United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Wastewater
Enforcement and
Compliance (WH-547)
EPA/832-B-92-005
September 1993
v>EPA A Guide to the Federal EPA Rule For
Land Application of Domestic Septage
to Non-Public Contact Sites
(Agricultural Land, Forests, and
Reclamation Sites)
Discussed in Relationship to Existing State
Rules and Other Federal Regulations of
Septage
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Txcedknce in compCiance through
optimaCtechnical solutions -
MUNICIPAL TECHNOLOGY BRANCH^V
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A CKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors [John Walker, Municipal Technology Branch, U.S. EPA Office
of Wastewater Enforcement and Compliance, and Penny Mascaro,
Engineering-Science, Inc.] gratefully acknowledge all those persons who
have reviewed and made comments to improve this guidance. These
reviewers include septage haulers who land apply, consultants, treatment
plant operators, and regulators.
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EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO
PROVIDE ACCURATE AND COMPLETE
INFORMATION IN THIS GUIDANCE
DOCUMENT. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT
INTENDED TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE
ACTUAL RULE.
//
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IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT
ANYTHING DISCUSSED IN THIS
GUIDANCE, YOU SHOULD CHECK THE
TEXT OF THE COMPLETE RULE IN
40 CFR PART 503 ENTITLED
"STANDARDS FOR THE USE OR
DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE SLUDGE."
THE REGIONAL AND STATE SEPTAGE
COORDINATORS, WHOSE NAMES ARE
LISTED IN APPENDIX A, ARE
AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS ON THE REGULATION.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
Overview: A Domestic Septage Guide 1
A Guide to the Federal EPA Rule for Land Application 1
of Domestic Septage to Non-Public Contact Sites
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Choices 2
Use/Disposal Options for Commercial and Industrial Septage 4
Request for Comments on Improvement of Guidance 5
Section 1: Introduction 6
Why Is There New Federal Regulation of Domestic Septage? 6
What Is In Domestic Septage? 7
Purpose of This Guidance Document 9
Section 2: Other Use and Disposal of Domestic and 1 2
Non-Domestic Septage
Regulation of Domestic Septage Discharged into Treatment
Facilities, Applied to Public Contact Sites, or Disposed 12
Differentiating Domestic from Commercial and Industrial Septage 14
Regulation of Non-Domestic Septage 15
Section 3: Federal Standards for the Application of Domestic 1 6
Septage
Introduction 16
Permits and Compliance 18
When Must I Comply With the Part 503 Regulation 1 9
Record Keeping and Reporting for Land Appliers
Determining the Allowed Annual Rate for Applying Domestic 21
Septage to Non-Public Contact Sites
Avoiding Nitrogen Contamination of Groundwater when Land 22
Applying Domestic Septage
Pathogen Reduction Requirements/Crop and Site Restrictions 28
Vector Attraction Reduction Alternatives 31
How to Raise the pH of Domestic Septage 36
Using Hydrated Lime 38
Using Quicklime 41
Using Dry Alkaline Material General 42
Sampling and Testing to Determine the pH of Domestic Septage 43
Certification 45
Management Practices
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SECTION PAGE
Section 4: State Rules Also Apply for Land Application 46
of Domestic Septage
Deciding How to Meet Both Federal and State Rules 47
References 52
Figures
7. Record Keeping Requirements 2 0
2. Typical Crop Nitrogen Requirements and Corresponding 27
Domestic Septage Application Rates
3. Pathogen Reduction Alternative 7 29
4. Pathogen Reduction Alternative 2 30
5. Vector Attraction Reduction Alternatives 32
6. Examples of Crops Impacted by Domestic Septage 34
Pathogen Requirements
7. Certification 44
8. Comparison of Federal and Selected State 50
Requirements for Land Application of Domestic Septage to
Non-Public Contact Sites
Appendices
A: List of State and EPA Regional Contacts about Rules for Use A-1
or Disposal of Septage
B: Chemical and Physical Characteristics of Domestic Septage B-1
vs. Sewage Sludge
C: Sample Methods for Record Keeping C-1
D: Types and Sources of Safety and pH Testing Equipment D-1
E: Example State Rules for Land Application of Domestic E-1
Septage
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OVERVIEW
A GUIDE TO THE FEDERAL EPA RULE FOR LAND APPLICATION
OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE TO NON-PUBLIC CONTACT SITES
Discussed in Relationship to State Rules and Other Federal Regulations of
Septage
PURPOSE The information in this domestic septage guidance is
provided to help the users and disposers of septage
understand and follow a new governing Federal rule
called "Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage
Sludge" (40 CFR Part 503).
Outlined in this overview and discussed in detail in
this guidance are the requirements for persons who apply
domestic septage to non-public contact sites (sites not
frequently visited by the public).
FIRST
REQUIREMENT
FOR LAND-
APPLYING
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
To meet the Federal requirements for application of
domestic septage to non-public contact sites, the land
applier must assure that he/she has only domestic
septage.
DOMESTIC SEPTAGE AS DESCRIBED IN THE
FEDERAL PART 503 REGULATION IS THE LIQUID
OR SOLID MATERIAL REMOVED FROM A SEPTIC
TANK CESSPOOL, PORTABLE TOILET, TYPE III
MARINE SANITATION DEVICE, OR A SIMILAR
SYSTEM THAT RECEIVES ONLY DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE (HOUSEHOLD, NON-COMMERCIAL, NON-
INDUSTRIAL SEWAGE).
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SECOND Unless domestic septage is applied only to sites that
REQUIREMENT are not frequently visited by the public, called non-public
contact sites in this document, its use or disposal is
regulated under 40 CFR Part 503 as sewage sludge.
NON-PUBLIC CONTACT SITES INCLUDE
AGRICULTURAL LAND, FORESTS, AND
RECLAMATION SITES.
THIRD The land applier must manage the domestic septage
REQUIREMENT so that pathogens (disease-causing organisms) are
reduced.
PATHOGEN AND VECTOR
ATTRACTION REDUCTION CHOICES
[1 ] Not treat the pumped domestic septage before land
applying. Instead the applier must either directly
inject this domestic septage into the soil or
incorporate it into the soil surface by plowing or
disking within six hours after application.
The applier must also assure that the land owner
follows crop harvesting, animal grazing, and site
access restrictions.
OR
[2] Adjust the pH of the domestic septage so that it
remains at pH 1 2 or greater for at least 30 minutes
before land applying.
The applier must also assure that the land owner
follows crop harvesting restrictions.
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FOURTH The land applier must manage the domestic
REQUIREMENT septage so that its attractiveness to vectors is reduced.
Vectors are insects and rodents that can carry pathogens
in or on their bodies and therefore transmit disease.
ADDITIONAL Fifth, the owner of the land where domestic
REQUIREMENTS septage has been applied must adhere to crop harvesting,
animal grazing, and site access restrictions.
Sixth, the land applier must certify that pathogen
and vector attraction reduction requirements have been
met, including crop harvesting, animal grazing, and site
access restrictions.
Seventh, the number of gallons of domestic
septage applied per acre of land may not be more than
needed to supply the nitrogen required by the crop being
grown.
Eighth, the person who applies domestic septage
to land must also follow the applicable rules of the State
involved.
OTHER This document also provides guidance on
SRIBBAL regulations that govern the application of domestic
septage to public contact sites as well as its discharge
into facilities for treatment prior to use or disposal.
Guidance is also given on regulations that govern the use
or disposal of commercial and industrial septage.
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USE DISPOSAL OPTIONS FOR
DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SEPTAGE ON
OTHER THAN NON-PUBLIC CONTACT SITES
[1 ] Septage can be discharged into treatment
works for treatment as follows: Domestic
septage to septage-only treatment works, or
both domestic and non-domestic septage to
municipal facilities that normally treat domestic
sewage. This discharge is permissible provided
that a treatment facility is available which will
accept septage of the nature that you have and
provided that all applicable State and Federal
rules are followed.
OR
[2] Septage can be placed in a landfill or other
surface disposal site. Again, the rules of the
landfill operator and applicable State and
Federal rules must be followed.
OR
[3] Septage can be incinerated. In this case, the
rules of the incinerator operator and the
applicable State and Federal rules must be
followed.
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STATE
REQUIREMENTS
Finally, State requirements for the land application
of domestic septage are discussed generally in the last
part of this guidance document.
REQUEST FOR
COMMENTS ON
IMPROVEMENT
OF GUIDANCE
The guidance provided was up-to-date at the time
of printing and has been reviewed by a wide spectrum of
individuals from regulatory to septage pumpers. Please
let us know what you think about this document. Please
offer any suggestions you might have for future
improvement using the comment sheet inside the back
cover of this document, or by directly contacting us at
U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Enforcement and
Compliance, Municipal Technology Branch, WH-547,
Washington, DC 20460.
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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
WHY IS THERE
NEW FEDERAL
REGULATION OF
DOMESTIC
SEPT AGE?
The new Federal regulation for managing domestic
septage was written in response to the Clean Water Act
Amendments of 1987. This Act required that the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) develop new
rules to govern the use or disposal of sewage sludge.
"Sewage sludge" is defined in the Part 503 regulation
to include "domestic septage". The new regulation is
called "Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage
Sludge". It contains standards which are designed to
protect public health and the environment from
reasonably anticipated adverse effects of pollutants in
sewage sludge (and domestic septage). This regulation
was published in the Federal Register on February 19,
1993, Volume 58, pages 9248 to 9404. It will also
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations as 40 CFR Part
503. (For short we will call it the Part 503 Regulation.)
DOMESTIC SEPTAGE IS DEFINED IN THE PART
503 REGULATION AS THE LIQUID OR SOLID
MATERIAL REMOVED FROM A SEPTIC TANK,
CESSPOOL, PORTABLE TOILET, TYPE III MARINE
SANITATION DEVICE, OR A SIMILAR SYSTEM
THAT RECEIVES ONLY DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
(HOUSEHOLD, NON-COMMERCIAL, NON-
INDUSTRIAL SEWAGE).
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INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS IN
DOMESTIC
SEPT AGE?
Domestic septage contains many different substances
depending on the type of waste being treated in the
septic system. Domestic septage contains mostly water,
sewage, inorganic materials like grit, and organic fecal
matter. Small amounts of polluting substances, normal
to household activity, can also be present. When
analyzed in a laboratory, domestic septage is usually
shown to contain low levels of heavy metals and other
pollutants.
Pumpings from portable chemical toilets and type III
marine sanitation devices are defined as domestic
septage in the Part 503 Regulation. A type III marine
sanitation device is the name given to a holding tank for
receiving sanitation wastes on a boat or other water-
going vessel. The nitrogen content of such pumpings
may be higher than in other domestic septage. This is
discussed further in Section 3 of this guidance.
