Florida Water Resources Journal - October 2015 by Florida Water Resources Journal

Editor’s Office and Advertiser Information:

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Michael Delaney Rick Harmon Patrick Delaney Buena Vista Publishing

Published by BUENA VISTA PUBLISHING for Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc. President: Richard Anderson (FSAWWA) Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Vice President: Greg Chomic (FWEA) Heyward Incorporated

4 6 10 18 26 34 41 49

Treasurer: Rim Bishop (FWPCOA) Seacoast Utility Authority Secretary: Holly Hanson (At Large) ILEX Services Inc., Orlando

Moving? The Post Office will not forward your magazine. Do not count on getting the Journal unless you notify us directly of address changes by the 15th of the month preceding the month of issue. Please do not telephone address changes. Email changes to changes@fwrj.com, fax to 352-241-6007, or mail to Florida Water Resources Journal, 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Clermont, FL 34711

Membership Questions FSAWWA: Casey Cumiskey – 407-957-8447 or casey@fsawwa.org FWEA: Karen Wallace, Executive Manager – 407-574-3318 FWPCOA: Darin Bishop – 561-840-0340

Technical Articles 28 Do You Happen to Have a Place to Store 500 MG of Reclaimed Water?—Kerstin L. Kenty, Randall Bushey, and Sarah N. Rodriguez

38 Keys to Successful Sewer Rehabilitation—Bryon Livingston, Mark E. Martin, and Saeed Kazemi

Education and Training 14 15 33 37 41

For Other Information DEP Operator Certification: Ron McCulley – 850-245-7500 FSAWWA: Peggy Guingona – 407-957-8449 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.

CEU Challenge FSAWWA Fall Conference TREEO Center Training FWPCOA Training Calendar Florida Water Resources Conference

Columns

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

What is a Field Technician?—Al Monteleone Bring On the Retrofit!—Len Bramble, Cheryl Robitzsch, and Phil Locke FWPCOA Awards WEF HQ Newsletter—Tom Burgess Are Tiered Water Conservation Rates Legally Valid?—Nicolas Porter Construction on Major Everglades Water Quality Project Nears Completion News Beat Correction

20 21 22 31

C Factor—Thomas King Certification Boulevard—Roy Pelletier FSAWWA Speaking Out—Mark Lehigh FWRJ Committee Profile—Water Use Efficiency Division

32 FWEA Focus—Raynetta Curry Marshall 36 FWRJ Reader Profile—Glenn Whitcomb

Departments 42 43 46 50

New Products Service Directories Classifieds Display Advertiser Index

Volume 67

ON THE COVER: New tank construction for Manatee County in Palmetto for its North Water Reclamation Facility sludge holding improvement project. The construction includes two open-top sludge holding tanks, which are identical to a tank already at the plant. (photo: Florida Aquastore)

October 2015

Number 10

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 • October 2015

What is a Field Technician? Al Monteleone A field technician can be many people: utility mechanic, maintenance person, pipefitter, lift station checker, and lift station mechanic. It’s someone who gets called out at 2 o'clock in the morning to fix a fire hydrant that someone has just crashed into and knocked over, or who, on Christmas Eve, gets a call that there is sewage running all over the streets because it’s coming out of a manhole. It’s a person who works in the hot sun, in the rain, and in the cold weather eight hours a day—or even longer—to repair water lines, unclog sewer pipes, and repair lift stations. A field technician installs water and sewer lines, makes taps for water services, installs fire hydrants, installs water meters, and does virtu-

ally anything that has to do with distribution or collection systems. When you stop and think about it, a water plant operator can make sure that customers have all of the clean, potable water they need, but if there weren't any transmission lines, fire hydrants, or water meters—and the people who keep them in good condition—there wouldn't be any place for the water to go. And as far as sewage treatment plant operators are concerned, if it wasn't for the people who maintain the lift stations and maintain the sewer lines to keep them clear, the sewage would never reach the sewer plant to be treated in the first place. Water and sewer plant operators are certified by the state of Florida. These people have to go through a training program and then are

