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Dealing with Emerging Pollutants: What’s a County to do?

Dealing with Emerging Pollutants: What’s a County to do?. Betsy Cooper King County Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks Pacific Northwest Pretreatment Conference September 8, 2004. King County - several responsibilities. Regional Wastewater treatment Expanding reclaimed water program

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Dealing with Emerging Pollutants: What’s a County to do?

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  1. Dealing with Emerging Pollutants: What’s a County to do? Betsy Cooper King County Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks Pacific Northwest Pretreatment Conference September 8, 2004

  2. King County - several responsibilities • Regional Wastewater treatment • Expanding reclaimed water program • Regional environmental stewardship • Role in planning salmon recovery • Stormwater management

  3. In 2001 emerging pollutants issues began to be raised in projects • Siting two new treatment plants • Siting new and using existing reclaimed water facilities • Preparation of a Habitat Conservation Plan for KC’s wastewater treatment system • Chinook and Bull trout recovery planning

  4. King County determined we needed to look at these questions: • What is known about Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs)? • What can/should a County’s role be in looking at issues associated with these newly emerging pollutant issues?

  5. Range of Possible Actions by the County is Wide • Becoming knowledgeable about the state of the science from literature • County Laboratory gearing up perform additional low-level analyses • Doing research • Sampling our wastewaters • Sampling our surface waters • Becoming a source of public information

  6. Consideration in Deciding the County’s Future Actions • The topic was very complex and involved many scientific disciplines • Decisions and actions could potentially have political and project ramifications • Decisions would have a cost DECIDED TO CREATE: • Technical Group • Toxicologists, Lab staff, project leads, public outreach • Policy Workgroup • Mngrs of WW, Sci and Tech; water policy; PR

  7. First Issue Technical Group Tackled – Definitions • Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) • PPCPs • Pharmaceuticals • Personal Care Products -where are they the same -where do they overlap -where are they different animals all together

  8. What is an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical “An external compound that interferes with or mimics natural hormones in the body that are responsible for the maintenance, reproduction, development and/or behavior of an organism” (EPA 1997)

  9. What should be our Focus? EDCs, PCPPs, both? EDCs • US and European governments have initiated on EDCs in in 1990s • Individual EDCs were beginning to accumulate significant bodies of literature • Pharmaceutical modes of actions not known on wildlife • Personal Care Product contained suspected EDCs • Lab methods and standards were available for specific EDCs, not always for Pharmaceuticals • Current Standards do not include consideration of EDCs

  10. Technical Workgroup prepared recommendations for Policy Group How deep do we delve into: Sample surface waters? Sample wastewaters? Should we do undertake basic research? Should we be a public information source? What are short term and long term answers to all these questions?

  11. Should we sample surface waters?Yes, but in a limited, survey matter • Determined a short list of suspected EDCs that were measurable by Lab • Confirm little data existed for KC waters for these chemicals at the low detection levels • Recognized and illustrate that relative concern about a chemical should in part, depend on whether chemicals are already present in waters • Identify how this effort can be added to already existing sampling programs

  12. Should we sample wastewater effluents?Participate in national studies, consider needs case by case • Sensitivity associated with siting facilities • Sensitivity concerning negotiations with Federal Services on Habitat Conservation Plan agreements • Potential for generating data which could raise concern but would not provide conclusion about harm or effect – No “so what” answer at the end • Participated in EPA study; looking for studies to be part of; staff serving on national panels • Looking at needs on a case by case basis but running sampling thru Technical & Policy Groups Decided to some testing of reuse tech pilot

  13. Should we do research?No • These questions are larger than just KC • EDC effects on are very complex- very chemical and organism specific • County ultimately may have limited ability to address sources Should we be a public info source?Yes, to a limited degree; discussion on-going • Have spent significant staff time preparing internal fact sheet and educating staff throughout the Agency

  14. Today • Technical and Policy Groups are ongoing • Continuing to follow emerging science and educate KC staff in all sections • Considering approach to presenting the data collected • Analyzing results of surface-water sampling and determining if any new sampling of these or other EDCs or PPCPs will be undertaken • Looking at needs for sampling influents & effluents • Continuing to evaluate our role in providing public information, generally and as it effects proposed projects

  15. Thank you Betsy Cooper Wastewater Treatment Division King County Dept. of Natural Resources & Parks betsy.cooper@metrokc.gov

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