March 2014 - Florida Water Resources Journal

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Published by BUENA VISTA PUBLISHING for Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc. President: Patrick Lehman, P.E. (FSAWWA) Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Vice President: Howard Wegis, P.E. (FWEA) Lee County Utilities Treasurer: Rim Bishop (FWPCOA) Seacoast Utility Authority Secretary: Holly Hanson (At Large) ILEX Services Inc., Orlando

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Training Questions

COLUMNS

NEWS AND FEATURES

15 Guest Column: Words on Water—

4 Demand Management: Controlling Energy Costs—Bryan R. Lisk 24 Florida Shares Karst Knowledge in China—Florida Department of Environmental Protection

26 30 32 32 34

Technology Spotlight FSAWWA Drop Savers Contest Obituary 2013 FSAWWA Awards Improving Water Resources in Southwest Florida: The Case of the Picayune Strand Restoration— Hubert B. Stroud

Raymond A. Pilon

20 FWEA Focus—Greg Chomic 22 Certification Boulevard—Roy Pelletier 28 FWRJ Reader Profile—Irma Stella Maria (Alexandra) Terral

30 FSAWWA Speaking Out—Carl R. Larrabee Jr.

33 C Factor—Jeff Poteet 39 Legal Briefs—Gerald Buhr

DEPARTMENTS 40 42 45 48 50

38 News Beat

TECHNICAL ARTICLES

New Literature New Products Service Directories Classifieds Display Advertiser Index

16 Performance Contracting: An Integrated Solution for Achieving Sustained Operational and Energy Efficiency—Zia Qureshi and Andrew Apgar

FSAWWA: Donna Metherall – 407-957-8443 or fsawwa.donna@gmail.com FWPCOA: Shirley Reaves – 321-383-9690

For Other Information DEP Operator Certification: Ron McCulley – 850-245-7500 FSAWWA: Peggy Guingona – 407-957-8448 Florida Water Resources Conference: 888-328-8448 FWPCOA Operators Helping Operators: John Lang – 772-559-0722, e-mail – oho@fwpcoa.org FWEA: Karen Wallace, Executive Manager – 407-574-3318

Websites Florida Water Resources Journal: www.fwrj.com FWPCOA: www.fwpcoa.org FSAWWA: www.fsawwa.org FWEA: www.fwea.org and www.fweauc.org Florida Water Resources Conference: www.fwrc.org Throughout this issue trademark names are used. Rather than place a trademark symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, we state we are using the names only in an editorial fashion, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. None of the material in this publication necessarily reflects the opinions of the sponsoring organizations. All correspondence received is the property of the Florida Water Resources Journal and is subject to editing. Names are withheld in published letters only for extraordinary reasons.

Authors agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Florida Water Resources Journal Inc. (FWRJ), its officers, affiliates, directors, advisors, members, representatives, and agents from any and all losses, expenses, third-party claims, liability, damages and costs (including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees) arising from authors’ infringement of any intellectual property, copyright or trademark, or other right of any person, as applicable under the laws of the State of Florida.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING 9 Florida Water Resources Conference 21 TREEO Center Training 29 FSAWWA Training 31 FWPCOA State Short School 33 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium 41 FWPCOA Training Calendar

Volume 66

ON THE COVER: Karst landforms on the Lijiang River in Guilin, China. Learn how the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Geological Survey are sharing information about the state’s karst topography with China in the article on page 24. (photo: Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

March 2014

Number 3

Florida Water Resources Journal, USPS 069-770, ISSN 0896-1794, is published monthly by Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc., 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Clermont, FL 34711, on behalf of the Florida Water & Pollution Control Operator’s Association, Inc.; Florida Section, American Water Works Association; and the Florida Water Environment Association. Members of all three associations receive the publication as a service of their association; $6 of membership dues support the Journal. Subscriptions are otherwise available within the U.S. for $24 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Clermont, FL and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Florida Water Resources Journal, 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Clermont, FL 34711

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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Demand Management: Controlling Energy Costs Bryan R. Lisk Reducing energy usage and costs is rapidly becoming a major priority for water and wastewater utilities. Typical energy management strategies for water and wastewater facilities fall into the following three categories: Energy Efficiency Improvements. These opportunities focus on reducing the amount of energy used to perform a specific function such as aeration, pumping, mixing, lighting, etc.

Resource Recovery. This includes opportunities to recover wasted energy sources (i.e., biogas, hydraulic energy, and heat) and beneficially use them to offset the purchased energy sources (electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, etc.). This includes opportunities such as biogas-fueled combined heat and power systems (CHP) and thermal energy recovery systems.

Demand Management. Managing a facility’s operations to reduce the electrical demand as metered by the electric utility to reduce purchased energy costs.

It is important to note that energy efficiency improvements and resource recovery opportunities are focused on reducing the energy usage, whereas demand management focuses less on reducing energy usage and more on reducing energy costs. Since most demand management opportunities require little or no

plant modifications, demand management opportunities can be implemented at a very lowor zero-capital cost. The purpose of this article is to describe common demand management strategies that can be implemented by water and wastewater facility owners and the important role the electric utility billing rate has on demand management strategy development.

Demand Management and Electric Utility Billing Structure There are numerous demand management strategies that water and wastewater facilities can implement to reduce energy costs.

Since all water and wastewater facilities have different operating requirements and utility billing rates, effective demand management strategies will be unique for each facility.

In order to identify and implement beneficial demand management opportunities, the purchased electric utility billing rate structure must be fully understood. The structure defines how a facility is charged for its largest energy source and will therefore have the highest impact on demand management strategy development. The rates vary greatly among the utilities and the regions they serve; however, most electric utilities base their billing rate structures on: energy usage charge, measured in kilowattshours (kWh); demand charge, measured in kilowatts (kW); and a facility charge for the utility owned equipment. The following is a description of each of these billing components.

Energy Usage Charges Energy usage is the product of plant demand and time; for example, a 1-kW heater operating for one hour will use one kWh of energy.

Typically, the electric utility billing energy usage charge is either a flat rate (i.e., ¢6.25/kWh) or the energy usage charge can vary with the “time or use.” Time-of-use rates vary the cost of energy with the time of day the energy is used. Generally, utility companies change their time-of-use rate for the summer and winter seasons so that the higher energy rates coincide with the seasonal high demand periods.

Metered Demand Charges Demand charges are used by a utility to provide the capital cost for the facilities to provide the electric service to the customer. Demand charges are typically based on the peak 15- to 30-minute plant demand metered by the electric utility during a billing period. For example, the demand charge for the billing period shown in Figure 1 will be based on the metered peak 15-minute demand (7500kW) for the 30day billing period, even though the average demand is well below the peak demand.

Minimum Billing Demand Charges Many electric utility billing rates will include a minimum billing demand charge that will be charged to the customer if the metered demand charge is below the minimum billing demand charge threshold. In most cases, this charge is defined as a part of the electric utility service contract. Some electric utilities will establish the minimum billing demand charge as a percentage of the peak metered demand from the preceding 12 billing periods. Figure 2 shows as example of a 12-month minimum demand charge based on 90 percent of the peak demand. Demand management opportunities can only generate benefit from demand reduction if the plant demand is above the minimum billing demand level. This example illustrates the importance of understanding minimum billing demand charges when developing demand management strategies.

Developing Demand Management Strategies

Figure 1. Single Billing Period Demand Profile

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Most demand management strategies are based on managing the plant load in coordination with the electric utility billing rate. This minimizes energy usage during the periods Continued on page 6

Continued from page 4 when energy costs are high (peak periods) and/or reduces the plant’s peak demand to reduce electric demand charges. Other demand management opportunities exist by utilizing on-site power generation systems to participate in electric utility emergency response and load curtailment programs.

The goal of managing demand is to reduce cost by minimizing the electrical demand when energy and demand charges are at their highest, per the electric utility billing rate. This is typically achieved by managing plant operations to reduce demand during on-peak hours and/or utilize on-site power generation capacity to manage plant demand. The demand management strategy will depend on the cost ratio between the energy and demand charges

and the differences in cost between the on-peak and off-peak billing periods as defined in the facility’s electric utility rate structure.

The first step in developing demand management strategies is to evaluate the electric utility billing rate structure and the average plant demand profile to understand how the plant demand profile, in conjunction with the electric utility billing rate, is impacting the overall electric energy cost. In many cases, the plant peakdemand charges will have a significant impact on the overall cost of electric energy. To illustrate this concept, Figure 3 shows two hypothetical plant-demand profiles: one with a high peaking factor, and the other with a lower peaking factor.

For each profile, the energy usage for the billing period is the same (2330400 kWh each). For most utility billing rates that include a demand

charge, the electric utility costs for the high-peak scenario will be higher due to the elevated demand charges, rather than the low-peaking scenario, even though the energy usage was the same in both cases. This illustrates the potential benefits from managing a plant’s operations to minimize the peak-demand charges.

Common demand management strategies that can be used to control demand and energy costs include: Defer noncritical loads to off-peak hours when energy and demand charges are lower. Noncritical loads such as dewatering, filter backwashing, and some mixing loads are examples of loads that are commonly deferred to offpeak periods. Deferring dewatering operations has a secondary benefit by reducing the nitrogen loading from the filtrate return to the secondary process during the on-peak periods, which can increase the aeration demand.

Utilize equalization storage to reduce diurnal fluctuations to minimize high pumping and aeration loads.

Interlock intermittent loads such as filter backwash pumping, air scour blowers, and large air compressor loads so that they do not operate concurrently, resulting in elevated demand charges. It is also possible to interlock intermittent loads with other continuous loads (i.e., backwash pumps and digester mixing pumps) that can be stopped without negatively impacting the process to offset the demand.

Utilizing On-Site Power Generation to Manage Demand

Figure 2. 90 Percent Minimum Demand Charge Example

Figure 3. High- and Low-Peaking Plant Demand Profiles

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Many electric utilities offer remand response programs that provide a financial incentive to their customers to reduce their demand during periods of high demand. A plant’s ability to reduce or eliminate its demand during peak hours benefits the utility by balancing the utility grid loads during periods of high demand. Plants that have the ability to significantly reduce their load through operation changes and/or by using on-site power generators can benefit significantly from these programs. For example, Duke Energy’s Powershare® demand response program will compensate customers who have the ability to reduce their load during curtailment periods defined by Duke Energy. Typically, water and wastewater facilities can reduce their energy costs up to 10 percent—and sometimes more—when participating in demand response programs.

Many water and wastewater utilities utilize on-site power generation to curtail load under an electric utility demand response program.

Utilizing on-site power generators to manage demand under a demand response program is a very effective way to reduce energy costs; however, the use of on-site power generators to manage demand is considered nonemergency Continued on page 8

Continued from page 6 use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and therefore must comply with the nonemergency use emission requirements of the local air permitting board, the EPA New Source Standards, and the EPA National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants.

Summary Demand management opportunities can result in low- or no-cost energy savings. The key to developing beneficial demand management strategies is to understand the plant’s electric utility billing rate and identify process and operation changes that, in coordination with the electric utility rate schedule, reduce energy and demand charges. Significant cost savings have been realized when electric utility demand response programs have been incorporated into the overall demand management strategy.

Bryan R. Lisk, P.E., CEM, is a senior associate with Hazen and Sawyer in Raleigh, N.C. This article is reprinted with permission from the Ohio Water Environment Federation Buckeye Bulletin, Issue 4/2013, www.ohiowea.org.

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GUEST COLUMN: WORDS ON WATER

Alternative Sources: It’s All in the Funding Raymond A. Pilon Any debate about alternative water supplies and resources starts initially with definitions, followed by policy discussions. The discussions always end, however, with the topic of funding and revenue resources.

We can identify conservation, surface and river water, and desalinization (including groundwater reverse osmosis), define them in legal terms, and set legislative policy for water all day long. However, unless the legislature gets serious about identifying revenue sources for alternative water, it will just be all talk.

That’s not to say that we have not made progress in the past few years. It has become clear that we can balance the needs of all water users. Public supply, the environment, business, and agriculture cannot only exist together—each taking an appropriate piece of the water pie—they can also make the entire pie more reliable.

Alternative water supplies save groundwater for agriculture and the environment, and watershed restoration and preservation keep the water pie sustainable. In addition, conservation, best management practices, and infrastructure maintenance keep demand and use in check. You can’t name a water resource issue for any user that can’t help another user if we are smart and cognizant of everyone’s needs.

So, if we accept that alternative water supply is a key component of both expanding the water pie and benefitting other users, either directly or indirectly, how do we pay for it?

The trust-fund source also dried up, and grants and water management district funding became much more limited.

So, where are we today? The economy is improving, albeit slowly, and business revenues and real estate are on the upswing. Is it as good as it was? No, but the deep breath we were forced to take during the recession did have the positive effect on water users by not having to deal with growth on steroids. This gave everyone time to rethink their needs, projections, and strategies.

The Water—Money Nexus It’s now time to realize that the connection between water and the economy will be forever linked. We can build all the roads we want and create a positive business climate, but without well-managed, reliable water resources, there will be no economic growth for Florida in the future.

Alternative water resources are a key spoke in the water supply wheel—and in the economic wheel as well. Currently, we have the opportunity to readdress funding through the trust fund. I believe we should amend the law to provide revenue at a base level: If the economy improves, the revenue from documentary stamps paid into the trust fund should increase proportionally; if the economy takes a downturn, revenues would be diminished proportionally. However, this source is a trust fund, which like most other such funds, becomes a target for a fund sweep by the legislature, and it is not likely that that attitude will change. We could temper this policy by a restoration clause that states if the revenue is swept in, either in whole or part, it will be restored within a given number of years.

