Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 50, December 14, 2024
Section 78.60 - Discharge requirements(a) The owner and operator may not cause or allow a discharge of a substance to the waters of this Commonwealth unless the discharge complies with this subchapter and Chapters 91-93, 95 and 102, The Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. §§ 691.1-691.1001) and the act.(b) The owner and operator may not discharge tophole water or water in a pit as a result of precipitation by land application unless the discharge is in accordance with the following requirements: (1) No additives, drilling muds, pollutional materials or drilling fluids other than gases or fresh water have been added to or are contained in the water, unless otherwise approved by the Department.(2) The pH is not less than 6 nor greater than 9 standard units, or is characteristic of the natural background quality of the groundwater.(3) The specific conductance of the discharge is less than 1,000 µmHos/cm.(4) There is no sheen from oil and grease.(5) The discharge water shall be spread over an undisturbed, vegetated area capable of absorbing the tophole water and filtering solids in the discharge, and spread in a manner that prevents a direct discharge to surface waters and complies with § 78.53 (relating to erosion and sedimentation control).(6) Upon completion, the area complies with § 78.53.(7) The area of land application is not within 200 feet of a water supply or within 100 feet of a stream, body of water or a wetland unless approved as part of a waiver granted by the Department under section 205(b) of the act (58 P.S. § 601.205(b)).(8) If the water does not meet the requirements of paragraph (2) or (4), the Department may approve treatment prior to discharge to the land surface.The provisions of this § 78.60 adopted July 28, 1989, effective 7/29/1989, 19 Pa.B. 3229; amended December 16, 1994, effective 12/17/1994, 24 Pa.B. 6284; amended March 6, 1998, effective 3/7/1998, 28 Pa.B. 1234; reserved March 30, 2001, effective 3/31/2001, 31 Pa.B. 1736. This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 78.54 (relating to general requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 78.55 (relating to control and disposal planning); 25 Pa. Code § 78.56 (relating to pits and tanks for temporary containment); 25 Pa. Code § 78.57 (relating to control, storage and disposal of production fluids); 25 Pa. Code § 78.61 (relating to disposal of drill cuttings); 25 Pa. Code § 78.62 (relating to disposal of residual waste-pits); and 25 Pa. Code § 78.63 (relating to disposal of residual waste-land application).