The most common fertilizer nutrients contained in
domestic septage are nitrogen and phosphorus. These
nutrients, along with certain trace fertilizer elements and
organic matter, make domestic septage valuable for use
on agricultural lands, forests, and reclamation sites.
Typical physical and chemical properties of domestic
septage are shown in Appendix B. For comparison,
typical pollutant contents of sewage sludge are also
provided in Appendix B.
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INTRODUCTION
Photographs provided by Ted Lyon,
North Carolina Septage Coordinator
Environmental Protection Agency
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INTRODUCTION
The primary purpose of this document is to provide
guidance to septic tank pumpers and haulers and
others who apply only domestic septage to non-public
contact sites.
PURPOSE OF This guidance to the Part 503 Regulation calls land
THIS GUIDANCE application sites that are not frequently visited or used by
DOCUMENT the public, non-public contact sites. These non-public
contact sites include agricultural land, forests, and
reclamation sites.
The requirements governing land application of
domestic septage to non-public contact sites are less
burdensome but not less protective than the other
requirements for land application of sewage sludge in the
Part 503 Regulation. These less burdensome
requirements are described in detail in Section 3 of this
guidance document.
Land application is the spreading of domestic septage
on land at controlled rates to fertilize crops and improve
the tilth of soils. This domestic septage can either be
sprayed or spread on the soil surface, or plowed, disked,
or injected into the soil. The EPA has a policy that
encourages the beneficial use of sewage sludge,
including domestic septage.
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INTRODUCTION
A second purpose of this document is to
provide reference to Federal rules that govern
other alternatives for the use or disposal of
septage.
The characteristics of domestic and non-domestic
septage along with other alternatives for the use or
disposal of these septage materials as well as the
associated governing Federal regulations are briefly
described in Section 2.
TWO IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
REGARDING SEPTAGE REGULATION:
[1]
The Federal Part 503 Regulation does not
replace any existing State regulations.
[2]
The septage pumper and applier should
check with State and local regulatory
authorities concerning their septage
ordinances.
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INTRODUCTION
A third purpose of this guidance is to discuss the
relationship of the Federal domestic septage
regulation to State requirements.
EPA's upcoming "Field Guide for Septage Treatment
and Disposal" (4) will provide useful information about
many non-regulatory aspects of septage management.
The booklet should be available for distribution late in
1993 from EPA's Center For Environmental Research
Information, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive,
Cincinnati, OH 45268, Phone 513-569-7562.
Photograph provided by Ted Lyon,
North Carolina Septage Coordinator
Environmental Protection Agency
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SECTION 2
OTHER USE AND DISPOSAL OF DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
REGULATION OF (1 )
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
DISCHARGED
INTO
TREATMENT
FACILITIES,
APPLIED TO
PUBLIC
CONTACT
SITES,
ORDISPOSED
If domestic septage is discharged into a treatment
facility that receives only domestic septage, the
appropriately treated domestic septage could be
applied to either public or non-public contact sites.
If applied to non-public contact sites, the less
burdensome rules listed in Section 3 of this
guidance would apply unless otherwise directed by
a permitting authority. If used on public contact
sites or disposed, the applicable provisions of the
Part 503 Regulation or other applicable rules,
which are described below, would apply.
If domestic septage is applied to public contact
sites, its use is covered by the more detailed
provisions of the Part 503 Regulation for sewage
sludge. Public contact sites are defined as lands
with a high potential for contact by the public such
as public parks, ball fields, cemeteries, plant
nurseries, turf farms, and golf courses.
If domestic septage is discharged into a sanitary
sewer or directly into a publicly owned treatment
works that also receives municipal wastewater,
the person discharging the domestic septage must
first of all follow the rules of that treatment works.
Then the residual solids from the treatment of the
sewage sludge and domestic septage would be
covered by the specific provisions of the Part 503
Regulation that apply to the sewage sludge use or
disposal practice being followed or by the other
applicable Federal law and State rules described
below.
If domestic septage is placed in a sewage sludge-
only landfill (called surface disposal in the Part 503
Regulation), or incinerated in a sewage sludge
incinerator, its disposal is covered by the
requirements in the Part 503 Regulation for those
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OTHER USE AND DISPOSAL OF DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
disposal practices.
NOTE: The
septage user or
disposer must
keep records of
septage volumes
put into any of
these facilities.
(5) If domestic septage is placed in a municipal solid
waste landfill, its disposal is covered by the rules
of the disposal facility which in turn must comply
with the requirements of 40 CFR Part 258 for the
disposal of non-hazardous wastes.
A separate EPA guidance document has been
prepared to explain the requirements of the total Part 503
Regulation. Its title is "A Guide to EPA's Part 503
Federal Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage
Sludge". The rules governing the application of domestic
septage to public contact sites is the same as for the land
application of sewage sludge. Detailed information on
septage applied to public contact sites can be found in
that guidance.
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OTHER USE AND DISPOSAL OF DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
DIFFEREN-
TIATING
DOMESTIC
FROM
COMMERCIAL
AND
INDUSTRIAL
SEPTAGE
The term "septage" has been used to refer to many
materials pumped out of various types of waste receiving
tanks. It normally contains large amounts of grit and
grease and can have an offensive odor.
The specific definition of domestic septage in the Part
503 Regulation does not include many of the other
materials that are often called septage by the industry.
For instance, grease trap wastes are not classified as
domestic septage. Grease traps are used at restaurants
to prevent large amounts of grease from entering the
public sewer system. If you pick up restaurant grease
trap wastes along with domestic septage in the same
truck, then the whole truckload is not covered by the Part
503 sewage sludge standards.
Commercial and industrial septage are not considered
domestic septage. The factor that differentiates
commercial and industrial septage from domestic septage
is not the type of establishment generating the waste,
rather it is the type of waste being produced. As
described above, grease trap wastes from a restaurant
are not domestic septage, but the sanitation waste
residues and residues from food and normal dish cleaning
from a restaurant are considered domestic septage.
Likewise, only sanitation waste residues from a gasoline
station are domestic septage, while wastes containing
petroleum are classified as non-domestic septage.
Still another example is septage from a motel or
nursing home which is considered domestic septage,
provided it does not include any grease trap wastes. Dry
cleaning waste residues are commercial septage, while
sanitation-only waste from such an establishment would
be considered domestic septage.
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OTHER USE AND DISPOSAL OF DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
REGULATION OF
NON-
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
It is important to emphasize again that any mixture of
domestic and non-domestic septage, for example in a
pumper truck or holding tank, causes the entire batch of
septage to be considered non-domestic septage and not
covered by the Part 503 Regulation. It is up to the
individual septage pumper to determine whether to mix
domestic with non-domestic septage. If not mixed,
domestic-only septage would be regulated under the
provisions of the Part 503 Regulation. If mixed, the
septage mixture would be regulated as outlined below.
Hazardous wastes are also excluded from the
definition of domestic septage.
Septage that does not meet the Federal definition of
domestic septage, must be managed and disposed in
accordance with:
(1) EPA's 40 CFR Part 503 if the non-domestic
septage (commercial septage, industrial
septage, grease trap pumpings, or mixtures of
domestic and non-domestic septage) is
discharged for treatment into a treatment
works that also receives domestic sewage.
(2) EPA's 40 CFR Part 257 if non-domestic
septage is directly used or disposed in all but a
municipal solid waste [MSW] landfill.
(3) EPA's 40 CFR Part 258 if non-domestic
septage is disposed in a MSW landfill.
(4) EPA's 40 CFR Part 261 if the septage is
classified as a hazardous waste.
(5) Other applicable Federal, State, and local rules.
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SECTION 3
FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
INTRODUCTION The following Federal requirements have been
established to ensure safe land application practices.
These requirements pertain only to persons who apply
domestic septage to non-public contact sites (agricultural
land, forests, and reclamation sites.) The requirements
include:
1) Provisions for control of disease-causing organisms
called pathogens and the reduction of the
attractiveness of the domestic septage to vectors like
flies, rodents, and other potential disease carrying
organisms. Note that the processes that reduce the
attractiveness to vectors also reduce the potential for
objectionable odors being generated and released.
EXAMPLES OF
VECTORS
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
2) Limits on application rates and restrictions on crop
harvesting, animal grazing, and site access. Limited
application rates minimize the addition of pollutants and the
potential for over application of the fertilizer element
nitrogen, hence protecting ground and surface water from
contamination with excess nitrogen. Restrictions on crop
harvesting, animal grazing, and site access protect from
contact with pathogens while still potentially viable.
3) The information you must collect, records that you must
keep, and the certification you must make to assure that the
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements have
been met.
4) Provisions for you to notify the owner or lease holder of the
land onto which the domestic septage is applied about the
crop and site restrictions that the land owner must obey.
While not required by the rule, it is important that the septic
tank pumper inform the owner or lease holder of how much
of the crop's nitrogen requirement was added by the applied
domestic septage.
By knowing how much of the crop's nitrogen requirement
was fulfilled through use of the domestic septage, the land owner
can determine how much additional nitrogen in the form of
chemical fertilizer, if any, will need to be applied.
Where the pH adjustment is utilized, Federal requirements
apply on a truckload by truckload basis unless pH adjustment was
done in a separate treatment device (e.g., lagoon or tank).
Domestic septage application rate requirements apply to each field
site, adjusted to the nitrogen requirement for the crop being
grown.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
PERMITS AND in general, Federal permits are not required for
COMPLIANCE persons who apply domestic septage to non-public
contact sites.
Even though Federal permits may not be required,
governmental authorities have the right to inspect your
land application operations along with all other Federally
CAUTION
STATE PERMITS
MAY BE REQUIRED
required records at any time. You can be fined and other
penalties can be imposed if you are not in compliance
(correctly following the requirements) with all applicable
Part 503 requirements.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
If the domestic septage is treated in a central facility,
the treatment facility may need to apply for a permit. If
you operate such a treatment facility, you should ask
about the possible need for a permit at the applicable
State or EPA Regional office listed in Appendix A.
WHEN MUST I
COMPLY WITH
THE PART 503
REGULATION?
The Part 503 Federal rule requires that you begin to
monitor and keep records by July 20, 1993.
You have until February 19, 1994, before you have
to meet all the other requirements of the rule along with
the certification that you are meeting the pathogen and
vector attraction reduction requirements of the rule.
NOTE The Part 503 Regulation allows an extra year until
February 19, 1995, to be in compliance if construction of
new pollution control facilities is required. Appliers of
domestic septage to non-public contact sites will not
have this extra year because EPA does not believe that
new pollution control facilities are needed to be in
compliance with this less burdensome Federal rule.]
RECORD
KEEPING AND
REPORTING
FOR LAND
APPLIERS
You must keep records for five years after any
application of domestic septage to a site, but you are not
required to report this information. As previously stated,
these required records may be requested for review at
any time by the permitting or enforcement authority. The
retained records must include the information shown in
Figure 1 and a written certification (see Figure 7).