Funding Mechanisms Public-Private Partnerships The state, water management districts, and local governments were doing fairly well prior to the recession. Senate Bill 444, the Water Sustainability and Protection Act, became law, and documentary stamp revenue was allocated to fund it. Grants and cooperative funding were available from the water management districts, in partnership with local governments, and projects were funded and completed. Things changed dramatically with the decline in ad valorem revenue collected by the water management districts, and state budget cutbacks due to a sharp decline in stamp revenue caused by the housing crash.

Then there is the P3 legislation, which was passed last year and opened up the opportunity for infrastructure funding through public-private partnerships. Perhaps this is not a silver bullet, but it’s an opportunity nevertheless.

Caution has to be used in any public-private partnership, and the contract conditions are by far the most important element of these scenarios. For smaller governments, this tool may not work unless it is combined with other government efforts in their areas. Regional cooperation by local governments is the most

cost-effective way to fund alternative water supplies—or any water project, for that matter.

Water management districts should be able to fund more projects as the economy improves; prioritizing these projects, however, is a necessity. The best example of a funding matrix is that utilized by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).

Based on available ad valorem revenues, project funding goes first to regional water supply authorities, then to multigovernment projects, and finally, to local projects not applicable to either of the other categories. This matrix was further enhanced for alternative water supply projects when trust-fund dollars were available. Instead of up to 50 percent of project cost coming from ad valorem water management district revenues and 50 percent from local cooperators, trust-fund dollars allocated to SWFWMD were reallocated to projects via a “one-third” formula: one-third was funded through trust-fund dollars, one-third from water management district ad valorem, and one-third from local partners.

If budget dollars are again available this year, the legislature would do well to adopt a similar matrix for at least the alternative water supply projects. Even then, however, I have concerns about a nonreoccurring budget appropriation, since most projects require longerterm funding simply due to the length of time it takes to build a project. In addition, the legislature passed a bill to allow 30-year water use permits, more closely aligned to 30-year bonding terms. The revolving water and wastewater loan fund is still available, but the dollars are usually small and better suited for smaller utilities and nonalternative water supply projects.

Finally, in the upcoming Florida legislative session, we are confronted with water quality and environmental issues dealing with springs restoration, the Indian River Lagoon cleanup, and Lake Okeechobee and Everglades restoration. As mentioned previously, these projects in many ways are complementary and can improve available water resources. Both houses are anticipating an allocation on nonreoccuring dollars. My hope is that we will continue to explore more sustainable funding for water supplies, resources, and infrastructure.

Raymond A. Pilon is a member of the Florida House of Representatives from District 72, and a member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee and Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.

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F W R J

Performance Contracting: An Integrated Solution for Achieving Sustained Operational and Energy Efficiency Zia Qureshi and Andrew Apgar hile today’s cities and counties face numerous challenges, few operations face tougher requirements or more demanding circumstances than water and wastewater utilities. Budget shortfalls, shrinking revenues, and staff reductions make it nearly impossible to address aging and inefficient infrastructure and escalating regulatory demands. In addition, there is mounting political and public pressure for utilities to become more sustainable.

In its 2012 report, “Buried No Longer: Confronting America’s Water Infrastructure Challenge,” the American Water Works Asso-

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ciation highlights the need for many communities to significantly increase their levels of investment to address aging water and wastewater systems in order to sustain public health and safety and to meet the next generation of environmental standards. Also in 2012, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) reported that an investment of at least $12.8 billion is needed to improve Florida’s drinking water infrastructure to ensure the safe delivery of water for the next 20 years. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) purports that this amount should be $16.5 billion. The ASCE also reported that another

Figure 1. Paying for Targeted Improvements

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Zia Qureshi, P.E., is the national manager for water/wastewater solutions, and Andrew Apgar is a business development manager with Schneider Electric in Tampa.

$19.6 billion is required to improve Florida’s wastewater systems for the same time period.

Florida’s utilities lack funding and face an enormous structural deficit—and the gap between these is quickly expanding. They are looking for partners with the necessary expertise, proven experience, and effective approach to help them address their challenges.

The solution to the infrastructure challenge may be performance contracting.

But what exactly is performance contracting and how can it benefit utilities?

Originally developed in the 1980s as a project funding and delivery mechanism for building envelope systems, performance contracting is a turnkey solution that can help utilities leverage the benefits of process improvements and efficiency measures and make much-needed improvements to their water and wastewater facilities without the need for capital investment. Instead, utilities can reallocate utility and operating-expense savings to pay for targeted improvements (Figure 1).

Energy services companies (ESCO) are contractors that specialize in the development and delivery of programs that integrate design, scope development, construction, and performance verification services into a performance contract. Program improvements generate energy and operational savings (and in some cases can increase revenues), maximize energy efficiency, decrease life cycle costs, and improve the utility’s ability to meet future mandates and operational demands.

Best of all, these economic benefits are guaranteed by the ESCO and are used to fund the program’s capital requirements. In the event of a savings or revenue shortfall, the ESCO is required to make restitution. As such, the performance risk is transferred from the utility to the ESCO.

Traditional Procurement Versus Performance Contracting For many years, municipal and public agencies have employed the design-bid-build (DBB) model to procure capital projects. The track record of DBB is extensive and filled with numerous drawbacks, proving it to be a cumbersome delivery system for complex projects and often leading to scope, cost, and schedule creep. As such, DBB is expensive, fraught with performance and operational efficiency challenges, and does not transfer risk from the owner in the way that performance contracting does.

In contrast, performance contracting allows for a design-build-at-risk offering with very prescriptive requirements and outcomes, minimizing the “gaming” of the process. Because contract execution is timely and delivered through a single source of responsibility with robust performance guarantees that are measured and verified annually, the general consensus is that performance contracting is up to 20 percent less expensive than traditional procurement methods.

Florida’s municipalities and utilities have multiple options when procuring performance contracting solutions. Agencies can select an ESCO directly from the state term contract for energy savings, piggy-back off of an existing performance contract, or procure services via a request for qualifications (RFQ) or invitation to negotiate (ITN).

Enabling Legislation Numerous states have enacted performance contracting legislation. The Florida Legislature recently amended Florida Statute 489.145, “The Guaranteed Energy, Water, and Wastewater Performance Savings Contracting Act” in July 2013 and specifically included language to address water and wastewater projects.

Highlights of the New Law The addition of the following water and wastewater efficiency measures: “Meter replacement, installation, or modification; installation of an automated meter reading system; or other construction, modification, installation, or remodeling of water, electric, gas, fuel, communication, or other supplied utility system.”1 “Any other energy conservation measure that reduces British thermal units (Btu), kilowatts (kW), or kilowatt hours (kWh); that reduces fuel or water consumption in the building or wastewater production; or

Figure 2. Comprehensive Integrated Strategy that reduces operating costs or provides long-term cost reductions.”2 “Any other repair, replacement, or upgrade of existing equipment that produces measurable savings, or any other construction, modification, installation, or remodeling that is approved by an agency and that is within the legislative authority granted the agency, such as an energy conservation measure.”3 “Any other measure not otherwise defined that is designed to reduce utility consumption, reduce wastewater costs, enhance revenue, avoid capital costs, or achieve similar efficiency gains at an agency or other governmental unit.”4 “Energy, water, or wastewater cost savings means a measured reduction in the cost of fuel, energy, or water consumption, or wastewater production, stipulated operation, and maintenance savings; improvements in supplied utility systems, including, without limitation, revenue enhancements or reduction in net operating costs resulting from increased meter accuracy or performance; and identified capital savings, created from the implementation of one or more energy, water, or wastewater efficiency or conservation measures when compared with an established baseline for the previous cost of fuel, energy, or water consumption, wastewater production, and stipulated operation and maintenance, meter accuracy or performance, and identified capital costs.”5

Savings are guaranteed. The ESCO is responsible for savings and/or revenue shortfalls.

The payback and financing term must be less than 20 years.

After project completion, savings are measured, verified, and reconciled annually (at a minimum).

Performance contracts can be funded via several financial vehicles, including tax-exempt lease purchases, bonds, revenue pledges, cash, revolving loan funds, or other measures. The ESCO may also secure rebates, grants, and incentives to improve the financial payback. However, savings and/or revenues must be sufficient to pay for all improvement measures that will be implemented via the performance contract.

One Size Does Not Fit All While performance contracting is an excellent tool for utilities to use, selecting the right ESCO partner is critical.

Traditional performance contracting applications in the water sector as delivered by an ESCO concentrated solely on energy efficiency and include infrastructure replacements, like pumps, motors, and blowers.

This rudimentary approach often falls short as very little attention is focused on why the utility attained an inefficient operational status. Over time, utilities and plants have undergone myriad changes and expansions, Continued on page 18

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Continued from page 17 often delivered by the design engineer using applicable state design thresholds and favoring peak-flow estimates. These changes can result in the cascading effect of conservative design, selection of oversized equipment, and incorporation of inefficiencies and operational challenges. While traditional ESCO solutions are easily implemented and have quick paybacks, they often prove themselves to be little more than short-term fixes that can adversely impact the long-term operations of the facility.

Water and wastewater utilities are complex in nature. When performance contracting is incorporated into a comprehensive integrated strategy, it enables the utility to extract the maximum output for the least capital investment (Figure 2). Performance guarantees can be leveraged by municipal governments and utilities, which can develop a single or hybrid funding strategy that serves the best interests of the owner with the least impact to an enterprise fund and ratepayers—a true win-win proposition.

This integrated approach addresses six key elements: operational efficiency, performance enhancement, energy efficiency, procurement efficiency, regulatory compliance, and sustainability and public image. These elements are applied to the entirety of the utility operations or treatment processes and solutions are developed that complement each facet of utility operations, as opposed to a singular upgrade or enhancement. The aggregated impact of this approach generally results in the development of solutions that facilitate savings and enhance performance.

Opportunities in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure The municipal utility is generally comprised of water and wastewater treatment, delivery, and collection systems. In water utilities, most of the energy is consumed by pumping; except for an application like a desalination membrane treatment system, much less energy is used in the treatment process. In wastewater treatment, biological reactors are very energy intensive and constitute 40 to 60 percent of the annual spending at the facility, followed by collection system pumping. With energy costs escalating annually, municipal owners are focusing on driving efficiency and implementing solutions that result in favorable outcomes.

Water treatment varies across Florida, ranging from more rudimentary groundwater extraction, disinfection, and delivery systems, to more exotic surface water treatment processes, such as desalination through membrane technologies. The latter system type requires more energy, and the design engineer must include energy recovery devices to offset the increased energy demand. In traditional water treatment, gravity is used for plant flow and pumping is sporadic and intermittent (i.e., backwashing of filters). Performance enhancement solutions are limited and mainly involve improved automation and controls that allow the plant to be managed in a realtime mode.

On the water delivery side, energy is expended in pumping that is required to fill elevated storage tanks, ground storage tanks, and reservoirs, or for keeping the system properly pressurized to comply with applica-

Table 1. Wastewater Plant Performance Strategies

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ble delivery metrics. High-service pumping stations are key energy efficiency targets for solutions. In the absence of dynamic pump station optimization protocols, decision making is relegated to operators and basic controls. This informal protocol precludes the use of optimum operational efficiency based on demand and system pressures, sequencing of pumps, pump operations within the preferred operating ranges (or “sweet spot”), and leveraging the maximum use of variable frequency drives. The end results of employing a dynamic pump optimization program within the station allows for extended pump life and elimination of transients, thereby limiting pipe bursts due to water hammer, tracking pump health on a real-time basis, and saving energy by minimizing specific energy consumption.

Another key area of concern to most municipal owners is the percentage of nonrevenue water (NRW). Nonrevenue water is defined by AWWA as the “sum of unbilled authorized consumption (water for firefighting, flushing, etc.), apparent losses (customer meter inaccuracies, unauthorized consumption, and systematic data handling errors) and real losses (system leakage and storage tank overflows).”6 More simply put, NRW is water that has been distributed but is not reflected in any customer billings.

Driving efficiency through the employment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), automated meter reading (AMR) solutions, and appropriate meters for all flow conditions and applications, coupled with leak detection, results in timely revenue enhancements and real and apparent water loss correction.

Wastewater treatment plants are designed to treat unique influent flow characteristics and comply with permitted discharge standards. Generally, wastewater treatment facilities employ activated-sludgeextended aeration processes for the liquid stream and can utilize sophisticated aerobic or anaerobic digestion processes to manage solids. In between, plants utilize screening, grit removal, disinfection, nutrient removal (if required), sludge thickening, solids dewatering, and open-cell lysis technologies. In addition to the mechanical processes, wastewater plants also utilize certain chemicals and polymers to enhance plant operations and performance.

Of late, larger plants with anaerobic digesters have recognized the value of capturing and enhancing methane gas production to power cogeneration units. Achieving energy neutrality is gaining momentum, and most municipal owners are evaluating or im-

plementing strategies to offset energy costs by generating power from within the plant.

Wastewater pumping stations, commonly referred to as lift stations, are usually operated by rudimentary controls and operator discretion. Dynamic pump station optimization solutions will result in favorable economic outcomes in specific energy savings and life cycle extension of the operating systems.

