NR 214.15(2)(a)(a) Overland flow systems shall be underlain by at least one foot of heavy textured soils such as clays or clay loams to retard leakage through the base.
NR 214.15(2)(b)
(b) The downslope flow distance shall be 100 feet or greater.
NR 214.15(2)(c)
(c) The downslope gradient for the overland flow fields shall be between 2% and 8%.
NR 214.15(2)(d)
(d) The system shall consist of at least 2 cells of approximately equal area which can be alternately loaded and rested. Where self-propelled equipment which operates on a continuous basis is installed and division into identifiable cells is impossible, its movement shall be regulated to provide alternate loading and resting of the soil.
NR 214.15 Note
Note: It is recommended that an overland flow cell be rested for at least one third of the total time in the load/rest cycle.
NR 214.15(2)(e)
(e) The overland flow treatment system design shall evaluate the interaction between the primary factors influencing system performance and efficiency, such as temperature, downslope flow distance, wastewater hydraulic application rate and the rest period, to optimize treatment on the site.
NR 214.15(2)(f)
(f) The overland flow system shall be arranged so that individual cells within the system can be taken out of service for resting without interrupting the discharge to the remaining cells.
NR 214.15(2)(g)
(g) The distribution equipment shall be arranged so that the wastewater will be evenly distributed over the entire area of an overland flow cell and the wastewater travels down the slope in non-channelized flow.
NR 214.15(2)(h)
(h) The wastewater distribution equipment shall be located at or near the ground level.
NR 214.15 Note
Note: A pressurized distribution system is recommended for ease of operation.
NR 214.15(2)(i)
(i) The wastewater distribution system shall be designed to allow easy cleaning of the distribution orifices. Flexibility to adjust the flow from individual orifices shall be provided to allow the system to be hydraulically balanced to minimize flow channeling.
NR 214.15(2)(j)
(j) An impermeable channel shall be provided for collecting runoff from the overland flow fields. The collection system shall be able to remove the effluent and the rain from a 10-year frequency, 24-hour duration rainfall event with only temporary backing up of water onto the fields.
NR 214.15(2)(k)
(k) The overland flow fields shall be vegetated with a water tolerant mixed perennial grass cover crop such as reed canary grass, tall fescue and orchard grass. A nurse crop shall be used to establish the perennial grass cover. The grass cover shall be maintained by frequent resting.
NR 214.15(2)(L)
(L) Erosion control measures shall be taken during construction to prevent erosion of soil into a surface water.
NR 214.15(3)(a)
(a) The discharge to an overland flow system may not exceed the hydraulic, organic, nitrogen or other limitations specified in a WPDES permit or plans developed pursuant to a permit requirement. In determining discharge limitations, the department shall consider past operating performance, the ability of the system to treat the pollutants in the discharge, hydrogeologic characteristics of the site such as permeability and infiltration rates and other relevant information.
NR 214.15(3)(b)
(b) The flow rates in Table 2 shall be used as a guide to establish discharge limitations. The discharge flow rate is expressed as a flow per unit width of slope.
-
See PDF for table 
NR 214.15(3)(c)
(c) The concentration of any wastewater parameter that may impact groundwater quality shall be limited at the point of discharge to a value that will minimize the concentration of the substance in the groundwater to the extent technically and economically feasible and will prevent exceedence of the preventive action limit in the groundwater.
NR 214.15(3)(d)
(d) The discharge flow rate shall be limited to prevent erosion when the vegetative cover has not developed sufficiently to anchor the soil and create the filter mat necessary for effective wastewater treatment. This condition may occur during original or springtime system startup.
NR 214.15(3)(e)
(e) Winter operation may be allowed as long as the soil surface remains unfrozen. Since treatment efficiency decreases in the winter, the department may require storage or additional treatment of the runoff during cold weather.
NR 214.15(4)(a)(a) The overland flow system discharge shall be monitored for total daily flow.
NR 214.15(4)(b)
(b) The department may require in a WPDES permit that the discharge be monitored for BOD
5, total suspended solids, forms of nitrogen, chloride, metals or any other pollutant that may be present. The department shall select the pollutants to be monitored and the required frequency of monitoring on a case-by-case basis by considering the potential public health impacts, probable environmental impact, soil and geologic conditions, past operating performance, concentrations and characteristics of pollutants in the discharge and other relevant information.
