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Oil/Water Separators

August 1999 - TI#20382Introduction

What is an Oil/Water Separator?Governing Laws and RegulationsAir Force Policy/Guidance

Pollution PreventionGeneral ConsiderationsReference Documents

For More InformationDocument References

IntroductionOil/water separators are devices commonly used on Air Force installations as a method to separate oilsfrom a variety of wastewater discharges. They are typically installed in industrial and maintenance areasand receive oily wastewater generated during processes such as aircraft and vehicle maintenance and

washing. The effluent from oil/water separators is typically discharged to either a sanitary sewer system ora storm sewer. Discharges of domestic and industrial wastewater are regulated under the Clean Water Act(CWA). Properly designed, installed, and operated, oil/water separators provide a treatment system for

handling oily wastewater that prevents the entry of unacceptable levels of contamination to a storm seweror sanitary sewer system. However, oil/water separators are generally not designed to separate solids orhigh concentrations of oil from water, such as might occur, for example, when a large quantity of oil or

sludge is spilled or poured into a wash bay drain. Thus, it is important for all personnel who dischargewastewater into an oil/water separator to understand how they function, including their limitations, in orderto prevent them from becoming sources of environmental pollution.

The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to discuss common types of oil/water separator systems; thecharacteristics of typical oily wastewater streams; applicable regulations and policies; and pollution

prevention practices applicable to these systems. Sources of additional information on the use andmaintenance of oil/water separators is also provided.

What is an Oil/Water Separator?Oil/water separators (O/WSs) are "in-line" devices used to remove oils and greases (and sometimes solids)from industrial waste streams and storm water discharges. O/WSs operate by employing various physical

or chemical separation methods, including gravity separation, filters, coagulation/flocculation, and flotation.However, the use of any separation process depends on the properties of the oil in the oil/water mixture.

The type of O/WS most frequently used by the Air Force is the gravity separation system. The performanceof gravity separation systems is a function of the relatively low water solubility of petroleum products inwater and their different specific gravities. (NOTE: The specific gravity of a petroleum product is defined as

its density divided by the density of water. Since the density of petroleum products is less than that ofwater, they will float.) Solids, if present in the waste stream, will generally collect at the bottom of the O/WSholding tank and can be periodically removed when the tank is drained for maintenance.

A drain connected to an oil/water separator may be perceived as a convenient place to dispose of any typeof liquid waste or sludge. This erroneous assumption can result in illegal discharges of hazardous

substances to installation sewer systems (which eventually discharge to surface waters) or wastewater

treatment plants. The illustration in Figure 1 shows, in simplified form, the operation of a typical gravityO/WS system.

Pgina 1 de 10FACT SHEET: Oil/Water Separators

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Occasionally, simple gravity type O/WSs do not remove enough oil for the resulting wastewater to meetregulatory discharge requirements. In these cases, coalescing oil/water separators, which are essentially

enhanced gravity-type O/WSs, are needed to achieve greater separation efficiency.

According to Stoke's Law, a 100-micron diameter oil droplet will rise approximately 6 inches in water every

ten minutes. A 20-micron diameter oil droplet will take over two hours to rise the same distance. Becausean oil droplet must rise approximately 48 inches to reach the water surface in a typical gravity- typeoil/water separator, smaller droplets may pass through uncollected. Coalescing (binding together) the

smaller oil droplets makes them larger and more buoyant, causing them to rise faster. Coalescing oil/waterseparators may use inclined plates placed within the separation chamber, which provide only a shortvertical distance (1/4") for the small droplets to travel before they encounter a fixed surface. Here they can

coalesce with other droplets and continue to rise along the plates to the water's surface. Another coalescingmethod uses a filter made of fine oleophillic (oil "loving") fibers such as polypropylene. The fine oil dropletsattach to the fibers as the wastewater flows through. As the droplets get larger, they become buoyant

enough to detach from the fibers and rise to the surface, where they can be collected.

Figure 1. Conceptual Diagram of a Simple Gravity Oil/Water Separator. In a gravity operated O/WS, the oily wastewater is

introduced through the system inlet. Water turbulence is calmed in the inlet chamber behind the first baffle, where solids settle out

and form a sludge on the bottom of the chamber. As the wastewater flows over the first baffle to the middle, or separation, chamber,oil droplets rise to the surface and are trapped behind a second, higher baffle, which has an opening along its bottom edge. The

remaining water passes under the second baffle into the outlet chamber, where it is diverted to a discharge point. Consequently,solid sludges can be collected from the bottom of the inlet chamber and oil droplets that accumulate at the water's surface in the

separation chamber can be skimmed off or otherwise routed to a separate holding tank.

