Libzaz 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 ------- 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 612, 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. ------- 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 ------- 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. ------- 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 1liter 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 ------- 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 03/0910/76 3 Even 0800 0600 Effluent to Odd 0900 0700 the River 03/1011/76 3 Even 0800 0600 Odd 0900 0700 03/1112/76 3 Even 0800 0600 Odd 0900 0700 * 24 hour composites: Samples were taken at two intervals. ------- 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 03/0910/76 03/iO/76 03/11/76 03/1011/76 03/11/76 03/12/76 03/1112/76 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 ------- 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. ------- 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 ) 03/0910/76 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 03/1011/76 Even 1.106 2,400 22,137 79 729 31.8 293 0 Odd 2,400 22,137 84 775 33.8 312 03/1112/76 Even 0.527 2,100 9,230 74 325 34.2 149 530.9 Odd 2,200 9,669 100 440 34.0 150 ------- Pofo rvce , . flsE sry csonc., PSIO E I e, t OD O rO nc 1 ------- |