China - Liao River Basin Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 2 of 2) : Environmental assessment summary report

E430 Volume 2 Liao River Basin Project (LRBP) Environmental Assessment Summary Report January 2001 MONTGOMERY WATSONV L UlfCRPOUA FILE COPY   a Montgomery Watson/LUCRPO Liao River Basin Project quality required by its functional uses by 2005 and to achieve the sustainable utilization of water resources based Environmental Assessment on their functions by 2010. To meet these goals, the Plan calls for reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge by 600,000 tons by 2000, SUMMARY REPORT 140,000 tons by 2005 and additional 90,000 tons by 2010, making the total COD reduction of 830,000 tons over the 10- 1. INTRODUCTION year period. This would require the construction of 55 municipal wastewater treatments in the LRB (24 in Liaoning The Project consists of four wastewater treatment plants, province), as well as 225 industrial pollution source control industrial pollution control projects at two paper mills, urban projects (118 in Liaoning province). upgrading, institutional strengthening and several non- physical components related to environmental management. With the funding support of the European LUnion (EU), The wastewater plants are located in Shenyang (the Liaoning province launched the Liaoning Integrated provinicial capital), Jinzhou, Panjin and Yingkou. The paper Environmental Program (LIEP) in 1999. This is a mills are near Yingkou and Jinzhou. All except Jinzhou are comprehensive planning project to evaluate environmental located within the Liao River Basin (LRB), as shown in factors and develop strategies to redress the balance between Figure 1. the various demands for water in the LRB catchment and for sustainable environmental management in Liaoning The LRB, with a total catchment area of 220,000 kM2, has province. The LIEP has identified 15 municipal treatment four major rivers, the Liao, Hun, Taizi, and Daliao. One third plants in the basin as priority investments. of the Liao River catchment and the entire Hun-Taizi-Daliao network lie within Liaoning province, population 42 million The four municipal wastewater treatment plants, to be built people. The rivers drain through 11 industrial and population in LRBP are top of the lists of 15 priority municipal centers and rich agriculture areas in the province before treatment plants identified by the LIEP, and together with the discharging into the Bohai Sea. two paper mill pollution control projects, are part of the Plan of the State Council. As such, these treatment plants are a In 1997, the State Council of the Chinese central government pivotal part of the effort to meet the State and provincial announced "Decisions On Issues of Environmental goals for pollution control and sustainable water resources Protection" (the Decisions), which has since become a management. primary guide for the country's environmental protection and pollution control effort. One of the important initiatives An Environment Assessment (EA) was conducted for each under the State Council's Decisions is the "Three Lakes and physical component. A project wide environmental impact Three Rivers" pollution control program, referring to the six assessment (EIA) report and environmental management landmark and most sensitive water bodies and river basins in plan (EMP), collectively known as the EA documentation, China. The Liao is one of the three rivers and the LRBP is has been compiled by the Liaoning Provincial thus one of the highest priority pollution control programs in Environmental Research Institute, with the assistance from the country. the project DRA consultant, Montgomery Watson. This document is a summary of the EA documentation. The State Council approved in 1998 the Ninth Five-Year Plan and 2010 Program for Liao River Basin Pollution Control and Prevention (the Plan). The Plan sets a goal to eliminate below-Category V water quality from all LRB surface water bodies by the end of 2000, to recover the water  ei Montgomery Watson/I,UCRPO Figure 1: Map of Liaoning Province _ iai C,', 1CC 3;' N '>' .. _; LEGEND T'ew- Id 0CRe. . 'hong PegCi o Jilim Provino C. C IR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!iLOPBPCCC LIAO RIVER BASIN ,> RGu < 24i 1 9 -' l LPROJECT (LRBP) LIAONING PROVINCE PR CHINA Localion of Project Ciiies ASS W:~~~~LURP DPR Ci Noith KC0 - tCNSiWi-V 5T 0 20 40 60 oIGUmetres FIGURE2.I 2  Montgomery Watson/LUCRPO 2. SURFACE WATER STANDARDS Project, with design provision for the more stringent The most important assessment criteria and environmental ammonia-nitrogen criteria in future stages, target standards are the surface water quality classification of Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water, GHZB I - 1999. According to this standard, surface water quality has Other environmental discharge/emnission and ambient been divided into five categories depending on their