Governing Laws and RegulationsClean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. . 1251, et seq.). Compliance with the CWA requires municipalities to

mandate the concentrations of certain contaminants allowed in discharges directed to the local wastewatertreatment plant. Under the CWA, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) PermitProgram (Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 122) regulates the quality of point-source

wastewater discharges to the environment via sewer systems on DoD installations or from publicly ownedtreatment works (POTW). Therefore, discharges to a local storm water conduit must be covered by aNPDES permit. To discharge to a local sanitary sewer system, the generator must demonstrate compliance

with water quality standards as mandated by the POTW operator, who is ultimately responsible for the

quality of their own NPDES-permitted discharge.

Some pollutant discharges to a sanitary sewer may interfere with the operation of the POTW. Sections 204,208, 301, 304, 307, and 309 of the CWA prohibit the discharge of some pollutants to POTWs and requirepretreatment for other discharges. Thus, the CWA requires POTWs to develop local limits for discharges of

nondomestic wastewater to the POTW. These regulations are codified at Title 40 CFR Part 403, GeneralPretreatment Regulations. Discharges to a sanitary sewer system from oil/water separators may requiremonitoring for oils and greases, total organic compounds, and total suspended solids in order to ensure

compliance with POTW established limits.

Section 311 (Oil and Hazardous Substance Liability) of the CWA establishes requirements for preventing

discharges of oil and other hazardous substances, and requires certain action for spills. These regulationsare codified at Title 40 CFR Parts 110, 112, 116, and 117.

Oil Pollution Act (OPA) (Title 33 U.S.C. . 2701, et seq.). The OPA establishes liability for corrective action

and damages for those parties responsible for a facility from which oil is discharged, or that poses thesubstantial threat of an oil discharge to surface waters. Regulations promulgated under the Oil Pollution Act




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pertinent to oil/water separators include Title 40 CFR Part 110, Discharge of Oil, and Title 40 CFR Part 112,Oil Pollution Prevention, which establishes requirements for the preparation and implementation of Spill

Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans.

Federal Facility Compliance Act (42 U.S.C. . 962, et seq.). Waste stream discharges by installations to

their own federally operated treatment works (FOTWs) historically have not been subject to federalpretreatment regulations. However, proposed administrative rules implementing the Federal FacilitiesCompliance Act will subject FOTWs to the same pretreatment requirements applicable to POTWs found in

Title 40 CFR Part 403 if any single on-base activity generates more than 220 pounds of hazardouswastewater per month, or generates any amount of acutely hazardous waste.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. . 6901, et seq.). With a fewexceptions, underground storage tank (UST) regulations (Title 40 CFR Part 280) promulgated under RCRAdo not apply to oil/water separators (i.e., "process waste traps"). RCRA does not specifically exclude O/WS

tanks from regulation; however, the UST regulations do provide exclusions and deferrals applicable toalmost all O/WSs. Because all POTWs (and certain private treatment facilities) are regulated under theCWA, they are excluded from RCRA UST regulations. When O/WSs discharge (with permission) to a

POTW regulated under the CWA, the O/WS is excluded from RCRA UST regulations.

Oil/water separators that do not have permission to discharge to a POTW, and do not have (or do not

qualify for) a NPDES discharge permit (i.e., their "pre-treated" wastewater is periodically removed and

hauled to a treatment facility), are deferred from having to meet Title 40 CFR Part 280 (TechnicalStandards and Corrective Action Requirements for Owners and Operators of Underground Storage Tanks),

Subparts B, C, D, E, and G. However, such tanks would be subject to the corrective action and financialresponsibility requirements of Subpart H should a release occur. More information concerning RCRA-regulation of O/WS tanks is presented in a 1989 letter to Hunt & Hunt Engineering from the United States

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), copies of which are available from PRO-ACT.

If O/WSs are improperly used, their sludges and oils can become contaminated with a variety of hazardous

substances. Should these hazardous substances leak into the environment, the O/WS may be designateda "solid waste management unit," or SWMU, and be subject to corrective actions under RCRA regulationsin Title 40 CFR Subpart F, Releases from Solid Waste Management Units.