tested because the state wants to make sure that they are competent in the work they perform. The plant operator needs to know the correct amount of chemical dosage to put into the water to make it safe to drink; a wastewater plant operator needs to know the correct chemical dosage in order to make it safe for the environment when it leaves the plant. But what about the water that is outside the limits of the treatment plant? What happens when a new water line is installed and it’s not properly disinfected? What happens after a water main breaks and the pipeline that’s repaired is not properly disinfected? What happens to a lift station that malfunctions and causes sewage to back up into manholes and overrun the city streets? The treatment plant operators are not responsible for this; however, the field technicians are. It’s their responsibility to make sure that the lines are properly disinfected, and they’re the ones who make sure that the lift stations are operating properly and the sewer lines are kept clear so that blockages won't occur and cause health hazards. Field technicians are just as important as plant operators. They have the same responsibilities that a plant operator has—that is, as a protector of public health. The Florida Water Pollution Control Operators Association (FWPCOA) started its own voluntary certification program recognizing the very important job that these people are performing. They have their own training program and their own testing program, and when a person has met all of the requirements of the Association, they are given a certificate that certifies them as a water distribution technician or as a wastewater collection technician. When a certified field technician becomes a member of FWPCOA, he or she has the same rights and privileges as a certified plant operator, such as holding an office in the local region, being elected as a director and serving on the state level of the Association, and serving on various committees for the organization. I urge every manager throughout the state to recognize your people in the water distribution and the wastewater collection department. Make sure that they go to the training programs and the testing programs and become certified technicians. After they are certified, treat them with the same respect as your plant operators. Remember, without the people in water distribution and wastewater collection, you wouldn't have any need for water and sewage treatment plant operators. Al Monteleone is chair of the FWPCOA Historical Committee. This is an update of his article that previously appeared in the Journal.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Bring On the Retrofit! Len Bramble, Cheryl Robitzsch, and Phil Locke Is has been 40 years since the first generation of pressure-driven membranes were installed in water treatment plants in the United States, and many utilities are now finding themselves in the position of their systems needing an upgrade. As these utilities explore their choices in this current economically challenged environment, difficult decisions need to be made about continuing to dedicate resources and operation-andmaintenance dollars to an aging system, spending high-capital dollars on a new facility, or creatively optimizing and retrofitting their existing systems.

mosis (RO) treatment system in 1975. With this HFF system, Venice owned the largest brackish water RO facility in the world. Due to continuing issues with permeate, the decision was made in 1989 to replace the HFF treatment system with a spiral-wound membrane RO system. Local RO systems manufacturer Harn RO Systems Inc. was selected to fabricate and install the two 1-mgd trains, which was later expanded in the early 1990s by adding two more 1-mgd trains, ultimately bringing the permitted capacity up to 4.64 mgd. This system has served the City well for many years, including periodic replacement of RO membranes.

The System Today

Setting the Stage The City of Venice is a seasonal coastal community along the southwestern coast of Florida, located just south of Sarasota. The general area was first settled in the 1870s, primarily by farmers growing citrus and other crops. Following the completion of the railroad to the area in 1911—the Sarasota-Venice Company—a land development company owned by Chicago businesswoman Bertha Honore Palmer platted a small area south of Robert’s Bay as the town of Venice and offered lots for sale. Rail lines were extended to this newly platted area and the train stop was called Venice Train Station. Venice remained a small fishing resort and farming community until 1925 when Dr. Fred H. Albee purchased 2,916 acres of land from the Venice-Sarasota Company and retained world-renowned city planner John Nolen to design a city on his land. Dr. Albee in turn sold his land to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) in October 1925. The BLE hired the noted American landscape architect John Nolen to complete his plan for the new city, and he retained the New York architectural firm of Walker & Gillette as supervising architects and Prentiss French as landscape architect. On June 10, 1926, the first street in Venice, Nassau Street, opened, and in December 1926, Venice held its first town council meeting and formed police and fire departments. In 1928 the first Tamiami Trail was constructed from Tampa, south through Venice, to Miami. The Great Depression saw the end of BLE’s involvement in Venice, but the 1932 arrival of the Kentucky Military Institute and the establishment of the Venice Army Air Base in 1942 aided the city’s turnaround. Venice first found itself in the water business in 1945 when the Army Air Base was vacated, leaving the base utilities to the City. Demand at that time was around 12,000 gal per day (gpd) from shallow wells (<125 ft deep). In 1954, the City purchased a 400,000 gpd lime softening plant. Due to deteriorating water quality issues, the City installed a 1-mil-galper-day (mgd) hollow fine fiber (HFF) Dupont Polymetrics reverse os-