Comprehensive integrated strategies and solutions dictate a complete and thorough understanding of the treatment technologies, and their collective impact from one process to another, as the wastewater flows through the plant. Detailed process knowledge and understanding allows a focused, forensic assessment of plant operations and leads to customized solutions that offer the opportunity to extract the maximum output from the process and the plant as a whole.

Typical solutions and expected results in wastewater plants are summarized in Table 1.

A Parting Thought Well-maintained water and wastewater infrastructure is critical to a utility’s ability to properly and efficiently manage water use, water quality, and water resources. The active maintenance of infrastructure requires significant capital investment, and Florida faces a sizable structural deficit where capital needs outpace available funding. Without action, declining infrastructure will impact the state’s water and wastewater systems that serve 19.3 million people. However, utilities do have options, and a performance contracting program that is integrated into a comprehensive strategy may very well be the answer for which they are looking.

References •

1,2,3,4,5

Florida Statutes, Section 489.145, Guaranteed Energy, Water, and Wastewater Performance Savings Contracting Act, July 2013.

• 6 American Water Works Association, Water Loss Control: Water Loss Control Terms Defined, 2012.

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FWEA FOCUS

Time (and FWEA) Marches On! Greg Chomic President, FWEA hey say that time flies when you’re having fun. Well, time has certainly flown by in my term as FWEA president this year! It is already March and we are now just one month from the Florida Water Resources Conference (FWRC) where I will pass on the president’s gavel at the FWEA annual members and awards luncheon meeting on April 8.

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Committee Kudos But before I preview our plans for the FWRC, I would like to recognize the outstanding work of a couple of our FWEA technical committees. First, the Collection Systems Committee’s first PACP/MACP/LACP training class was held January 21-23 at the Cardno TBE offices in Clearwater. For those of you not familiar with collection system terminology, PACP stands for Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program, MACP for Manhole Assessment and Certification Program, and LACP for Lateral Assessment and Certification Program.

There were 13 attendees (maximum capacity was 15) from various Florida municipal agencies, as well as contractors, in attendance.

The class covered the complete NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies) certification program for pipelines, manholes, and lateral assessment. The students were instructed on how to properly code defects in pipelines, manholes, and laterals from TV and physical internal inspections using a national coding system implemented by NASSCO. The program provides standardization and consistency in evaluating and managing TV inspection results in sewer pipe, manholes, and

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laterals, which can be used in prioritization, planning, and renovation of wastewater collection systems. The training was rated as “exceptional” by the class participants.

The committee is already planning the next training class, which should be held later in 2014 or early 2015. If you think you might be interested in this training next fiscal year, please consider adding the $950 registration fee in your next budget and look for announcements on the FWEA website. I would like to thank committee co-chairs Rudy Fernandez of Parsons Brinckerhoff and Walt Schwarz of CH2M Hill; Dorian Modjeski of Cardno TBE; and Don McCullers of Cardno TBE, the certified NASSCO trainer who conducted the training program.

Second, the Integrated Water Resources Committee (IWRC) hosted a seminar in Orlando on January 30, entitled “Sustainable Solutions Utilities are Implementing for Integrated Water Resources.” I attended this event and was very impressed by the quality of all the speakers and their presentations. Thomas Frick, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) director of environmental assessment and restoration, and David Childs of Hopping, Green and Sams (the primary legal counsel for the FWEA Utility Council) both gave excellent updates on the history and implementation of the numeric nutrient standards. Chris Rader of City of Altamonte Springs, Bob Elmquist of the City of Apopka, and Flip Mellinger of Marion County Utilities each presented his utility’s successful integrated water resources program case history. All 60 people that attended the seminar gave it high marks for technical content and venue quality.

We hope to see an encore presentation of this seminar in another region of the state so that other FWEA members can benefit from the knowledge and experience of these speakers. I would like to thank Saurabh Srivastava of Parsons Brinkerhoff, IWRC chair, and Leslie Gowdish of Faithful + Gould, conference chair,

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

for their work organizing and executing this outstanding technical event.

Providing quality technical education opportunities for our members is one of FWEA’s strategic objectives and the two events I described certainly fulfill this goal. Another one of our strategic goals is to educate the public on the value of Florida’s clean water environment and acknowledge the professionals in all facets of the industry who work to keep our water clean so we all have a better opportunity to live prosperous and healthy lives.

West Coast Florida Water Festival The Florida Water Festival is growing into a premier public educational and outreach event for FWEA as it spreads to other areas of the state.

This growth is apparent with this year’s first festival sponsored by the FWEA West Coast Chapter scheduled for March 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Spa Beach Park in downtown St. Petersburg. There will be fun events for the entire family, such as the Walk for Water, where participants can understand the hardships that people in developing nations must endure just to get access to water. There will be live music for all, water animal face painting, and a caricature artist for children.

For students, there will be a water-themed poster and filter design competition, as well as opportunities to learn about water quality sampling and testing methods. If you live in the greater Tampa Bay area, please support our vision for Florida’s water environment by planning to attend this fun-filled event with your family and friends.

As of early February, the following exhibitors have signed up for the event: FDEP, Southwest Florida Water Management District, TECO, Tampa Bay Water, Tampa Bay Watch, and the City of St. Petersburg. Also, the following sponsors have committed to financially sup-

port the event: Hazen and Sawyer, HDR, MTS Environmental, and Heyward Incorporated.

The Festival Planning Committee is looking for more volunteers, sponsors, and exhibitors. If you are a utility manager or consultant in the Tampa Bay area, please consider supporting the festival by being either a sponsor or exhibitor. Flyers and up-to-date information on the festival can be obtained at www.fwea.org/water_festival .php, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloridaWaterFestival.

I would like to thank Juan Oquendo of Gresham Smith and Partners and his entire planning committee for their commitment to the FWEA vision and mission through their efforts to make this first-ever water festival a success. Their goal for a successful festival can only be realized with your involvement and support.

It’s easy! Just go online and sign up today to be a volunteer, exhibitor, or sponsor.

Florida Water Resources Conference: The State’s Premier Water Quality Event The pinnacle of the FWEA fiscal year is the FWRC. This year the conference will be held at the Walt Disney World Coronado Springs Resort from April 6-9. This is a beautiful venue that offers a great educational experience for you and fun for the family. What a great opportunity to earn CEUs and PDHs and give the family a fun vacation! The FWRC is among the largest and most successful state conferences in the country.

We expect over 2500 attendees and 300 exhibitors this year! I strongly encourage all FWEA members to attend our state conference (jointly sponsored by FWEA, FSAWWA, and FWPCOA) and see the following FWEA-sponsored events.

For over a decade, the FWEA Student Design Competition (SDC) has showcased the work of some of the best and brightest civil and environmental college students in the state.

Florida has the best SDC program in the country and this claim is supported by the fact that FWEA teams have placed first in ten of the twelve national competitions at WEFTEC since its inception in 2002. For two years in a row, the University of South Florida has won both the wastewater design division and the environmental division in the state competition, with the wastewater design team winning top honors

at the national SDC at WEFTEC in 2013. This year there are eight teams from seven schools in the competition, which will be held on April 6, from 12 noon to 5 p.m. in Room Fiesta 4 of the hotel. The schools with teams competing are: Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, Florida State University-Florida A&M University, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, and University of South Florida. If your organization is looking to hire new, young engineering talent, look no further than this competition! These are the most talented, enthusiastic, and motivated engineering students in the state. I would like to thank Rebecca Oliva of CDM Smith, chair of the Students and Young Professionals Committee, for all her hard work organizing this outstanding competition!

The Operations Challenge is a skills-based competition consisting of five timed events that showcase the knowledge and expertise of wastewater treatment plant operators. The teams display their proficiency in process control, maintenance, safety, collections, and the laboratory. The winning team will represent Florida at WEFTEC in New Orleans on September 28.

This year, the competition will be held from 8 to 10 a.m., on Monday April 7 in Room Monterrey 1. At the time of this writing, teams from GRU,

St. Cloud, and St. Petersburg will be competing.

Please plan to attend this exciting fast-moving competition to cheer on your favorite team! I would like to thank Chris Fasnacht of the City of St. Cloud, and FWEA Director Brad Hayes of the City of Tavares, for their work supporting this competition at the state and national levels!

As mentioned in the opening paragraph of this column, my term as FWEA president ends at the FWEA awards luncheon, which will be held on April 8 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., in Fiesta Ballroom 5 and 6.

During this meeting, you will be voting in a new slate of state officers, cheering on some of our industry’s best performers, and receiving an update from WEF trustee Garry MacDonald, who will be traveling all the way from Auckland, New Zealand! He will travel over 8000 miles and be on a plane for 17 hours (each way) just to attend our annual meeting at the conference. So, let’s all plan to attend the FWRC and the FWEA luncheon to give Garry a warm welcome and show him how much we appreciate his dedication to the water quality industry!

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Certification Boulevard Test Your Knowledge of Wastewater Disposal

Roy Pelletier 1. Which chemical is typically used to adjust effluent pH (between 6.0 to 8.5) before being discharged to a surface water outfall? a. Lime b. Polymer c. Sodium Hydroxide d. Alum 2. What typically happens to the chlorine demand of reclaimed water when the nitrite concentration is elevated? a. The chlorine demand doubles for each pound of nitrite oxidized. b. The chlorine demand is cut in half for each pound of nitrite oxidized. c. The chlorine demand is unaffected by nitrite concentrations d. The chlorine demand is multiplied by at least five times for each pound of nitrite oxidized.

3. What is the detention time of a reclaimed water storage tank if the tank volume is 2.5 mil gal (MG) and the flow entering the tank is 4.5 mil gal per day (mgd)? a. 13.3 hours c. 1.23 hours

b. 16.4 hours d. 3.90 hours

4. What typically happens to the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) value of reclaimed water when the ammonia concentration increases from 0.5 mg/L to 2.5 mg/L? a. The ORP value increases. b. The ORP value decreases. c. The ORP value is fairly unaffected by the ammonia level. d. Ammonia at any level will cause a typical ORP probe to fail.

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5. Given the following data, what is the mg/L total suspended solids (TSS) in this reuse water sample? · 100 ml of sample · Tare weight of filter paper is 1.8873 grams · Final weight of filter paper after drying is 1.8875 grams a. 2.0 ppm c. 3.4 ppm

b. 1.3 ppm d. 4.3 ppm

6. Which chemical is more commonly used to dechlorinate effluent following disinfection with chlorine? a. H2SO4 b. Sodium hypochlorite c. SO2 d. FeCL3 7. What is the equivalent in gal per minute (gpm) of a pipe that has 2.5 mgd flowing through it? a. 694 gpm c. 1,735 gpm

b. 1,440 gpm d. 7.48 gpm

8. What is the final effluent TSS value if the plant influent TSS is 225 mg/L, and the TSS percent removal is 98.9 percent? a. 7.6 mg/L c. 6.7 mg/L

b. 2.5 mg/L d. 1.1 mg/L

9. Which formula is used to calculate the circumference of a circular tank? a. πr2 c. 0.785 d2

b. πd2 d. πd

10. What is the volume of reclaimed water in a 100-ft-diameter storage tank at a sidewater depth of 15 ft? a. 58,718 gal c. 1,120,588 gal

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

b. 880,770 gal d. 238,545 gal

Answers on page 50

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS?

Check the Archives Are you new to the water and wastewater field? Want to boost your knowledge about topics youʼll face each day as a water/waste-water professional?

All past editions of Certification Boulevard through the year 2000 are available on the Florida Water Environment Associationʼs website at www.fwea.org. Click the “Site Map” button on the home page, then scroll down to the Certification Boulevard Archives, located below the Operations Research Committee.

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS Readers are welcome to submit questions or exercises on water or wastewater treatment plant operations for publication in Certification Boulevard. Send your question (with the answer) or your exercise (with the solution) by email to roy.pelletier@cityoforlando.net, or by mail to: Roy Pelletier Wastewater Project Consultant City of Orlando Public Works Department Environmental Services Wastewater Division 5100 L.B. McLeod Road Orlando, FL 32811 407-716-2971

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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Florida Shares Karst Knowledge in China Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Karst formations in China.

Florida’s karst landscape is not unique to the state. About 10 percent of the earth's land surface is limestone, and in the United States, limestone accounts for about 15 percent of the land surface. In Florida, the entire state is underlain by limestone, easily dissolved by water to provide springs, sinkholes, and underground waterways.

Karst topography is a geological formation shaped by mildly acidic water that causes the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock, such as limestone or dolomite, but also gypsum. Over time, openings in the bedrock increase in size, and an underground drainage system begins to develop, allowing more water to pass through the area, which accelerates the formation of karst landforms, features, and aquifers.

These formations and features provide more than stunning views and recreation opportunities. According to some estimates, karst aquifers provide drinking water to 25 percent of the world’s population.

In Florida, karst aquifers provide about 90 percent of its drinking water.

Beyond the fascination factor, karst landforms also present challenges. Sinkholes in developed areas, high groundwater recharge, and complex groundwater flow paths make for vulnerable water supplies, which affect human activities, health, and the economy.

Across the Pacific

Karst landforms on the Lijiang River in Guilin, China.

It’s important to study local geography and geology and share the knowledge that is discovered. Dr. Jon Arthur, a state geologist and director of the Florida Geological Survey, was recently invited by the International Research Center on Karst to share his knowledge about Florida’s geology at the International Training Course on Karst Hydrogeological Investigation, Dynamic Monitoring, and Application in River Basins held at the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences in Guilin, China.