(NOTE: Title 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart VV, National Emission Standards for Oil-Water Separators and

Organic-Water Separators, regulations do not apply to O/WSs at Air Force installations. They are intendedto apply to large treatment facilities that have the potential to emit many tons of air pollutants per year.)

Pollution Prevention Act (Title 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) . 13101, et seq.). The Pollution Prevention

Act (PPA) makes pollution prevention (P2) the national policy of the United States. The primary goal of thePPA is to reduce the amount of pollutants entering a waste stream or the environment. This Act alsoestablished the "P2 hierarchy," which requires that pollution first be prevented whenever feasible. If it

cannot be prevented, it should be recycled. If it cannot be prevented or recycled, it should be treated and/orrendered non-polluting in an environmentally safe manner. Only as a last resort should pollution bedisposed of or released into the environment.

State and Local Requirements. State and local regulatory agencies may require compliance withstandards that may be more stringent than federal requirements. It is important for each installation to

contact their state and local regulatory agencies for information on regulations and standardsapplicable to oil/water separators. This information can also be obtained by contacting the appropriateHeadquarters Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence Regional Environmental Office (REO). Alisting of the REOs and the geographical areas they cover can be obtained from the AFCEE World Wide

Web site at http://www.afcee.brooks.af.mil.

Air Force Policy/GuidanceAi r Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7041, Water Quali ty Compl iance, 13 May 1994. In order to adequatelyprotect surface water and groundwater quality, Section 2.10 of this AFI requires the application of certaincriteria to normal O/WS operation and maintenance activities involving, for example, aircraft/vehicle

maintenance, aircraft washing, fuel storage/transfer, fire training, storm water runoff and collection, andmachine and paint shops. These criteria are:

Perform regular inspections and maintenance of all oil/water separators to maintain water qualitycompliance;




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Use adequately sized oil/water separators to remove incidental releases of residual fuel, oil, grease,and other oily wastes when they cannot be otherwise managed using dry cleanup methods;

Obtain a wastewater discharge permit (NPDES) for an oil/water separator when discharge to awastewater treatment plant is not possible; and

Do not discharge collected fuel, oil, grease, oily waste, solvents, cleaning compounds, or corrosion-

control facility waste or other contaminants into oil/water separators.

Ai r Force Memorandum: Oil /Water Separators Operat ions, Maintenance and Construction , HQ

USAF/CE Memorandum, 21 October 1994. This memorandum serves to highlight, and prohibit, thefrequent improper use of the many hundreds of oil/water separators located at Air Force facilities. Theperception that O/WSs provide an adequate level of treatment for pollutants other than free-floating

petroleum products, as well as breakdowns in operation & maintenance procedures, has led to the potentialfor NPDES permit violations and serious liability and non-compliance problems. Attached to thememorandum is the document Environmental Compliance Policy for Oil/Water (O/W) Separators

Operations, Maintenance, and Construction, which includes specific requirements designed to eliminatenotices of violation (NOV) associated with O/WS discharges. This compliance policy contains the followingspecific requirements:

Existing Oil/Water Separators:

a. Develop and implement a plan for each base to assess the need for, and effectiveness of, existing

oil/water separators with the goal of consolidation or elimination of ineffective units.b. Perform a comprehensive inventory of all existing oil/water separators (including on-line oil and

grease/fuel traps, and small oil/water separators outside of hangars, corrosion control facilities, fuelstransfer/storage operations, Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) maintenance shops, wash racks,

etc.). Identify all separators and the mode of discharge (such as to storm sewer, sanitary sewer,septic tank, or direct discharge to the waters of the U.S.).

c. Identify monitoring and discharge limits.

d. Locate the oil/water separator on the base utility as-built drawings and update the information aschanges occur.

Operations and Maintenance:

a. Eliminate unpermitted pollutants and prohibit discharge of wastewater from industrial operationscontaining hazardous wastes and heavy metals.

b. Implement dry cleanup procedures and only use floor drains to carry residual amounts of floating

petroleum pollutants. Plug floor drains to oil/water separators that carry industrial wastewater frommaintenance shops. Collect, treat, and dispose of industrial waste separately.

c. Establish a primary office of responsibility (to include the functional organization for the management

of pollutants discharged, and Civil Engineering for maintenance of oil/water separators) whichunderstands and has direct control over respective functions.

d. Remove and test oil/water separator sludge regularly prior to disposal to ensure compliance with

sludge disposal requirements. If the sludge is hazardous, take immediate actions to identify andeliminate sources of hazardous pollutants. Dispose of sludge as a hazardous waste and retestwastewater from oil/water separator to assure compliance.