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

By 2007, the utility reached a point where it was clear that the RO plant’s aging membranes were in dire need of replacement. Adding to this sense of urgency was the deterioration and corrosion of the skids holding the RO pressure vessels and membranes; an undersized odor control system that did little to control the naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide emissions from the facility; and an old stout, but limited, control system, all needing significant upgrading or replacement. Fueled by this top-priority project, in addition to numerous other significant and highly visible potable water and sanitary sewer facility and asset needs, the Venice Utilities Department began a quest to identify and secure funding for the City’s very first long-range capital improvement plan (CIP). This culminated with a utility rate adjustment in 2010 that adopted a set of rates, fees, and charges, largely for the sole purpose of implementing the utility department’s very first long-range financial plan and first CIP. The financial plan included periodic borrowing to support the CIP, and in late 2010, the City secured the first planned borrowing via a $20 million revenue bond issue. While the 2010 financial plan and rate study were underway, City staff was busy identifying and considering a variety of options to solve the RO plant issues, including such things as building a new RO plant at a different site and renovating the existing RO plant. Following the completion of a preliminary engineering report, which estimated the probable costs to relocate and replace the existing RO plant with a new one, a decision was made to keep the RO plant in its current location and renovate it. This not only accomplished bringing the treatment technology up to date, it also set the stage for the renovation of the entire treatment plant compound, with the water treatment plant setting an example for urban renewal in that portion of the City. The plant is in an area of the city that is one of three principal entryways into the downtown core and is under growing pressure to see it evolve from an older light-industrial area to being more consistent with the more commercial-based central business district that’s adjacent to the west. This of course led to discussions and debate by City staff on the pros

and cons of various procurement strategies. A huge concern was the risk of unknown conditions when renovating an old treatment plant and the likelihood of numerous change orders if a conventional design-bid-build approach was used. Another equally large concern was the desire to construct the improvements with quality system components equal to or exceeding the City’s quality and performance goals and objectives. Central to this was the knowledge that the improvements must be lasting and sustainable, providing the City with quality drinking water for the next several decades. After much discussion, research, and input from other utilities who had utilized a variety of procurement strategies, the utilities department concluded that a progressive design-build delivery method would best meet project goals and objectives, which included meeting project schedules, maintaining control of the project budget, and achieving the best overall value for the engineering, equipment, and construction for the completed project. After securing the backing of city management and the finance department for using progressive designbuild as the procurement method, the project finally began. In 2012, the City retained MWH as the owner’s representative to assist its staff through the remainder of the project, which began with preparation of the procurement documents. This was a most important phase of the project, as it needed to incorporate as much of the “vision” for the project as possible by each project participant—comprised of all of the department’s water production staff and management team—and set the tone for the remainder of the project. Leading up to this important juncture, the department convened all involved staff multiple times in order to better understand and define the basic scope of the project and to achieve a significant degree of buy-in and ownership by everyone. Overall general project goals were to retrofit the existing RO skids with new membrane skids that could meet the existing total dissolved solids and flow conditions, but still have the flexibility to decrease groundwater withdrawals by adding a second RO stage to increase the existing recovery rate, while producing the same amount of water each day. An additional goal was to optimize the existing system for the future—and best performance of the membranes—by installing new pumps, cartridge filters, and, for the first time, a true cutting-edge fully automated supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The City also had a stringent and challenging schedule and needed to get one skid installed and commissioned prior to its high season, which starts in late October to early November, with the annual arrival of “snowbirds,” who are mostly from the northern states and stay for about six months to experience south Florida’s more enjoyable winter weather. The final goal was to make the available funds go as far as they could and have certainty of price early on in the process. To do this, the City chose to utilize the progressive design-build option, and ultimately selected the team of Haskell and McKim & Creed in late 2012. The Haskell team was tasked to provide preconstruction and construction services to evaluate alternatives; design and install new membranes, pumps, filters, and chemical feed pumps; clean the in-place system; and upgrade the SCADA system.

