WPDES Permit Compliance Inspection Checklist

This page contains a listing of all areas that WDNR Wastewater Area Engineers review during a municipal wastewater treatment plant WPDES permit compliance inspection.

Table Of Contents

Overall Facility Information

1. Meeting WDNR WQ Management Plan (Basin Plan) recommendations?
2. Any Intermunicipal sewer agreement issues unresolved?
3. Any outstanding enforcement issues unresolved?
4. Any outstanding public complaints (ie. backups) unresolved?
5. Have you had to enforce your sewer use ordinance and are these issues resolved?

Finance, Budget, and Accounting

1. User charge system rate formula documented? Fair and equitable rates established?
2. Operation, maintenance, and replacement (OMR) budget adequate?
3. Documenting reasons for withdraws from the OMR fund?
4. NR 101 Fee reduction strategy?

Management

1. Utility has formalized planning for upgrading and replacing parts of the system?
2. Utility has an established capital improvement program to meet planned needs?
3. Bidding process meets WI State Statute 66.
4. Current WPDES discharge permit kept at the treatment plant?
5. Meeting WPDES permit compliance schedules, effluent discharge limits, and report submission deadlines? All reports filled out completely?
6. Keeping copies of all test records and reports?
7. Public has access to records and reports?
8. Operators are certified at the proper grade?
9. Preventive maintenance scheduled and performed regularly? Maintenance records kept?
10. Operation and maintenance (O&M) manual current and kept at the plant?
11. Plans, specifications, and blueprints are kept?

Safety

1. Emergency operation plans posted?
2. Operators have had confined entry training? Adequate safety equipment available?
3. Hazardous communication plan is posted?
4. Material safety data sheets (MSDS) retained for 30 years?
5. Operators have proper immunizations? (minimum of hepatitis, influenza, and tetanus)
6. Fire extinguishers adequate and properly serviced?
7. Hazardous condition signs adequate? (fire exit, high voltage, chlorine, steps, etc.)
8. Non-potable water signs displayed? Water supply backflow preventors adequate? (most likely pressure-reducing valves required)

Energy

1. Results of recent energy audit implemented?
2. Chemical dosages are optimized?
3. Adequate insulation of structures and equipment from cold weather?

Buildings, Grounds, Electrical, and Chemicals?

1. Any organic or hydraulic overloads in the past 5 years?
2. General condition of the buildings and housekeeping practices?
3. Grounds kept in good condition?
4. Flooding problems have been corrected and minimized?
5. Drainage system adequate? Any storm water issues?
6. Heating system, water softener, water heater, air compressor functioning properly?
7. Standby power available? Exercised regularly?
8. Equipment failure alarms functioning properly?
9. Wiring is safe, protected, and meets current codes?
10. Susceptibility to lightening damage has been eliminated?
11. Overload device and electrical grounds are periodically checked?
12. Clean, cool, ventilated, and protected chemical storage areas?
13. Chemical feed pumps and lines operating properly? Proper mixtures and injection points?

Collection System

1. Collection system map is up-to-date and available?
2. Percent I/I is non-excessive; frequent bypassing problems resolved?
3. Storm water drains, basement drains, and roof drains are not connected to the collection system?
4. Manhole cover and inverts adequately sealed?
5. Basement backup problems have been resolved?
6. Freezing problems have been resolved?
7. Type of river crossings and condition of the crossings?
8. Corrosion problems have been resolved?
9. Are pretreatment septic tanks used and are they being serviced regularly?
10. Collection system being cleaned regularly and is there a televising program?
11. General condition and the capacity of the collection system is adequate?
12. Lift station check valves, shutoff valves, hour meters, junction box seals, auxiliary vents, floats, and alarm system functioning properly? Wet well being cleaned annually?
13. Grinder pumps functioning properly?

Flow Monitoring and Samplers

1. Flow measurement device properly located and operating?
2. Head or velocity is properly measured?
3. Annual calibration of flow measurement device being performed? Accuracy within 10 percent?
4. Chart recorders functioning? Do the charts indicate any flow-related problems?
5. Sampling location meets WPDES permit requirement? Type of sample (grab, flow composite, timed composite, etc.) meets WPDES permit requirement?
6. Sampling device condition? Temperature is held at 0 to 4 degrees Celcius?
7. Sampler container cleaned out periodically?
8. Chain of custody form used properly?

