US Nitrogen Water Use Jumps

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The amount of water drawn by US Nitrogen from the Nolichucky River jumped in November with more than a million gallons drawn on six separate days.
The totals for withdrawal from the river and the amount pumped back into the Nolichucky were included in a report filed today with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
In a related development TDEC has renewed for two years a permit granted to Yara North America to produce calcium carbonate on the same Midway site with US Nitrogen. The permit was extended to Dec. 3, 2020.
The US Nitrogen report states that a total of 18.6 million gallons were pumped from the river during the month while 6.9 million was pumped back into the river. US Nitrogen uses the river water to produce ammonium nitrate.
In the last report the company reported pumping 11.6 million gallons from the river and discharging 5.7 million back in to the river,
That product is then used by US Nitrogen's parent, Austin Powder, to manufacture explosives.
While more than 1 million gallons were taken on six days, the company pumped minimal amounts on five days.
On nine days the company pumped no water back into the river. The highest discharge daily amounts were slightly above 500,000 gallons and that occurred on four days.
The water is pumped through two 12 mile pipelines from the Midway plant to the Nolichucky. US Nitrogen recently settled suits by landowners who charged that the state permit for the pipeline was illegal and that US Nitrogen improperly placed the pipeline on private property.