City Officials Celebrate Formal Project Kick-Off

underway or planned. This was very important to the department in its quest to identify reasons to celebrate even small accomplishments, but most certainly the important ones, and share the celebration with others in the industry. The celebration was attended by all city leadership, including the mayor and city council, city manager, and several dozen others from a number of city departments. All local media outlets and the public were invited as well. Water production staff offered tours of the treatment works to all in attendance, and the department even put on display its last remaining full piece of old wooden pipe, from which the city’s original water distribution system was constructed.

Preconstruction Services Optimizes the City’s System The first task for the design-build team was to develop a scope of work and establish a price for preconstruction services. The City’s goal was to utilize the preconstruction phase to optimize the system by evaluating the water quality data and assessing alternative RO system components, existing equipment, potential layouts, and configurations, and to evaluate the existing SCADA system to be updated to improve monitoring and control. The design-build team worked with the City to develop a technical memorandum that reviewed the existing water quality and blending data, projected process stream water quality from various membrane manufacturers, evaluated alternative RO membrane array options and skid configurations, and reviewed SCADA upgrades. Using this information, the team made a recommendation for the new membranes and skid configuration to be installed. In addition, the team evaluated the feasibility of utilizing the existing linked equipment, such as the high-pressure feed pumps, cartridge filters, clean in-place systems, and chemical feed systems, with the new RO membrane skids. The team recommended new high-pressure feed pumps, cartridge filters, clean in-place systems, and a new chlorine pumping system to operate with the new RO system. Upon completion of the technical memorandum and approval by the City, the team proceeded with the design. With design of the RO system at 30 percent, the team prequalified and competitively bid the RO skids and selected an RO equipment manufacturer (ROEM) to assist with the design from 30 to 100 percent completion. Continued on page 8

The entire team and the City’s utilities department staff worked to plan and hold a “Renovations Celebration” to formally kick off this important project and recognize several other utility projects that were either

Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

Continued from page 7

Construction Phase Delivers for the City At 60 percent design, the team was ready to develop the guaranteed maximum price (GMP). Using the 60 percent drawings, the construction team employed the procurement plan and began prequalifying subcontractors, developed bid packages, and advertised the project for competitive bidding for the best value. At a time-certain date, the sealed bids for each package were opened and checked for completeness, and a bid tabulation with all backup materials was completed for review. The GMP was assembled utilizing subcontractors that offered the best value for the City. Negotiation of the GMP was arguably the most important of all project tasks as it defined the construction phase scope, value, and expectations of the project for all team participants. Through the diligent efforts of the entire team, the cost of the project was reduced almost $800,000. One significant concern was the desire by the City to see as much of the work as possible completed by local contractors, and close to 40 percent of it was.

Lessons Learned A project that includes upgrades or a complete replacement of an existing SCADA system should consider an accelerated design for instrumentation and controls and early procurement of the equipment. Having an instrumentation and control integrator on the team early in the process to assist with system understanding required upgrades to both on- and off-site equipment, and the necessary control for a fully functional system saved both time and money on the project. Early procurement of the ROEM to assist with design of the skid system and associated piping was vital to the retrofit project. Upon selecting Harn RO as the ROEM, it assisted McKim and Creed in the skid configuration, array, water quality goals, system layout, piping arrangements from the feed pumps, and layouts for the existing trenching. It was also involved with tie-ins for the concentrate and permeate lines and drains, and assisted in the design of the cleaning system, necessary air release systems,

