Andrew Mai

12/10/16
WWTP Write-up
Fire Department Camp 13 WWTP & Disposal Ponds
The camp is a female juvenile detention center of 120 people and its wastewater
discharge is regulated by the State Water Resources Control board which regulates
wastewater discharges to surface water and groundwater. This inmate facility
generates waste from kitchens, restrooms, showers and laundry facilities. The codes
references are California Water Code (CWC) section 13263(e) which provides all
waste discharge requirements. The WWTP uses physicochemical and biological
treatment involving secondary clarifiers, tertiary filter chambers, chlorine contact
and effluent holding tank as well as biological treatment with disinfection. Sludge
generated is transported to the Sanitation District a of Los Angeles County to
Pomona Water Works Reclamation Plant. The camp is located in an un-sewered
location so the WWTP discharges effluent that is disposed through is a series of 7
evaporation/percolation ponds to groundwater. The ponds use the natural geology
of the site and were originally created in the 1950s by cutting into the bedrock to
create rectangular and triangular ponds, each about 20ft by 50ft with a depth of 5
ft. The beds of the ponds are composed of a mixture of weather volcanic rock and
volcanic bedrock as well as a mixture of artificial fill of volcanic basalt. From 2011 to
2014, the camp averaged about 10,000 gpd of domestic wastewater. The effluent
limitations include maximum flow of 24,000 gpd, pH of 6.5-8.5 pH units, as well as
BOD5, TSS, turbidity, oil and grease, TDS, sulfate, chlorine, Boron, N-NO3-, N-NO2-,
TN, Methylene Blue Active Substances (MBAS), residual chlorine and coliform
bacteria. Chlorine is measured due to chlorine contact system used; the residual
chlorine is monitored. The receiving water from the ponds that percolate to
groundwater underlying the camp is measured through 3 monitoring wells that were
installed previously. The groundwater quality requirements have less regulated
limits (only TSS, sulfate, chloride, B, N-NO3-, N-NO2-, TN and coliform) are to be
measured. Tables of inorganic contaminants including metals are referenced at the
end of the document as well as references to tables of radionuclides, organic
chemicals and disinfection byproducts. The organic chemicals are monitored as VOC
(volatile organic chemicals) or Non-volatile synthetic organic chemicals.

http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/losangeles/board_decisions/tentative_orders/individual/non
-npdes/Forrester_and_Fire_Warden_Camp_13/TentativeWDRs.pdf