Okla. Admin. Code § 252:628-1-3

Current through Vol. 41, No. 19, June 17, 2024

Section 252:628-1-3 - Applicability and general requirements

(a)Applicability. The requirements of this Chapter apply to an applicant proposing the use of IPR Source Water to augment an existing source for a Public Water Supply (PWS) system. Permitted wastewater discharges existing as of the date of the initial promulgation of this rule are not considered IPR discharges subject to the rules in this Chapter.

(b)Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) for surface water (lake) augmentation. This type of planned water reuse involves the discharge of treated wastewater to a surface waterbody by an entity for the purpose of augmenting a lake serving as a source for a PWS system. These rules apply to discharges to both SWS-R waterbodies and other reservoirs designated with the Public and Private Water Supply beneficial use in the Oklahoma Water Quality Standards (OWQS), or upstream of such reservoirs. Discharges to reservoirs designated as SWS-R by the DEQ shall be regulated in accordance with DEQ anti-degradation policy.

(c)Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) for surface water (streams and rivers) augmentation. Based on DEQ's evaluation of flow rates, travel times, distance to water intakes, and other factors, certain discharges of treated municipal wastewater to streams and rivers that serve as a source for a PWS system may also be determined to be IPR and subject to these rules.

(d)Requirements. In general, municipal wastewater effluent that has been treated to secondary standards will need advanced treatment in order to meet, at a minimum, the IPR effluent benchmarks in Subchapter 3 of this Chapter as well as the technology and operational standards described in Subchapters 5 and 7 of this Chapter. In addition, the applicant and their design engineer shall meet the certification and contingency planning requirements of this Subchapter.

(e)Human Health Protection. The goal of these rules is to manage the risk to public health, safety, and welfare from the discharge of IPR Source Water for surface water augmentation.

(f)Potential Impacts. The decision by an applicant to augment an existing source for a PWS system with IPR Source Water is a voluntary activity by the applicant. The applicant should undertake all measures, whether required in this rule or not, to ensure the protection of human health and the environment.

(g)Certification. Engineering reports and plans and specifications shall be signed and sealed by a professional engineer registered in the State of Oklahoma certifying that the submittal was prepared in accordance with good engineering practice. In addition to this certification, the responsible official for the applicant shall submit a cover letter stating that the project will meet the applicable requirements of this Chapter.

(h)Contingency Plan. The applicant shall submit to DEQ for approval a contingency plan describing the steps the applicant will take in the event of an adverse public health situation developing in the receiving waterbody as a result of the applicant's discharge, including but not limited to, harmful algal blooms and harmful concentrations of other pollutants. The plan shall evaluate steps for lake water quality restoration as well as provisions for supplying potable water to the citizens impacted by loss of the PWS system source. The applicant shall demonstrate the capability to respond to the temporary loss of a PWS system source due to IPR impacts.

Okla. Admin. Code § 252:628-1-3

Adopted by Oklahoma Register, Volume 35, Issue 24, September 4, 2018, eff. 9/15/2018

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 40, Issue 6, December 1, 2022, eff. 10/25/2022

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 40, Issue 24, September 1, 2023, eff. 9/15/2023