Construction of Oil/Water Separators:Do not build any new separators either through Real Property Maintenance (RPM) or Military Construction(MILCON) projects until completing an evaluation of the effectiveness of all existing oil/water separatorsand establishing a consolidation program. Install a double liner with leak detection system for new

separators including associated oil recovery tanks. Do not build gravity separators for wastewatercontaining emulsified petroleum residuals, Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) releases, and other non-floating pollutants from industrial operations. Do not mix waste streams that are discharged to sewer

systems; CWA and RCRA regulations prohibit discharges without the required level of treatment.

DRAFTAFI 32-7080, Compliance Assurance and Pol lu tion Prevention (will revise existing AFI 32-7080,

Pollution Prevention Program, 12 May 1994). Paragraph 4.3 of this DRAFT states that O/WSs areconsidered "compliance sites" and must be included in the installation's compliance site inventory. Inaddition, paragraph 3.5.2 states that efforts to achieve wastewater compliance will be focused on many

factors, including the elimination/minimization of point sources such as O/WSs.

Engineering Technical Letter (ETL) 99-1: Treatment and Disposal of Ai rcraft Washwater Effluent ,

Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (HQ AFCESA), 7 January 1999. This ETL provides




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technical criteria and guidance on the treatment and disposal of aircraft washwater effluent. It includestypical wastewater characteristics and specific guidance on selecting, procuring, and implementing

treatment and recycling systems, including oil/water separators.

DRAFT Oil/Water Separator Guidance Manual, O/WS Ad Hoc Working Group, Department of Defense

(DoD) CWA Steering Committee. This manual will incorporate and replace many of the guidancedocuments described above and listed below in that it will provide comprehensive guidance on all aspectsof O/WS management, from determining whether or not an O/WS is needed, to proper selection, operation,

and maintenance. A primary focus of the manual will be the discouragement of O/WS use in favor ofimplementing pollution prevention initiatives to eliminate the generation of oily wastewater discharges. Alsoincluded within the manual will be several flow diagrams that help guide readers through decision

processes. Two of these diagrams, "Oil/Water Separator Decision" and "Oil/Water Separator Design," areincluded in this Fact Sheet as a separate reference tool. The Oil/Water Separator Guidance Manual isscheduled for release within the next 2 to 3 months, and copies will be available through the Defense

Environmental Network Information Exchange (DENIX) or from PRO-ACT.




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Pollution PreventionThe Air Force is actively pursuing a policy of "compliance through pollution prevention." As such, it isrequiring the use of pollution prevention solutions (e.g., waste-minimizing process changes and product

substitutions) to modify or eliminate activities that have the potential to cause a violation of a federal, state,or local environmental law or regulation.

Installation industrial and maintenance activities should seek out and institute process changes that willeliminate the need for an oil/water separator. Floor drains in maintenance bays may not be necessary in allcases, particularly if a "dry" process can replace a "wet" process and eliminate a wastewater stream. If a

drain is necessary, it should be protected against spills of non-petroleum products and/or large spills ofpetroleum products. It may be appropriate to connect the drain directly to a properly designed, installed,

and maintained oil/water separator; or to an intermediary sump or holding pond/basin. If an existingoil/water separator is not needed, it should be removed to eliminate any potential liabilities and hazardsassociated with its improper use or abandonment.

Policies, guidelines, technologies, and process changes that can significantly reduce the Air Force'scompliance burden associated with the use, and misuse, of oil/water separator units are contained in thedocuments listed below. Solutions range from the complete removal of an O/WS to improvements in their

design, operation, and maintenance. It is important for base-level personnel to consult with theirindustrial/shop manager and/or unit environmental manager, and the installation environmental manager(EM/CEV) prior to commencing any modification, replacement, or removal of an O/WS. The installation

EM/CEV will consult with the Bioenvironmental Engineer as necessary.