The Center organizes the training to promote research cooperation and academic exchange—based at the Institute of Karst Geology— and invites geologists, hydrologists, and other scientists from around the world to share their knowledge of karst environments.

The lecture schedule last year included topics such as carbon cycle in karst systems and the potential contribution to atmospheric carbon dioxide, determination of potential leakage from karst dam sites, and climate-change impact on karst aquifers. Guest lecturers included karst experts from the United States, Russia, Germany, South Africa, and China.

Dr. Arthur contributed to the discussion with a lecture on sinkhole distribution, predictive modeling, and triggering mechanisms; a second presentation covered aquifer vulnerability modeling in karst.

Further Study

Florida caverns.

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A geoscience team at the Florida Geological Survey, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), are conducting an assessment of sinkhole vulnerability in Florida. A $1.8 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and FDEM is funding the research.

Maps generated from the study will refine scientific understanding of Florida’s karst terrain and hydrogeology. The maps may also be useful in predicting sinkhole formation.

Throughout the world, karst scenes are set in stone, but that stone is water-carved and everchanging. Researching, mapping, and sharing information help to ensure that when the ground beneath shifts, water suppliers are ready.

Learn more about the Florida Geological Survey at www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/.

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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T E C H N O L O G Y

S P O T L I G H T

Harmonious Pump and Flow Management Technology Produces Energy-Efficient Wastewater Collection Systems Not uncommon to utilities all over the country, an aging infrastructure, growth issues, and escalating purchased energy costs are becoming exacerbated by daily peak flows that are nearly exceeding the capacity of their wastewater collection infrastructure.

"Symphony - Harmonious pump & flow management" is a patented technology available from Data Flow Systems Inc. (DFS). Symphony utilizes the TAC II SCADA System to coordinate the operation of sewer pumping stations for the purpose of reducing force main pressures and equalizing flow into a master pump station or a wastewater treatment plant.

The result is a significant reduction in energy costs and a solution to daily peak flow problems.

Problem: Random, Locally-Controlled Lift Station Operations A typical lift station consists of a wet well, an electrical control panel, two or three pumps, and some sort of liquid level device for measuring wet well levels. Pumps are controlled locally at the individual lift station. Wastewater flows from private and/or commercial properties into the wet well. When the in-flow fills the wet well to a predetermined startpump level, one of the pumps will run until the wet well reaches the stop-pump level. The wastewater is pumped into a main pipe that eventually leads to a wastewater treatment facility. In areas that are mostly flat, these main pipes are pressurized so that the wastewater can be moved without the benefit of gravity. Utilities may have two or three—or perhaps dozens—of force main pipes within their service areas.

The problem lies in the fact that each individual lift station operates on its own local parameters; that is, when the control panel senses that the wet well level has reached a certain height, the pump(s) will run—with no regard for the operations of the other stations that share the same pressurized force main pipe.

However, wastewater is not generated at a steady, even pace. Most wastewater is generated at certain peak usage times of day, such as 6:00 to 8:00 a.m., when families are rising and businesses are opening, and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., when families are returning home and meals are prepared.

During these high-usage hours, lift stations run more frequently and, due to their local controls, are often pumping at the same time. The head pressure in the force main pipe increases as each lift station pump attempts to force more wastewater into the pipe. As the pressure rises, pumps cannot operate efficiently. It takes pumps longer, and they consume more energy, as they strain to move wastewater against the growing pressure. In some cases, lower horsepower pumps on smaller lift stations are unable to push their wastewater into the force main pipe, causing them to spin uselessly until the pressure finally reduces to a level at which they can contend. The problem compounds itself as wet wells take longer to empty, increasing the likelihood of other lift stations having to run at the same time.

The result is a “perfect storm” of waste: wasted energy, wasted budget dollars, and carbon gases spewed into the atmosphere, not to mention the greatly increased likelihood of a wastewater overflow. In addition, the extra time

that pumps must run can cause greater incidents of pump failures, higher maintenance costs, and reduced pump life expectancy.

Unmanaged collection systems cause another problem for the municipal utility: the daily peaks in wastewater flow challenge the capacity of the collection and treatment systems. While many systems are built to handle a 24hour collection total on an average basis, the peak flow rates can be so much higher than the “average” rate that wastewater plants must build costly storage facilities to avoid toxic spills. Also, older sewer pipes may not be large enough to deal with peak flows. The disruption and expense of digging up and replacing undersized pipe is considerable and has a detrimental effect on municipalities, private businesses, and residents.

Solution: Smart Wastewater Collection Grids Can Manage Lift Stations Ironically, while the majority of pumps on a force main pipe might run simultaneously during peak hours, there are other quiet hours of the day during which few to no pumps run at all. If a wet well level reaches the point of pump activation during these quiet hours, the pump's task is much easier. When it doesn't have to fight the high pressure, it completes the cycle quickly and efficiently without wasted energy or unnecessary wear and tear on the pump.

In order to save energy, minimize the carbon footprint of wastewater utilities, and reduce municipal utility operating/maintenance expenses, random and local lift station controls must be re-

placed by a smart wastewater collection grid—a coordinated method of control that prevents lift station pumps from fighting against each other in their day-to-day operations. Lift stations can indeed be managed so that some of their pumping activities are coaxed into those periods during which less wastewater is generated and fewer lift stations are engaged to pump.

The TAC II SCADA System, along with “Symphony - Harmonious pump & flow management," can be configured to communicate with each individual lift station that shares a force main pipe and synchronize their pumping operations. Synchronizing the pump operation that discourages simultaneous operations with other sites, force main pipe pressure is reduced and pumps will operate more efficiently and with less strain. Operating under these ideal conditions will drastically lower pumping energy consumption, and lower consumption results in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the utility saves maintenance dollars since pumps that run efficiently require fewer repairs and have a longer life expectancy.

Finally, properly managed lift stations reduce the flow peaks that travel through a collection system and create an artificially expanded system capacity. A more level flow is directed to the wastewater treatment plant, curtailing the need for over-capacity storage tanks and diminishing the likelihood of costly sewerage spills. The Symphony technology has proven to be a valuable tool for the City of Winter Park, producing a 34 percent average in reduced pump runtimes and 42 percent in energy cost reductions.

Technology Spotlight is a paid feature sponsored by the advertisement on the facing page. The Journal and its publisher do not endorse any product that appears in this column. If you would like to have your technology featured, contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006 or at mike@fwrj.com.

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March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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FWRJ READER PROFILE In many cases, my projects also include client support permitting (renewal, construction/clearance), public presentations, training, funding assistance (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), and LEED certification. I have had the privilege of serving clients all over the United States (Washington, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Florida) and Latin America (Mendoza, Buenos Aires, San Juan, and Santiago).

Irma Stella Maria (Alexandra) Terral, P.E. AECOM, Tampa Work title and years of service.

I am a senior project engineer, with more than 16 years of service.

Job description; what does your job entail?

As a professional engineer, I am typically charged with planning, executing, and managing mainly utility projects for public and private clients.

These projects include master planning through construction and startup, to improving and creating new infrastructure for water resources, potable water, reclaimed water, and wastewater.

For design projects, my responsibilities include management and delivery of bid documents (plan sheets and specifications) for construction of pump stations and pipelines (conveyance and distribution), as well as water and wastewater treatment plants (new and expansions). For construction projects, my responsibilities include assisting our clients during the construction phase by reviewing submittals (shop drawings, request for additional information, and pay requests), conducting site visits and progress meetings, and supervising onsite construction support.

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What education and training have you completed?

Universidad Santa Maria la Antigua – Industrial Engineering University of Washington – Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Confined Space Training AECOM Management Training Many safety protocols North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) Horizontal Directional Drilling AECOM Wastewater Academy E-ONE Vacuum sewers What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy interacting with my highly intelligent and experienced colleagues within the engineering and construction community. By working together, we are delivering the best and most innovative solutions for our clients’ projects and the public in general.

What organizations do you belong to?

FWEA, WEF, AWWA, and FSAWWA. How have the organizations helped your career?

These organizations have given me the opportunity to make a difference in our community. They have enhanced, challenged, and sharpened all of my skills;

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

broadened my perspective; augmented my creativity when problem solving; and developed my ability to think strategically.

They have also expanded my technical solution and managerial abilities, developed my leadership skills, and allowed me to meet some great folks.

What do you like best about the industry?

I became a civil engineer because I wanted to protect the beautiful earth and the environment in which we live. I am surrounded by folks who are likeminded in this goal and face the same challenges I do. One of these challenges is the support of the public and the realization that we all have a part in making our world a better place.

What do you do when you’re not working?

I volunteer for FWEA and serve as the Strategic Planning Committee chair. I have served on this committee since 2008 and have been chair since 2010. The committee promotes the excellence of our association generally, and the activities of our committees specifically, throughout the year. Among these activities are: the development of business plans based on the association’s strategic plan; preparation of the association’s budget; support of chapter and committee event planning and execution; organizational support of the Leadership Development Workshop; development of the association’s mentoring program; support of new committee creation, including the Wastewater Process Committee; and supporting the West Coast Water Festival.

I am a volunteer at my church and serve on its Strategic Planning Committee. I also enjoy spending time with my family and developing my body, mind, and spirit.

FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT

The Right Tools, the Right Job, the Right Organization Carl R. Larrabee Jr. Chair, FSAWWA

ave you ever tried to do a job and didn’t have the right tools to get it done?

I have, and it isn’t always easy or successful. I’d like to share one experience I had that did work out, as well as my personal philosophy on filling your “tool pouch.”

My first car was a used 1971 Toyota Corolla bought in 1974 for $1,200. It came with two options: AM/FM radio and carpet; the base model only had AM radio and vinyl floor covering. I did my own oil changes and muffler replacement, and even installed a new engine head gasket.

The car had a MacPherson strut suspension system: you tested your shocks by pushing down on the hood and waiting to see if it comes quickly

H

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back to neutral or bounces awhile. Well, my car started bouncing—the front shock absorbers were shot. I thought to myself, “No mechanic needed for me; I’ll just buy the materials and install them myself.”

The old shocks came out pretty easily; however, there was a loud “sproing” noise when I undid the bolts holding them in place. The next step was to install the new shocks that fit within the now much longer springs that supported the weight of the engine. These two springs were made of very stiff spring steel and they needed to be compressed in order to be reinstalled. Because I didn’t weigh as much as the engine, I knew I couldn’t compress them by just squeezing them by hand.

The solution: I took a pair of my father’s heaviest channel locks and squeezed two parts of the spring together. That shortening wasn’t nearly enough, so I tied them together with picture hanging wire. I then proceeded to do the same along the entire length of the spring. Voila!

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

It was now short enough to house the shock and be reinstalled into the car’s front suspension.

I “released” the wires by cutting them with electrical wire cutters. The noise was loud and a new tone rang out with each cut, but the job was done—finally. And when the hood was pushed down, it didn’t bounce anymore. Success!

I found out later that the car-parts store rented out the tool used to compress the springs.

My method got the job done, but it was more timeconsuming, tricky, and just a little dangerous.

The work done every day in the water industry can yield new challenges that can also be time-consuming, tricky, and dangerous. The knowledge and experience of those who work in water can lessen these factors, but only if they have the right tools in their tool pouch.

Your own “tool pouch” includes all of the ideas and methods of dealing with various challenges; it may also include physical tools like wrenches, computers, compressors, operating Continued on page 32

Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association

FWPCOA STATE SHORT SCHOOL March 24 - 28, 2014 Indian River State College - Main Campus – FORT PIERCE –

COURSES Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester ..........................$375/$405

Utility Customer Relations I, II & III................................$260/$290

Backflow Prevention Assembly Repairer ......................$275/$305

Utilities Maintenance ....................................................$225/$255

Backflow Tester Recertification ......................................$85/$115

Wastewater Collection System Operator C, B & A ......$225/$255

Basic Electrical and Instrumentation ............................$225/$255

Water Distribution System Operator Level 3, 2 & 1 ......$225/$255

Facility Management Module I......................................$275/$305

Wastewater Process Control ........................................$225/$255

Reclaimed Water Distribution C, B & A ........................$225/$255 (Abbreviated Course) ................................................$125/$155

Wastewater Sampling for Industrial Pretreatment & Operators................................................................$160/$190

Stormwater Management C & B ...................................$260/$290

Wastewater Troubleshooting ........................................$225/$255

Stormwater Management A .........................................$275/$305

Water Troubleshooting ..................................................$225/$255

For further information on the school, including course registration forms and hotels, download the school announcement at www.fwpcoa.org/fwpcoaFiles/upload/2014SpringSchool.pdf

SCHEDULE CHECK-IN: March 23, 2014 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

CLASSES: Monday – Thursday........8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday........8:00 a.m. to noon

FREE BBQ DINNER + Monday, March 24, 4:30 p.m. + 3209 Virginia Ave Fort Pierce, FL 34981

For more information call the

FWPCOA Training Office 321-383-9690 Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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William T. Engel Jr. 1946-2014 William Thomas Engel Jr., 68, of Ocala, passed away on January 17. He graduated from St. Francis College and Xavier University, and received his Ph.D. in chemistry from American University in Washington, D.C. He was employed as director of the TREEO Center at the University of Florida from 1994 until his retirement in 2010.