Appendix C contains samples of ways to organize your
record keeping. You are not required to use such sheets,
but they may be helpful.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 1:
RECORD KEEPING REQUIREMENTS
1 ] The location of the site where domestic septage is
applied, either the street address, or the longitude and
latitude of the site (available from the U.S. Geological
Survey maps).
2] The number of acres to which domestic septage is
applied at each site.
3] The date and time of each domestic septage
application.
4] The nitrogen requirement for the crop or vegetation
grown on each site during the year. Also, while not
required, indicating the expected crop yield would
help establish the nitrogen requirement.
5] The gallons of septage which are applied to the site
during the specified 365-day period.
6] The certification shown in Figure 7.
7] A description of how the pathogen requirements are
met for each batch of domestic septage that is land
applied.
8] A description of how the vector attraction reduction
requirement is met for each batch of domestic
septage that is land applied.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
DETERMINING
THE ALLOWED
ANNUAL RATE
FOR APPLYING
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE TO
NON-PUBLIC
CONTACT SITES
The maximum volume of domestic septage that may
be applied to any site during a 365-day period depends
on the amount of nitrogen required by the planned crop
and the yield. This maximum volume is calculated by the
following formula, where Annual Application Rate is
represented by AAR\
, , , , Pounds Nitrogen Required for Crop Yield
AAR (gallons/acre year) = —
0.0026
As an example, if 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre is
required to grow a 100 bushel per acre crop of corn, then
the annual application rate of domestic septage is 38,500
gallons per acre.
AAR = —— = 38,500 gallons/acre/year
0.0026 iij
The primary reason for this annual rate calculation is to
prevent the over application of nitrogen in excess of crop
needs and its potential movement through soil to
groundwater. The annual application rate formula was
derived using assumptions to make land application very
workable for domestic septage haulers. For example,
fractional availability of nitrogen from land-applied
domestic septage was assumed over a 3-year period to
obtain the "0.0026" factor in the annual application rate
formula. Also, in deriving the formula, domestic septage
was assumed to contain about 350 mg/kg total nitrogen
and 2.5% solids (about 1.4% total nitrogen on a dry
weight basis).
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
For additional guidance on avoiding nitrogen
contamination of groundwater when land applying
domestic septage with a high nitrogen content or
dewatered domestic septage, see the examples below.
AVOIDING NITROGEN CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER
WHEN LAND APPLYING DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
CASE
EXAMPLE 1:
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE WITH
HIGH NITROGEN
CONTENT
OPTIONS
Portable chemical toilet and type III marine sanitation
device domestic septage wastes can contain 4 to 6 times
more total nitrogen than was assumed to derive the
annual application rate formula.
While not required by the Part 503 Regulation, good
practice argues that you consider reducing the volume
applied per acre of such high nitrogen-containing
domestic septage. For example, if the land owner is
expecting to grow a 100-bushel per acre corn crop, and
the domestic septage contains 6 times more total
nitrogen, the gallons applied should be reduced 6-fold
(from 38,500 to about 6,400 gallons).
CASE
EXAMPLE 2:
DEWATERED
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
OPTIONS
Some domestic septage servicing companies dewater
or otherwise cause solids to settle out before land
application. This is often done by treating the domestic
septage with lime and temporarily storing it in a tank or
lagoon during periods when the climate or soil conditions
are not favorable for land application.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
A firm that has dewatered septage in this manner,
prior to land application, has several options to consider:
REMIX LIQUIDS
AND SOLIDS )
MANAGE
MIXTURE AS
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
A) Remix the solids with the overlying liquid and apply
the mixture according to the annual application rate
formula.
[This option is simple and easy to implement.]
[A major drawback of this option is that much of the
nitrogen is lost during lime treatment in an open tank
or lagoon and the amount of available nitrogen in the
domestic septage applied to the farmer's field will
likely supply less nitrogen than is assumed using the
annual application rate formula.]
MANAGE
SEPARATED
SOLIDS AS
SEWAGE
SLUDGE
B) Separate the liquid from the solids and manage the
separated solids as sewage sludge, following the Part
503 Regulation for sewage sludge. The liquid
effluent could either go into a sanitary sewer, be
irrigated onto land, or be discharged to surface
water, after obtaining the appropriate approvals and
permits.
[A major advantage of this option for the farmer is
that the application of the dewatered domestic
septage is based upon its analysis for nitrogen, and
can therefore supply the agronomic rate (crop
requirement) of nitrogen. With this assurance, the
farmer does not have to guess how much nitrogen
was supplied by the septage and would not be
tempted to apply chemical nitrogen to make sure that
enough nitrogen had been supplied for his crop.]
[A major disadvantage of this option for the septage
service company is the extra cost associated with
additional requirements for nitrogen and metal
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MANAGE
SEPARATED
SOLIDS AS
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
C)
testing, pathogen and vector attraction reduction,
management practices, record keeping, etc.]
Scott Harris of the Interstate Septic Systems in
Maine says that their firm dewaters and manages the
solids separated from domestic septage as sewage
sludge. Their analytical costs run about $200.00 per
sample for a complete metal and nutrient analysis.
They feel that the extra cost seems to be reasonable
for the yearly 2 million gallons of domestic septage
which they process.
Separate the liquid from the solids and manage the
separated solids as domestic septage. If the
separated solids are managed as domestic septage,
they can be land applied at an annual application rate
based upon the gallons of septage from which they
were separated during treatment.
For example, suppose that each 10,000 gallons of
domestic septage resulted in 500 pounds of residue
after dewatering (consisting of septage solids, tightly
held water and added lime). For a 100 bushel per
acre corn crop, the annual application rate formula
indicates that 38,500 gallons of undewatered
domestic septage per acre is the maximum amount
that can be applied. The pounds of dewatered
septage that can be applied annually can be
determined as follows:
Pounds of
dewatered
septage that
can be applied
Gallons of un-dewatered septage
for crop nitrogen requirement
10,000
X
Pounds of cake solids from
10,000 gallons of septage
38,500
10,000
X
500
1925 pounds
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
In this example, a maximum of 1925 pounds of
dewatered domestic septage could be applied each
year to an acre of land for a 100 bushel per acre corn
crop.
The effluent could either go into a sanitary sewer, be
irrigated onto a separate area of land, or be
discharged to surface water after obtaining
appropriate approval and permits as required.
Theoretically, one could apply the separated liquid
effluent back to the same land to which the
separated solids were applied - in this example the
38,500 gallons (less solids) of domestic septage
effluent could be applied to the same acre that the
1925 pounds of solids had been applied.
[A major drawback to this option is that only a
relatively small quantity of dewatered solids could be
applied per acre. These solids would likely not
supply the needed crop nitrogen requirement due to
losses of nitrogen during lime treatment and
dewatering.]
[As a result, nitrogen management on the application
site would be difficult. Not knowing the actual
nitrogen supplied by the dewatered domestic
septage, the farmer might add the full amount of
nitrogen required by the crop using chemical
fertilizers. As a result, over time the groundwater
might become contaminated with excess nitrogen.]
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
CAUTION You may not apply a greater volume of domestic
septage to land than is calculated by the annual
application rate formula (e.g., in Options A and C), even
if the applied remixed liquid domestic septage or its
separated solids contain less than the required amount of
nitrogen for the crop being grown. This is because the
EPA Part 503 domestic septage application rate formula
limits more than the amount of nitrogen added to the land
(e.g., pollutants like heavy metals are also indirectly
limited by the formula). The exception to this caution is
if domestic septage is treated as sewage sludge in Option
C.
Example domestic septage application rates are given
in Figure 2 (corresponding to nitrogen requirements for
various crops and expected yields). These are only
guidance; more exact information on the amount of
nitrogen required for the expected crop yield under local
soil and climatic conditions should be obtained from a
qualified, knowledgeable person, such as your local
agricultural extension agent. This crop nitrogen
requirement is then used in the annual application rate
formula to calculate the gallons per acre of domestic
septage that can be applied.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 2: TYPICAL CROP NITROGEN REQUIREMENTS
AND
CORRESPONDING DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
APPLICATION RATES
Expected Yield
Nitrogen
Annual
(bushel/acre/
Requirement
(lb N/acre/year)
Application
year)
Rate
(gallons/acre/
year)
Corn
100
100
38,500
Oats
90
60
23,000
Barley
70
60
23,000
Grass & Hay
4 tons/acre
200
77,000
Sorghum
60
60
23,000
Peanuts
40
30
1 1,500
Wheat
70
105
40,400
Wheat
150
250
96,100
Soybeans
40
30
1 1,500
Cotton
1 bale/acre
50
19,200
Cotton
1.5 bales/acre
90
35,000
1 These figures are very general and are provided for
illustration purposes. They should not be used to
determine your actual application rate. Crop fertilization
requirements vary greatly with soil type, expected yields,
and climatic conditions are also important factors in
determining the appropriate volume of domestic septage
to apply to a particular field. Different amounts of
nutrients can be required by the same crop grown in
different parts of the country. To get more specific
information on crop fertilization needs specific to your
location, contact local agricultural extension agents.
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
PATHOGEN
REDUCTION
REQUIREMENTS
CROP AND SITE
RESTRICTIONS
Domestic septage must be managed so that
pathogens (disease-causing organisms) are appropriately
reduced. The Part 503 Regulation offers two alternatives
from which you can pick to meet this requirement. The
first alternative (no treatment) and its restrictions are
presented in Figure 3; the requirements of the second
option (pH of 12 for a minimum of 30 minutes) are listed
in Figure 4.
Please note that both of the pathogen reduction
alternatives impose crop harvesting restrictions.
However, site access controls are required unless the pH
pathogen treatment alternative is used. Remember that
you are required to inform the owner/operator of the land
where the domestic septage has been applied about
these crop harvesting and site access restriction
requirements. This notification is required because you,
the applier of the domestic septage, must certify that
these conditions are met.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 3: PATHOGEN REDUCTION ALTERNATIVE 11 for Domestic
Septage (Without Additional Treatment)
Applied to Non-Public Contact Sites
Domestic septage is pumped from the septic tank or holding tank and
land applied without treatment, and
Crop Restrictions:
i) Food crops with harvested parts that touch the septage/soil
mixture and are totally above ground shall not be harvested for 14
months after application of domestic septage.
ii) Food crops with harvested parts below the surface of the land shall
not be harvested for 38 months after application of domestic
septage.
iii) Animal feed, fiber, and those food crops that do not touch the soil
surface shall not be harvested for 30 days after application of the
domestic septage.
iv) Turf grown on land where domestic septage is applied shall not be
harvested for one year after application of the domestic septage
when the harvested turf is placed on either a lawn or land with a
high potential for public exposure, unless otherwise specified by
the permitting authority.
Grazing Restrictions:
i) Animals shall not be allowed to graze on the land for 30 days after
application of domestic septage.