General ConsiderationsO/WSs are typically very simple devices. However, several factors that could potentially affect safety,efficiency, and proper management must be given careful consideration prior to the installation ormodification of any O/WS:




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1. Flow RateIn general, the effectiveness of an O/WS in separating out the oil phase is increased by slower

wastewater flow rates into the separator and longer "residence times" (i.e., the period of time that thewastewater remains in the oil/water separator). When the wastewater enters the receiving chamberof the separator, the velocity and turbulence of the fluid is reduced allowing heavier-than-water solids

to settle, while the larger oil droplets rise to the water's surface. Further separation continues in themiddle chamber (see Figure 1) where smaller droplets of oil rise (more slowly) to the water's surfaceand join the larger droplets. The resulting accumulated oil layer is diverted or "skimmed" to a

separate holding area. The remaining wastewater, once it has passed under the second baffle to theoutlet chamber, is discharged (with proper authorization and/or permitting) to a local stormwater orsanitary sewer system.

2. Design CapacityAn O/WS has upper limits to the amounts of oil and sludge that can effectively accumulate while it isin operation. If too much oil accumulates in the receiving and middle chambers, it may flow into the

wastewater outlet chamber and end up being discharged to the environment. Proper O/WS designwill ensure the separator capacity is sized to meet the needs of the process.

3. Emulsifying Agents

Detergents and soaps designed to remove oily grime from equipment, weapon systems, vehicles, orother components can adversely affect the operation of a gravity O/WS. These types of emulsifyingagents are specifically formulated to increase the dispersal of oil into tiny drops in water, which is

why they are such good cleaners. When these soapy wastewaters enter the O/WS, it takessignificantly longer for the oil to separate, if it can, from the water. Excessive use of detergents canrender an O/WS inefficient by completely emulsifying oils into the wastewater stream and allowing it

to pass through the system. Low-emulsifying soaps are available that allow oil separation to occurmore quickly after the soapy water enters the O/WS. (NOTE: Personnel must not use low-emulsifying soaps on weapon system components unless they are specifically approved by the

weapon system's single manager.)4. Maintenance Practices

The ability of oil/water separators to function properly depends upon the timely performance of

required service and maintenance. Oil/water separators must be monitored and maintained bycompetent personnel who understand how the systems operate. O/WSs should be given the sameclose attention given to any other important piece of equipment. The operators, users, and

maintainers of the O/WS must clarify who will be responsible for monitoring, inspecting, maintaining,and servicing the system. Frequent inspections should be made of the system and all associatedpiping, valves, etc. to prevent operational and mechanical failures or inefficiencies. Sludges and oils

that are not periodically removed from O/WSs can render it inoperative. Additionally, leaks fromoil/water separators can result in environmental pollution, which can trigger costly investigativestudies and cleanups. Rigorous implementation of an O/WS inspection and maintenance plan can

prevent discharges from the oil/water separator that may contaminate the environment.5. Suitablilty of O/WS System to Mission

An oil/water separator designed and installed to meet a past mission requirement may no longer be

suitable when mission requirements change and/or the original maintenance plan is no longerfollowed. An O/WS that is put to a use for which it was not originally designed may be damaged ormay not function properly, and could become an environmental liability. For example, an oil/water

separator designed to receive the wastewater discharge from a small fighter aircraft washrack willnot be able to properly treat larger wastewater volumes from washing larger aircraft. Missionchanges can also result in changes to the physical/chemical makeup of the wastewater being treatedby an oil/water separator. Finally, mission changes may also necessitate the modification of

stormwater and wastewater drainage systems. Such systems should remain separate from eachother because excessive drainage of stormwater to an O/WS could significantly impair its operationand efficiency.

The suitability of an O/WS system may be enhanced by placing it aboveground, which provideseasier accessibility for maintenance and leak detection. Aboveground systems are also significantly

less expensive to install than underground units. However, O/WSs require pumping of thewastewater from the area of the floor drain, possibly causing increased turbulence and less efficientseparation. In addition, cold climates may pose a problem if the unit is exposed to the elements.

6. Contaminants Contained in the Wastewater StreamMetallic particles in the wastewater will settle into the sludge at the bottom of the O/WS. Solvents or

fuel compounds may also be entrained in O/WS sludge. This sludge could require managementunder the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as a hazardous waste if it exhibitscertain toxicity characteristics. Therefore, it is important to prohibit the discharge of certain types of

potential contaminants into an O/WS, and to regularly analyze sludge samples to determine toxicity




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prior to disposal. To reduce the accumulation of sludges, floors should be dry-swept before washing.General improvements in spill/drip control and containment of hazardous materials and oils will also

reduce the amount of contamination in O/WS discharges.

Reference DocumentsThere are a number of excellent reference documents that can assist installations with the design,installation, and maintenance of O/WSs. These documents are available on the World Wide Web (WWW)where indicated, or from PRO-ACT.

Waste Water Recycling and Pre-treatment Systems: An Alternative to Oil/Water Separators,Armstrong Laboratory, 1997. This report presents a comparison between conventional O/WSs and two

other alternatives: a closed-loop wastewater recycling system and a sanitary sewer pre-treatment dischargesystem. Also provided are recommendations for implementing the concepts presented in the report,including installing recycling units, removing O/WSs, installing pre-treatment systems, plugging drains, and

preventing discharges.

MIL-HDBK-1005/16, Wastewater Treatment System Design Augment ing Handbook, 31 October 1997.

This handbook supplements commercial design guidance documents adopted by the military for use indesigning wastewater treatment facilities at military installations. Section 5 of this handbook addressesmilitary applications of oil/water separators, including determining need, design, and selection.

MIL-HDBK-1138, Wastewater Treatment System Operations and Maintenance AugmentingHandbook, 31 October 1997. This handbook augments the series of O&M field study training manuals

prepared by California State University and the California Water Pollution Control Assoc. for the UnitedStates Environmental Protection Agency. The series has been adopted for use by the military andaddresses most topics pertinent to wastewater treatment O&M.

Optimizing DoD Investments in Oil/Water Separators and Closed-Loop Recycle Treatment Systems,U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC), 1997. This guidance addresses the chronic problem of oil/water

separators that are not properly designed and maintained. It evaluates and contrasts the traditional lowercost oil/water separators with higher cost closed-loop recycling units, which are far more protective of theenvironment.

ETL 1110-3-466, Selection and Design of Oil/Water Separators at Army Facilities, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers (USACE), 26 August 1994. This document contains information useful for planning, design, andconstruction of oil/water separators and appurtenances at U.S. Army facilities. The information is well

organized and potentially applicable to any military installation.

Final Report of the Coalescing Tubes Test for Oil/Water Separators (O/WSs), U.S. Army Aberdeen

Test Center, September 1998. This report compares the performance of the same O/WS unit both with andwithout oleophillic (oil "loving") coalescing tubes.

Oil/Water Separator Installation and Maintenance: Lessons Learned, U.S. Army Center for PublicWorks Technical Note, 31 October 1996. This document states that the military is one of the largestpurchasers of oil/water separators in the U.S. It also discusses the fact that, in recent years, many of the

oil/water separators installed by the military are not performing adequately due to problems with the design,

selection, introduction of the wrong types of wastes, and lack of proper maintenance. As a first step towardconfronting some of these issues, this document illustrates the most common problems associated with

installing and operating oil/water separators at DoD installations.

Oil/Water Separation Technology User's Reference and Application Matrix. The purpose of the U.S.

Army WWW site is to compile and organize O/WS-related information into a comprehensive, easy to usereference tool for installation personnel. It is organized into five sections: Overview, Application Matrix,Design Decision Tree, Common Questions & Problems, and a Search Engine. Visit this WWW site at

http://aec-www.apgea.army.mil:8080/prod/usaec/et/ows/titlepage.htm.

In an effort to update and maintain environmental technology user requirements, the U.S. Army

Environmental Requirements and Technology Assessments (AERTA) WWW site has been developedand is hosted on DENIX at http://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/DOD/Policy/Army/Aerta/default.html.

Organizations with technology user requirements can benefit from the AERTA site, which shares lessonslearned, potential technology solutions, and current research and development products that may solvetheir technology problem. Environmental Requirement No. A (2.2.e), Improve Oil and GreaseRemoval/Treatment Technologies for Contaminated Wastewaters and Sludges/Soils, contains links to




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many useful equipment vendor sites (skimmers, centrifuges, filters, coalescing units, etc.) and sources ofmore information for O/WS selection. This requirement is located at

http://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/DOD/Policy/Army/Aerta/Need_assessment/A22e/a22e_a.html.

For More Information . . .

The video "Proper Operation and Maintenance of Oil Water Separators " was produced by theHeadquarters Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence's Regional Environmental Office in

Dallas (HQ AFCEE/CCR-D), and the Environmental Divisions of Headquarters Air Education andTraining Command (HQ AETC/CEV) and Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command (HQAFRC/CEV). It provides excellent instruction on the proper operation and maintenance of oil/water

separators to installation personnel serving logistics, maintenance, and civil engineering functions.Copies of the video are available from PRO-ACT. As always, PRO-ACT is available to respond toquestions from our eligible customers concerning oil/water separators. Contact us by telephone at

DSN 240-4214 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Mr. Thomas Moreland, Environmental Quality Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Center for

Environmental Excellence, (HQ AFCEE/EQ). Mr. Moreland is available to discuss Air Force

projects and issues concerning storm water and wastewater pollution prevention. He can be reachedby telephone at DSN 240-5303 or by e-mail at [email protected].

The focus of the Wastewater Systems Program, Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Suppor t

Agency (HQ AFCESA/CESC) is to develop guidance and establish standards for the programming,design, construction, operation, maintenance, and revitalization of wastewater infrastructure andtreatment systems. For more information, contact Mr. Myron Anderson, Program Manager, HQ

AFCESA/CESC, DSN 523-6345 [email protected]. Visit the Waste Water SystemsProgram WWW site at http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/WasteWtr/Wastewtr.htm,where you will be able to download some of the above-mentioned documents.

Mr. Jay Shah, Environmental Division, Office of the Air Force Civil Engineer (HQ USAF/ILEVQ).Mr. Shah is available to discuss Air Force policy issues concerning O/WS including funding,installation, replacement, and removal. He can be reached by telephone at DSN 327-0120 or by

e-mail [email protected].

Docurment References1. Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. . 1251, et seq.), and administrative rules promulgated

thereunder.2. Oil Pollution Act (OPA) (33 U.S.C. . 2701, et seq.), and administrative rules promulgated thereunder.

3. Federal Facility Compliance Act (42 U.S.C. . 962, et seq.), and administrative rules promulgatedthereunder.

4. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. . 6901, et seq.), and

administrative rules promulgated thereunder.5. Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) (42 U.S.C. . 13101, et seq.), and administrative rules promulgated

thereunder.

6. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7041, Water Quality Compliance, 13 May 1994.7. Air Force Memorandum: Oil/Water Separators Operations, Maintenance and Construction, HQ

USAF/CE Memorandum, 21 October 1994.8. DRAFT AFI 32-7080, Compliance Assurance and Pollution Prevention (will revise existing AFI 32-7080, Pollution Prevention Program, 12 May 1994).

9. DRAFT DoD Oil/Water Separator Guidance Manual, June 1999.

10. Engineering Technical Letter (ETL) 99-1: Treatment and Disposal of Aircraft Washwater Effluent,Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (HQ AFCESA), 7 January 1999.

11. Waste Water Recycling and Pre-treatment Systems: An Alternative to Oil/Water Separators,

Armstrong Laboratory, 1997.12. MIL-HDBK-1005/16, Wastewater Treatment System Design Augmenting Handbook, 31 October

1997.

13. MIL-HDBK-1138, Wastewater Treatment System Operations and Maintenance AugmentingHandbook, 31 October 1997.

14. Optimizing DoD Investments in Oil/Water Separators and Closed-Loop Recycle Treatment Systems ,

U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC), 1997.15. ETL 1110-3-466, Selection and Design of Oil/Water Separators at Army Facilities, U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers (USACE), 26 August 1994.




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16. Final Report of the Coalescing Tubes Test for Oil/Water Separators (O/WSs) , U.S. Army AberdeenTest Center, September 1998.

17. A Decision Tree for Improving Washrack Oil/Water Separator Operations, USAEC, January 1998.18. Oil/Water Separator Installation and Maintenance: Lessons Learned, U.S. Army Center for Public

Works Technical Note, 31 October 1996.

19. Oil/Water Separation Technology User's Reference and Application Matrix, http://aec-www.apgea.army.mil:8080/prod/usaec/et/ows/titlepage.htm.

20. U.S. Army Environmental Requirements and Technology Assessments (AERTA) WWW site,

http://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/DOD/Policy/Army/Aerta/default.html.21. Environmental Requirement No. A (2.2.e), Improve Oil and Grease Removal/Treatment

Technologies for Contaminated Wastewaters and Sludges/Soils,

http://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/DOD/Policy/Army/Aerta/Need_assessment/A22e/a22e_a.html.