back pressure, and backflow systems. It provided bac-T testing and assisted in the design for the temporary bypassing needed for performance testing. When working on an existing facility, there can be many unforeseen issues. Although manageable, items that came up during this project included: sanitary sewer lines connected to the plant drain systems, chemical drain lines connected to the existing skid drain lines, scaling issues in existing piping that modify the hydraulic condition, undersized piping, electrical modifications not documented, undocumented SCADA terminations for instrumentation, and patched instrument wiring, just to name a few. It’s important to have a good relationship with the electrical contractor and integration team to troubleshoot these items. What were the most important lessons from this project? By far, the most important lesson is building, creating, and maintaining good communications. This includes all aspects of communication—certainly verbal and written—but probably most importantly: listening. A close second is exercising and applying patience. Just as frequently encountered in other aspects of life, this project experienced shortcomings, and most of them were communications-based. For example, the tendency to react to an email from a colleague about an issue with the project by “firing off ” an accusatory retaliatory email seldom led to resolution. Quite the opposite is customarily the result, with far more energy, time, and money incurred for “damage control” instead of taking adequate time to understand the issue from a variety of perspectives and to determine the best course of action. What makes a project a success is the collaboration, cooperation, and communication among the design-build team, owner, and the owner’s representative.

Progressive Design-Build Meets Objectives and Saves Millions In the end, the project met its original objectives, providing the city with a reliable, cutting-edge, and much-improved facility that can be expanded to meet its drinking water needs for several decades to come, all without incurring the huge expense (estimated at $45-50 million) of relocating the facility to another site.

Len Bramble, P.E., is assistant city manager for City of Venice; Cheryl Robitzsch, P.E., is director of design–water division with Haskell in Jacksonville; and Phil Locke, P.E., is senior project manager with McKim and Creed in Clearwater.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

FWPCOA AWARDS

Awardees Honored at Fall State Short School The Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association recognized several outstanding water/wastewater professionals, utilities, and facilities during its Fall State Short School for operational excellence, service to the Association, and outstanding safety records. The school was held in August at the Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.

Dr. A.P. Black Award— Water Plant Operator Award of Excellence Patrick Murphy, City of Plant City

Dr. A.P. Black Award—Wastewater Plant Operator Award of Excellence Steve Saffels, City of Plant City

Dr. A.P. Black Award— Systems Operator Award of Excellence William “Billy” Bell, Gainesville Regional Utilities Accepted by Tom Mikell.

Robert E. Hellman Award— Industrial Pretreatment Award of Excellence Patrick Garrett, City of Palm Coast

Joseph V. Towry Award— Reclaimed Water Service Award of Excellence Kevin Young, City of Orlando

Emory Dawkins Award— Regional Newsletter Award of Excellence Region X Accepted by Charles E. Nichols

Theodore Kamien Award Walter Wisniewski, City of Deltona

Senior Systems Operator Award— Water Distribution Kevin Goolsby, Polk County Utilities

Senior Systems Operator Award— Wastewater Collection Randall Britt, City of Lake Wales

Utility Maintenance Award Robert Case, City of St. Petersburg

Outstanding Website Award Immokalee Water and Sewer District Accepted by Ofelia Gonzalez.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

SAFETY AWARDS Collection System City of North Miami Beach Collection Systems (Not presented at luncheon.)

Chairman’s Award Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Plant Accepted by Ken Enlow.

Water Plant A Olga Water Treatment Plant, Alva Accepted by Dan Smith and Shawn Short.

Water Plant B Marco Island Reverse Osmosis Treatment Plant Accepted by Jack Green and Scott Edson.

Water Plant C City of Lake Wales Water Treatment Plant Accepted by Damon Summers.

Wastewater Plant A Fort Myers Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant Accepted by Ben Wright.

Wastewater Plant B Golden Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant, Naples Accepted by Nate Mastroeni and Chris Jones.

Wastewater Plant C High Point Wastewater Treatment Facility, Fort Myers Accepted by Ben Wright.

Reuse Plant A City of Boca Raton Wastewater Treatment Plant Accepted by Jeffrey Brown.

