Archived
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Location
Lexington, Kentucky
Start Date
5-5-2026 2:30 PM
End Date
5-5-2026 3:00 PM
Description
State and federal regulations require that landfills, including coal combustion residual (CCR) landfills, be designed and operated to maintain leachate head levels of less than 30 centimeters (approximately 1 foot). While proper leachate collection system design and routine maintenance are critical for meeting this requirement, challenges such as clogging of drainage media, pipes, fittings and/or pipeline perforations, settlement of collection pipes, and breaks in the piping system can lead to elevated leachate levels, posing risks to compliance and long-term system performance. TRC will provide an overview of leachate collection system regulatory requirements along with design, operation, and maintenance strategies that enhance system reliability, reduce operational costs, and mitigate risks of non-compliance. In addition, TRC will present a detailed case study of a CCR landfill that faced persistent elevated head levels. The case study will highlight the systematic analysis of the problem, including root cause identification, targeted corrective actions, and the implementation of optimized operational practices that successfully restored compliance. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how these strategies can be applied to both new and existing landfill systems to improve performance, extend system lifespan, and achieve regulatory compliance with greater efficiency.
Document Type
Presentation
Archival?
Archival
Included in
Energy Systems Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Mining Engineering Commons, Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons, Structural Materials Commons, Sustainability Commons
From Clogs to Compliance: Overcoming Persistent Leachate Head Issues in CCR Landfills
Lexington, Kentucky
State and federal regulations require that landfills, including coal combustion residual (CCR) landfills, be designed and operated to maintain leachate head levels of less than 30 centimeters (approximately 1 foot). While proper leachate collection system design and routine maintenance are critical for meeting this requirement, challenges such as clogging of drainage media, pipes, fittings and/or pipeline perforations, settlement of collection pipes, and breaks in the piping system can lead to elevated leachate levels, posing risks to compliance and long-term system performance. TRC will provide an overview of leachate collection system regulatory requirements along with design, operation, and maintenance strategies that enhance system reliability, reduce operational costs, and mitigate risks of non-compliance. In addition, TRC will present a detailed case study of a CCR landfill that faced persistent elevated head levels. The case study will highlight the systematic analysis of the problem, including root cause identification, targeted corrective actions, and the implementation of optimized operational practices that successfully restored compliance. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how these strategies can be applied to both new and existing landfill systems to improve performance, extend system lifespan, and achieve regulatory compliance with greater efficiency.