Preliminary Treatment

1. Sand, wood, hydrogen sulfide, grease/scum, or rags causing downstream problems?
2. Are decants/supernates, centrates/filtrates, and backwashs metered in or dumped in?
3. Condition of bar rack/grit chamber/comminutor/fine screen auger? Cleaning frequency? Channel condition?
4. Screenings/grit covered? Are they properly disposed in a sanitary landfill or incinerated?

Clarification

1. Any problems associated with freezing? Condition of cover?
2. Mechanical (drive unit and linkages) and structural (concrete/metals) condition?
3. Clarifier inlet flow evenly distributed? Baffles functioning properly? Solids/scum not going over the weir?
4. Clarifier floc appearance indicates biological process is functioning properly? Surface overflow rate and weir overflow rate are adequate for flows and loadings?

Aeration

1. Any problems associated with freezing? Condition of cover?
2. Mechanical (drive unit and linkages) and structural (concrete/metals) condition?
3. Appearance of foam/wastewater looks o.k.? Does mixed liquor look o.k.?
4. Blowers, diffusers and dissolved oxygen (DO) adequate?

Biological/Chemical Nutrient Removal Processes

1. Soluble BOD:Total Phosphorus ratio (> 15:1) adequate for good phosphorus uptake?
2. Total BOD:TKN ratio (>7:1) adequate for good denitrification operation? Excess lkalinity not consumed during nitrification process (pH > 6 and alkalinity >50mg/l as CaCO3)?
3. Anoxic zone baffles adequate?
4. No DO (DO <.2mg/l) in anaerobic zone? Anaerobic and anoxic zone mixers are not aerating wastewater? Mixing is adequate for these zones?
5. Rerelease of phosphorus in side streams is minimized?
6. Type of coagulants used? Rapid mixer functioning? Adequate mixing occurring? Dosages and injection points adequate?

Disinfection

1. Fecal sampling location adequate? Fecal results consistent?
2. For ultraviolet (UV) systems: Channel, lamps, photocell, hour meter, indicator lights ok? No disturbances caused by TSS, turbidity, color, iron, and organics? Lamp cleaning frequency and cleaning compounds adequate?
3. For chlorination/dechlorination systems: Type and percent of chlorine/sodium bisulfide? Chemical usage optimized? Is dosage flow or timed proportionate? Condition of pumps, lines, diffusers, and gages? Chemical addition location, mixing, and contact times adequate? Chlorine sampling location adequate and is total chlorine being tested? Chlorine meter being checked against a standard every 10 tests?
4. For gaseous chlorination: gas alarm, panic bar, ground level vent, and other safety equipment adequate?

Sludge Processing

1. Types of sludges processed and % of each: primary, secondary, chemical.
2. Types of side streams (decants/supernatants, centrates, filtrates), places of reintroduction, and method of reintroduction (Metered in and not shock loaded in) adequate?
3. Type of thickening, digestion, dewatering, and final disposal used? Method of measuring quality of digestion and thickening?
4. Is 180 days of storage available?
5. WPDES permit sludge parameters sampled and meeting permit requirements? Sampling locations for fecals, vector attraction monitoring parameters, and metals adequate?
6. Digestion tankage, pumps, lines, blowers, mixers adequate and in good condition?
7. Digestion temperatures, pH, MCRT, solids loading rate, and DO (if aerobic digestion) is adequate?
8. Any freezing problems?
9. Method of wasting sludge (batch or continuous) and measurement of quantity wasted o.k.?
10. For anaerobic digestors: Lid movement, heater system, methane burner system adequate? Emptied and cleaned out every few years?

Landspreading

1. Land Management Plan used? Is it followed?
2. Type and amount of sludge landspread per year?
3. Are all landspreading sites approved by the WDNR?
4. Who landspreads for the facility? Is the contract adequate? Do they do a good job?
5. Vehicle condition acceptable?
6. Is sludge landspread immediately upon arriving at the site?
7. Sludge surface application or knifing it in acceptable?
8. Sludge meets metals, vector attraction, and fecals for landspreading?
9. Soil testing done every 4 years for class B sludge?
10. One soil grab sample is taken for each acre used?

