Operators Showcase

OPERATORS SHOWCASE

Operators Hear Timely Topics for the Water and Wastewater Industry

Operators traveled from across Florida to attend the conference. On April 24, some attended the Operators Showcase to have a beer and discuss current topics in the water utility industry.

The showcase is sponsored by the Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association (FWPCOA), and this year the discussion was moderated by Ken Enlow, project manager at the Tampa Bay Water Surface Water Treatment Plant.

The session had two presenters: S Carlyn Higgins, Ph.D., E.I., assistant engineer II with Hazen and

Sawyer, talked about indirect potable reuse, equipment, and operator certification. S Mike Darrow, superintendent of utility operations at Plant City, gave a rules update.

Dr. Carlyn Higgins

Higgins Presentation: Potable Water Reuse

S City of Daytona Beach (March 2017 –

November 2021) S City of Tampa (feasibility phase) S City of Plant City (2022 – ongoing)

Higgins presented the recent timeline for potable reuse regulation: S 2018 – 2019: Public Reuse Commission holds public meetings. S 2020: Senate Bill (SB) 712 directs the

Florida Department of Environmental

Protection (FDEP) to develop rules for all types of water reuse. S 2020: Later in the year, SB 64 requires elimination of nonbeneficial surface water discharge by 2032. S 2021: The FDEP issues draft potable reuse rules and revisions to wastewater and drinking water chapters. A pilot is

Drivers and Types of Potable Reuse

Potable water reuse is being considered in many parts of the United States. There are several drivers for potable water reuse: S Traditional source water limitations (quantity and/or quality) S Limited drinking water treatment capacity S Limited drinking water distribution capacity S Environmental discharge restrictions S Limited collection system capacity (onsite reuse) S Compatibility of reclaimed water with water use application S Environmental augmentation

There are several types of nonpotable reuse: S Irrigation S Cooling S Boiler feed S Refineries S Wetland restoration S Toilet flushing S Washdown

Groundwater and surface water augmentation are used for indirect potable reuse and finished water augmentation is used for direct potable reuse.

Florida Reuse Projects and Regulations

In Florida, potable water reuse projects are underway at the following cities and utilities, with project status indicated: S City of Clearwater (operated July 2013 –

June 2014) S Hillsborough County (design phase) S Tampa Bay Water (2016 – ongoing) S City of Altamonte Springs (2016 – ongoing) S JEA (phase I in 2018; phase II began 2019)

currently required prior to the design and construction of a potable reuse process.

Operator Certification for Potable Reuse

In 2017, the California Urban Water Agency recommended a hybrid licensure approach to allow water and wastewater operators to obtain a license in potable reuse or advanced water treatment.

Two Water Research Foundation projects recommended the following: S Potable reuse should be added to water and wastewater treatment certification. S Certification should include regulation, source water understanding, advanced monitoring, and sampling.

In California, a committee has created an advanced water treatment operations certification.

In Florida, the Potable Reuse Commission, in 2019, stressed that highly trained certified operators are critical to the safe and successful functioning of potable reuse systems. “Endorsements” to existing operator certifications that cover advanced treatment, specific unit process, monitoring, and regulatory compliance should be implemented.

Currently, Florida has considered separate wastewater facility and public water system operator certifications, and a dual operator certification may be required in the future.

There are resources that are available to operators interested in learning more about potable reuse: S Training modules developed by Water

Environmental and Reuse Foundation S Membrane operator certification modules (MOC) from Southeast Desalting

Association (SEDA) S Direct potable reuse operator training from

WateReuse Association S “Potable Reuse 101” from American Water

Works Association

Mike Darrow

Darrow Presentation: Rules Update

The FWPCOA is a trade organization founded in 1941, although the roots of the organization can be traced back to the 1920s. The association’s members are directly involved or associated with the water utility industry in Florida, including drinking water production, wastewater treatment, water reclamation, biosolids handling, and stormwater management.

Where should service lines be checked?

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Lead and Copper Rule

Considerations for this rule include: S Copper requirements are unchanged. S Maintains current lead action level (AL) 15 µg/l and creates new trigger level (TL) 10 µg/l for the 90th percentile. S Prioritizes sampling at single-family homes with lead service lines (LSLs). S Changes sample collection procedures (first and fifth liter samples). S Requires sampling at schools and childcare facilities. S Enhanced public education and outreach requirements. S Optimizing corrosion control program. S Service line inventories and lead service line replacement (LSLR).

Build a Piping Inventory

Start now to build a piping inventory using traditional data sources: S Building and plumbing records S City ordinances and state laws S Maintenance records S Water quality data S Health data

All water systems must build an inventory or demonstrate there is no lead by Oct. 16, 2024.

Recommendations for every system include: S Document, document, document. S Take advantage of ongoing capital improvements and maintenance.

S Plan to address service lines with

“unknown” materials.

Managing “Unknown” Service Lines

“Unknown” services are treated as lead when using the inventory to plan replacements.

Recommended Actions for Utilities S Begin determining and replacing lead services and components. S Start talking to childcare facilities and schools about lead. S If you don’t have, or don’t believe you have, LSLs, consider how you’ll prove it. S Evaluate historic monitoring and collect additional data to determine your risk. S Optimizing corrosion control treatment (CCT) now could save a lot of headache (and money) in the future. S Evaluate funding program eligibility and get in the funding queue as early as possible—there will be competition for funds. S Elevate sampling plan to prevent issues.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

In October 2021, EPA announced its per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) strategic roadmap, laying out a wholeof-agency approach to addressing these chemicals.

The roadmap sets timelines by which EPA plans to take specific actions and commits to bolder new policies to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable. The actions described in the PFAS roadmap represent important and meaningful steps to safeguard communities from PFAS contamination. Cumulatively, these actions will build upon one another and lead to more enduring and protective solutions.

