The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Water, Groundwater Discharges Section will conduct a public hearing (Hearing Docket #2022-P-W-0004) on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, beginning at 6:00 p.m. to consider comments from the public on Artesian Wastewater Management, Inc.’s (AWMI’s) On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System Construction Permit Application and Draft Permit and proposed Draft Permit Amendment to AWMI’s On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Operations Permit No. 359288-02 for the Artesian Northern Sussex Regional Water Recharge Facility (ANSRWRF), now known as the Sussex Regional Reclamation Facility (SRRF).

Construction Permit

Artesian Wastewater Management, Inc. (AWMI) has applied for a State of Delaware Construction Permit for the Phase 2 construction of an onsite wastewater treatment system designed to treat 625,000 gallons per day (GPD) of wastewater received from AWMI’s wastewater service territories in Sussex County. The Phase 2 project’s scope includes the construction of a 3.0 million gallon (MG) combined equalization and off-spec water diversion lagoon, a headworks system consisting of screen and grit removal equipment, an influent lift station, a Hybrid Bardenpho treatment process system, two cloth media filters, an ultra-violet disinfection system, and an effluent lift station to pump treated wastewater to an existing 90 MG treated effluent storage lagoon. The construction project is to be located on Sussex County Tax Map/Parcel Number: 2-35 6.00 28.09; located on a 75-acre site south of Reynolds Pond Road, east of Route 30, north of Ingram Branch and Route 16, and west of Cedar Creek Road, Sussex County, Delaware.

Operations Permit Amendment

Artesian Wastewater Management, Inc. (AWMI) is currently authorized to receive treated poultry processing wastewater (treated effluent) from the Allen Harim Foods Harbeson Processing Facility’s wastewater treatment system for storage in a 90 MG lagoon prior to discharge via spray irrigation for final disposal. This Phase 1 project is operating in accordance with AWMI’s Operations Permit No. 359288-02 for the Artesian Northern Sussex Regional Water Recharge Facility (ANSRWRF), which is now called the Sussex Regional Reclamation Facility (SRRF).

The proposed Draft Permit Amendment to AWMI’s Operations Permit No. 359288-02 will authorize the Phase 2 newly constructed onsite wastewater treatment system to receive and treat wastewater from within AWMI’s service territories in Sussex County. The treated wastewater from the onsite wastewater treatment system will be mixed in the lagoon with the treated effluent from Allen Harim Foods Harbeson Processing Facility’s wastewater treatment system and discharged via spray irrigation onto privately owned agricultural land, under a lease held in perpetuity by AWMI as the wastewater utility provider. The spray fields have been permanently placed in an Agricultural Preservation Easement by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation.

For additional information on the above matter, and to review applications, supporting documents, and draft permits online, visit de.gov/dnrechearings or contact John Rebar, Jr., Division of Water, Groundwater Discharges Section, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE, 19901; by phone at 302-739-9948; or, by email, at John.Rebar@delaware.gov.

Virtual Meeting Information

The web link to the virtual hearing can be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearings site at de.gov/dnrechearings. If prompted for a password, please use: ART.SRRF.Permits . To access the audio-only portion of the virtual hearing, dial in at 1-408-418-9388 and enter event number 2338 948 3371. Closed captioning is available by request if made at least 7 days before the event.

Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC public hearings must pre-register no later than noon of the date of the virtual hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by telephone at 302-739-9001.

The Department will accept public comment through the close of business on Thursday, March 10, 2022. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov or by using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the following address:

Lisa A. Vest, Hearing Officer
Office of the Secretary
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901

Related Topics:  construction, operation, permitting and regulation, public comment, public hearing, public notice, spray irrigation, wastewater, water