Surface Water Treatment Rule Compliance

Illinois Pollution Control Board Regulations and the Surface Water Treatment Guidance Manual form the criteria for making the determinations required to assess filtration adequacy and groundwater under the influence of surface water. The Agency is required to review existing surface water treatment plants to determine whether or not requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule are being met. Based upon the information submitted by suppliers, evaluation of adequacy is performed by Permits engineers and, if necessary, a field evaluation performed by Field Operations personnel. Once all data is complete, a letter reflecting compliance or inadequacy is sent to affected suppliers. Those supplies which do not comply with the filtration requirements or which do not document compliance undergo formal enforcement action and are required to commit to a compliance schedule.

Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water is also addressed by the Agency Permit Section. Actual inspection by the Field Operations Section is conducted when necessary. Once sufficient information has been received to complete the evaluation, a letter (Special Exception Permit) is issued by the Agency to each facility documenting compliance or a compliance schedule negotiated for any required improvements.