The EPA timeline is as follows: S Proposed national primary drinking water regulations for perfluorooctanoic

acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). S Science Advisory Board submitted a draft report in April 2022. S A proposed rule is expected to be issued in fall 2022 and a final rule in fall 2023. S The agency is also evaluating additional

PFAS and considering actions to address other groups of PFAS compounds.

Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires that, once every five years, EPA issue a list of unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems (PWS).

The fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) was published in December 2021. It requires sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations.

This action provides EPA and other interested parties with scientifically valid data on the occurrence of these contaminants in drinking water in the U.S. Consistent with EPA’s PFAS strategic roadmap, UCMR 5 will provide new data that are critically needed to improve the agency’s understanding of the frequency with which 29 PFAS (and lithium) are found in the nation’s drinking water systems and at what levels. These data will ensure science-based decision making and help to prioritize the protection of drinking water in disadvantaged communities.

The sampling for contaminants includes the following actions: S Surface water must monitor four times in 12 months at three months apart. S Groundwater systems must monitor two times at five to seven months apart. S Systems are to update sampling locations by Dec. 31, 2022. S Sample results must be approved by an operator and reported to the Central

Data Exchange (CDX) Safe Drinking

Water Accession and Review System (SDWARS).

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Rule Changes

The SB 712 was landmark legislation passed in 2020 to protect Florida’s water resources and includes the following: S Potable reuse rulemaking (62-610) S Biosolids rulemaking and provisions (62-640) S Collection systems rulemaking and provisions (62-604) S Indian River Lagoon advanced

wastewater treatment (AWT) requirement S Transfer of the regulation of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) from the Florida Department of

Health (DOH) to FDEP S FDEP annual sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) report to the Legislature

Collection Systems

Chapter 62-600, F.A.C., requires the following: S Collection system flows be routinely reviewed as part of the pipe assessment, repair, and replacement action plan required in the new Rule 62-600.705,

F.A.C. S New provisions added to require facility emergency response plans to include cybersecurity for facilities greater than 100,000 gallons per day (gpd). S An emergency power outage contingency plan, an annual report for SB 64 facilities, and an annual report on costs for pollution mitigation.

Chapter 62-604, F.A.C. requires the following: S Key revisions to spill reporting and to the operations and maintenance section that applies to all new and existing collection systems to prevent SSOs. S Emergency response plans must address cybersecurity, surface water monitoring, and hurricane preparedness/response. S Owners/operators shall maintain collection systems to minimize infiltration, inflow, leakages, and SSOs. S Revises State Watch office and public notification for spill reporting to the business portal. S An annual report on SSOs and public notice websites.

Biosolids

Chapter 62-640, F.A.C. revisions are as follows: S Revises how loading rates are determined; must determine a phosphorus-based rate and a nitrogenbased rate—cannot exceed either rate. S Revises groundwater monitoring requirements and establishes surface water monitoring requirements. S Sites and facilities must comply by June 21, 2023, or sooner, with permit renewal. S Expect lower land application rates, more acreage needed, and/or shift to Class AA production.

Darrow makes a point during his presentation. Darrow (left) and Higgins jointly answer questions.

Reuse

Chapter 62-610, F.A.C., stipulates phased rulemaking:

Phase I (Consistency and Clarifications) S Three phases planned. S Ensures consistency with other FDEP rules and governing Florida Statutes. S Clarifies existing requirements for reuse and Part III land application systems. S Requires use of a new electronic reporting tool for submittal of annual reuse reports.

Direct Potable Reuse and Indirect Potable Reuse

These processes will require: S Pretreatment program and enhanced pretreatment and source control for all potable reuse systems. S Advanced wastewater treatment. S Direct potable reuse will have similar requirements to surface water systems. • 10-Log removal Giardia lamblia • 10-Log removal Cryptosporidium oocysts • 12-Log removal viruses S Permit modification required for potable reuse pilot projects and full-scale potable reuse systems. S Full-scale operational demonstration. S Potable reuse systems deliver an engineering report on the pilot- and fullscale plant proving removal. S Design average daily flow of at least 0.1 million gallons per day (mgd). S Full treatment and disinfection requirements. S Nothing on operator requirements. S Full engineering report. S Reliability and staffing requirements. S Monitoring and reporting requirements. S Storage requirements. S Pilot study at least every 12 months, with final treatment design. S Diversion ability for off-spec water. S Removal of pathogens through advanced treatment methods. S Indirect potable reuse through groundwater sources, as well as surface waters. S Injection and rapid-rate infiltration. S Any injection into an underground source of drinking water (USDW) will be considered potable reuse, except when used for irrigation purposes.

Timing

The timing for the rulemaking is as follows: S Chapter 62-610, F.A.C. • Phase I – Effective Aug. 8, 2021 • Phase IIA – Anticipated spring/ summer 2022 S Indirect Potable Reuse and Aquifer

Storage and Recovery. • Phase IIB – Anticipated summer 2023 S Chapter 62-550, F.A.C. – Anticipated summer 2023. S Chapter 62-555, F.A.C. – Anticipated summer 2023.

Ken Enlow (standing at left) moderates the session.

Florida Air and Water Pollution Control Act

This addresses the assessments of water resources that must include an analysis of the cost to repair, replace, and expand waterrelated infrastructure. S Deadline is June 30, 2022, and every five years. S To meet these new requirements, every municipality, county, and special district must complete a 20-year needs analysis (one for stormwater, one for wastewater). S Asset management for those systems will help this requirement.

Enlow reminded the attendees that the Operators Showcase will again be held at the 2023 Florida Water Resources Conference in Kissimmee and that any suggestions for topic ideas for next year should be emailed to Patrick “Murf” Murphy at pmurphy@plantcitygov.com.