Site Restrictions:
i) Public access to land with a low potential for public exposure shall
be restricted for 30 days after application of domestic septage.
Examples of restricted access include remoteness of site, posting
with no tresspassing signs, and/or simple fencing.
1
You must meet either of the two pathogen reduction alternatives
discussed in Figure 3 or 4 (not both).
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 4: PATHOGEN REDUCTION ALTERNATIVE 21 for
Domestic Septage (With pH Treatment)
Applied to Non-Public Contact Sites
The domestic septage pumped from the septic tank or holding tank has
had its pH raised to 1 2 or higher by the addition of material such as
hydrated lime or quicklime and, without adding more alkaline material,
the domestic septage remains at a pH of 1 2 or higher for at least 30
minutes prior to being land applied, and
Crop Restrictions:
i) Food crops with harvested parts that touch the septage/soil mixture
and are totally above ground shall not be harvested for 14 months
after application of domestic septage.
ii) Food crops with harvested parts below the surface of the land shall
not be harvested for 20 months after application of domestic
septage when the domestic septage remains on the land surface for
four months or longer prior to incorporation into the soil.
iii) Food crops with harvested parts below the surface of the land shall
not be harvested for 38 months after application of domestic
septage when the domestic septage remains on the land surface for
less than four months prior to incorporation into the soil.
iv) Animal feed, fiber, and those food crops whose harvested parts do
not touch the soil surface shall not be harvested for 30 days after
application of the domestic septage.
v) Turf grown on land where domestic septage is applied shall not be
harvested for one year after application of the domestic septage
when the harvested turf is placed on either a lawn or land with a
high potential for public exposure, unless otherwise specified by the
permitting authority.
Grazing Restrictions: None
Site Restrictions: None
1
You must meet either of the two pathogen reduction alternatives in
Figure 3 or 4 (not both). Note, if you meet this pH 12 pathogen
reduction alternative, you also meet vector attraction reduction
alternative number 3 listed in Figure 5.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
VECTOR
ATTRACTION
REDUCTION
ALTERNATIVES
If you choose pathogen reduction alternative 1 (see
Figure 3), land application of the domestic septage
without additional treatment, you also will be required to
meet one of two vector attraction reduction alternatives.
One of these alternatives is subsurface injection of the
septage, the other is incorporation into the surface of the
soil within 6 hours. The requirements of these two
vector attraction reduction alternatives are discussed in
Figure 5.
On the other hand, if you choose pathogen reduction
alternative 2 (pH treatment as described in Figure 4) you
also meet the requirements of vector attraction reduction
alternative 3, also shown in Figure 5.
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 5: VECTOR ATTRACTION REDUCTION
ALTERNATIVES for Domestic Septage
applied to Non-Public Contact Land
VECTOR ATTRACTION REDUCTION ALTERNATIVE 1:
Injection
Domestic septage shall be injected below the surface of
the land, AND no significant amount of the domestic
septage shall be present on the land surface within one
hour after the domestic septage is injected;
OR
VECTOR ATTRACTION REDUCTION ALTERNATIVE 2:
Incorporation
Domestic septage applied to the land surface shall be
incorporated into the soil surface plow layer within six (6)
hours after application;
OR
VECTOR ATTRACTION REDUCTION ALTERNATIVE 3:
pH Adjustment
The pH of domestic septage shall be raised to 12 or higher
by addition of alkaline material and, without the addition of
more alkaline material, shall remain at 1 2 or higher for 30
minutes.
You must meet vector attraction reduction alternatives
1, 2 or 3 - only one.
CASE
EXAMPLES
The following are case examples of septage
management options:
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
CASE EXAMPLE ) Management of Untreated Domestic Septage
1)
The untreated domestic septage is pumped directly into the truck's tank and
hauled to a non-public contact site.
2a)
The domestic septage is injected below the land surface with no significant
amount of domestic septage remaining on the land surface within one hour after
the domestic septage is injected (vector attraction reduction alternative 1).
OR
2 b)
The domestic septage is incorporated into the soil surface within six hours after
application to the land (vector attraction reduction alternative 2).
3a)
If an animal feed crop like hay, a food crop like corn (which does usually not touch
the surface of the soil), or a fiber crop like cotton is grown, a minimum wait of 30
days after application of the domestic septage is required before the crop may be
harvested.
OR
3 b)
A minimum wait of 30 days after application of the domestic septage is required
before letting animals graze the pasture.
OR
3c)
If a food crop, like melons or cucumbers that touch the surface of the soil, is
grown, a wait of 14 months after application of the domestic septage is required
before that food crop.
OR
3d)
If you raise a food crop, like potatoes or onions which grow below the surface of
the soil, a minimum wait of 38 months after application of the domestic septage is
required before that food crop may be harvested. Additional examples of the
different kinds of crops described in 3a to 3c are listed in Figure 6.
4)
Public access to this non-public contact site (site with a low potential for public
exposure) must be restricted for 30 days after application of untreated domestic
septage. Examples of restricted access includes remoteness of site, posting with
"no trespassing" signs, and simple fencing.
5)
You must complete and sign the certification listed in Figure 7 about meeting the
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 6: EXAMPLES OF CROPS IMPACTED BY
DOMESTIC SEPTAGE PATHOGEN
REQUIREMENTS
With Harvested Parts Which...
Usually Do
Usually Touch
Are Below the
Not Touch
the Ground
Ground
the Ground
Peaches
Melons
Potatoes
Apples
Eggplant
Yams
Corn
Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Wheat
Tomatoes
Rutabaga
Oats
Cucumbers
Peanuts
Barley
Celery
Onions
Oranges
Strawberries
Leaks
Grapefruit
Cabbage
Radishes
Cotton
Lettuce
Turnips
Soybeans
Hay
Beets
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
CASE EXAMPLE: Management by pH Adjustment
1) The pH of domestic septage is raised to 12 by treatment with an
alkaline material such as hydrated or quicklime. Each batch of domestic
septage that is applied to land must have its pH at 12 for a minimum of
30 minutes. By this treatment you have met the pH part of the
pathogen reduction alternative 2 and vector attraction reduction
alternative 3.
2a) If animal feed, a food crop like corn (that does not usually touch the
surface of the soil), or a fiber crop like cotton is grown, a minimum wait
of 30 days after application of the domestic septage is required before
the corn may be harvested.
OR
2b) If a feed crop, like hay is grown, a minimum of 30 days after
application of the domestic septage is required before the hay may be
harvested. However, animals can be grazed immediately after
application of the pH-treated domestic septage to the pasture.
OR
2c) If a food crop, like melons or cucumbers that touch the surface of the
soil is grown, a wait of 14 months after application of the domestic
septage is required before that food crop may be harvested.
OR
2d) If a food crop, like potatoes or onions which grow below the surface of
the soil, is produced, a minimum wait of 20 or 38 months after
application of the domestic septage is required before that food crop
may be harvested - the shorter period of time is permitted only if the
lime-treated domestic septage remained on the surface of the soil for
greater than four months before being incorporated.
3) There are no animal grazing or public access restrictions in Case 2
where the pH of the domestic septage was raised to 12 for a minimum
of 30 minutes.
4) You must complete and sign the certification listed in Figure 7 about
meeting pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements.
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
HOW TO
RAISE THE pH
OF DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
The alkaline materials most commonly used by septage
haulers to raise the pH of domestic septage are hydrated
lime and quicklime. There are several methods by which
hydrated lime or quicklime can be added to the septage
for treatment in the pumper truck tank. Methods that
septage servicing professionals have recommended are
presented below, along with cautions they have passed
on. Any one of these methods may work well for you.
However, whatever method you choose, you must test
two separate, representative samples of the batch of
lime-treated domestic septage taken a minimum of 30
minutes apart to verify that the pH remains at 12 or
greater for that minimum 30-minute time period. Each
method involves adding 20 to 40 pounds of lime per
1000 gallons of domestic septage.
THE pH OF THE DOMESTIC SEPTAGE MUST
REMAIN AT 12 OR HIGHER FOR AT LEAST 30
MINUTES AFTER THE ALKALINE MATERIAL IS
ADDED.
Using Hydrated Lime
One approach was described by David Pickar, whose
septage servicing business is in Oregon. His procedure
involves slurrying hydrated lime in water and
subsequently bleeding the lime slurry into the vacuum
draw line at the same time domestic septage is being
pumped into the truck.
He places hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) in a plastic
tank partly filled with water (e.g., 55-gallon open plastic
drum or a 100-gallon plastic tank). He adds about 13
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
gallons of water to 50 pounds of lime and mixes it with
an electric paddle mixer to form a slurry. The slurried
lime mixture is drawn off through a stop-cock valve at
the base of the mixing tank into 5-gallon buckets (for
example, plastic paint buckets). Each bucket contains a
water-lime slurry with between 20 to 30 pounds of lime
(dry weight basis) in the mix. The consistency of this
mixture would be somewhat thinner than drywall
spackling compound (mud). The 5-gallon buckets are
hauled on the septage pumper truck.
Reference: Register of American Manufacturers
JWI, Inc.
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
A "T" fixture has previously been fitted into the pumper
truck's septage draw line. This "T" fitting attaches in a
small-diameter, valved polyethylene line (one-half inch in
diameter). The line is used at the proper time to bleed
slurried lime into the truck as the septage is being drawn
in.
David draws a portion of the septage from a septic tank
into the truck without bleeding in the lime slurry. He then
blows back the partially pumped load of septage into the
septic tank to break up any layers of hardened septage
solids and grease.
Now, at the same time the septage is pumped back into
the truck for hauling and land application, he bleeds the
slurry into the truck from a 5-gallon bucket at the rate of
one bucket per each 1000 gallons of septage pumped.
The pH of the pumped, lime-treated septage will have
to be tested by the pumper to see that enough lime has
been added to cause it to remain at a minimum of 12 for
30 minutes. Suggested procedures for sampling and
testing the pH are described in the next subsection of this
guidance.
Using Quicklime
Tom Ferrero, whose septage servicing business is in
Pennsylvania, uses quicklime (calcium oxide) instead of
hydrated lime for raising the pH. He reports using a more
dilute mixture of water and lime in his slurry than David
Pickar (about 80 pounds of lime to 50 gallons of water).
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
CAUTION: Quicklime is more reactive than
hydrated lime and it releases a lot of heat. IF
QUICKLIME IS USED, SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
MUST BE TAKEN. Quicklime can cause bad
burns if it gets onto moist skin or into your
eyes. Appropriate safety precautions include
the use of rubberized gloves, a respirator to
exclude dust, and protective eyewear and
clothing to keep moist skin from contacting the
quicklime. In addition, a fire could start if a bag
of quicklime gets wet and sits around. Any fire
involving quicklime must be put out using a
carbon dioxide [C02] extinguisher, not water.
Water sprayed onto such a fire would only react
with the quicklime and release more heat. (See
Appendix D for additional cautions.)
