GENERAL INFORMATION - SAMPLING LOCATION
Location No. - 24 Hour
Station Latitude Longitude Station of Composite*
Nuΰber 0 0 Description Date Grabs Start Finish
PSIO3 46 41 54 67 59 01 Final 03/09—10/76 3 Even 0800 0600
Effluent to Odd 0900 0700
the River
03/10—11/76 3 Even 0800 0600
Odd 0900 0700
03/11—12/76 3 Even 0800 0600
Odd 0900 0700
* 24 hour composites: Samples were taken at two intervals.

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TABLE 3
POTATO SERVICE, INC., SURVEY
POTATO SERVICE, INC., FIELD AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS RESULTS
PSIO3
March, 1976
1500
2300
0700
Even Comp.
Odd Comp.
5.9 2.5 2600
5.9 1.5 2100
5.9 1.5 2200
—— —— 2100
—— —— 2200
Nonfilterabie
Residue (mg/i) Total P
Total Vol. Fixed ( mg/i )
71 12 34.2
76 9 33.5
78 13 34.0
66 8 34.0
89 16 34.2
Coliforms
Fecal Total
( No/lOOmi) (No/lOOm ]. ) -
Date Time
pH
Temp
BOD 5
(SU)
(°C)
(mg/i)
5.8 2.0 2400
5.9 2.0 2400
5.8 2.0 2400
—— —— 2200
—— —— 2400
1500
2300
0700
Even Comp.
Odd Comp.
1500
2300
0700
Even Comp.
Odd Comp.
03/09/76
03 / 10/76
03/09—10/76
03/iO/76
03/11/76
03/10—11/76
03/11/76
03/12/76
03/11—12/76
5.9
6.0
5.8
3.0
2.5
2.0
96 80 16 33.6
88 73 14 34.0
82 72 11 34.5
84 70 14 34.0
93 81 12 33.5
87 77 10 34.5
85 77 7 34.4
78 71 8 34.3
79 65 15 31.8
84 71 13 338
2400
2400
2400
2400
2400
180,000
190,000
260,000
150,000
180,000
140,000
170,000
150,000
230,000
Settleable
Solids
(mi/i)
Trace
Trace
Trace
Trace
Trace
Trace
Trace
Trace
Trace
5,600
6,500
10,000
2,000
7,000
6,000
12,000
6,700
6,000
83
85
92
74
100

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TABLE 4
MAXIMUM, HINIMUM, AVERAGE FOR PSIO3
Number
of
Maximum Minimum Average Samples
BOD 5 (mg/i) 2,600 2,100 2,333 15
TNFR (mg/i) 100 74 86 15
Total Phosphorus (mg/i) 34.5 31.8 33.9 15
Total Coiiform (#/lOOml) 260,000 140,000 183,333 9
Fecal Coiiform (fI/lOOmi) 12,000 2,000 6,867 9
Temperature (°C) 3.0 1.0 2.3 72
pH (SU) 6.0 5.5 59* 72
Settieabie Solids (mi/i) Trace Trace Trace 72
*Med Ian value.

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TABLE 5
OPERATING DAY COMPOSITE QUANTITY
Potatoes
Flow BOD TNFR Total P Processed
Date Comp. ( mgd) ( mg/i) 1bs/day) p!g/i) (ibs/dayl mg/l) (lbs/day) ( tons/day )
03/09—10/76 Even 1.519 2,200 27,870 84 1,064 34.0 431 729.5
Odd —- 2,400 30,404 93 1,178 33.5 424
03/10—11/76 Even 1.106 2,400 22,137 79 729 31.8 293 0
Odd 2,400 22,137 84 775 33.8 312
03/11—12/76 Even 0.527 2,100 9,230 74 325 34.2 149 530.9
Odd 2,200 9,669 100 440 34.0 150

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