NR 214.15(4)(c)
(c) The department may require electronic or paper submittal of discharge monitoring reports and land application forms.
NR 214.15(5)(a)
(a) The discharge shall be alternately distributed to individual sections of the system in a regular load/rest cycle that allows sufficient resting to dry accumulated solids and maintain a complete grass cover.
NR 214.15(5)(b)
(b) The crop shall be cut and the cuttings removed at least twice per year, to stimulate grass growth and enhance nutrient removal from the system.
NR 214.15(5)(c)
(c) The department shall require each overland flow system owner or operator to submit a management plan for optimizing treatment system performance and demonstrating compliance with the requirements of this chapter. Following approval by the department, the treatment system shall be operated in conformance with the management plan. If the facility wishes to operate differently than specified in the approved plan, a written request shall be submitted to the department for approval to amend the management plan. The plan shall specify information on pretreatment processes, load and rest schedules, scheduled maintenance, vegetative cover management and removal, operational strategies for periods of adverse weather, monitoring procedures and any other pertinent information.
NR 214.15(6)
(6) Soil investigation and groundwater monitoring requirements. The soil investigation and groundwater monitoring requirements for overland flow systems are specified in ss.
NR 214.20 and
214.21.
NR 214.15 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1990, No. 414, eff. 7-1-90;
CR 09-123: cr. (4) (c)
Register July 2010 No. 655, eff. 8-1-10.
NR 214.16
NR 214.16
Subsurface absorption systems. Subsurface absorption systems may not be used to treat commercial laundry, laundromat, motor vehicle cleaning and motor vehicle maintenance wastewaters unless the owner or operator can demonstrate and the department determines that specific factors exist which will allow the wastewater to be adequately treated in a subsurface absorption system.
NR 214.16(1)(a)
(a) A subsurface absorption system shall be located at least 25 feet from the nearest inhabited dwelling and 5 feet from any property boundary.
NR 214.16(1)(b)
(b) The system shall be located at least 1,000 feet from a well serving a community public water supply system and at least 250 feet from other potable water supply wells.
NR 214.16(1)(c)
(c) The bottom of the soil absorption system may not be closer than 5 feet to bedrock or groundwater.
NR 214.16(1)(d)
(d) A new subsurface absorption system may not be located in the floodway as specified in s.
SPS 383.04. Section
SPS 383.04 also contains requirements for replacement of existing systems in the floodway, and for systems in the flood fringe and floodplain.
NR 214.16(2)(a)(a) The system shall be constructed to prevent surface runoff from entering the system.
NR 214.16(2)(b)
(b) Precautions shall be taken during construction of the absorption field system to minimize compaction of absorption areas to prevent a reduction in soil infiltration rate. Project specifications shall detail the specific precautions which will be taken.
NR 214.16(2)(c)
(c) Erosion control measures shall be taken during construction to prevent erosion of soil into a surface water.
NR 214.16(2)(d)
(d) A subsurface soil absorption system including a subsurface pressure distribution system or a subsurface mound system shall be constructed in accordance with design criteria contained in ch.
SPS 383.
NR 214.16(3)(a)
(a) The discharge to a subsurface absorption system may not exceed the hydraulic, organic, nitrogen, chloride or other limitations specified in the WPDES permit or plans developed pursuant to a permit requirement. In determining discharge limitations, the department shall consider past operating performance, the ability of the soils to treat the pollutants in the discharge, hydrogeologic characteristics of the site such as permeability and infiltration rates and other relevant information.
NR 214.16(3)(b)
(b) The concentration of any wastewater parameter that may impact groundwater quality shall be limited at the point of discharge to a value that will minimize the concentration of the substance in the groundwater to the extent technically and economically feasible and will prevent exceedence of the preventive action limit in the groundwater. This will be especially important for parameters, such as dissolved chloride, that do not receive significant treatment in the system.
NR 214.16(3)(c)
(c) Prior to discharge to a subsurface absorption field, all wastewater shall be pretreated in a system approved by the department.
NR 214.16(3)(d)
(d) The volume of discharge to the system shall be limited to prevent the discharge of liquid wastes to the ground surface, to an agricultural drain tile, to any waters of the state or back-up of the wastes into any structure served by the system.
NR 214.16(4)(a)(a) The discharge to the subsurface absorption system shall be monitored for total daily discharge volume.
