The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking comments on an updated version of its study plan for the POTW Influent Study and National Sewage Sludge Survey. The plan was revised based on comments submitted by NACWA, individual utilities and other organizations during the initial comment period for the proposal. 

The updated Study plan and POTW questionnaire were posted to the docket on Oct. 18. NACWA is reviewing the updated documents, although the basic study plan seems to be unchanged.  

For the proposed POTW Influent Study, the 400 largest POTWs in the U.S. would receive an initial questionnaire about their industrial users, including those not currently subject to pretreatment standards. Using the information from the questionnaires, EPA would then select 200-300 utilities to conduct sampling of their influent, effluent, biosolids, and up to 10 industrial users. 

NACWA will submit comments on the updated Study plan and questionnaire by the Nov. 12 deadline. NACWA members should send input for the comments to Cynthia Finley, NACWA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, by Nov. 6.