Wastewater Compliance & Permitting

Sampling
For companies that are required to sample their wastewater discharge(s), Admiral’s field personnel have accumulated significant experience with wastewater sampling in a wide range of industrial and commercial facilities. Because our staff has been with Admiral for so many years, our clients see the same field technician sampling their facility for years. This has significant benefit as our clients receive highly efficient service (our technicians know where to go, the best way to grab each sample, etc.) and knowledgeable personnel that identify potential problems or cost savings. This saves our clients time and money.

We have the necessary equipment to collect wastewater samples. This includes automatic wastewater sampling, wastewater flow metering, grab sampling, and continuous pH monitoring. It should be noted that certain testing must be performed immediately upon collection and our field technicians are fully trained to perform this protocol (IEPA required for pH, total residual chlorine, and temperature).

Beyond the task of correctly collecting samples, properly documenting them, and analyzing and reporting the results, Admiral personnel provide an easily understandable letter summarizing procedures and results, and explain if the facility/process is compliant or not. And if not, we also explain what to do with the results.

Treatment Trouble-Shooting
Because our knowledgeable field sampling technicians are so experienced, they’re often the first to spot existing or potential problems with a facility’s discharge. If this occurs, we first notify our client verbally, and then work with the client and our team of experts to trouble-shoot the nature of the problem in order to provide a practical, economical solution (if it’s determined one is needed for continued compliance). All of this is done in the context of trying to save the client time and money and to minimize disruptions to the facility’s processes and production.

We have considerable experience in responding to violations and enforcement actions. This includes investigation of the root-cause of the violation and identification of appropriate actions and improvements. We do not sell treatment equipment or chemicals, so we are not biased to expensive correction actions.

Our professional staff is knowledgeable of the wastewater discharge regulations and reporting requirements promulgated by the many regulating agencies throughout Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area. Of particular benefit to our clients regarding violations is that our staff is well respected by these agencies and has an excellent working relationship with them. Because of this, our clients often ask us to directly interact with agency staff on their behalf and attend compliance hearings in response to violations.

Many companies in northeast Illinois are regulated by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), other municipal sewage districts (Publically Owned Treatment Works - POTWs), and/or require a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit. As such, in many instances, wastewater sampling is needed and permit application forms must be compiled, completed, signed, and submitted to the appropriate regulatory agency. Since 1971, Admiral has provided expertise and experience helping industrial clients through all of these permit application processes and modifications.

It should be noted that northeast Illinois POTWs not under MWRD jurisdiction have issued their own special industrial permitting and/or reporting requirements, including: