place. Soaps, detergents, and wetting agents may also be used by way of their cleansing action. Chemical
decontaminants can be used if more potent applications are needed.
NBC Waste Disposal. Ensure that your personnel take great care in the disposal of NBC-laden liquid
wastes generated by wash down of the equipment or by actual operation. These wastes can be a direct
hazard to your water point operators. This is where the three basic principles used by the commercial nuclear
power industry can also be applied to the disposal of BW and CW wastes. They are:
DI and DIDilute and Disperse.
CO and COConcentrate and Confine.
DE and DEDelay and Decay.
In applying these principles, you can consider one or more of the following procedures:
Discharge downstream.
Confine in a lagoon or other basin.
Expose to weathering processes.
Containerize and ship to a national or international landfill.
In the case of BW/CW, you can add decontaminating chemicals to your consideration list for material to
dispose of as well.
Radiation Safety. If appropriate radiation hazard measures are taken, health risk to the operator and the
soldier will be minimized. You need to apply the principles of time, distance, and shielding to the waste
generated as a result of contaminated water purification. Ensure that operators keep exposure time to a
minimum, they stay away from equipment if it is not necessary to be present during some phases of
operation, and the waste container is shielded with whatever is available (for example: sandbags and parking
another truck nearby). Radiation warning signs can be posted, if available, to keep unnecessary personnel
away from the purification equipment. Other areas occupied by troops should be set up well away from the
purification operation if possible.
Water Production in an NBC Environment. The ROWPU can successfully decontaminate water
up to 99 percent. A post-treatment section must be used in order to remove 99.9 percent of the NBC
contaminants in the product water.
PART I - ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
Environmental Stewardship. The Army environmental ethic is the operating principle and value
governing individual soldiers, units, and the Army. In relation to the environment, you are to care for it by
considering the effects of training operations and logistic activities, managing hazardous materials and waste
properly so that damage to our environment can be reduced. You are to remind your personnel that doing
what is environmentally right helps to ensure that space will be available to conduct realistic training.
Integration. Environmental stewardship must be integrated into everything that units and soldiers do to:
Enhance combat readiness.
Ensure mission completion.
Conserve the fighting strength.
Protect the environment.
Reduce the Army's and the nation's current and future cost for environmental restoration.
Environmental Compliance in United States. In the United States, rules and regulations for
wastewater discharges are normally established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A state may
have an EPA approved program under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES),
established under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The NPDES sets minimum treatment standards for surface
water discharges such as Army purification/storage/ distribution operations and also establishes the
framework for setting additional discharge standards. Dischargers apply for and then obtain an NPDES
permit (or state equivalent) which contains discharge standards/restrictions applicable to the given
discharger. Before operating any water purification unit in the United States, check with the state and local
1-26
QM 4923
Previous Page