NR 214.16(4)(b)
(b) The department may require in a WPDES permit that the discharge to the system be monitored for BOD
5, total suspended solids, forms of nitrogen, chloride, metals or any other pollutant that may be present. The department shall select the pollutants to be monitored and the required frequency of monitoring on a case-by-case basis by considering the potential public health impacts, probable environmental impact, soil and geologic conditions, past operating performance, concentrations and characteristics of pollutants in the discharge and other relevant information.
NR 214.16(4)(c)
(c) The department may require electronic or paper submittal of discharge monitoring reports and land application forms.
NR 214.16(5)
(5) Operating requirements. The department shall require each system owner or operator to submit a management plan for optimizing treatment system performance and demonstrating compliance with the requirements of this chapter. Following approval by the department, the treatment system shall be operated in conformance with the management plan. If the facility wishes to operate differently than specified in the approved plan, a written request shall be submitted to the department for approval to amend the management plan. The plan shall specify information on pretreatment processes, monitoring procedures and any other pertinent information.
NR 214.16(6)
(6) Soil investigation and groundwater monitoring requirements. The soil investigation and groundwater monitoring requirements for subsurface absorption systems are specified in ss.
NR 214.20 and
214.21 or the department may accept soil investigations as required in ch.
SPS 383 for discharge proposals for wastewater that is similar in quality to domestic wastewater and where the site conditions are adequate to ensure groundwater protection.
NR 214.16 History
History: Cr.
Register, June, 1990, No. 414, eff. 7-1-90;
CR 09-123: r. and recr (2) (d), r. (2) (e), (f) and (3) (e), cr. (4) (c), am. (6)
Register July 2010 No. 655, eff. 8-1-10; corrections in (1) (d), (2) (d), (6) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register February 2012 No. 674.
NR 214.17
NR 214.17
Landspreading systems for liquid wastes and by-product solids. NR 214.17(1)(1)
Exemption for less than 10% industrial waste in manure pits. Industrial liquid wastes mixed into liquid manure at a volume less than 10% of the volume of the mixture at the time it is landspread may be exempted in writing by the department on a case-by-case basis from the requirements of s.
NR 214.17 (2),
(3),
(4) and
(7) if the liquid waste mixture has beneficial properties as a soil conditioner or fertilizer, is applied in accordance with accepted agricultural practices and does not cause detrimental effects. However, liquid manure storage facilities used to store less than 10% industrial liquid waste shall meet the USDA SCS technical bulletin section IV design criteria 313 (2/86) or 425 (10/83) or equivalent sealing specifications acceptable to the department.
NR 214.17(2)(a)
(a) All landspreading sites shall be approved by the department prior to waste spreading.
NR 214.17(2)(b)
(b) Landspreading sites shall be located at least 500 feet from the nearest inhabited dwelling, except that this distance may be reduced to 200 feet if the waste is incorporated with the soil and any affected owners and occupants give their written consent for the reduced separation distance. The department may require a greater separation distance depending on the type of waste material and potential for aesthetic and public health impacts.
NR 214.17(2)(c)
(c) Wastes may not be landspread closer than 1,000 feet from a well serving a community public water supply system and 250 feet from other potable water supply wells.
NR 214.17(2)(d)
(d) Landspreading sites may not be located in the floodway as specified in ch.
NR 116. Any site located in the floodplain shall conform to ch.
NR 116 and may not be used when the floodplain is flooded.
NR 214.17(2)(e)
(e) Landspreading sites shall be limited to cultivated cropland, tree plantations, pasture or hayland. Other sites may be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
NR 214.17(2)(f)
(f) Landspreading sites shall be limited to a slope of 12% or less when the soil temperatures are above freezing. When the ground is frozen or snow covered, landspreading shall be restricted to sites with slopes of 2% or less. Sites with slopes of 2-6% may be approved for winter time spreading on a case-by-case basis.
NR 214.17(2)(g)
(g) Wastes may not be landspread closer than 200 feet from any surface water, except that the minimum separation distance may be reduced, to a minimum of 100 feet, when a vegetative buffer strip is maintained between the site and the surface water. If the waste is incorporated with the soil, the separation distance from any surface water may be reduced to 50 feet.
NR 214.17(2)(h)
(h) Landspreading sites shall have at least 36 inches of separation between the ground surface and bedrock or groundwater. However, the department may allow a reduced separation distance to a minimum of 18 inches on a case-by-case basis provided the rate of waste application is reduced.
