Section 182.13. Monitoring.

 

(1)   General. The department may require the owner or operator of any solid waste disposal site or facility or any person who permits the use of property for such purposes, to conduct monitoring of groundwater, leachate, surface water or other physical features. In the alternative, the department may conduct its own monitoring or retain an independent contractor, at the expense of the owner or operator of any solid waste disposal site or facility or any person who permits the use of property for such purposes, to monitor groundwater, leachate, surface water or other physical features.

(2)   Groundwater and leachate monitoring. The department shall require the installation of groundwater monitoring wells and may require installation of leachate monitoring wells, lysimeters, moisture probes, and similar devices, and associated water quality sampling and analysis programs to detect the effects of leachate on groundwater.

(a) The number of required wells shall be approved by the department based on the site size, waste types, site design and the hydrogeologic and geologic setting of the site. The number shall be adequate to yield samples representative of the groundwater quality both up and down gradient from the disposal site or facility.

(b) All monitoring wells shall be constructed utilizing a minimum 2-inch inside diameter PVC pipe or similar inert material and in such a manner as to prevent surface water from entering the well bore and inter-aquifer water exchange.

(c) The results of all water elevation measurement and sampling shall be submitted to the department within 60 days of sampling. All data shall be submitted on forms supplied by the department.

(d) Sampling frequency shall, at a minimum, be during the months of March, June, September and December unless an alternate schedule is agreed to by the department. An alternate schedule may be based on the hydrogeologic system's characteristics such as flow velocity, stratigraphy, etc., and fluctuations in quality as defined by background or baseline sampling and waste type.

(e) Sampling parameters shall be based on the results of the waste characterization and specified in the approved plan of operation. The quarterly analysis shall include parameters listed in subd. 1. with a comprehensive analysis, described in subd. 2. , completed on every fourth sampling date.

1. The owner shall determine at a minimum the following on each sampling date:

a. Water level.

b. Field specific conductivity, micro-mhos/cm at 25ºC.

c. Field and lab pH.

d. Concentration of total dissolved solids, mg/liter.

e. The concentrations of the principal contaminant constituents, or indicators thereof, found in the largest quantity in the waste disposed of or stored in the site or facility. Toxicity of contaminants should be considered when parameters are selected.

2. A comprehensive analysis shall quantify the following:

a. Those characteristics listed in subd. 1.

b. The concentrations of other contaminants which would reasonably be expected to occur in leachate from the waste disposed of or stored in the site or facility.

(f) The methods of groundwater sample collection, preservation, and analysis shall be in accordance with the most recent edition of standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater published by the American public health association, or other methods approved in writing by the department.

(g) If the analyses of samples collected pursuant to pars. (d) and (e) indicate that the quality of the groundwater is statistically significantly different from either baseline or background, the owner shall:

1. Notify the department immediately.

2. Determine, if possible, the cause of the difference in quality such as the result of a spill, a design failure or an improper operation procedure.

3. Determine the extent of groundwater contamination or the potential for groundwater contamination.

4. Implement the applicable portion of the contingency plan and notify the department promptly of any additional remedial steps being taken.

(h) If for any reason a monitoring well or other monitoring device is destroyed or otherwise fails to properly function, the site operator shall immediately notify the department in writing. All such devices either shall be restored or properly abandoned and replaced with a functioning device within 60 days of notification of the department unless the owner is notified otherwise in writing by the department.

(i) The department may require the operator to sample public or private wells as part of a regular monitoring program or to determine the extent of groundwater contamination.

(j) No person shall begin construction of a solid waste disposal site or facility until baseline groundwater quality in accordance with the parameters in par. (e) 2. have been determined and results of such analyses submitted to the department.

(3)   Surface water. The department may require the monitoring of surface water runoff, leachate seeps, sump pumpings, sedimentation ponds and other surface water discharges resulting from site operation and of surface waters which may be affected by such discharges.

(4)   Monitoring physical features. The department may require the monitoring of air quality, landfill settlement, berm or embankment stability, vegetation growth, drainage control structures, and may require monitoring of other chemical or biological conditions, if determined to be necessary to assess the impact of the disposal site on critical aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

(5)   Operations report. The department may require the owner or operator of any land disposal site or facility, or any person who permits the use of property for such purpose, to submit an operations report to assess the effectiveness and environmental acceptability of site operations. The contents of the report may include a discussion of confinement of the active area, analysis of leachate, and other monitoring, surface water control and erosion control, revegetation, settlement, volume utilized, leachate quantity and quality, slope stability, equipment performance, volume and type of disposed waste, and other relevant mine parameters.

History: Cr. Register, August, 1982, No. 320 , eff. 9-1-82.

Note

Copies of the reference cited above are available for inspection at the offices of the department of natural resources, the secretary of state's office and the legislative reference bureau and may be obtained from the American Public Health Association, Inc., 1790 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10019. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1