Md. Code Regs. 26.04.06.27

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 12, June 14, 2024

Section 26.04.06.27 - Storage Facility

A. The Department may not issue a Sewage Sludge Utilization Permit to install, materially alter, or materially extend a sewage sludge storage facility until the storage facility meets all zoning and local land use requirements of the county where the storage facility is to be located.

B. The Department may issue a Sewage Sludge Utilization Permit to install, materially alter, or materially extend a sewage sludge storage facility if the person applying for a Sewage Sludge Utilization Permit demonstrates that the following conditions and requirements will be met:

(1) A 1,000-foot buffer zone shall be maintained between the storage facility property boundary lines and the nearest inhabited off-site dwelling, except that this buffer distance may be reduced if the Department determines that the storage facility has adequate odor control measures;

(2) A storage facility may not be located in a flood prone area;

(3) A storage facility located within a 100-year flood plain shall be evaluated as to its hydrologic impact on adjoining landowners;

(4) The storage facility shall be designed, constructed, and operated to safely store sewage sludge in a manner that will not cause an undue risk to the environment or public health, safety, or welfare as may be determined by the Department;

(5) A storage facility may be located on soils of low to moderate permeability or on soils that seal through sedimentation and biological action, subject to the following:

(a) The permeability of such soils may not exceed 1.0 x 10-7 cm/sec as measured by appropriate test methods that are acceptable to the Department; or

(b) If a storage facility is proposed on other soils, the Department shall require permeability tests or use of an impermeable membrane liner or soil sealant, or any combination of these;

(6) The minimum design capacity of a storage facility not completely enclosed shall be the maximum volume of sewage sludge to be stored, plus the estimated liquid volume from precipitation on the facility occurring during the period of storage, minus the expected liquid volume of evaporation on from the storage facility surface during the period of storage, plus the liquid volume resulting from the maximum expected 25-year, 24-hour precipitation event;

(7) A storage facility may be constructed of:

(a) Compacted soils;

(b) Manufactured materials, such as asphalt, steel, or reinforced concrete;

(c) Fiberglass; or

(d) Other materials approved by the Department;

(8) A storage facility constructed on an above ground embankment shall meet the following:

(a) The minimum combined inner and outer slopes of the embankment shall be 5 horizontal to 1 vertical with the wet side slope not steeper than a ratio of 2:1 and the dry side slope not steeper than 3:1;

(b) Embankments having a height of 14 feet or less shall have a minimum top width of 8 feet;

(c) Embankments having a height of 15 feet to 19 feet shall have a minimum top width of 10 feet; and

(d) The initial construction height of the embankment may be increased over the design height to insure that the approved top elevation of the embankment is maintained after settlement of the embankment has occurred, subject to the following:

(i) The increase in height of the embankment for the initial construction may not exceed 5 percent of the total approved height when compaction rollers are used; and

(ii) The increase in height of the embankment for the initial construction may not exceed 10 percent of the total approved height when bulldozers or scrapers alone are used;

(9) The minimum height of the storage facility after settlement shall be 10 percent greater than the design storage depth for the sewage sludge, except that the Department may waive this provision or reduce the freeboard requirements if the storage facility design includes a secondary containment capability and the accumulated liquids are routinely removed from the storage facility;

(10) The side slopes of an excavated storage facility may not be steeper than 1:1;

(11) A storage facility constructed by both the embankment and excavation method shall meet all of the requirements of §B(8) of this regulation if the design depth of the sewage sludge impounded against the embankment is 3 feet or more;

(12) The storage facility shall be located in a relatively level area, usually less than 5 percent slope, and shall be located no closer than 150 feet from any drainage ditch, swale, or gully, and shall be bermed to prevent run-on of surface water, except that areas with ground slopes of greater than 5 percent may be considered suitable for a storage facility if diversion ditches, increased buffer distances, or other provisions can be made to further control storm water in the area of the storage facility;

(13) The cell floor elevation shall be at least 2 feet above the maximum seasonal high groundwater elevation;

(14) A storage facility may not be located on an unstable area;

(15) The storage facility shall be lined to prevent leakage of material to groundwater, with an acceptable liner being:

(a) A compacted soil layer at least 2 feet thick with an installed permeability of 1.0 x 10-5 cm/sec or less in combination with an artificial liner at least 30 mil in thickness with a permeability of 1.0 x 10-7 cm/sec or less, as measured by appropriate test methods that are acceptable to the Department; or

(b) Other manufactured storage structures acceptable to the Department, including asphalt or reinforced concrete structures, steel tanks, fiberglass tanks, or their equivalent;

(16) If a clay or soil liner is specified, the liner shall be constructed with protective layers to prevent erosion, dessication, and other sources of damage;

(17) Public access to the storage facility shall be controlled; and

(18) Any other conditions required by the Department to protect the public health and the environment.

Md. Code Regs. 26.04.06.27

Regulations .27 adopted effective 41:10 Md. R. 562, eff.5/26/2014