environmental quality standards applied in the EA include: functional uses. These categories and key parameters within * Ambient Air Quality Standards, GB3095-1996; the standard are as follows: * Environmental Noise Standards for Urban Areas, GB3096-93; Table 2.1 Surface Water Quality Classification * Standards for Noise at Boundaries of Constrmction Sites. GB 12523-90; and Category Description Key parameters (mg/f, except * Standards for Wastewater Discharge and Air Ermissions _ _ _ pH) COO NO3-N pH in Liaoning Province, DB21-60-89. Applicabl to sources of <15 0.5 6.5-8.5 watcr bodies and 3. EA COVERAGE inational niature reserves Applicable to Class A is 0.5 6.5-8.5 According to the project TOR, the EA covers the following water resource protecti(on areas: for drinking watcr or precious fish * Shenyang section of Hun river; Applicable to Class B 21 0.5 6.5-8.5 * Panjin section of Liao river; water resource and * Jinzhou section of Xiaoling river; general fishing or * Yingkou section of Daliao river and estuaries; swimming9 VGeneral industrial wate* 30 1.0 6.5-8.5 Immediately adjacent areas surrounding the wastewater supply or secondary interceptors, pumping stations and treatment plant sites; recLeational use and v Agricultural water 4!) 1.5 6-9 * Impacts to the LRB and to the Bohai Sea by the project. resource or general amenity purposes 4. CURRENT SITUATION There are two existing wastewater discharge standards Available water resources in the Liao Basin are limited. applicable in Liaoning province for discharge into surface Average water resources in the Liao catchment are 20% of water bodies: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Aeag aerrsure i h La athen r 2%o water bodies: the national average. Water resources available for * The national Comprehensive Wastewater Discharge agriculture are 12% of the national average. River flows in Standards for discharge into Category IV and Category the LRB vary dramatically in different months and seasons. V water bodies (GB8978.96); and In a typical year, July and August flows amount to 60% of * The more stringent discharge standards adopted by the annual flow whilst the flow in the driest month Liaoning Environmental Protection Bureau for the (February) amounts only to 0. 1 % of the yearly total. In many province. rivers in Liaoning province, the dry season flow is mainly wastewater discharged from various industrial and municipal The most important difference between these two standards sources. are COD (120 mg/e for the national standards versus 100 mg/' for provincial standards) and ammonia-nitrogen (25 Water resources in Liaoning province are seriously over- mg/e for the national standards versus 15 mg/f for the utilized. While over 81% of surface water resources and 43% provincial standards). LRBP will adopt the more stringent of groundwater resources are utilized, water supply still Provincial COD standard as the design criteria for the cannot meet the demand. At the present, annual water supply is about 7.8 billion m3 while the demand is 8.3 billion in3. 3  ff) -Montgomery Watson/LUCRPO leaving a 500 million m3 water supply deficit each year in exclusively, on shallow water wells as their primary the province. With the provincial priority set for the key state drinking water sources; industries, agriculture and municipal water supplies are often * Contamination of farm land and crops, as farmers in the sacrificed. The continued excessive exploitation of water LRB may have little choice but to use water with quality resources has caused significantly lowered groundwater exceeding irrigation water standards; and tables over a reported area of 389 square kilometers. * Adverse impacts on water quality and fisheries resources in the Bohai Sea, to which LRB rivers The Liaoning province is one of the most concentrated urban discharge; and and industrial areas in China. There is however only one * Adverse impacts on wetlands at the estuary. operating municipal wastewater treatment plant and limited industrial wastewater treatment capacity. In the meantime, The urgency for immediate improvement in the LRB wastewater from point sources in Liaoning province is environment is apparent. Not only has the province missed expected to reach a total 2.1 billion m3 containing over its year 2000 surface water quality and COD reduction goals, 643,000 tons of COD in the year 2000. Of this amount, the water quality in the LRB rivers is worsening. The LRBP approximately 70% of the wastewater and COD are from will start to reverse the trend of water quality deterioration industrial sources and 30% from municipal sources. With the and is an important first step in achieving the state and current lack of wastewater management infrastructure, most provincial environmental goals. of the wastewater is discharged to surface water bodies without treatment. Besides COD, other main contaminants 5. PROJECT DESCRIPTION discharged include BOD, ammonia-nitrogen, oil & grease, Major components of the LRBP are summarized in Table 5.1 and suspended solids. and plans showing the project conmponents in each of the project cities are included in this Sumnmary: The lack of proper water resources management in the LRB, particularly the lack of provision of treatment facilities for * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Table 5.1 Liao River Basin Project Components wastewater from various sources, compounded with the lack of dilution and assimtlative capacity in LRB rivers, has Components Description Scope of Service resulted in severe pollution of surface water in Liaoning Shenyang * 5 km interceptor pipeline * 44 industrial province. Standard WaeWastewater * 4 ncw and 4 upgraded discharges province. Standard Water quality in LRB rivers is reportedly puumping stations * 75 km2 urban area the worst among the seven largest river basins in China. * 40 km sewerage collection * 1.2 million pipeline population * a 400,000 Vd wastewater The severe pollution of LRB has had the following treatment plant Panjin * 15km interceptor pipeline * 21 industrial consequences: Wastewater * 2 new and 4 upgraded discharges * Loss of beneficial use of LRB rivers, including pumping stations * 40 km2 urban area t, r* a 100,000 t/d wastewater * 230,000 population industrial and municipal water supply sources (urban treatment plant and rural), aquaculture, irrigation, and groundwater lJinthou * 10 km interceptor pipeline * 30 industrial Wastewater * a 100,000 t/d wastewater discharges recharge; treatment plant * 51 km2 urban area * Extinction of fish andI other water borne species in most . 528,000 populatios Yingkou * 17.5 km interceptor * 16 industrial rivers within the province and destructive effects to the Wastewater pipeline discharges * 2 pump stations * 22 km2 urban area aquatic ecosystem; * sewerage system * 453,043) population * Pollution of shallow groundwater layers in the short extensions * a 100,000 Vd wastewater term and deep groundwater aquifers over the long term; treatment plantewater * Health risk of drinking water supply especially for rural Jincheng * process relovatioii for * I industrial Paper Mill elimination ot mercury disctarge residents who rely heavily and, in many cases containing process 4  Montgomery Watson/LUCRPO Components Description Scope of Service Compost may also be used in the landfill as covering Yingkou * 3000 I/d red liquor * Industrial material. Considering the large quantity of compost to be Paper Mill treatment and rec(overy discharge produced and seasonal fluctuation in demand for such a * 60,000 rid white liquor and effluent treatment plant product, a large storage area is reserved at the same site to Shenyang * linperial Palace renovation control the demand variation and provide for curing of the Urban * Beiling and Dongling Upgrading Parks Preservation compost. Studies are also planned to be undertaken on heavy Non-physical * Urhan rintnagemento metal content and suitability of sludge for agricultural use. Components geographical information systemrs * Environmental water Figure 2: Proposed Shenyang wastewater treatment quality monitoring plant site * Environmenital revolving fund * Strategic studies * Institutional strengthening and training * Coinstruction moanagemen_ti and supervision The municipal wastewater treatment plants have a uniform ' ,- . _ design with some minor variations corresponding to the characteristics of influents and other conditions in each FJJI 1 it project city. The uniform design compress screening and grit removal followed by a conventional activated sludge system and secondary clarification. The sludge produced will be thickened by belt thickener. Thickened sludge will then be chemically conditioned and finally dewatered by belt press Jinzhou - Jinzhou wastewater treatment plant will produce to produce sludge cakes with approximately 20% dry solid. 80 t/d sludge. An agreement has been reached with the city Final effluent will be discharged without disinfection. In the whereby dewatered sludge will be disposed of at the city's case of Shenyang. the sludge will in addition be digested sanitary landfill 12 km from the plant. anaerobically. Panjin - Panjin wastewater treatment plant will produce 80 t/d sludge. The city plan to use windrow technology for Disposal of sludge generated from the wastewater treatment composting the sludge at a site approximately I kmn from the plants represents a key component of the project. The sludge plant. Panjin has a large area of saline, sterile land and the management plans for each city are as follows: compost can be used as a soil conditioner for land Shenyang - Phase 1 of the Shenyang wastewater treatment improvement and reclamation. Panjin has included the cost plant will produce up to 400 t/d sludge requiring disposal. of sludge composting into operating cost estimates and plan The city plans to convert its municipal solid waste site at to