NR 214.17(3)(a)
(a) Vehicles used for landspreading shall be equipped with a distribution system capable of spreading the waste evenly over the site.
NR 214.17(3)(b)
(b) If the vehicle is equipped with a high pressure spray nozzle, the openings shall be sized to prevent plugging and located to minimize wind drift of the waste.
NR 214.17(3)(c)
(c) Any system used for the storage or stacking of wastes prior to landspreading shall be designed and constructed in accordance with ch.
NR 213, or other design criteria as approved in the landspreading management plan. Plans and specifications shall be submitted to the department for approval of such storage or stacking systems.
NR 214.17(3)(d)
(d) Storage or stacking systems shall be sited and operated to minimize odors or other public nuisance conditions.
NR 214.17(4)(a)
(a) The discharge to a landspreading system may not exceed the hydraulic, organic, nitrogen, chloride or other limitations specified in the WPDES permit or plans developed pursuant to a permit requirement. In determining discharge limitations, the department shall consider the past operating performance, nutrient uptake of the cover crop, site conditions, the ability of the soils to treat the pollutants in the discharge, permeability and infiltration rate of the soil, other soil and geologic characteristics, the concentrations and characteristics of pollutants in the discharge and other relevant information.
NR 214.17(4)(b)
(b) The concentration of any wastewater parameter that may impact groundwater quality shall be limited at the point of discharge to a value that will minimize the concentration of the substance in the groundwater to the extent technically and economically feasible and will prevent exceedence of the preventive action limit in the groundwater.
NR 214.17(4)(c)
(c) Liquid wastes or by-product solids containing viable pathogens, such as those from meat or poultry processing operations, may not be applied on fields used for growing crops that may be consumed raw by humans.
NR 214.17(4)(d)1.1. The volume of liquid waste landspread may not alter the characteristics or structure of the soil such that the crop is adversely affected or erosion or permeability problems occur.
NR 214.17(4)(d)2.
2. The volume of liquid waste landspread shall be limited to prevent ponding, except for temporary conditions following rainfall events. If ponding occurs, all spreading shall cease immediately.
NR 214.17(4)(d)3.
3. The volume of liquid waste landspread shall be limited to prevent runoff. If runoff occurs, all spreading shall cease immediately.
NR 214.17(4)(d)4.
4. In order to prevent runoff or control odor, the department may require the waste to be incorporated into the soil.
NR 214.17(4)(d)5.
5. The maximum daily volume of liquid waste applied shall be limited to 13,500 gallons per acre per day (
1/
2 inch) except that when the ground is frozen or snow covered it shall be limited to 6,800 gallons per acre per day (
1/
4 inch).
NR 214.17(4)(d)7.
7. The total pounds of chloride applied shall be limited to 170 pounds per acre per year or 340 pounds per acre per 2 year period.
NR 214.17(4)(d)8.
8. The total pounds of sodium applied may be limited to prevent alteration of soil properties or groundwater contamination.
NR 214.17(4)(d)9.
9. The total pounds of nitrogen applied per acre per year shall be limited to the nitrogen needs of the cover crop minus any other nitrogen, including fertilizer or manure, added to the landspreading site. Nitrogen applied can be calculated on the basis of plant available nitrogen, as long as the release of nitrogen from the organic material is credited to future years.
NR 214.17(4)(d)10.
10. For whey, not including whey by-products, where the nitrogen content has not been determined through sampling and analysis, the nitrogen application rate shall be limited by limiting the yearly hydraulic application rate for a site to 27,150 gallons per acre (1 inch) the first year, 20,360 gallons per acre (
3/
4 inch) the second year, and 13,600 gallons per acre (
1/
2inch) the third and succeeding years.
NR 214.17(4)(e)1.1. The volume of by-product solids landspread may not alter the characteristics or structure of the soil such that the crop is adversely affected or erosion or permeability problems occur.
NR 214.17(4)(e)2.
2. The total quantity of by-product solids applied to the soil shall be within acceptable agricultural practices taking into account the carbon to nitrogen ratio, total nitrogen and the moisture content of the by-product solid.
NR 214.17(4)(e)3.
3. The volume of by-product solids landspread shall be limited to prevent surface runoff of solids or leachate, leaching of contaminants to groundwater and objectionable odors.