Dr. Engel previously worked at Central Carolina Technical College as the environmental training program director and at Charles County Community College in Maryland. From 1996 to 2002, he was the executive director of the Southeast Partnership for Environmental Technology and Education.

Dr. Engel taught a series of ISO 14000 environmental management training systems courses and was a certified environmental trainer and a licensed wastewater treatment operator in Maryland. A past president of the National Environmental Training Association, he was also a member of the American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, and the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers.

He is survived by a daughter, Mary Kathleen (Brian) Marsh, of Ocala; a son, William T. Engel III, of Cooperstown, N.D.; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannie. Online condolences can be made at www.hollenbeckcahill.com.

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Continued from page 30 manuals, and backhoes as well. When you have all of the tools you need, a job can be very easy; if the tools are not there, it may not be.

We all start our careers with a tool pouch with just the basics: work ethics, consideration for others, a little math and physics, and not much else. But over time, we fill our tool pouches from watching others, reading, taking classes, completing tests, and learning from the school of hard knocks.

I’ve always loved learning hard lessons the easy way: from someone else’s mistakes (even though I’ve made plenty of my own!). As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”

Membership in the American Water Works Association (AWWA) allows you to be exposed to a wealth of knowledge. Almost everything that has been learned or experienced in the water industry is memorialized in writing. If it’s not in writing, there’s bound to be other members who have experienced it; all you need to do is ask them.

As members of AWWA, we can access the tool pouches of tens of thousands of other members. Our employer, co-workers, and, most importantly, our customers, all have the benefits and wealth of all those tool pouches.

One of the handicaps many societies have is knowledge and experience not passing properly from one generation to the next. Fortunately, we don’t have that handicap. The opportunities to fill our own tool pouches and access those of others in the water industry is a blessing we share here in America that is in place now—and for generations to come.

And, AWWA is a key tool to help that happen.

I encourage you to join AWWA, if you haven’t already. I invite you to encourage others to join AWWA as well. Fill your tool pouch full and help others fill theirs. Our industry and the customers we all serve will be all the better for it.

C FACTOR

The Water Industry is the Best Environmental Steward Jeff Poteet President, FWPCOA hether or not you believe in global warming/climate change, we can all agree that we need to be good stewards of our environment. Environmental stewardship is the theme for this month’s magazine and therefore I will try and tailor my column to it.

So, what does it mean to be a good steward of the environment? According to Wikipedia, my favorite resource (lol!), environmental stewardship refers to “responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices.” Personally, I do not believe that there is another industry that protects our natural resources more than the water and wastewater industry. It is your efforts that help sustain our community’s natural resources and the environment that surrounds those communities.

In a nutshell, environmental stewardship is taking responsibility for our choices. As professionals we put systems in place that will allow us to use our resources more efficiently.

These processes will reduce waste and minimize the negative impacts on the environment. These waste reductions will also translate into financial savings to the communities that we serve. Ultimately, good environmental stewardship results in a healthy and more efficient and effective community, and that is something we can all be proud of.

I have often said that I do not think we get the recognition that we deserve. There is not a group of people that protects the health and welfare of the communities that we serve more than our water and wastewater professionals.

If you did not do the things that you do—day in and day out, 365 days a year, in good and bad weather—no one else, including our fine police officers, firefighters, or health professionals, could do the things that they do. Simply put, if you did not do the job that you do, our environment and our communities would suffer severely. Therefore, we (all of us working in this industry) are good, responsible stewards of the environment, and I for one thank you for your efforts.

W

Board of Directors Meeting Our last board of directors meeting was held at the Plantation Renaissance Hotel in Plantation. I would like to thank Region VII for hosting this meeting and setting up the breakfast that we all enjoyed. The food was great and the venue was outstanding. There are a few reports from the meeting that I would like to share with you.

Our Awards and Citations Committee chair, Renee Moticker, mentioned several awards that will be presented at the 2014 Florida Water Resources Conference (FWRC) in Orlando.

Along with the awards named for David B. Lee, Richard Vogh, and Pat Flanagan, FWPCOA will recognize a few other people for their continued contributions to our association. Renee also petitioned the board for a new award to be called the Utility Maintenance Award. The board approved the implementation of the award and the new recognition criteria will be added to our policies and procedures manual.

With the assistance of our executive director, Tim McVeigh, our Publicity Committee chair Janet Debasio reported that the committee is routinely sending out email blasts publicizing FWPCOA activities. Janet also announced the winners of our proclamation contest, which encourages the regions to actively seek out proclamations from their communities proclaiming Water Professionals Week; these decrees are similar to the governor’s proclamation of Water Professionals Week. I congratulate all of the regions that participated in this outstanding event and a special recognition goes out to the winners: First Place - Region III; Second Place - Region VI; and Third Place - Region IV. Along with

some special FWPCOA memorabilia, Region III will hold the bragging rights for the next year.

Our Region VI director, Phil Donovan, suggested that FWPCOA request the governor’s office to revise the annual celebration to Water Professionals Month, rather than just a week. A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously approved to petition the Florida governor’s office to extend the recognition, with the suggestion that it begin annually in August 2014, then in April 2015, and each April thereafter. I’ll keep you posted on the governor’s response.

The Florida Water Resources Journal (FWRJ) is turning 65 this year! Our Historical Committee chair, Al Monteleone, highlighted a 10-page FWPCOA historical perspective he has created for the anniversary. He encourages those having access to documentary, or even anecdotal accounts, of historical FWPCOA activities to contact him at historian@fwpcoa.org.

Our largest committee, which is the Education Committee, is anchored by Art Saey. Art, as usual, had a plethora of discussion items for the board. Among the items discussed were courses that the committee is developing for our membership. These courses include water storage tanks, utility construction inspector, water meters, advanced utility maintenance, and globally harmonized systems of hazard communications.

Our next board meeting will be on held on March 23. The meeting is in conjunction with our Spring Short School. The meeting and the school will be held at the Indian River State College in Ft. Pierce. There is still time to sign up for the classes! Give Shirley Reeves a call (321-3839690) and get the training you need to advance in your profession. I hope to see you there!

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Improving Water Resources in Southwest Florida: The Case of the Picayune Strand Restoration Hubert B. Stroud Throughout much of human history, the Everglades were viewed as useless swamps that should be drained for development. Numerous misguided attempts to convert these wet environments into more “productive” land uses included canals that rapidly removed 70 percent of the water that once nourished the system. After decades of abuse, politicians and the public began to realize that all the human tinkering was a big mistake (McIntosh, 2002).

In a bold move to correct some of the errors of the past, the federal government approved

the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The $7.8 billion plan is made up of more than 60 restoration projects that are to be completed over 30 to 40 years under an unprecedented federal-state partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Although CERP is intended to provide continued flood control and drinking water supply for south Florida residents, the legislation makes it clear that restoration of the Everglades is the top priority (http://www.evergladesplan.org/pm/projects/docs_30_sgge_pir_final.aspx).

Figure 1. Map illustrating the strategic location of the Picayune Strand Restoration.

Source: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Draft Limited Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment, Picayune Strand Restoration Project. Jacksonville, Florida, May, 2013, p. E-vii.

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March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

The Project Begins The Picayune Strand is the first CERP project selected to receive funding for restoration.

The restoration is designed to restore acreage owned by Gulf American Corporation (GAC), a land development company that specialized in subdividing and selling lots to a distant clientele (Dodrill, 1993 and Stroud, 1995). The GAC purchased the property that is now the Picayune Strand in the late 1950s and created a huge land development, named Golden Gate Estates. This development included as much as 100,000 acres and was promoted as the world’s largest subdivision (Stroud and Payton, 2001). The GAC constructed roads and canals across its property during the 1960s and 1970s. The canals overdrained the land, reduced aquifer recharge, and greatly increased the freshwater point discharge into receiving estuaries to the south. The roads and ditches blocked the natural sheet flow and created conditions suitable for invasive plant species (Brazilian Pepper, for example) and for more frequent forest fires (Duever, 2013).

The construction of Interstate 75, also known as Alligator Alley, split Golden Gates Estates in half, forming North Golden Gate Estates and South Golden Gate Estates. North Golden Gate Estates grew rapidly and now has a permanent population that exceeds 30,000 people.

The area south of I-75 remained largely vacant, in part because most of the lots were underwater during the wet season and infrastructure was limited to roads and canals. The restoration that is now underway for South Golden Gate Estates was initiated by CERP and authorized by Section 601 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. The restoration area, originally referred to as the South Golden Gate Estates restoration, has been renamed the Picayune Strand Restoration Project (Nath, 2013).

The Picayune Strand contains some of the most diverse plant and wildlife communities on the North American continent and provides habitat for several federally listed endangered species, including the critically endangered Florida panther. In October of 2004, Governor Jeb Bush announced that the state would do its part to speed up restoration projects through an expedited course of action called “Acceler8.”

This program consists of eight projects that, when completed, will provide immediate environmental, flood control, and water supply benefits. With support from Accerler8, the SFWMD moved ahead with the effort to plug the northern 7 mi of the Prairie Canal located along the eastern side of the Picayune Strand.

In addition, 65 mi of roads adjacent to the Prairie Canal were degraded and exotic plant species were removed from the canal banks.

Fortunately, the benefits of this partial restoration are already being seen with the reemergence of foraging wading birds and native flora that have been absent in the area for decades.

These benefits have occurred in only six years (www.evergladesplan.org/new_item_accerer8.a spx).

Figure 2. Map depicting the most important features of the Picayune Stand Restoration.

Source: U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Draft Limited Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment, Picayune Strand Restoration Project.

Jacksonville, Florida, May, 2013, p. E-v.

The Setting The restoration site, extending across more than 55,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land, is located within the Big Cypress Basin and is surrounded by several nature preserves and wildlife areas (Figure 1). It is located southwest of the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, north of the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, east of the South Belle Meade State Conservation and Recreational Lands (CARL) project, west of the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, and northeast of the CollierSeminole State Park. The central location of the project area among all of these nature preserves and wildlife areas reflects its importance to the ecosystem connectivity of the entire region. The ecological condition of the Picayune Strand affects not only the immediate area, but is significant to regional resources as well. This restoration project is a unique opportunity for improving water and other important resources within Collier County and the western portion of the Everglades ecosystem (Stroud and Payton, 2001, and Stroud and Warrick, 2004).

The Picayune Strand lies within the lower coastal lowlands topographic division in the Big Cypress physiographic region. Dominant geomorphic features include a gradual southwestern slope and coastal swamps, or wetlands. The entire area is underlain by limestone and marine deposits that were formed during the Pleistocene epoch. The topography is characterized by low relief and poorly defined drainage patterns; elevations range from 24-ft National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) in the north just south of I-75 to only 2-ft NGVD near the coast some 28 mi to the south. The general direction of water flow (sheet flow) is to the southwest.

The humid subtropical climate of south Florida typically undergoes a 6- to 7-month dry season and a 5- to 6-month wet season. The annual rainfall for nearby Naples averages 53 in., with nearly 80 percent occurring during May through October. Under natural conditions, the combined process of evapotranspiration accounts for an approximate loss of 45 in. of water per year. This leaves only about 8 in. of average annual precipitation available for surface runoff and groundwater recharge (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, pp. 2-12—2-13).

The humid subtropical climate, flat topography, marl soils, and seasonal rainfall pattern were principal influences on predevelopment hy-

drology of the project area. The gentle slopes created poorly defined first-order streams in some locations, but typically resulted in sheet-flow patterns. Water depth varied from 1 to 2 ft aboveground surface at the height of the wet season to 3 ft below ground surface in the late dry season.

The onset of the wet season quickly brought saturated conditions for large portions of the historic Picayune Strand. By July, habitats within the study area were uniformly wet, with the deepest water levels occurring during the late rainy season in September and October. This typically began to change in November when there was a shift to runoff exceeding precipitation. The result was isolated pools as sheet flow receded to below the ground surface. By March, standing water was limited to depressions.

Subsurface flow, groundwater recharge, and evapotranspiration are major components in the hydrologic cycle. As the wet season ended, and throughout the dry season, water stored in depressions was slowly depleted as it recharged the shallow water table aquifer and provided moisture for vegetation in the evapotranspiration process (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, pp. 2-13 & 2-14 and Duever, 2013).

The Restoration The restoration project includes the installation of spreader channels, canal plugs, pump stations, and the removal or degradation of roads and ditches (Figure 2). These efforts are designed to restore and enhance wetlands in the Picayune Strand (Southern Golden Gate Estates) and adjacent public lands, improve estuarine water quality by reducing large freshwater inflows, and improve groundwater recharge (Nath, 2013).

The spreader channels are being constructed immediately downstream from the pump stations on the Miller, Faka Union, and Merritt canals. Spreader channels will be used to redirect the water flowing southward within the

canals to the east and west (perpendicular to the canals). As water rises within the spreader channels, it will overtop the southern, downstream bank of the channel and move over the land as sheet flow. Pumping water from the canals and into the spreader channels will ensure that water continues to flow southward and will prevent water from flowing back (north) into the North Golden Gate Estates. The capacities of the pump stations, which is 1,250 cubic ft per second (cfs) at the Miller Canal, 2,630 cfs at the Faka Union Canal, and 800 cfs at the Merritt Canal, are designed to be large enough so that the spreader channels and other construction features do not reduce the drainage of the North Golden Gate Estates that has been provided by the canals. In addition, 100-cfs pump stations will be constructed for interior drainage at the private lands levee systems (Nath, 2013 and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, pp. v-vii).

