GLEC is developing a guidance manual for electric utility dischargers who are experiencing water quality-based numerical limits for toxics in their NPDES permits. The manual will provide the dischargers with a strategy to follow that will allow them to pursue the permitting alternatives that are likely to be most cost-effective for the utilities. Issues such as variances, method quantitation limits, use of "clean techniques", intake credits, dissolved versus total recoverable metal measurements, mixing zone evaluations, use designations, resident species procedure, recalculation procedure and water effect ratio studies are all addressed in the guidance. Users will be in the position to make intelligent regarding the permitting options that make most sense for their facility to compare with the cost of treating the effluent to reduce the concentration of the permitted constituent.
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