When Tom intends to land apply the septage within an
hour or so after pumping, he draws the slurried lime into
his truck at the rate of about 20 pounds per 1000 gallons
of septage pumped. He has tried drawing the lime slurry
into his trucks both before and after pumping the
septage, but prefers to draw the slurry in before
pumping.
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
When Tom intends to hold the septage for some period
of time before he land applies, he places it in a large tank
at his business location. He draws lime slurry into the
tank and uses an electric mixer to uniformly raise the pH.
Note: Pumpers have indicated their reluctance to raise
the pH in the septic tank either indirectly (as just
described) or directly by placing lime in the septic tank
before pumping. This is caused by unfounded concern
that the raised pH within the septic tank could possibly
disrupt the biological treatment that occurs there. The
fact is that only very minimal temporary disruptions of
the biological treatment occur.
Tom reports that the exact amount of lime solids
required per 1000 gallons of septage (generally between
20 and 30 pounds) depends upon the solids content of
the septage: thicker septage requires more lime to reach
the required pH of 1 2.
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Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Using Dry Alkaline Material
Hydrated lime or quicklime can also be added in a dry
form directly into the pumper truck at the same rate of
approximately 20 to 30 pounds per 1000 gallons of
domestic septage about to be pumped. The dry lime can
be added from the top of the truck via ports or by
sucking dry lime into the truck using the vacuum line.
However, when sucking the dry lime in through the
vacuum line, some of the lime may make its way through
to the pump and could ultimately cause undue wear. In
addition, the lime may clump in the bottom of the truck
and not mix well. Finally, if dry quicklime powder were
used, it could react with any moisture in your plastic
draw line and release enough heat to damage the line.
Other Alkaline Material
Other alkaline materials may be available for raising the
pH of the domestic septage. These materials are often
manufacturing byproducts. Some of these byproducts
contain significant levels of pollutants such as heavy
metals. You should test these materials to determine
that you are not adding pollutants in excess of the
pollutant concentration levels shown in Appendix B.
General
Any of these pH adjustment alternatives may work for
you. The key is that enough lime or other suitable
alkaline material be thoroughly mixed with the septage so
that the pH remains at 1 2 for a minimum of 30 minutes
before being applied to non-public contact sites.
Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
SAMPLING
AND TESTING
TO
DETERMINE
THE pH OF
DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE
You should not automatically assume that the lime or
other alkaline material you have added and the method of
mixing chosen will adequately increase the pH of the
domestic septage. The pH must be tested. A
representative sample should be taken from the body of
the truckload or tank of domestic septage for testing.
For example, a sampling container could be attached to
a rod or board and dipped into the septage through the
hatch on top of the truck or tank or through a sampling
port. Alternatively, a sample could be taken from the rear
discharge valve at the bottom of the truck's tank.
However, if the lime has settled to the bottom of the tank
and has not been properly mixed with the septage, the
sample will not be representative. Two separate samples
should be taken 30 minutes apart, and both of the
samples must test at pH 1 2 or greater. If the pH is not
at 12 or greater for a full 30 minutes, additional lime can
be added and mixed with the septage. However, after
mixing in the additional lime, the septage must be at 12
or greater for a full 30 minutes in order to meet the pH
requirement of the Part 503 Regulation.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
The pH of the domestic septage sample can be tested
using either a pH meter or pH-sensitive colored paper.
There are several brands of suitable pH-sensitive paper.
See Appendix D for additional information about these
materials.
CERTIFICATION The land applier of domestic septage must sign the
certification that the pathogen and vector attraction
reduction requirements of the Part 503 Regulation have
been met and retain this certification in his files for
5 years. The required certification is given in Figure 7.
Note that a land applier with employees must assure that
his/her employees are qualified. These employees must
be capable of gathering the needed information and
performing the necessary tasks so that the required
pathogen and vector attraction reduction requirements
are met.
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Figure 7: CERTIFICATION
"I certify under penalty of law, that the pathogen
requirements in [insert either alternative 1 or 2]
and the vector attraction reduction requirements
in [insert either vector reduction alternative 7, 2
or 3] have/have not [circle one] been met. This
determination has been made under my direction
and supervision in accordance with the system
designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information used
to determine that the pathogen requirements and
the vector attraction reduction requirements have
been met. I am aware that there are significant
penalties for false certification including the
possibility of fine and imprisonment."
Olmj
Signed: " Im Anna Plier"
(to be signed by the person
designated as responsible in the
firm that applies domestic septage
A person is qualified if he or she has been sufficiently
trained to do their job correctly. The critical test of this
qualification is passing an inspection of field performance
and records by authorized State or Federal inspectors.
44 Environmental Protection Agency
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FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR THE APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MANAGEMENT There are no specific Federal management practice
PRACTICES requirements for appliers of domestic septage to non-
public contact sites in the Part 503 Regulation. On the
other hand, many states have specific management
practice requirements that you must follow. Such
required practices may include minimum distances
between sites where domestic septage has been applied
and drinking water wells and surface water streams.
Good practice would also suggest a caution against
applying domestic septage to flooded, frozen, or snow-
covered land such that it will run-off into a wetland or
surface water stream. Even if the domestic septage did
not reach surface water, it should not be allowed to
concentrate and overload a portion of the field with
nutrients or be allowed to collect in low areas and road
ditches and create a nuisance condition.
Environmental Protection Agency
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SECTION 4
STATE RULES ALSO APPLY FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Although the Federal Part 503 Standards for the Use
or Disposal of Sewage Sludge, including domestic
septage, were signed in 1992 and published on February
19, 1993, many states have had septage management
programs for years. The Federal regulation only sets a
minimum national standard which must be met by all
domestic septage appliers.
COMPLIANCE WfTH FEDERAL REGULATIONS
DOES NOT ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE
REQUIREMENTS.
AN IMPORTANT CAUTION IS THAT STATE
PROGRAMS MAY LIKELY NOT DEFINE
DOMESTIC SEPTAGE THE SAME WAY AS
THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
FURTHERMORE, THE DIFFERENT STATE
REGULATIONS MAY NOT PROVIDE FOR
LESS BURDENSOME REGULATION OF
DOMESTIC SEPTAGE APPLIED TO NON-
PUBLIC CONTACT SITES, AS DOES THE
FEDERAL REGULATION.
In some cases the State requirements may be more
restrictive or may be administered in a different manner
than the Federal regulation. State programs may likely
not define domestic septage in the same manner as the
Federal regulation. Furthermore, the different state
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STATE RULES ALSO APPLY FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
DECIDING
HOW TO
MEET BOTH
FEDERAL AND
STATE RULES
regulations may not provide less burdensome regulatory
requirements when domestic septage is applied to non-
public contact sites, as does the Federal regulation. In
any case, appliers of domestic septage to non-public
contact sites must meet all requirements of both State
and Federal septage regulations until a State obtains
approval from EPA for administering the Federal sewage
sludge regulatory program. States can change their
regulations to meet the minimum Federal standards and
obtain a Federally approved program at any time, but
they are under no obligation to do so.
i Knowing exactly which rules to follow can be
somewhat complicated. The following situations
should help you to determine what you are required to
do:
i In all cases, appliers of domestic septage to non-public
contact sites have to follow the new Part 503
Regulation for domestic septage management, as
explained in this document.
i If your State has its own rules governing the use or
disposal of domestic septage and has not yet adopted
the Federal rule, you will have to first assure that you
are complying with the Federal rule and then do
whatever else is required by the State.
If your State has gained approval from EPA to
administer the Federal rule, then you will only have to
follow your State's rule to meet the requirements of both
rules. This is because your State, as a condition of
gaining EPA's approval, has incorporated the Federal
requirements into its rule.
Each State has a different approach to regulating the
Environmental Protection Agency
47
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STATE RULES ALSO APPLY FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
land application of domestic septage. The current
septage management programs of Florida and Minnesota
are described in Appendix E. The septage program
requirements of these two States are presented as an
example of how State and Federal rules may differ.
Differences between these two States and the Federal
regulatory requirements are summarized in Figure 8.
Regulatory requirements of several other states are
discussed in the USEPA Region 5 publication (5).
YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO
CHECK WITH THE APPROPRIATE STATE
SEPTAGE COORDINATOR (PROVIDED IN
APPENDIX A) REGARDING SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR STATE.
48
Environmental Protection Agency
-------
STATE RULES ALSO APPLY FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Environmental Protection Agency 49
-------
STATE RULES ALSO APPLY FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
FIGURE 8:
COMPARISON OF FEDERAL AND SELECTED STATE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LAND APPLICATION OF
DOMESTIC SEPTAGE TO NON-PUBLIC CONTACT SITES
Federal
Minnesota 1
Florida
PERMITS REQUIRED
No
No
Yes
Issued By
County
APPLICATION RATE
Based on:
Crop Nitrogen
Crop Nitrogen
Crop Nitrogen
Requirement
Requirement and
Requirement
Other Nitrogen
Max. 500 IbN/acre/yr
Impacts
or 30,000
gal/acre/year
Typical Rate
38,500
66,700 surface
(gallons/acre/year)
applied or
50,000 injected
Hydraulic Loading Limits
No
Yes
Yes
Daily Application Rate Max.
No
1 5,000 gal/acre2
10,000 gal/acre3
RECORD KEEPING
Yes
Yes
Yes
Reporting Required
None
None
Quarterly
Years to Be Retained
Five
Not Specified
Required Information:
Site Location
Yes
Yes
Yes
Date of Application
Yes
Yes
Yes
Time of Application
Yes
No
No
Number of Acres
Yes
No
Yes
Amount of Septage Applied
Yes
Yes
Yes
Crop Grown
Yes
Yes
Yes
Weather Conditions
No
No
Yes
Certification
Yes
No
No
Depth to Water Table
No
Yes
Yes
Percent Vegetative Cover
No
No
Yes
PATHOGEN REDUCTION
pH 1 2/2 hours and
Optional
Optional
harvesting
restrictions
OR
Site and harvesting
restrictions
VECTOR ATTRACTION REDUCTION
pH 1 2/30 minutes
Optional
pH 1 2/2 hours
OR
Injection
Or
Incorporation
50
Environmental Protection Agency
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STATE RULES ALSO APPLY FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
FIGURE 8 Con't
COMPARISON OF FEDERAL AND SELECTED STATE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC
SEPTAGE TO NON-PUBLIC CONTACT SITES
Federal
Minnesota 1
Florida
CROP HARVESTING RESTRICTIONS
Human Food Crops With
14 Months
1 2 Months4
60 Days5
Harvestable Portions That
Touch the Soil Surface But Are
Totally Above Ground
Root Crops
20 Months6
2 Years4
Not allowed
38 Months7
Other Food, Fibers or Feed
30 Days
30 Days4
30 Days
Grazing
30 Days4
1 Year4
30 Days
Turf
1 Year4
ACCESS RESTRICTION
Required for
Required
Case Specific
(Fencing, posting, remoteness, etc.)