A total of 83 canal plugs will be installed south of the pump stations in the Miller, Faka Union, and Merritt canals and along the entire length of the Prairie Canal. A large segment of the Prairie Canal has already been plugged. The plugs will stop the canals from transporting water southward to the coastal estuaries. This is an important step in preventing the canals from overdraining the Picayune Strand and surrounding wetlands and reducing or eliminating the problems associated with too much freshwater flowing into the estuaries of the Ten Thousand Islands. The areas near the plugged canals will become much wetter for several months during the rainy season. This more natural condition will promote the return of native vegetation and deter the spread of invasive plants (Duever, 2013).

Most of the roads in the Picayune Strand are elevated from 6 in. to a few ft above the surrounding terrain. Approximately 260 mi of roads are being removed or graded to lower Continued on page 36

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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Aerial view of the Faka Union Pump Station that is under construction.

Aerial view of the Merritt Pump Station.

Source: Photo provided by the South Florida Water Management District.

Source: Photo provided by the South Florida Water Management District.

Continued from page 35 their elevation to the same level as the surrounding ground. Degrading the roads and filling the ditches will greatly increase the potential sheet flow across the landscape because the roads have served as small levees and represent barriers to sheet flow. The former roadbeds will be abandoned and allowed to revegetate. The nonasphalt materials from the degraded roads will be used to construct the canal plugs and the asphalt will be disposed of or recycled in accordance with state regulations. Approximately 19 mi of the existing roads will remain and are to be maintained and used by forestry officials, and for limited public access.

Invasive and exotic vegetation found along the abandoned roadways, particularly Brazilian Pepper, are to be removed. The hope is that native vegetation will return shortly after the natural hydroperiod has been restored. Unfortunately, some invasive species do well—even thrive—under wetter conditions. Melaleuca trees, for example, will likely flourish when the sheet flow is returned. This means that special efforts will be needed to remove these exotic and invasive trees (Duever, 2013).

Five levee systems are to be constructed around developed areas to prevent flooding that might occur as a result of the restoration plan. The areas to be protected include the Port of Islands Waterfront Recreational Vehicle Resort and other structures, the Port of Islands development located south of the intersection of the Faka Union Canal and U. S. 41, agricultural land south of Belle Meade, and residential property in northern Belle Meade (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, pp. vivii).

Nine additional culverts will be placed under U. S. 41 to allow sheet flow to continue southward into the estuaries of the Ten Thousand Islands region. Culverts will also be built in each of the levee systems mentioned to

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allow for interior drainage (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, p. vii).

Save the Manatee and Other Wildlife Manatee mitigation is an unexpected and important component of the restoration. Since the lower end of the Faka Union Canal served as an important cold-period refuge for a large number of manatee, the restoration must provide an alternative location after the installation of the canal plugs. The preferred option is to construct (dig) a 20- to 30-ft-deep pool (refuge) along the west side of the Faka Union Canal that would be continually recharged (fed) by groundwater that has a relatively constant temperature. The water temperature within the pool would be above the required threshold for the manatee during cold weather (Duever, 2013).

Monitoring of the hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, endangered and threatened species, oyster reefs, fish communities, and water quality will continue for a period of at least 10 years (Duever, 2013). The idea is to have data on conditions before, during, and after completion of the restoration project.

Monitoring would help determine the benefits of the project and help in the assessment of whether or not the major goals of the project have been met (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, p. vii).

The estimated restoration cost of over $550 million based on 2013 dollars illustrates just how expensive it is to recover from ill-conceived subdivision activity. Two of the largest construction expenditures are for pump stations and levees and floodwalls. The other major expenditure is associated with land acquisition and the lengthy and complicated buyback program that was implemented years ago to acquire the property from over 17,000 land owners (Stroud and Warrick, 2004 and U. S. Army Corp of Engineers, 2013, p. 21).

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Summary and Conclusion A completed restoration will remove the infrastructure of a poorly planned 55,247-acre subdivision and restore its predrainage hydrology and ecology. The environmental benefits of completing the project are numerous and widespread. It would tie several critical natural habitats together and generate positive effects on the hydrology, vegetation, and wildlife of the project area and surrounding public lands. More specifically, a completed restoration would improve aquifer recharge to protect water supply and to prevent saltwater intrusion; restore and enhance habitat for fish and wildlife resources, including threatened and endangered species; reduce drainage of the adjacent Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve; reduce (or eliminate) overdrainage of other environmentally sensitive ecosystems; and reduce freshwater releases (point discharge) to improve the health and productivity of downstream estuaries. In addition, the existing level of flood protection for North Golden Gate Estates and adjacent private properties will be maintained.

Implementation of the plan will result in restoration of the hydrology of 113 sq mi, including parts of Fakahatchee Strand, to near predevelopment conditions. The increased water storage (both surface water and groundwater) would cause increased evaporation and recharge, which would result in an overall reduction of 6 in. of annual runoff basin wide. Freshwater point flow discharge of the Faka Union Canal will be reduced from an annual average of 260 cfs to 2 cfs and will be replaced by distributed runoff along a 6-mi-wide front through U.S. 41 bridges and culverts. Average annual groundwater levels will be 1 ft higher over existing conditions and will provide for additional groundwater storage amounting to 25 bil gal. Hydroperiod criteria for the upland vegetation would not be exceeded.

Hydrologic monitoring across the main Fakahatchee flow-way has shown seasonal pre-

restoration water table drawdowns of almost 6 and a half ft in the vicinity of the eastern-most canal in the Picayune Strand that borders the western edge of Fakahatchee Strand. The water table has been significantly lowered for a distance of over 1 mi from the canal during the wet season when water levels are naturally aboveground and to almost 3 mi from the canal during dry periods when the water table is naturally below ground. Monitoring also shows positive results from the filling of the upper portion of the Prairie Canal that was completed in 2004.

During the subsequent wet seasons, there was a partial restoration of wet-season overland flow in the eastern portion of the Picayune Strand. A comparison of data from monitoring wells near the filled canal and from wells near unfilled canals approximately 2 mi to the west shows positive results. Hydroperiods have increased and groundwater levels have risen in the eastern portion of the Picayune Strand, and in the Fakahatchee Strand to the east. There are diminishing positive results in the central and western portions of the Picayune Strand where canals have not yet been plugged. This points to the importance of completing the project and provides an indication that full hydrologic recovery will not occur until the Merritt, Faka Union, and Miller canals have been filled (Duever, 2013).

Finally, the restoration, when completed, will also preserve upland habitat, control in-

vasive exotic plants, improve water quality of stormwater runoff, and provide resourcebased recreational opportunities. Because of its strategic location, a restored Picayune Strand will provide comprehensive habitat conservation for the greater Everglades ecosystem, including the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Collier Seminole State Park, and the Belle Meade CARL project. For these and other reasons, the benefits associated with the Picayune Strand should help tremendously with efforts to restore the Everglades ecosystem and improve resources for south Florida.

References

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•

•

•

• Dodrill, David E. Selling the Dream. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1993.

• Duever, Mike. Senior Environmental Specialist, South Florida Water Management District, Naples, Florida, personal communication, November 2013.

• McIntosh, Phyllis. “Reviving the Everglades,” National Parks: The Magazine of the National Parks Conservation Association. January/February, 2002, pp. 30-34.

• Nath, Ananta. Principal Engineer, Big Cypress Basin, South Florida Water Manage-

•

• • •

ment District, Naples, Florida, personal communication, November 2013.

Stroud, Hubert B. The Promise of Paradise: Recreational and Retirement Communities in the United States Since 1950. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1995.

Stroud, Hubert B. and Nancy B. Payton.

“Protecting Environmentally Sensitive Land from Mistakes of the Past: A South Florida Example,” The Florida Geographer, Vol. 32, 2001, pp. 58 – 73.

Stroud, Hubert B. and Judy K. Warrick. “Eminent Domain Proceedings As A Crucial Final Step in the Acquisition of Environmentally Sensitive Land in South Florida,” The Florida Geographer, Vol. 35, 2004, pp. 29 – 49.

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Final Project Implementation Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the Picayune Strand Restoration Project. “Predrainage Conditions,” Jacksonville, Florida, May, 2004.

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Draft Limited Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment. Picayune Strand Restoration Project. Jacksonville, Florida, May, 2013. http://www.evergladesplan.org/pm/projects/docs_30_sgge_pir_final.aspx http://www.evergladesplan.org/new_item_ accerer8.aspx Hubert B. Stroud is professor of geography at Arkansas State University.

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News Beat Curtis Burkett, P.E., LEED AP, has joined McKim & Creed Inc. at its office in Daytona Beach as a regional manager. He has extensive experience with stormwater, water, sewer, and roadway projects, and with municipal engineering. In his new role, he will provide strategic direction for the company throughout the region. He most recently served as regional manager with Zev Cohen & Associates Inc. Burkett graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology with a degree in civil engineering. He is a LEED-accredited professional and a member of the Ormond Beach Brownfield Committee.

Lake Worth Water/Sewer Utilities has launched a new customer service technology called MuniApp. Customers with Android and iPhones can now pay bills, view usage, and instantly connect to customer service by phone or email from their smartphones.

With this new technology, customers

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receive high-usage alerts, delinquent notices, and conservation messages. MuniApp LLC, based in Jupiter, has developed and installed the technology.

The app can be viewed at www.dmaus.com; click on Mobile Water App. For more information, contact D.J. Soviero at dj@soviero.net or 415-6091990.

Ecosphere Technologies Inc. in Stuart, a water engineering, technology licensing, and manufacturing company, has announced that Fidelity National Financial Inc. has purchased an additional 8percent ownership of Ecosphere Energy Services Inc. for $4 million, bringing its total ownership to 39 percent.

The company also filed a series of environmental patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. These patent filings include a method to use the company’s Ozonix® water treatment tech-

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

nology to increase and maintain desired oxygen levels in the C-44 Canal (St. Lucie Canal) that feeds the St. Lucie Estuary and the Indian River Lagoon. The estuary and lagoon make up one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in North America, with more than 4,000 plant and animal species, including 36 endangered and threatened species.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has announced that $55 million in funding has been made available for the restoration and protection of Florida’s springs from the 2014-2015 “It’s Your Money Tax Cut Budget.” The funding will enable state and local partners to protect the quality and quantity of water that flows from the state’s springs, as well as eliminate nutrient impacts and ensure proper flow. These are important not only to animal and plant life, but also add to Florida’s tourism industry.

LEGAL BRIEFS

Police Fee Charges; Federal Court Ruling for DEP refund it with one hand, and receive it with the other. Yikes—what a mess!

Source: www.wuft.org, via the FMMA News.

Gerald Buhr City of Wildwood Accused of Charging Utility Customers “Police Fee” Apparently, the current economic conditions and municipal money crunch may have gotten the best of the City of Wildwood. It has been reported that a class action lawsuit of utility customers has sued the City for what is referred to as a “police fee.” The $5-a-month fee generates $168,000 a year, and the city has received more than $1 million since its inception. There is no apparent relationship between the police services and utility services, and the city does not try to explain one; it simply needed more money for its police force beyond the money received in property taxes.

The problem (and there are many more) is that a government cannot simply charge a new fee that has no bearing on usage. If it is not a fee for actual usage (water or sewer usage or availability, garbage, etc.) or assessment based on benefit received by the payees (fire service, utility main extensions, etc.), there are not many labels you can place on such a fee other than a “tax.” Unfortunately, there is a constitutionally established procedure for raising taxes, and this isn’t it. The city’s own attorney (now ex) told them as much and implored them to cease the fee.

I feel badly for the customers who had to pay for this fee if it is, in fact, as unlawful as reported, because they are now forced to pay an attorney to recover the money, and likely, the interest on that money. I’m also concerned for the citizens who will foot the bill for the refunds in some form, if the allegations are correct. They cannot raise utility rates to pay the charge because that would be unlawful as well.

How are they now going to produce that refund—increase taxes maybe? Ironically, if they pay it out of new taxes or out of the budget, the refunds would also be paid for by the utility customers who are also citizens; they would

DEP “Thrilled” That Federal Court Accepted Its Numeric Nutrient Criteria In 2010, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unilaterally imposed numeric nutrient criteria for all Florida “waters,” and that criteria have been widely criticized in Florida as having no basis in science, and being needlessly costly. The EPA was forced to impose the criteria because of lawsuits from environmental groups alleging that it was not enforcing the Clean Water Act in Florida. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed its own numeric nutrient criteria and worked out an agreement with EPA that will replace the EPA criteria. In January, the federal court accepted the DEP criteria and modified the EPA consent decree.

The DEP’s published statement from Tallahassee says: “We are thrilled by today’s ruling by United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle granting U.S. EPA’s motion to modify the consent decree to discontinue federal rulemaking and allow the Department to implement the most comprehensive numeric nutrient criteria in the nation.

The Department can finally implement these additional standards for our treasured

waterways, especially our unique set of springs, spring runs, lakes, and estuaries. This is the necessary catalyst to move beyond litigation and end needless delays that prevented us from applying these additional protections.

The Department would like to acknowledge our dedicated scientists, and thank EPA for working diligently to position Florida as the only state in the nation with comprehensive criteria set for all rivers, streams, lakes, springs, estuaries, and coastal waters.

