Schoenborn Family Farms

Serving the pet food industry, this family-owned business operates a small multi-species slaughterhouse facility. Environmental Resources Group (ERG) provides engineering design services, consulting services for addressing state violations, and compliance services.

When they began to operate, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) required Schoenborn Family Farms (SFF) to apply for wastewater discharge permit. Considering the high groundwater conditions and high strength wastewater, EGLE issued our client an Individual Permit and required a raised bed subsurface drainage field to be installed. Unfortunately, due to business growth and poor initial assumptions on the volume of wastewater to be generated, the permitted flow volume through the raised bed was quickly exceeded. 

ERG initially assisted SFF to with a soils evaluation to determine the actual volume of water the raised bed was capable of receiving. Then, knowing they were exceeding the approved flow volume on a regular basis, ERG completed a second soils evaluation to identify the subsurface conditions in the proposed “reserve” field area. 

Eventually, EGLE observed the initial field was in a failed condition (leaking wastewater through the sides of the bed) and issued then a Violations Notice (VN). ERG assisted the client to address the VN issues and completed a feasibility study to evaluate options to meet the State’s new revised slaughterhouse and meat processing general permit conditions. 

ERG’s preliminary design shows that continued operations with a subsurface discharge field is possible and quotes to install a second raised bed drain field have been received. Construction is currently on hold until EGLE issues the final revised permit R2215, and ERG can determine if advanced treatment of the wastewater is necessary prior to discharge. EGLE’s concerns are that continued discharge of high-strength wastewater (treated only by a septic tank) to the same drain field for an extended period of time will cause environmental damages. It appears subsurface discharges will only be permitted in the future if a wastewater treatment system is installed prior to discharge. 

Consequently, ERG has also pre-designed an in-ground storage structure (i.e. lined pond) to contain the wastewater, for six months or longer, prior to land application via irrigation (surface spraying over a large area). The cost to build a storage structure, meeting the required EGLE “industrial” standards is more expensive than daily discharge through a drain field, so SFF is hoping this option is not necessary.

ERG also provides operation and maintenance-related services, working jointly with the owners, to confirm all MiWaters reporting is completed by the required deadlines. 

 SERVICES PROVIDED

Hydrogeological investigation

Design services

Compliance services