Non-Stablized
SET BACK REQUIREMENTS
Surface Waters
None
Varies with site slope8
3000 ft-Class I and
200 ft-other
Public Water Supply Well
None
1000 ft8
500 ft
Private Drinking Water Well
None
200 ft8
300 ft
Residence
None
200 ft8
300 ft
Property Boundary
None
10 ft8
75 ft
Recreational Area
None
600 ft (200 ft trails)8
None
Intermittent Streams
None
100 ft8
None
Road Right-of-Ways
None
10 ft8
None
Holes and Channels
None
Varies with site slope8
200 ft
SOIL REQUIREMENTS
Slope
None
0-6% (if surface spread)
8%
0-12% (injected)
Minimum Soil Depth
None
3 ft
2 ft-permeable
Minimum Depth to Water Table
None
3 ft
None
Available Water Holding Capacity
None
6 inches to bedrock or watertable
None
Permeability
None
> ,2/hr (if surface spread) inches
None
< 6/hr in at least 1 horizon inches
Flooding
None
Free from flooding hazard
None
Notes: 1 = Minnesota's entered information is guidelines, not regulation.
2 = Medium-textured soils.
3 = Fine-textured soils.
4 = Non-treated septage.
5 = Use of septage not allowed on leafy vegetables or tobacco.
6 = If septage remains on the soil surface for four months or longer.
7 = If septage remains on the soil surface for less than four months.
8 = Non-stabilized, surface spread septage.
Environmental Protection Agency
51
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REFERENCES
1) Metcalf and Eddy, 1991. Wastewater Engineering:
Treatment, Disposal, and Reuse, McGraw-Hill
Publishing Co., New York, NY.
2) Fair, G. M., J. C. Geyer, & D. A. Okum. 1968. Water
Purification and Wastewater Treatment and Disposal
In Water and Wastewater Engineering, Volume 2.
3) USEPA. 1984. Handbook: Septage Treatment and
Disposal, EPA-625/6-84-009. CERI, Cincinnati, OH.
4) USEPA. "Field Guide for Septage Treatment and
Disposal. In Draft." CERI, Cincinnati, OH.
5) USEPA. June 1993. Hauled Domestic Septage.
Land Application of Domestic Septage: A Region 5
Introspective. Chicago, IL.
6) State of Florida Department of Health and
Rehabilitative Services. March 17, 1992. Standards
for Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Chapter
10D-6 FAC).
7) Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. October 1992
Draft. Land Application of Septage.
52
Environmental Protection Agency
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APPENDIX A
STATE SEPTAGE COORDINATORS
ALABAMA
Sam Robertson
Environmental Program Management
Division
Department of Health
434 Monroe Street
Montgomery, AL 36130-3017
(205) 242-5007
ALASKA
Deena Henkins
Wastewater and Water
Treatment Section
Division of Environmental Quality
Department of Environmental
Conservation
410 Willoughby Avenue
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465-5312
ARIZONA
Krista Gooch
Office Of Waste Programs
Solid Waste Unit
Department of Environmental Quality
2501 North 4th Street
Suite 14
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
(602) 773-9285
ARKANSAS
Terry Brumelav
Environmental Health Protection
Bureau of Environmental
Health Services
Department of Health
State Health Building
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 661-2171
CALIFORNIA
John Youngerman
Regulatory Section
Division of Water Quality
State Water Resources Control Board
P.O. Box 944213
Sacramento, CA 94244-2130
(916) 657-1013
COLORADO
Phil Hegeman
Municipal Sludge
Management Program
Water Quality Control Division
Department of Health
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Glendale, CO 80222-1530
(303) 692-3598
CONNECTICUT
Frank Schaub
On-Site Sewage Department
State Health Services
150 Washington Street
Hartford, CT 06106
(203) 566-1259
DELAWARE
Ron Graber
Dept. of Natural Resources
and Environmental Control
Division of Water Resources
Waste Utilization Program
89 Kings Highway
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 1 9903
(302) 739-5731
A-1
Environmental Protection Agency
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STATE SEPT AGE COORDINATORS
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Dr. Mohfin R. Siddique
DCRA Environmental
Regulation Administration
Water Resources Management
Division
2100 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Avenue S.E.
Suite 203
Washington, DC 20020
(202) 404-1120
FLORIDA
Sharon Sawicki
Bureau of Water Facilities
Planning and Regulation
Domestic Wastewater Section
Department of Environmental
Regulation
Twin Towers Office Building
2600 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
(904) 488-4524
Dr. Kevin Sherman
HRS Environmental Health (HSEH)
Department of Health and
Rehabilitative Services
1317 Winewood Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700
(904) 488-4070
GEORGIA
Ide Oke
Department of Human Resources
Division of Public Health
#2 Peachtree Street
5th Floor Annex
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404)656-2454
HAWAII
Dennis Tuland
Construction Grants Program
Wastewater Branch Department
of Health
5 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 250-D
500 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 586-4294
IDAHO
Barry Burnell
Division of Environmental Quality
Department of Health and Welfare
1410 North Hilton
Boise, ID 83706
(208) 334-5860
INDIANA
Alan Dunn
Department of Health,
Sanitary Engineering
1330 West Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-2874
(317) 633-0160
ILLINOIS
Doug Ebelherr
Private Sewage Disposal Program
Department of Public Health
525 West Jefferson Street
Third Floor
Springfield, IL 62761
(217) 782-5830
Environmental Protection Agency
A-2
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STATE SEPT AGE COORDINATORS
IOWA
Billy Chen
Wastewater Bureau
Department of Natural Resources
Wallace Building
900 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 281-4305
KANSAS
Rodney Geisler, and Julie Greene
Department of Health
and Environment
Building 740
Forbes Field
Topeka, KA 66620
(913) 296-5527
KENTUCKY
Ken Wade
Environmental Sanitation Branch
Division of Local Health
Cabinet for Human Resources
275 East Main Street
Frankfurt, KY 40621
(502) 564-4856
LOUISIANA
Bijan Sharafkhani
Solid Waste Division
Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 82178
Baton Rouge, LA 70884-2178
(504)765-0249
MAINE
James Pollock
Department of Environmental
Protection
Bureau of Hazardous Materials
and Solid Waste Control
Division of Waste Facility Regulation
State House Station 17
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-2651
MARYLAND
Dr. Simin Tirgari, Chief
Sewage Sludge/Compliance Division
Hazardous and Solid Waste
Management Administration
Department of the Environment
2500 Broening Highway
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 631-3318
MASSACHUSETTS
Rick Dunn
Department of Environmental
Protection
Division of Water Pollution Control
1 Winter Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 556-1130
MICHIGAN
Joan Peck
Groundwater Section of Waste
Management
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 30241
Lansing, Ml 48909
(517) 335-3383
A-3
Environmental Protection Agency
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STATE SEPT AGE COORDINATORS
MINNESOTA
Mark Wespetal
Non-Point Source Section
Division of Water Quality
Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road
Saint Paul, MN 55155
(612) 296-9322
MISSISSIPPI
Glen Odom
Bureau of Pollution Control
P.O. Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39289-0385
(601) 961-5159
Ralph Turnbo
General Sanitation Branch
Department of Health
P.O. Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700
(601) 960-7690
MISSOURI
Ken Arnold
Unit Chief of Land Application
Water Pollution Control Program
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(314) 751-9155
MONTANA
Scott Anderson
Water Quality Bureau
Department of Health and
Environmental Sciences
Cogswill Building, RoomA206
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-2406
NEBRASKA
Steve Goans
Water Quality Division
Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 98922-8922
Statehouse Station
Lincoln, NE 68509-8922
(402) 471-4220
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Selina Makofsky
Water Supply and Pollution
Control Division
Sludge and Septage Management
Department of Environmental Services
P.O. Box 95
6 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-2457
NEW JERSEY
Mary Jo M. Aiello
Bureau of Pretreatment and Residuals
Department of Environmental
Protection
CN-029
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 633-3823
NEW MEXICO
Delbert Bell
Groundwater Bureau
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 26110
1190 St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87502-6110
(505) 827-2788
Environmental Protection Agency
A-4
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STATE SEPT AGE COORDINATORS
NEVADA
Mahmood Azad
Bureau of Water Pollution Control
Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources
Division of Environmental Protection
Capitol Complex
333 West Nye Lane
Carson City, NV 89710
(702) 687-5870
NEW YORK
Ly Lim
Residuals Management Section
Bureau of Resource Recovery
Division of Solid Waste
Department of Environmental
Conservation
50 Wolf Road
Albany, NY 12233-4013
(518) 457-7336
NORTH CAROLINA
Ted Lyon
Department of Environment, Health
and Natural Resources
Division of Solid Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Septage Management Branch
P.O. Box 27687
Raleigh, NC 2761 1
(919) 733-0692
NORTH DAKOTA
Gary Reed
Division of Municipal Facilities
Department of Health
1200 Missouri Avenue
Bismark, ND 58505
(701) 221-5209
OHIO
Tom Grigsby
Department of Health
246 North High Street
P.O. Box 7969
Columbus, OH 43266-0118
(614) 466-1390
OKLAHOMA
Dan Hodges
Water Quality Services
Department of Health
1000 N.E. 10th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 731 17-1299
(405) 271-5205
OREGON
Mark Ronayne
Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Division
Municipal Waste Section
811 S.W. 6th Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 229-6442
PENNSYLVANIA
Thomas Woy
Department of Environmental
Resources
Division of Municipal &
Residual Waste
Bureau of Waste Management
P.O. Box 8472
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8472
(717) 787-7381
A-5
Environmental Protection Agency
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STATE SEPT AGE COORDINATORS
RHODE ISLAND
David Chopy
Division of Water Resources
Department of Environmental
Management
291 Promenade Street
Providence, Rl 02908-5657
(401) 277-3961
SOUTH CAROLINA
Dick Hatfield, Director
On Site Wastewater Management
Division
Bureau of Environmental Health
Department of Health and
Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 935-7835
SOUTH DAKOTA
Bill Gyer
Division of Environmental Regulation
