Fact Sheet

May 2009

Proposed Decision to Issue Final Permit, City of North Liberty, Iowa

INTRODUCTION

On June 19, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 (EPA) is proposing to issue an Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit to the City of North Liberty, Iowa, to allow for the injection of treated drinking water into the Jordan Aquifer. This permit would be issued under the EPA-administered UIC program.

A draft permit has been developed by EPA which specifies conditions for the operation, monitoring, reporting, and abandonment of the injection well. This project has already received approval from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, but a federal permit is required for the injection portion of this process to meet the provisions of the EPA-administered UIC program in Iowa.

EPA is soliciting written comments on the proposed EPA permit for this facility. The Administrative Record for this action will remain open for public comment until June 16, 2009.

Background

The City of North Liberty has requested an Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit for the operation of an Aquifer Storage and Recovery well (City Well #7) at 900 North Front Street, North Liberty, Johnson County, Iowa. The permit, if issued, would allow for the use of the well to inject water that has been treated to drinking water standards by the City of North Liberty into the Jordan Aquifer for storage and later recovery and use in the public water system.

The City of North Liberty has been investigating various alternatives to meet the growing peak water demands. As an alternative to constructing additional water treatment facilities, the City of North Liberty has been looking at using the Jordan Aquifer as a storage and recovery zone for treated drinking water. Prior to this permit request, EPA has issued five permits for both pilot and full-scale projects in Iowa that use the Jordan Aquifer as a storage and recovery zone. The results of these projects have shown that the Jordan Aquifer can successfully be used as a storage and recovery zone for drinking water.

Under their plan, the City of North Liberty would direct water during periods of low demand to this well where it would be injected into the Jordan Aquifer and stored there until it is needed. When the demand for drinking water exceeds the capacity of the City of North Liberty to provide to the community, the water would be recovered from the aquifer and placed into the distribution system.

Before it is placed into the distribution system, the water would undergo testing and receive the necessary treatment to make sure it meets drinking water standards.

This method would allow the City of North Liberty to meet the anticipated peak water demand, and allow for an emergency backup supply during times of drought or flood without the need to develop additional drinking water treatment plants. Any expansion of this project would require an additional EPA permit to cover the conversion or construction of additional wells.

The permit application identifies the depth of all the underground sources of drinking water above and beneath the injection zone. Underground sources of drinking water are defined by the UIC regulations as aquifers, or portions thereof, which are being used or could be used as sources of drinking water. The injection would not negatively impact any underground sources of drinking water.

As required by the federal regulations, a search was conducted by the City of North Liberty to identify the locations of all known public or private wells within a minimum of a ¼-mile radius of the proposed injection site.

For this permit application, a search was conducted within both a one-mile radius and a ¼-mile radius of the proposed injection site. The one-mile search found 32 wells within that area of review. No wells exist within the ¼-mile radius.

None of the wells found in either search go into or through the proposed injection zone, and should not have an affect or be affected by this operation.

Permit Conditions

Permit conditions specific to this project are:

The proposed permit would allow injection to occur for 10 years after its effective date and may be renewed by EPA if an application is submitted by the City of North Liberty. The maximum injection rate for the well would not exceed 900 gallons per minute (or 1.296 million gallons per day).

The proposed permit would require periodic monitoring of the treated water for pesticides, herbicides, nitrates, and other chemical and physical characteristics before it can be placed in the well.

Samples would be taken at the start and end of every injection/recovery cycle. Samples would also be taken periodically during each injection/recovery cycle to ensure that the water is of drinking water quality. The results of the testing data would be reported to EPA on a quarterly basis. EPA may modify the sampling frequency, depending on the results of the chemical analyses during the life of the project.

The proposed permit would require that the City of North Liberty (or their agent) determine the mechanical integrity of the well before any injection may take place. This ensures that the well only allows the injection of fluids into the approved zone. Any modifications to the testing procedures used on the well are subject to EPA approval.

Opportunity for Public Comment

EPA is soliciting written comments on the Agency's proposed decision to approve this permit. The public comment period opens May 13, 2009, and closes June 12, 2009.

Copies of the permit application, supporting documentation, and Administrative Record are available for public review between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following location:

UIC Program Office
Drinking Water Management Branch
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th St.
Kansas City, KS 66101

Individuals may submit written comments on the proposed permit, or specifically request that a public hearing be held. EPA will hold a formal public hearing if it is determined that there is a significant degree of public interest, based on the comments received. Any request for a public hearing must be in writing and must state the nature of the issue(s) that the requestor proposes to raise at the hearing.

Where to Send Comments

All written comments regarding the proposed decision must be postmarked by June 12, 2009, while all requests for a public hearing must be postmarked by May 26, 2009, and sent to:

Kurt Hildebrandt
Drinking Water Management Branch
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th St.
Kansas City, KS 66101

A final decision to approve or deny the permit will be made after the close of the public comment period. EPA Region 7 will notify each person who submitted written comments of the final permit decision.

Additional Information

For more information, or to request copies of a more detailed fact sheet describing EPA's basis for its proposed decision, please contact Kurt Hildebrandt at the mailing address above, or by phone or e-mail, as follows:

Toll-free: (800) 223-0425
E-mail: hildebrandt.kurt@epa.gov

Fact Sheet

May 2009

Proposed Decision to Issue Final Permit, City of North Liberty, Iowa

Local Navigation