The Pictsweet Company has applied to the Groundwater Discharges Section for a renewal of State of Delaware Spray Irrigation Permit DEN Number 359222-04. The Pictsweet Company currently operates and maintains a wastewater irrigation system under State Permit DEN Number 359222-04. Wastewater generated in association with vegetable processing is screened and land applied through spray irrigation. The Bridgeville facility includes two static screens, a 2.1 million gallon (MG) aerated storage lagoon, irrigation pumps and two spray sites with grass or other vegetative cover crop. The total irrigated area is currently 92.7 acres. The 70.7 acre Pictsweet Site includes five center pivot systems and the 22.0 acre John Ray Farm Site includes one center pivot system. The Pictsweet Bridgeville processing plant is located between the intersections of Federalsburg Rd (State Road 17) and Wesley Church Rd (County Road 561), Federalsburg Rd and Railroad Ave (Rd 546), and Wesley Church Rd and Railroad Ave. The spray irrigation sites are southwest of the processing plant and are located between Federalsburg Rd and Wesley Church Rd. The processing plant is located on tax parcel number 131-10.15-7.00 and 131-10.00-72.00. The Pictsweet irrigation site is located on tax parcel number 131-10.00-72.00 and 131-14.00-7.00. The John Ray irrigation site is located on tax parcel number 131-14.00-2.00, 131-14.00-5.00, 131-14.00-6.00.

The Pictsweet Company has also applied to the Groundwater Discharges Section for a Construction Permit to expand the existing spray field area to include 40.5 additional irrigated acres. The proposed spray irrigation site is southwest of the processing plant and is located between Federalsburg Rd and Wesley Church Rd. The proposed spray expansion site is located on Sussex County Tax Map Parcel Numbers 131-10.00-72.00 and 131-10.00-72.01. If both applications are approved, the renewed Operation Permit will also be amended to allow for irrigation onto the 40.5 acres expansion site once constructed.

The above-mentioned application may be inspected by contacting:

Groundwater Discharges
89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE  19901
Commercial_Government_LegalNotice@delaware.gov
302-739-9948

A public hearing on the above application will NOT be held unless the Secretary of DNREC determines that a public hearing is in the public interest or if a written meritorious objection to the application is received within 15 days from this notice. A public hearing request shall be deemed meritorious if it exhibits a familiarity with the application and provides a reasoned statement of the action’s probable impact.

Related Topics:  permitting and regulation, public notice, spray irrigation, wastewater, water