Lagoon Systems

1. Parallel or series operation?
2. Adequate settling cell or zone?
3. Adequate baffles?
4. Can operating depth be varied? Is system operating with at least 3 feet of freeboard on the dikes?
5. Condition of dikes and liner?
6. No oil sheens, anaerobic, or excess sludge accumulation conditions in the lagoons?
7. No weeds, rodents, or erosion?
8. Fencing adequate?
9. Aeration, diffusers, blowers, and DO ok?
10. Land Management Plan followed?
11. Valves exercised?

Seepage Cells

1. Land Management Plan followed?
2. Even flow distribution throughout the bottom of each cell?
3. Infiltration rate adequate (not excessive and not too slow)?
4. Vegetation is harvested or burned off in the spring?
5. Load and rest cycles adequate?

Sampling Wells

1. Condition of the wells? Sealed and locked?
2. Documented sampling procedures?
3. Method of measuring elevation and sampling adequate?
4. Any enforcement or preventive action limit standards exceeded?

Trickling Filters

1. Equalization tank used (or primary clarifier)?
2. Freezing or air circulation problems?
3. Structural and mechanical condition ok? Inspected annually?
4. Wastewater evenly distributed over the media?
5. Type and condition of media?
6. Capability in recycling sludge or final effluent? Recycle rates adequate?
7. Dosing chamber is adequate to keep media moist during low flow?
8. Nutrient ratio adequate (about 100BOD:5N:1P) and pH does not widely fluctuate?

Rotating Biological Contactors

1. Equalization tank used (or primary clarifier)?
2. Freezing or air circulation problems?
3. Structural and mechanical condition ok? Inspected annually?
4. Wastewater evenly distributed between RBC units?
5. Type of drive unit and its condition?
6. Load cell weight measurement method?
7. Baffle condition?
8. Auxillary air used? Blower and diffusers adequate?
9. Type and condition of media? Rotational velocity adequate?
10. Capability in recycling sludge or final effluent? Recycle rates?
11. Nutrient ratio adequate (about 100BOD:5N:1P) and pH does not widely fluctuate?

Laboratory

1. Certified to perform the applicable tests you are performing and reporting?
2. Proper test methods being used per NR149/NR219.
3. Sample holding times are not exceeded?
4. Proper preservation methods and additives used?
5. Standards do not have expired expiration dates?
6. 3 blind standards are being run each year? Blind standards within an acceptable range? If not, was a follow up performed?
7. Refrigerator temperature in the >0 and <4 degrees Celcius range?
8. BOD incubator in the 20 +- 1 degrees Celcius range?
9. TSS oven in the 104 +- 1 degrees Celcius range?
10. Fecal bath/incubator in the 44.5 +- .2 degrees Celcius range?
11. DO meter membrane in good condition?
12. QA/QC problems noted in the bench sheet and on the discharge monitoring report form?
13. Duplicates done every 10 tests for BOD/TSS/P/NH3 samples?
14. Are blank BOD depletions <.2mg/l? How often do they exceed this?
15. For BOD testing is a glucose/glutamic acid test run every 20 samples? Are they >157.5mg/l and <228.5mg/l?
16. TSS filters rinsed with 60 ml of distilled water prior to use?
17. Are the TSS filters dried 1 hour and cooled prior to weighing?
18. Is one phosphorus blank and standard run with each test?
19. When was the last time duplicate control and spike recovery limits were calculated for BOD, TSS, phosphorus, and ammonia (must be when you have 20 data points)?

Pretreatment Program

1. Number of categorical pretreatment facilities?
2. Industrial category determination questionnaire adequate?
3. Adequate pretreatment ordinance?
4. Adequate local limits?
5. Inspections completed annually?
6. Compliance status records kept?
7. Enforcement actions taken and documented?
8. Chloride reduction strategy implemented?

Receiving Water

1. Condition of the outfall?
2. Total Maximun Daily Load (TMDL) or Wasteload Allocation (WLA) needed?
3. Receiving water appearance?
4. Effluent appearance?
5. Mixing adequate?
6. Discharge not eroding stream banks?