Section 327IAC6.1-7-3. Domestic wastewater application on land with a low potential for public exposure

   (a) Domestic wastewater to be applied to land with a low potential for public exposure must be treated by subdivisions (1) and (2) in the following order before application:

(1) Secondary treatment to produce effluent that has both BOD and suspended solids that do not exceed thirty (30) milligrams per liter and which must include:

(A) activated sludge processes;

(B) trickling filters;

(C) rotating biological contactors;

(D) stabilization pond systems; or

(E) other secondary treatment approved by the commissioner in the permit.

(2) Disinfection by:

(A) chlorination;

(B) ozonation;

(C) chemical disinfectants;

(D) UV irradiation;

(E) membrane processes; or

(F) other processes approved by the commissioner in the permit.

  (b) Domestic wastewater to be applied to land with a low potential for public exposure must meet the following water quality criteria at the time of application:

(1) The pH must be between 6 and 9 standard units.

(2) The BOD must be less than or equal to thirty (30) milligrams per liter as determined from the five (5) day BOD test.

(3) Less than or equal to thirty (30) milligrams per liter suspended solids.

(4) The analysis for fecal coliform using Part 9221 E* and Part 9222 D* must include the following using values determined from the bacteriological results of the last seven (7) days for which analyses have been completed:

(A) The median fecal coliform level must be less than or equal to two hundred (200) fecal coliform per one hundred (100) milliliters.

(B) The number of fecal coliform organisms must not exceed eight hundred (800) per one hundred (100) milliliters in any sample.

(5) If chlorination is used as the means of disinfection, the total chlorine residual after a minimum contact time of thirty (30) minutes must be at least one (1) milligram per liter.

  (c) Monitoring for suspended solids under subsection (e)(3), the suspended solids limits under subsection (b)(3), and the requirement to disinfect under subsection (a)(2) may be exempted by the commissioner in the permit for multicelled stabilization pond systems with a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) days retention time. The exemption is conditional and only applies if the limits for fecal coliforms under subsection (b)(4)(A) are not exceeded. If the fecal coliform limit is exceeded under subsection (b)(4)(A), disinfection under subsection (a)(2) and monitoring of suspended solids under subsection (e)(3) must commence and the suspended solid limits under subsection (b)(3) apply immediately.

  (d) If specified in the permit, no restrictions are placed on fecal coliform organisms in domestic wastewater for land application on land to which public access is strictly restricted and food crops are not grown.

  (e) Monitoring for domestic wastewater to be applied to land with a low potential for public exposure must be completed no less frequently than the following:

(1) pH must be monitored at least weekly.

(2) BOD must be monitored at least weekly.

(3) Suspended solids must be monitored daily.

(4) Coliform must be monitored daily unless subsection (d) applies.

(5) Residual chlorine must be monitored daily.

(6) Pollutants listed in Table 10 in section 1(d) of this rule must be monitored at least annually prior to initiation of land application.

(7) Monitoring at least monthly is required for the following:

(A) Total nitrogen.

(B) Ammonia nitrogen.

(C) Nitrate nitrogen.

(D) Phosphorus.

(E) Potassium.

(8) PCBs must be monitored at least annually.

  *Part 9221 E and Part 9222 D may be found in "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater", 18th Edition, 1992, available from American Public Health Association, 1015 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. This method is also available for copying at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Office of Land Quality, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N1154, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. (Water Pollution Control Division; 327 IAC 6.1-7-3; filed May 15, 1998, 10:20 a.m.: 21 IR 3806; readopted filed Jan 10, 2001, 3:23 p.m.: 24 IR 1518; filed Jul 7, 2003, 4:25 p.m.: 26 IR 3623; errata filed Feb 6, 2006, 11:15 a.m.: 29 IR 1937; readopted filed Nov 21, 2007, 1:16 p.m.: 20071219-IR-327070553BFA; readopted filed Jul 29, 2013, 9:21 a.m.: 20130828-IR-327130176BFA)