Not only are the state’s rules the most comprehensive standards in the nation, no other state has even come close to adopting complete nutrient standards that cover all lakes, rivers, streams, springs, and estuaries, providing 99 percent coverage of all state waterways.

This marks a significant step forward in protecting and restoring water quality across Florida.”

Sources: Jan. 14, 2014 Department of Environmental Protection press release; www.sunshinestatenews.com.

Gerald Buhr is a utilities attorney who holds a Class A license in back water and wastewater treatment. A Florida Bar-certified specialist in city, county, and local government law, he is the city attorney for Mulberry, Zolfo Springs, Bowling Green, and Avon Park and reprresent Lake Wales on water and wastewater legal issues.

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New Literature The water industry is facing challenges associated with an aging workforce that is now retiring, resulting in shortages of trained personnel in key jobs. This is coupled with the need to develop new employee skill sets to manage technological advances in the water sector and to address higher stakeholder and public expectations. In response, the Water Research Foundation (WRF) has published two project reports aimed at helping water utilities meet their workforce needs: “Competency Model Development and Application to Meet Utility Workforce Needs” (Project #4244) and “ Water Utility Executive Leadership for the 21st Century” (Project #4342).

The focus of project 4244 and the accompanying “Water Utility Workforce Needs Web Tool” is on applying competency modeling to improve job performance, which involves analyzing a job to identify the skills that drive superior performance. These competencies are then incorporated into a model that describes the personal characteristics, attributes, and motivations that are needed to perform a job well.

Once the competencies of a position are known, the hiring, training, and retention procedures can be put into place that will help a utility create the workforce it needs for the future.

Twelve models were developed for critical positions in the water field:

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Water treatment plant operator Distribution system operator Process control specialist Water operations supervisor Facilities maintenance mechanic technician Instrument technician Distribution system operations supervisor Foreman/crew leader Water quality specialist Customer service representative Laboratory technician Project engineer

The jobs chosen were those that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Labor, and WRF identified as being important in the day-to-day functioning of a water or wastewater utility and also projected to have high vacancies in the coming decades. The report describes how the models can be used and outlines a process for creating additional ones. The Web tool allows users to download the competency models and other material from the report.

Project 4342 presents a summary of executive positions in the water community, including their demographics, educational qualifications, professional backgrounds, skills, career paths, attitudes, and behaviors. The study assesses the de-

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

gree to which chief executive officer characteristics align with a utility’s present and long-term challenges and helps lay the foundation for improved recruitment, training, and promotion of water utility heads in the future.

A new report from Black & Veatch, titled “Strategic Directions: Utility Automation and Integration,” highlights the issues that utilities face regarding network operation intelligence.

“Metering, automation, and data analytics are changing how utilities approach their customers,” said Paul Miller, vice president of the organization’s private networks business line, “and it’s a robust telecommunications backbone that enables the full value of these ongoing smart grid investments to be realized.”

The report found that approximately 50 percent of utilities in the United States have indicated plans to implement advanced automation technologies in the next five years. Based on field testing and data from previously implemented projects, enhanced operations can reduce costs and increase reliability. The additional knowledge gained through data analytics can also improve planning and predictive modeling decisions.

Other key findings from the report include: Continued on page 42

FWPCOA TRAINING CALENDAR SCHEDULE YOUR CLASS TODAY! MARCH

4 ........Backflow Recert................................................Lady Lake ..............$85/115 3-6 ........Backflow Tester ................................................St. Petersburg..........$375/405 24-28 ........SPRING STATE SHORT SCHOOL ..................Ft. Pierce 28 ........Backflow Tester Recert*** ..............................Deltona ..................$85/115

APRIL

7-9 ........Backflow Repair ..............................................St. Petersburg..........$275/305 21-24 ........Backflow Tester ................................................Deltona ..................$375/405 21-24 ........Backflow Tester ................................................Pensacola ..............$375/405 21-25 ........Reclaimed Water Field Site Inspector ..........Orlando ................$350/380 25 ........Backflow Tester Recert*** ..............................Deltona ..................$85/115

MAY

6 ........Backflow Recert................................................Lady Lake ..............$85/115 5-9 ........Wastewater Collection C, B ............................Deltona ..................$325/355 12-15 ........Backflow Tester ................................................St. Petersburg..........$375/405 19-21 ........Backflow Repair ..............................................Deltona ..................$275/305 23 ........Backflow Tester Recert*** ..............................Deltona ..................$85/115

JUNE

2-5 ........Backflow Tester ................................................Deltona ..................$375/405 9-13 ........Water Distribution Level 3, 2 ........................Deltona ..................$275/305 23-26 ........Backflow Tester ................................................St. Petersburg..........$375/405 27 ........Backflow Tester Recert*** ..............................Deltona ..................$85/115

JULY

8 ........Backflow Recert................................................Lady Lake ..............$85/115 7-11 ........Stormwater A....................................................Deltona ..................$275/305 7-11 ......Water Distribution Level 1 ..............................Deltona ..................$275/305 7-11 ........Wastewater Collection A ................................Deltona ..................$275/305 14-16 ........Backflow Repair ..............................................Deltona ..................$275/305 14-16 ........Backflow Repair ..............................................St. Petersburg..........$275/305 25 ........Backflow Tester Recert*** ..............................Deltona ..................$85/115 Course registration forms are available at http://www.fwpcoa.org/forms.asp. For additional information on these courses or other training programs offered by the FWPCOA, please contact the FW&PCOA Training Office at (321) 383-9690 or training@fwpcoa.org.

* Backflow recertification is also available the last day of Backflow Tester or Backflow Repair Classes with the exception of Deltona ** Evening classes

You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools and most other courses.

*** any retest given also Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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New Products

New Literature Continued from page 40 The combination of public and private telecommunication networks will continue. Many utilities will leverage public carrier networks to support automated metering infrastructure programs.

Recruiting challenges and an aging workforce will force utilities to consider telecommunications outsourcing.

Remote monitoring and measuring efforts will continue and more sensors will be deployed to facilitate real-time decision making and future data analysis.

Automation of distribution systems is an area of focus for all utilities to enhance performance and reduce costs.

Data analytics will allow managers to make smarter operating decisions and efficiently deliver on the business goals of their organizations.

Small utilities lacking the resources to invest in complex technology systems may be able to use cloud-based solutions to improve operations and business functions.

The full report is available for download at no charge at www.bv.com/reports or the iTunes App Store(R).

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The Screentac Vertical Bar Screen from Aqualitec Corp. is designed for headworks, lift and pump stations, manholes, and deep wells. With a vertical design, the screen can be retrofitted to any application with minimal to no structural changes. The screen protects pumps from rags and debris, fits into narrow and deep structures, and provides minimal and easy maintenance.

Go to www.aqualitec.com for more information.

Advance Products & Systems Inc. presents five new sizes of its InnerlynxÂŽ modular mechanical seal: IL265, IL310, IL440, IL625, and IL 700. The seal can replace some sizes of existing seals and reduce the number needed to seal some penetrations, thereby reducing costs. With the addition of the IL700, users can accommodate and stabilize larger pipes. The product forms a hydrostatic seal between pipes going through walls, floors, and casings. The nonconductive seal can be installed quickly by one worker with no special equipment. It absorbs vibration, shocks, and sound waves and electrically insulates the inner carrier pipe from penetrating structures.

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Visit www.apsonline.com to learn more.

The Hexa-CoverÂŽ from Lemma Technologies Inc. adapts to any pond or tank application and offers unique features for odor, algae, and evaporation control, as well as heat retention. The patented design incorporates hexagonal discs constructed of 100 percent recycled polypropylene with interlocking edges and a buttressed profile that allows for self-leveling, adjustment, and dispersion, ensuring maximum surface area coverage in all conditions. The cover is installed using minimal time, cost, and equipment.

The design incorporates discrete discs that distribute themselves across the water surface to easily accommodate any basin equipment, piping, or water-level fluctuations. Bags or containers of discs are emptied into the basin, and in a short period of time, the cover installs itself across the water surface, adjusting for any irregularity in basin shapes, with 99 percent surface coverage. Two disc sizes allow for flexibility in selecting the best fit for each application.

Details can be found at www.lemma.com.

Offered by Headworks International, the HIT-CS is a single compact unit that incorporates all the treatment stages required for producing effluent suitable for reuse. The system is composed of equalization, pretreatment, and ActiveCell® moving-bed biofilm reactor for biochemical oxygen demand and nitrification, tertiary filtration, and disinfection. It is suitable for treating flows up to 100 m3/d.

The system is also designed to produce secondary sludge at 8 percent dry solids, which results in reducing solids volume by half, compared to traditional activated sludge systems.

Because of its small footprint, the system can be used for many different applications, such as residential communities, labor camps, hotels and resorts, office buildings, construction sites, and decentralized systems. Also available is the HIT System™ developed for larger flows.

Also from Headworks is the ScrewpactorHD, which is designed with more-robust spiral, higher-torqued, sealed double-thrust bearings and other proprietary features for durability. The 5-hp motor and 0.75-in. spiral make the unit second to none in compressing inorganic solids or material that could clog the system. The compactor compresses these materials and provides solid screenings and handling performance. The low-profile conveyor/compactor can handle about 105 ft3/h and is retrofitted easily to existing systems.

The unit is manufactured from grade 304 or 316 stainless steel, and the shafted spiral is made of alloy steel. Options include a screenings washing system that loosens and emulsifies organic material on the screenings and a continuous bagging module.

Log onto www.headworksinternational.com to find out more.

Aquametrix presents the P60C-5 pH/ORP differential probe, which combines the oversized electrodes of the flagship P60C8 probe with the slim profile of a 1-in. fixed insertion probe. Its glass electrode surface area is four times larger than any competing 1-in. differential probe, providing the fastest response and highest signal quality in the industry. The probe comes in two versions: the six-wire sensor interfaces with any existing Aquametrix or GLI/Hach controller,

and the two-wire sensor provides a direct 4—20-mA output and interfaces with a programmable logic controller. The probe also comes with a choice of electrodes, including domed, flat-face, and antimony for hydrofluoric acid. The domed electrode offers the highest signal, while the flat-face electrodes are more robust and offer a greater resistance to fouling. The Office Routing Plus version comes with either a platinum or gold electrode.

Continued on page 44

The Fiber Filter from BKT Co. Ltd. is a compact filter that uses flexible polypropylene fiber bundles that surround a perforated collection pipe. Pore size of the filter media is controlled by adjusting the tension on the fiber bundles. During filtration, the fibers are pulled tightly in the longitudinal direction to reduce the effective pore sizes of the filter media. As head loss increases through the filter fibers, the filter bundle is relaxed to increase the porosity of fibers, enabling backwashing that is quick and efficient. Paired with BKTurbo Blowers and the BKT Biological Filtration System, the filter can be used to provide a complete package.

More information can be found at www.bkt21.com.

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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Continued from page 43 Visit www.aquametrixcontrollers.com for further details.

The Streaming/Floating Remotely Operated Vehicle from Hibbard Inshore LLC is specifically designed to inspect fully flooded, partially flooded, and dry sewer lines and can perform inspections in high-flow situations with the ability to travel up to 11,000 ft from a single access point to inspect both above and below the waterline. The float comes standard with video cameras and adjustable lighting above the waterline, and dual sonar heads below the waterline, to identify open cracks, offsets, and holes. The sonar can also be used to determine volumes of sediment buildup, identify out-of-round conditions, and measure dimensional anomalies. Scanning lasers and ground-penetrating radar can be added as options above the waterline for measurement.

Go to www.hibbardinshore.com to find more information.

The CUES Digital Universal Camera is a high-resolution, closed-circuit-television, side-

44

scanning camera designed for rapid and detailed condition assessment of wastewater systems. It can be used to inspect and assess 5000 ft or more per day, increasing revenue while reducing expenses. The system produces a high-resolution digital video scan of internal pipe conditions in a 6- to 60-in. pipe and a flat, unfolded view of the pipe is provided for measurement purposes. The camera has no moving parts and is driven through the pipe without the need to stop, or pan and tilt. The unit can be driven on cruise control to the remote manhole or through multiple manholes for maximum efficiency.

Further details can be found at www.cuesinc.com.

The Mission Communications Manhole Monitor is built for active sewer monitoring programs. It immediately notifies users before effluent backs up into a manhole, and tracks the time and duration of the surcharge or overflow. Early warnings of flood conditions help prevent unwanted backups.

The monitor is designed and tested to IP68 specifications for submersion and has a rugged, serviceable waterproof enclosure. Re-

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

liable, encrypted data are transmitted via fourth-generation radios. Reports and trends can be accessed by any Web-based device. The monitor can be installed in a few hours, with no manhole modifications required.

More information is available at www.123mc.com.

WaterSignal introduces the first wireless system that continuously monitors water usage in real time. Utilizing breakthrough technology, a self-contained, non-intrusive monitor listens to the pulse of the water meter, and real-time data is sent wirelessly to a website portal to view the water consumption by the month, day, or even down to the hour. If a major leak occurs, the device alerts the manager or engineer that a water spike above the present limit has occurred. The alert can be sent to both a computer and a smartphone for personnel to act upon, and can be customized for business hours as well as after hours and weekends. The system data can be a valuable tool on which to build an effective water conservation program.

To learn more, go to www.watersignal.com.

ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Tank Engineering And Management Consultants, Inc.