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources
523 East Capital Street
Pierre, SD 57501-3181
(605) 773-3351
TENNESSEE
Steve Morris
Division of Groundwater Protection
Department of Environment
and Conservation
10th Floor, LNC Tower
401 Church Street
Nashville, TE 37243-1533
(615) 532-0774
TEXAS
Phyllis Wilbanks
Municipal Permits
Texas Water Commission
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087
(512) 463-8169
UTAH
John Kennington
Division of Water Quality
Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 144870
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4870
(801) 538-6146
VERMONT
George Desch, Chief
Agency of Natural Resources
Department of Environmental
Conservation
Division of Solid Waste Management
Residuals Section
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05671-0407
(803) 244-7831
VIRGINIA
Robert W. Hicks
Office of Environmental
Health Services
Department of Health
Main Street Station, Suite 117
P.O. Box 2448
Richmond, VA 23218
(804) 786-3559
Environmental Protection Agency
A-6
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STATE SEPT AGE COORDINATORS
WASHINGTON
Kyle Dorsey
Department of Ecology
P.O. Box 47600
Mailstop 7600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
(206) 459-6307
WEST VIRGINIA
Ron Forren, Director
Public Health Sanitation Division
Office of Environmental Health
Services
815 Quarrier Street, Suite 418
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 558-2981
WISCONSIN
Robert Steindorf
Bureau of Wastewater Management
Division of Environmental Quality
101 South Webster Street GEF II
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, Wl 53707-7921
(608) 266-0449
WYOMING
Gary Steele
Water Quality Division
Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality
Herschler Building, 4th Floor West
122 West 25th Street
PUERTO RICO
Victor Matta, Section Chief
Non-Hazardous Solid Waste Section
Land Pollution Control Area
Environmental Quality Board
P.O. Box 11488
Santurce, Puerto Rico 00910
(809) 767-8124
VIRGIN ISLANDS
Leonard G. Reed, Jr.,
Assistant Director
Division of Environmental Protection
Department of Planning
and Natural Resources
45 A. Nisky Center, Suite 231
Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802
(809) 774-5416
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7075
A-7
Environmental Protection Agency
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REGIONAL SEPTAGE COORDINATORS
REGION 1
Thelma Hamilton
Water Management Division
Wastewater Treatment
Management Branch
John F. Kennedy Federal Building
Mail Stop WMC
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565-3569
REGION 2
Alia Ronfaeal
NY-NJ Municipal Programs Branch
Water Management Division
26 Federal Plaza, Room 837
New York, NY 10278
(212) 264-8663
REGION 3
Ann Carkhuff
Permits Enforcement Branch
Program Development Section
Water Management Division
Mail Stop 3WM55
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 597-9406
REGION 4
Vince Miller
Permits Section
Water Permits and Enforcement Branch
Municipal Facilities Branch
Water Management Division
345 Courtland Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30365
(404) 347-3633
REGION 5
John Colletti
NPDES Permit Section
Water Quality Branch
Water Management Division
5 WQP-16J
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 886-6106
REGION 6
Gene Wossum
Water Management Division
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 655-7173
REGION 7
John Dunn
Water Management Division
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KA 66101
(913) 551-7594
REGION 8
Robert Brobst
NPDES Permit Section
Water Management Division
(Mail Stop 8WM-C)
999 1 8th Street
Denver, CO 80202-2466
(303) 293-1627
REGION 9
Lauren Fondahl
Pretreatment Program and
Compliance Section
Permits and Compliance Branch
Water Management Division
(Mail Stop w-5-2)
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 744-1909
REGION 10
Dick Hetherington
Water Permits Section
Wastewater Management and
Enforcement Branch
Water Division
Mail Stop WD1 34
1 200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-1941
A-8
Environmental Protection Agency
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U.S. EPA REGIONS
ALPHABETICAL USTING OF STATES
Region - State
Region - State
Region - State
Region - State
4
- Alabama
5
- Indiana
9
- Nevada
4
- Tennessee
10
- Alaska
7
- Iowa
1
- New Hampshire
6
- Texas
9
- Arizona
7
- Kansas
2
- New Jersey
8
- Utah
6
- Arkansas
4
- Kentucky
6
- New Mexico
1
- Vermont
9
- California
6
- Louisiana
2
- New York
3
- Virginia
8
- Colorado
1
- Maine
4
- North Carolina
10
- Washington
1
- Connecticut
3
- Maryland
8
- North Dakota
3
- West Virginia
3
Delaware
1
- Massachusetts
5
- Ohio
5
- Wisconsin
3
District of
5
- Michigan
6
- Oklahoma
8
- Wyoming
Columbia
5
- Minnesota
10
- Oregon
9
- American Samoa
4
Florida
4
- Mississippi
3
- Pennsylvania
9
- Guam
4
Georgia
7
- Missouri
1
- Rhode Island
2
- Puerto Rico
9
Hawaii
8
- Montana
4
- South Carolina
2
- Virgin Islands
10
Idaho
7
- Nebraska
8
- South Dakota
5
Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency
A-9
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APPENDIX B
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE VS. SEWAGE SLUDGE
Concentration
mg/kg (dry weight basis)
Parameter
Pollutant
Domestic
Sewage
Concentration
Septage1
Sludge2
Limit (PCL)3
Arsenic
4
10
41
Cadmium
3
7
39
Chromium
14
120
1200
Copper
140
740
1500
Lead
35
130
300
Mercury
0.15
5
17
Molybdenum
)
4
18
Nickel
15
43
420
Selenium
2
5
100
Zinc
290
1200
2800
Nitrogen as N
2%
2 - 7%
)
Phosphorus as P
< 1%
1 - 3%
)
pH
6 - 7
5 - 8
)
Grease
6 - 12%
5 - 10%
)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (B0D6)
6,480 mg/l
2000mg/l4
)
Total Solids
3.4%
3 - 35%
)
(as normally spread)
Notes:
1: Domestic septage characteristics are from Field Guide to Septage Treatment and Disposal.
2: Sewage sludge characteristics are from the National Sewage Sludge Survey, and Wastewater
Engineering: Treatment/Disposal/Reuse.
3: Pollutant Concentration Limits are from Table 3 of the Standards for the Use or Disposal of
Sewage Sludge (40 CFR Part 503). These regulatory limits apply to sewage sludge, not
domestic septage, but is used for comparison purposes here. Sewage sludges meeting these
limits can be used without tracking the cumulative amount of metals applied to the land.
4: BOD6 varies greatly among sewage sludges.
6-7
Environmental Protection Agency
-------
APPENDIX C
SAMPLE METHODS FOR RECORD KEEPING
There are two examples of ways that might be helpful
to you for keeping your records. The first of these
examples is for recording information that pertains to the
different fields onto which you apply domestic septage.
The second is an example of a daily log that might be
kept in the truck as domestic septage is pumped. A
sample has also been filled in as an example of the type
of information you might actually record.
C-1
Environmental Protection Agency
-------
APPENDIX C-1
EXAMPLE RECORD KEEPING OF GENERAL INFORMATION
SITE:
REPORTING YEAR:
FIELD NUMBER:
CROP(S) and EXPECTED YIELD:
NITROGEN REQUIREMENT OF CROP: pounds N per year
ANNUAL APPLICATION RATE (AAR): gallons per acre per year
/ / , Nitrogen Requirement of Crop
AAR (gallons/acre year) = —
0.0026
HARVESTING SCHEDULE:
DATE OF APPLICATION
TO SITE
ACREAGE OF SITE TO WHICH
SEPTAGE WAS APPLIED
GALLONS APPLIED
TO SITE TODAY
TOTAL GALLONS APPLIED
YEAR TO DATE
I certify under penalty of law, that the pathogen requirement [insert alternative 1 or 2] and the
vector attraction reduction requirement [insert alternative 1, 2 or 3] have/have not [circle one]
been met. This determination has been made under my direction and supervision in accordance
with the system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the
information used to determine that the pathogen requirements and vector attraction reduction
requirements have been met. I am aware that there are significant penalties for false certification
including the possibility of fine and imprisonment.
Signature:
Printed Name: Title:
Environmental Protection Agency
C-2
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ff
s
3
3
CD
3
CD
O
f-+
O'
3
tQ
CD
3
O
X
Driven
Source
Oate
Saptaije Ami.
(Gallons)
Tvpe of Alkali riE
Material Used
Amount
! pounds)
How
Mixed
Initial
pH
pH after 30
Minutes
How Applied &
Sit a/Field,'Crop
0
1
to
§
I
CO
o
G>
1
><
9
NO
-------
Driver; Sam Stevens
Source
Date
Amount
f Gallons)
Type of AJkalirie
Material Used
Amount
{pounds!
Haw
Mtxad
Initial pH
pH after
30 miri.
How Apptiad & Sitfc'Fieldi'Crap
Wayside
Trailer Park
C-8-93
3000
MO N E
Knorr, Stump Rd
Pasture. injected
Corn, 125 6u
S. Arrwld
445 Spring
Wayside
8-BS3
5 500
NONE
Kno*r, Stump Rd
Com, 150 t»u
Plow in 6 hours
T. J {JOBS
East Main
Sh&dysidd
6-9-93
1500
NONE
Shadysida Wastewater
Treatment Works
Stiadyside, MD
§
I
CO
r-
O
a
y>
1
><
9
im
-------
Driver; Ed Warren
Sourca
H. Toms
2331 Webster
Can-fr Springs
Qraase Trap at
Mel's Diner
Date
7-8-83
7-0-93
Amount of
Scptage
IGallonsf
2000
300
Typ» &f Alkaline
Material Used
Itydrated lime
NONE
Amount of
Lima
(paundsl
SO
How
Mixed
slurry bled
Initial pH
12
pH after
30 mm.
12
How Applrtid a
Ssta/Fmld/Crop
Babett East Hwy 2
Com TOO bu, ptow
Csmp Sprirvgs, MD
County Land) ill
P. Saul
2335 Webster
Camp Springs
7-9-93
1500
hydralad lime
35
slurry bled
12
12
Babeit East Hwv 2
Corn 100 bu, plow
Camp Springs, MO
Nap er Apts.
Camp Springs
7-9-93
3500
hydraicd lime
85
Slurry bted
12
12
Babett Esst Hwy 2
Corn 100 bti, ptow
Csmp Spring, MD
0
1
oi
§
I
CO
o
G>
1
><
9
NO
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APPENDIX D
TYPES AND SOURCES OF SAFETY AND pH TESTING EQUIPMENT
Safety items needed:
1. Safety Goggles
2. Emergency Eyewash Station
3. Half-mask respirator with appropriate cartridge
4. Shoulder length fully coated neoprene gloves
5. Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher
Some sources of these items are:
Direct Safety Company Prendergast Safety Equipment Co.
7815 South 46th Street 8400 Enterprise Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85044 Philadelphia, PA 19153
(800)528-7405 (215)937-1900
(800) 366-9662 - fax (215) 365-7527 - fax
pH Indicator Paper and Meter
Hach Company
5600 Lindbergh Drive
Loveland, CO 80539
(800) 227-4224
Fischer Scientific
711 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-9919
(800) 242-3772
Lab Safety Supply
P.O. Box 1368
Janesville, Wl 53547-1368
(800) 356-0783
Thomas Scientific
P.O. Box 99
Swedesboro, NJ 08085
(800) 345-2100
(609) 467-3087 - fax
Brands of pH meters include Oakton, Fischer and Corning. Suitable meters
cost between $50 and $150 depending on features. Indicator paper is a
much cheaper method of monitoring pH. A 50 foot roll of pH paper costs
under $10.