provide the compost product free of charge to local Laohuchong, approximately 32 km from the wastewater farmers and other landowners in the region. treatment plant, into a sanitary landfill but it will only have Figure 3: The wastewater treatment plant site of Panjin 500 tld capacity in its first phase. The city has agreed to absorb 150 t/d municipal sludge during its first phase and 300 t/d sludge when the landfill capacity increases to 1500 t/d. Shenyang plans to compost 260 tld sludge using the conventional windrow technology at a 10 ha. site near the wastewater treatment plant. The compost will be used for l , 11 landscape, forest land and other land application which do - - ' ,* not involve consumable crops or enter into the food chain. 5  a Montgomery WatsonI,UCRPO Figure 4: Pangxie Ditch which will receive effluent from Figure 6: Yingkou Paper Mill outfall the wastewater treatment plant in Panjin_ Yingkou - Yingkou wastewater treatment plant will produce It is critical to the success of the LRBP that institutions and 80 tld sludge. An agreement has been reached with the city personnel responsible for implementing the proposed project for disposal of dewatered sludge at the city's sanitary landfill are equipped with the management skills and technical 2 km from the plant. Over the long term, Yingkou will ability to implement the project. For this reason an extensive introduce composting technology for sludge disposal, program of technical assistance (TA) has been recommended provided that a sustainable market for the compost product in the Feasibility Study Report and will form the basis for can be demonstrated. institutional strengthening for provincial and municipal PMOs, Provincial EPB and the proposed wastewater Yingkou and Jincheng Paper Mills - The Yingkou paper P mill wastewater treatment plant will generate 80 t/d companies. industrial sludge, to be disposed of in the city's municipal solid waste landfill. The Jincheng paper mill project will 6. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE involve process renovation and will have no sludge. 6.1 GENERAL SETTtNG The Liao River Basin is located in the Liao River Plain. The Figure 5: Yingkou Paper Mill outfall general topography slopes from north to south and from east to west towards the Bohai Sea. The elevation of inland cities of Shenyang and Jinzhou is approximately 30-60 meters Zb ., aabove sea level while that of coastal cities Panjin and Yingkou is only 4-7 meters. Liaoning province has a rich and complex geology. The Quaternary fluvio-lacustrine and glacial sediments form the most important groundwater aquifers in the LRB. They include gravels, sands and silts up - ; , ;to 420 meters in thickness which are intercalated with clays deposited during three marine transgressions. 6.2 CLIMATE CONDITIONS AND AIR QUALITY The Liao River Basin is located in the temperate zone where a monsoonal climate dominates. The climate is characterized by distinct seasons and sharp temperature change. Average annual precipitation varies between 350 to 1200 nm. Within a typical year, some 80% of total annual 6  a - Montgomery Watson/LUCRPO precipitation occurs in the period from June to September. precipitation. The dry season typically occurs from Table 6.2 summarizes the main climatic characteristics of the November to February each year. Many sections of IRB project cities. rivers are completely dry or carry only wastewater discharged from various municipal and industrial sources. Table 6.2 Relevant Climate Indicators of Four Project The annual flows in LRB rivers can also change sharply Cities from year to year. River discharges in a high flow year are Parameter Shenyang Panjin Jinzhou Yingkou typically 2-3 times of that of a low flow year. Max.LMin. 39.3/-33.1 3(.2/-21.0 36.5/-30.0 28.51-14.5 Tempe-ature Annual 735 8(0 601 550-600 6.4 WATER DEMAND AND SUPPLY precipitationl (mm) In a typical year, the total water utilization in the province is Anniual 65 66 60 65 average 65 10.56 billion m3, mostly of which (over 60%) is for huaidity3. agricultural applications followed by industrial (21%) and Annual 3.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 average wind municipal (16%) uses. Water supplies are mainly from speed (m/s) reservoirs rivers (pumped and gravity) and deep and shallow Prevailing SW (summerj SW (summer) SSW SW (summer) , wind (summer) = groundwater aquifers. Figure 7 shows the Water Use Freeze period 151 146 (36 130 Structure in Liaoning Province. (d) A_ _ __ _ Soil freeze 1.2 1.13 1.18 1.18 [dep(h ~rm IFigure 7: Water Use Structure All four proposed wastewater treatment plant sites are green Water use structure in Liaoning field sites. There are no industrial operations or urban activities near the sites. An air quality monitoring program conducted from July to November 1999 confirmed the high Indra use air quality of these sites except Shenyang. At the Shenyang l site, monitored data on odor, NH3 and H