Engineering • Inspection Aboveground Storage Tank Specialists Mulberry, Florida • Since 1983

863-354-9010 www.tankteam.com

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

45

ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Fort Lauderdale 954.351.9256

Jacksonville 904.733.9119

Miami 305.443.6401

Orlando 407.423.0030

Gainseville 352.335.7991

Key West 305.294.1645

Navarro 850.939.8300

Tampa 813.874.0777 813.386.1990

West Palm Beach 561.904.7400

Naples 239.596.1715

Showcase Your Company in the Engineering or Equipment & Services Directory Contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006 ads@fwrj.com

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

46

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

Motor & Utility Services, LLC

Instrumentation,Controls Specialists Instrumentation Calibration Troubleshooting and Repair Services On-Site Water Meter Calibrations Preventive Maintenance Contracts Emergency and On Call Services Installation and System Start-up Lift Station Controls Service and Repair

Central Florida Controls,Inc. Florida Certified in water meter testing and repair P.O. Box 6121 • Ocala, FL 34432 Phone: 352-347-6075 • Fax: 352-347-0933

CEC Motor & Utility Services, LLC 1751 12th Street East Palmetto, FL. 34221 Phone - 941-845-1030 Fax – 941-845-1049 prademaker@cecmotoru.com • Motor & Pump Services Test Loaded up to 4000HP, 4160-Volts • Premier Distributor for Worldwide Hyundai Motors up to 35,000HP • Specialists in rebuilding motors, pumps, blowers, & drives • UL 508A Panel Shop, engineer/design/build/install/commission • Lift Station Rehabilitation Services, GC License # CGC1520078 • Predictive Maintenance Services, vibration, IR, oil sampling • Authorized Sales & Service for Aurora Vertical Hollow Shaft Motors

w w w. c e nt r a l f l or i d a c ont rol s . c om

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

CLASSIFIEDS Positions Av ailable Purchase Private Utilities and Operating Routes Florida Corporation is interested in expanding it’s market in Florida.

We would like you and your company to join us. We will buy or partner for your utility or operations business. Call Carl Smith at 727-8359522. E-mail: csmith@uswatercorp.com

CITY OF WINTER GARDEN – POSITIONS AVAILABLE The City of Winter Garden is currently accepting applications for the following positions: - Collection Field Tech – I & II - Utilities Operator II - Customer Service Technician I - Distribution Field Tech – I Please visit our website at www.cwgdn.com for complete job descriptions and employment application. Applications may be submitted online, emailed to jobs@cwgdn.com or faxed to 407-877-2795.

Town of Lake Placid, Florida Director of Utilities Civil Engineering Degree or Finance Degree preferred. Experience in managing and operating water and wastewater systems required. Experience in financial issues involving the management, operation and acquisition of utilities is required. Prefer that applicant have at least a Florida dual “C” Certification in water and wastewater treatment or ability to obtain within three months of hire.

Interested parties may mail resumes to Town Administrator by email at lakeplacidinfo@gmail.com, 311 W. Interlake Blvd, Lake Placid, FL 33852. Download job description and emp. application from website at: www.lakeplacidfl.net. EOE/DFWP.

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March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

We are currently accepting employment applications for the following positions: Water & Wastewater Licensed Operator’s – positions are available in the following counties: Pasco, Polk, Highlands, Lee, Marathon Maintenance Technicians – positions are available in the following locations: Jacksonville, New Port Richey, Fort Myers, Lake, Marion, Ocala, Pembroke Pines Construction Manager – Hillsborough Customer Service Manager - Pasco Employment is available for F/T, P/T and Subcontract opportunities Please visit our website at www.uswatercorp.com (Employment application is available in our website) 4939 Cross Bayou Blvd.

New Port Richey, FL 34652 Toll Free: 1-866-753-8292 Fax: (727) 848-7701 E-Mail: hr@uswatercorp.com

Water and Wastewater Utility Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Management

General Manager Destin Water Users, a member-owned water and wastewater utility in Destin, FL is seeking qualified candidates to serve as General Manager.

DWU serves10,000+ customers with annual revenues of approximately $13 million, and a workforce of 60+ personnel. Candidates will possess a minimum of three years’ experience in a senior management position in a similar-sized water and wastewater private and/or public utility, which includes experience in finance, human resources, engineering, government and customer relations. Excellent pay of $90,000+ depending on qualifications. Benefits package commensurate with experience. For more information on how to apply and deadline for submission, please visit http://dwuinc.com/contact-us/career-opportunities/.

Utilities Storm Water Supervisor $53,039-$74,630/yr. Plans/directs the maintenance, construction, repair/tracking of stormwater infrastructure. AS in Management, Environmental studies, or related req. Min. five years’ exp. in stormwater operations or systems. FWPCOA “A” Cert. req.

Utilities Treatment Plant Operator I $41,138-$57,885/yr plus $50/biweekly for “B” lic.; 100/biweekly for “A” lic. Class “C” FL DW Operator Lic. & membrane experience required.

Lift Station Operator I $37,313 - $52,503/yr. Inspects/repairs wastewater pumps, electrical equipment and radio telemetry system. FL Class “C” WW Collection cert. & Class “B” CDL required.

Apply: 100 W. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach, FL 33060. Open until filled. E/O/E. http://pompanobeachfl.gov for details.

Broward County Water & Wastewater ServicesPlanning and Development Manager Salary Range: $73,734-$120,924 Dependent on Qualifications Broward County is seeking an Environmental Engineering Planning and Development Manager for the Water and Wastewater Services Engineering Division, a large water and wastewater utility in South Florida serving 600,000 customers. This is advanced professional and administrative work in planning, designing and managing Division operational and strategic business projects and programs. Work involves the supervision of professional engineers, contractors or other technical staff involved in County Public Works/Environmental Engineering programs and projects.

Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with major course work in civil, environmental industrial engineering or related field; thorough experience in the planning, design, construction and management of capital projects, including considerable experience in administrative and supervisory work in a utility environment; or any equivalent combination of training and experience. Registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida is required.

To apply for this exciting position in a great location, visit: http://www.broward.org/HumanResources/Pages/EnvEngPD Manager.aspx.

BROWARD COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PROVIDER OF SERVICES.

UTILITY MECHANIC I High school education or equivalent. One year experience in mechanical maintenance work involving plumbing, mechanical and electrical repair of pumps and motors. Specialized training in the repair of water plant equipment desired. Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License. Apply in person Monday through Friday 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. to: Human Resources Department 2nd Floor. 17011 N. E. 19th Avenue, North Miami Beach, FL. 33162. Fax: (305) 787-6034. Applications will be accepted through March 4, 2014. Only the first 100 applications will be accepted.

The Town of Hillsboro Beach is accepting applications for a Class C or higher Water Treatment Plant Operator or a trainee who has completed the DEP approved coursework. For application, please visit www.townofhillsborobeach.com.

Broward County Water & Wastewater ServicesExpansion Project Administrator Salary Range:$67,032-$109,932 Dependent on Qualifications Broward County is seeking an Expansion Project Administrator for the Water and Wastewater Services Engineering Division, a large water and wastewater utility in South Florida serving 600,000 customers. This advanced, professional and administrative work is the link between the project team and other County agencies, and coordinates, oversees and expedites the process to obtain various required County approvals. Incumbent establishes time-lines, maintains a document tracking system, evaluates and reviews reports and documents for correctness, completeness and timeliness, undertakes special studies, performs analysis and prepares reports. Supervision may be exercised over engineers, subprofessional assistants and other employees engaged in various project management, construction, inspection, or related operations. Work is reviewed for general adherence to established policies Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in engineering, architecture, business administration, construction management or related field, four (4) years of experience overseeing contracts which involved design/construction projects, including two (2) years of experience in government contract procurement and management or any equivalent combination of relevant training and experience. Registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida is a plus.

To apply for this exciting position in a great location, visit: http://www.broward.org/HumanResources/Pages/ExpanProj AdminWWS.aspx BROWARD COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PROVIDER OF SERVICES.

Positions Wantetd RICHARD WHALEN – Seeking a operator related position or that of a professional engineer. Is an active licensed engineer and holds a Florida C Water and Wastewater licenses, Louisiana Water and Wastewater licenses and Collection I certificate. Prefers Lakeland/central Florida area but is willing to relocate. Contact at PO Box 90813, Lakeland Fl. 33804 or 863-397-8347 COREY McCOY – Holds Florida C Water and Wastewater licenses with 10 years experience and has passed the B Wastewater exam. Experienced in maintenance, heavy equipment and is OSHA Certified. Prefers Lake, Orange or Polk County but is willing to relocate. Contact at PO Box 501, Groveland, Fl. 34736. 352-346-1017 DARYL BROWN – Holds Florida B Wastewater & C Water licenses with six years experience. Prefers Central Florida locations. Contact at 5445 Limelight Circle, Orlando, Fl. 32839. 407-692-3333

Florida Water Resources Journal • March 2014

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Certification Boulevard Answer Key February 2014

From page 22 1.

D) The chlorine demand is multiplied by at least five times for each pound of nitrite oxidized.

Nitrites (NO2) will consume about five times their weight in chlorine before a residual is detected. However, nitrate (NO3) values have little to no affect on demand for chlorine in the disinfection process.

3.

A) 13.3 hours Detention Time, hours = Tank Volume, MG x 24 hrs/day ÷ Flow entering the tank, mgd 2.5 MG x 24 hrs per day ÷ 4.5 mgd = 13.3 hours

4.

B) The ORP value decreases.

The ORP and ammonia are inversely proportional to each other; when the ammonia level increases, the ORP value decreases. Conversely, when the ammonia level decreases, the ORP value increases.

5.

A) 2.0 ppm TSS, ppm = weight of suspended solids in grams x (1,000,000 ÷ ml of sample) Weight of TSS = Final Wt. - Paper Tare Wt. = 1.8875 gm - 1.8873 gm = 0.0002 gm

C) SO2 Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is the only chemical on this list that will effectively dechlorinate chlorinated effluent. Other chemicals used for dechlorination may be sodium thiosulfate and sodium bisulfite.

C) Sodium Hydroxide Water that is disinfected with chlorine, and then dechlorinated with sulfur dioxide, may require a chemical to stabilize the pH within the required 6.0 to 8.5 range. A common chemical used for this application is sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda.

2.

6.

7.

C) 1,735 gpm 1,000,000 gals per day ÷ 1,440 mins per day = 694 gpm per mgd x 2.5 mgd = 1,735 gpm

8. B) 2.5 mg/L 225 mg/L x 0.989 = 222.525 mg/L 225 mg/L - 222.525 mg/L = Effluent TSS of 2.475 mg/L OR 100% - 98.9 percent = 1.1 percent 225 mg/L x 0.011 = Effluent TSS of 2.475 mg/L

9. D) πd Circumference is calculated as pi times the diameter, or πd. Basically, you can take the diameter of any circle and wrap it around the circumference (the outer wall of the circle) 3.14 times. If you have a calculator with a pi button, it typically displays 3.1415926535.

Another way of calculating circumference is 2 times π times r, known as 2πr.

10. B) 880,770 gallons Volume per ft = πr2 x 1 ft x 7.48 gals/ft3 = 3.14 x 50 ft x 50 ft x 1 ft x 7.48 gals/ft3 = 58,718 gal per ft 58,718 gal per foot x 15 ft = 880,770 gal in 15 ft of a 100-ft-diameter tank.

TSS, ppm = 0 .0002 gm x (1,000,000 ÷ 100 ml sample) = 2.0 mg/L (ppm)

Display Advertiser Index Carollo..............................................................39 CROM ................................................................8 Data Flow ........................................................27 FSAWWA Drop Savers ......................................30 FSAWWA Likens ..............................................42 FSAWWA Operator Awards................................32 FSAWWA Training ............................................29 FWPCOA Short School ......................................31 FWPCOA Training..............................................41 Florida Water Resources Conference ............9-14 Garney................................................................5 GML Coatings ..............................................37,44

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Hudson Pumps ................................................23 ISA ..................................................................33 Old Castle ........................................................40 Rangeline ........................................................51 Reiss Rngineering ..............................................7 Stacon................................................................2 Synagro............................................................38 Treeo................................................................21 Unimin..............................................................43 US Water ..........................................................19 Xylem ..............................................................52

March 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Editorial Calendar January . . .Wastewater Treatment February . .Water Supply; . . . . . . . . . .Alternative Sources March . . . .Energy Efficiency; . . . . . . . . . .Environmental Stewardship April . . . . . .Conservation and Reuse; Florida Water Resources Conference May . . . . . .Operations and Utilities Management June . . . . . .Biosolids Management and Bioenergy Production; . . . . . . . . . .FWRC Review July . . . . . .Stormwater Management; . . . . . . . . . .Emerging Technologies August . . . .Disinfection; Water Quality; 65th Anniversary September .Emerging Issues; . . . . . . . . . .Water Resources Management October . . .New Facilities, Expansions and Upgrades November .Water Treatment December .Distribution and Collection Technical articles are usually scheduled several months in advance and are due 60 days before the issue month (for example, January 1 for the March issue).

The closing date for display ad and directory card reservations, notices, announcements, upcoming events, and everything else including classified ads, is 30 days before the issue month (for example, September 1 for the October issue).

For further information on submittal requirements, guidelines for writers, advertising rates and conditions, and ad dimensions, as well as the most recent notices, announcements, and classified advertisements, go to www.fwrj.com or call 352-241-6006.