CAUTION: Trade names and vendors are provided for the benefit of the reader and do
not imply endorsement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
D-1 Environmental Protection Agency
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APPENDIX E
EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
Appendix E contains examples of rules and guidelines
from two States for governing the use or disposal of
septage. The two examples presented are rules from
Florida and guidelines from Minnesota. These examples
are only given as an indication of how some State rules
currently look and how they differ from each other and
from the Federal rule. In no way are these examples
meant to serve as a model of how a State rule or
guideline should look.
THESE AND OTHER STATE REGULATIONS
MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME.
YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS SUMMARY
OF THE FLORIDA AND MINNESOTA RULES TO
ENSURE YOU ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR
SEPTAGE MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS.
FLORIDA Regulations and Restrictions
Florida regulations define septage as "a mixture of
sludge, fatty materials, human feces, and wastewater
removed during the pumping of an on-site sewage
disposal system." Unlike the Federal Part 503
Regulation, Florida does not include the contents of
portable toilets or holding tanks. The Florida regulation
requires permits for both handling and disposing of
septage. These permits are issued by the Department of
Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) of each county.
E-1
Environmental Protection Agency
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
FLORIDA Con't The Florida regulation prescribes when, where, and
how much septage should be applied to land, In general,
these restrictions are more limiting than the Federal
Part 503 regulation. Only septage that has been properly
treated by lime stabilization may be land applied. The
Florida regulation defines stabilization as raising the pH of
the septage to at least 12 for a minimum of 2 hours.
Other Florida restrictions are as follows:
1. Septage may not be spread on land where
frequent public access is likely to occur, such as
playgrounds, parks, golf courses, lawns and
hospital grounds. Suggested suitable lands for
septage application include sod farms, pasture
lands, forests, highway shoulders and medians,
plant nurseries, land reclamation projects and
farmland.
2. When applied to areas without vegetative cover,
septage must be incorporated into the soil within
48 hours.
3. Pasture land may not be grazed for 30 days
following application of septage.
4. Crops may not be harvested for hay or silage for
30 days following application of septage.
5. Human food chain crops other than hay, silage
and orchard crops, may not be harvested for 60
days following application of septage.
6. Vegetables and fruits which come into contact
with the soil surface may not be grown for a
minimum of 18 months following application of
Environmental Protection Agency
E-2
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
FLORIDA Con't 7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
septage.
Septage may not be applied to land used for the
cultivation of tobacco, root crops, leafy
vegetables or vegetables to be eaten raw.
No more than 500 pounds of nitrogen may be
applied to each acre in any 1 2 month period.
Septage may not be land applied within 3000
feet of any Class I water body or Outstanding
Florida Water. For surface waters of lesser
quality (except irrigation canals and ponds), a
buffer zone of 200 feet must be maintained. No
buffer is required around irrigation waters that
are located entirely on the land application site
and do not flow off the site.
Septage may not be applied within 500 feet of
any shallow public water supply wells, nor
closer than 300 feet to any private drinking
water supply well.
At the time of septage application, a minimum of
24 inches of unsaturated soil above the ground
water table must be present.
Septage may not be applied during rain events
when runoff might occur.
Septage application area must have buffer zones
and stormwater management structures with a
capacity to hold runoff during flash floods.
Florida also requires on-site facilities for storing
septage during periods of poor weather and
equipment failures.
E-3
Environmental Protection Agency
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
FLORIDA Con't 14. The slope of the land application area may not
be more than eight percent and a layer of
permeable soil at least two feet thick should
cover the surface.
15. Land used for septage application may not
contain any hole or channel (such as subsurface
fractures, solution cavities, sink holes, or
excavated core holes) which would allow the
septage to contaminate the groundwater. Also,
septage may not be applied within a 200 foot
buffer from such geologic formations or
features.
1 6. Septage may not be applied within 300 feet of
any dwelling.
17. Septage may not be applied within 75 feet of
the property boundary or any drainage ditches.
An agricultural use plan (AUP) for the septage
application site must be prepared, and reviewed by HRS.
An AUP describes how stabilized septage will be used as
part of planned farming operations. It includes methods
of application, crops to be grown and their fertilizer
requirements, erosion control measures, access control
measures, harvesting periods and information on the soil
and geological conditions at the site which could limit its
use for septage application. An AUP must be updated
every year.
Environmental Protection Agency
E-4
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
FLORIDA Con't Reporting and Record Keeping
The reporting and record keeping requirements of the
Florida regulations are very similar to those in the Federal
rule. Records must be maintained for five years and
made available to State inspectors upon request.
The following information must be included in the
records:
1. Dates of septage application;
2. Weather conditions during application;
3. Location of septage application site;
4. Amounts of septage applied;
5. Acreage of the area where septage was applied;
6. The pH of the stabilized septage applied;
7. Depth to the water table from the soil surface
when septage applied; and,
8. Percentage of total application area covered by
plant growth.
In contrast to the Federal regulation, Florida requires
that a quarterly report be submitted to the HRS
summarizing the total volume of septage applied.
E-5
Environmental Protection Agency
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MINNESOTA Regulatory Overview
Minnesota's septage management program is more
informal than either the Federal or State of Florida
programs. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has
issued a document entitled Land Application of Septage
which explains the State's guidelines for land applying
domestic septage. The Minnesota definition of septage
includes the solids and liquids removed during the
periodic maintenance of septic, aerobic or holding tanks,
dosing chambers, pit privies or chemcial toilets. Industrial
wastes are not covered by this guidance publication;
these can only be land applied under the terms of a solid
waste disposal permit. No permits are required in
Minnesota to apply domestic septage. No formal
regulations have been adopted to cover this practice.
Figure E-1: MINNESOTA SEPTAGE APPLICATION SETBACKS (in feet)
Item
Surface Spread
Incorporated
Incorporated
Injected
Within 2 Hrs
Within 24
Hrs
lime
not
treated
treated
Occupied Dwellings
200
200
100
200
100
Recreational Area,
600
600
300
600
300
Residential Development &
Commercial Development
Municipal Well
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
Private Well
200
200
200
200
200
Property Lines & Road
10
10
10
10
none
Right of Ways
Intermittent Streams
100
100
25
100
25
Environmental Protection Agency
E-6
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MINNESOTA The Minnesota guidance document provides the
Con't following controls for land application of domestic
septage:
1. Setbacks: These vary with the method of
applying the septage, the time of year and if the
septage was stabilized using alkali treatment.
Figure E-1 presents the numerous set backs
required in Minnesota. In addition to these, the
Minnesota guidance document includes setbacks
for surface waters, drainage tile inlets and sink
holes. These setbacks vary with the slope of
the site, the method of application and the time
of year.
2. Slope restrictions: These are based on the
method used to apply the septage and whether
the soil is frozen (see Figure E-2). Minnesota
does not prohibit application of septage on
frozen grounds but has limited the slope of the
land to be used during the winter months. A
ban on applications on frozen grounds in this
area of the country would severely limit the use
of land application and would force development
of considerable storage capacity.
Figure E-2:
MINNESOTA LAND APPLICATION OF SEPTAGE SLOPE RESTRICTIONS
Surface Applied
Injected or Incorporated
Within 24 Hours
Unfrozen Soil
6% slope or less
1 2% slope or less
Frozen Soil
2% slope or less
not possible
E-7
Environmental Protection Agency
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MINNESOTA 3. Soil criteria: Minnesota has developed several
, f characteristics for determining a suitable soil for
septage application. These are listed in
Figure E-3.
Figure E-3: MINNESOTA REQUIREMENTS FOR
SUITABLE SOIL FOR LAND APPLICATION
OF SEPTAGE
Medium to fine textured soils (no sandy, peaty or mucky
surface textures)
Minimum depth to watertable of three feet through natural
or artificial drainage
Minimum depth to bedrock of three feet
Minimum of 6 inches of available water holding capacity
between application depth and the watertable and bedrock
Free from flooding hazard
At least one soil horizon in the upper five feet must have a
permeability of less than six inches per hour.
If septage is to be surface applied (rather than injected),
the soil must have a surface permeability greater than 0.2
inches per hour.
4. Public access controls: The guidance document
recommends either fencing or posting septage
application sites to avoid the possibility of
uninformed people contacting septage that has
been applied. Remote sites are not affected by
this recommendation.
Environmental Protection Agency
E-8
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MINNESOTA 5. Harvest limitations: These are much simpler
Con f than the harvesting options provided in the
Federal regulation. In Minnesota, septage can
only be applied to hay when the leaf area is
minimal (primarily early spring, late fall and
within one week following cutting). Hay should
not be harvested for one month following
application of septage. Animals should not be
grazed on pasture where septage has been
spread or injected for one year following
application. Crops with edible portions that may
come in contact with the soil can not be planted
for one year following application of septage.
Root crops or crops for direct human
consumption can not be planted for two years
after application. No food chain crops should be
planted within 30 days of septage application.
These waiting periods are based on non-treated
septage.
6. Application rates: Minnesota application rates
for septage are based on the nitrogen required
by the crop grown, residual soil nitrogen, imput
of nitrogen from the previous crop, and input of
nitrogen from commercial fertilizers and
manures. The guidelines also contain daily
hydraulic loading limits. Also, septage can not
be applied when it is raining.
E-9
Environmental Protection Agency
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EXAMPLE STATE RULES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC SEPTAGE
MINNESOTA Regarding stabilization, Minnesota recommends that
Con't domestic septage, regardless of application method, be
mixed with alkaline material to raise its pH to at least 12
and maintain that pH for 30 minutes before it is land
applied. If the septage is not stabilized, injection is the
suggested method of application. Also, the soil pH at
application sites should be maintained at 6.5 to reduce
the potential for uptake of metals by plants.
Reporting and Record Keeping
Minnesota has no reporting or record keeping
requirements for land application of domestic septage.
However, the Minnesota guidelines do contain charts to
aid the land applier in keeping track of relevant
information.
Environmental Protection Agency
E-10
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COMMENTS REQUESTED ON THIS GUIDE
Please let us know what you think about this document. Please offer any suggestions
you might have for future improvement using this comment sheet. Please send your
comments to us at the U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater Enforcement and Compliance,
Municipal Technology Branch, (4204), Washington, DC 20460.
1) Is this domestic septage guidance document useful to you?
2) Please indicate what you like about the document.
3) Please also indicate what you do not like about the document.
4) Please offer suggestions for its improvement.
5) Please offer suggestions for development of other materials that you believe would
be helpful.
6) Name and phone number (optional).
EPA/832-B-92-005
MTB
Office of Wastewater Enforcement & Compiarice0
MUNICIPAL TECHNOLOGY BRANCH"
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US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
OFFICE OF WASTEWATER ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE
MUNICIPAL TECHNOLOGY BRANCH
(4204)
WASHINGTON, DC 20460
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