STATE OF TENNESSEE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION
CHATTANOOGA ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD OFFICE
540 McCALLIE AVENUE, SUITE 550
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 37402
PHONE (423) 634-5745 STATEWIDE 1-888-891-8332 FAX (423) 634-6389
Certified Mail 7007 0710 0003 2989 8342
Honorable Charles Rollins, Mayor
Town of Monteagle
P.O. Box 127
Monteagle, Tennessee 37356
Subject: COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS RESULTING FROM
EQUALIZATION BASIN COLLAPSE
MONTEAGLE STP NUMBER 1
GRUNDY COUNTY, TENNESSEE
NPDES PERMIT NUMBER TN0021806
Dear Mayor Rollins:
On March 16, 2009, at the site of the collapsed equalization basin I shared with you the
requirements the Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control was imposing upon
Monteagle as a result of the collapsed treatment unit. During that discussion you
requested that I attend the Town of Monteagle Town Council meeting on March 17,
2009, at 9:00 a.m. CDT. I honored that request and on March 17, 2009, during your
Town Meeting, in front of the entire Town Council, citizens of Monteagle, and the news
media I reiterated that the major concern of the Division during this period of emergency
is to protect the health and safety of people and then to protect the environment. To
achieve these objectives, I discussed the required actions that must be immediately
initiated by the Town of Monteagle. These are:
1. Immediately start testing private wells for E. coli bacteria in the Pelham
Valley at the base of Monteagle Mountain where there is the possibility that
private wells might be affected by the waste water entering the groundwater;
2. Immediately start testing Gilliam Spring and any other springs in the Pelham
Valley at the base of Monteagle Mountain where there is a possibility that the
springs might be affected by the waste water entering the groundwater;
3. Determine if there are any citizens utilizing Gilliam Spring or other affected
springs as a source of drinking water;
April 7, 2009
Page 2
4. For those private wells that have elevated numbers of E. coli bacteria present
then those home owners are to be provided with an alternative source of
drinking water by the Town of Monteagle;
5. To determine the full extent of the movement of the waste water once it
entered the groundwater, the Town of Monteagle shall perform a Dye Test
and Monteagle was to provide the Division the name of the consulting firm
that would be performing the Dye Test by March 17, 2009;
6. The Dye Test Work Plan was to be provided to the Division for review and
approval by March 24, 2009, and be implemented as soon as possible.
7. The Town of Monteagle is to install two (2) additional chlorination pumps at
Plant #1 in order so that all future by-passes could be chlorinated prior to
being released into Juanita Creek;
8. Recognizing that Plant #1 no longer has any method to equalize flows and the
fact that the extensive I&I reduction work has not been initiated it is
acknowledged that with rain events Plant #1 will by-pass waste water to
Juanita Creek. To minimize the upset of Plant #1 the town of Monteagle was
advised that flows exceeding the capacity of Plant #1 must be chlorinated and
then by-passed into Juanita Creek. Because of this operational methodology
the Town of Monteagle must continue to monitor private wells in the Pelham
Valley at the base of Monteagle Mountain until the Dye Test has been
completed and the distribution of the contaminated water is known and the
health and welfare of affected citizens is protected; and
9. The Town of Monteagle was authorized to remove the accumulated sludge in
the collapsed equalization basin and dispose of it at the Marion County
Landfill. Division staff assisted the Town of Monteagle in obtaining a Special
Waste Permit from the Tennessee Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste.
After the Council asked questions to clarify any of these points the floor was turned over
to a representative from Griggs and Maloney Incorporated to make a short presentation
on how they would approach the Dye Study. The Council asked several questions and I
was asked if this approach would meet the requirements of the Division. I responded,
yes. The council then authorized a specific budget for Griggs and Maloney to develop a
work plan and bring it to the Council on March 24, 2009.
After all of the discussion I and staff have had with members of the Town of Monteagle’s
Council concerning the above matters, I could not believe that the Monteagle Town
Council would vote at the March 24, 2009, Town council meeting NOT to proceed with
the Dye Study. It is a personal affront to my staff and me for the Town Council to take
this course of action. This is a willful act to violate the requirements of NPDES Permit
No. TN0021806. The Division has always been willing to cooperate with communities
when there is a spirit of trust and the community is acting in good faith. This willful act
on the part of the Monteagle Town Council has violated that trust and stretches the
definition of good faith.
April 7, 2009
Page 3
Let there be no mistake, the Town of Monteagle will conduct a Dye Test and it will
begin the morning of March 30, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. CDT. There will be no more
delays.
If you have any questions concerning any of the above please contact me at 423-634-
5702.
Sincerely,
Richard D. Urban, Ph.D.
Field Office Manager
Division of Water Pollution Control
Chattanooga Environmental Field Office
cc: Patrick Parker, E &C, Nashville, TN
Saya Qualls, Chief Engineer, Nashville, TN
Phil Simmons, Municipal Section, Nashville, TN
1 comment:
Cumberland Harbour
WHAT IS DYE TESTING!!!!
ITS HARMFUL !!!!FOR HUMANS AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENT!!!!
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