Reuse Plant B City of Stuart Water Reclamation Facility Accepted by Janine Wilde.

Multiple Water Plants Lake Park Water Treatment Plants, Lutz Accepted by David Houser and Paul Kavanagh.

Multiple Wastewater Plants Woodard & Curran—Inverness Wastewater Treatment Facility Accepted by Brian Knoblock.

Stormwater City of Oakland Park Stormwater Section Accepted by Arthur P. Saey.

Distribution System Seacoast Utility Authority—Distribution System, Palm Beach Gardens Accepted by Jamie Adams.

Combined Distribution/Collection City of Stuart Distribution and Collection Accepted by Janine Wilde.

Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

FWPCOA AWARDS

SPECIAL AWARDS AWARD OF APPRECIATION Arthur P. Saey Pictured, left to right: Alexandria Saey-Woolweaver, Arthur P. Saey, Erin Saey, Michael Woolweaver, Alexis Saey, and Gregory Peck.

Short School attendees at the lunch.

MEMORIAL AWARD In Memory of Frank D. Hobie Accepted by Mrs. Frank (Gwen) Hobie (seated) and left to right: Dawn Erlich, Kayla Cepek, Malia Erlich, Darla Erlich, Dwayne Hobie, Dawn Cepek, Katrina Cepek, and William Cepek.

October 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Florida Water Resources Journal

Plaques ready to be awarded.

Operators: Take the CEU Challenge! Members of the Florida Water & Pollution Control Association (FWPCOA) may earn continuing education units through the CEU Challenge! Answer the questions published on this page, based on the technical articles in this month’s issue. Circle the letter of each correct answer. There is only one correct answer to each question! Answer 80 percent of the questions on any article correctly to earn 0.1 CEU for your license. Retests are available. This month’s editorial theme is, New Facilities, Expansions, and Upgrades. Look above each set of questions to see if it is for water operators (DW), distribution system operators (DS), or wastewater operators (WW). Mail the completed page (or a photocopy) to: Florida Environmental Professionals Training, P.O. Box 33119, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420-3119. Enclose $15 for each set of questions you choose to answer (make checks payable to FWPCOA). You MUST be an FWPCOA member before you can submit your answers!

___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBER NAME (please print)

Article 1 ________________________________________ LICENSE NUMBER for Which CEUs Should Be Awarded

If paying by credit card, fax to (561) 625-4858 providing the following information:

Do You Happen to Have a Place to Store 500 MG of Reclaimed Water? Kerstin L. Kenty and Sarah Rodriguez (Article 1: CEU = 0.1 WW) 1. Which of the following is not listed as a design consideration for an off-stream pumped reuse water storage reservoir? a. b. c. d.

Operational safety Seepage management Maintenance of water quality Containment of water

2. The vertical improvement installed below grade, which is designed to control offsite reclaimed water migration, is a a. b. c. d.

borrow pit. seepage cutoff wall. geomembrane liner. mixed native soil cement.

3. The Pasco County Reclaimed Water Reservoir project was necessary a. b. c. d.

because the number of reclaimed water users is declining. to maximize groundwater recharge. to supplement an undersized deep injection well. because the system has no surface water discharge option.

4. The design pool elevation(s) a. b. c. d.

fluctuate within a 21.5-ft range. remains below the elevation of 122 ft at all times. is fixed. cannot exceed 122 ft.

5. Once the reservoir is completed, reclaimed water will be pumped a. b. c. d.

directly by high-service pumps to the distribution system. by low-pressure pumps to a nearby wastewater plant. during off-peak demand periods only. to meet peak-hour demands only.

___________________________________________ (Credit Card Number)

Earn CEUs by answering questions from previous Journal issues!

___________________________________________

Contact FWPCOA at membership@fwpcoa.org or at 561-840-0340. Articles from past issues can be viewed on the Journal website, www.fwrj.com.

(Expiration Date)

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

The New OSHA Confined Spaces in Construction Standard Tom Burgess The new Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) confined spaces in construction standard (29 CFR 1926, Subpart AA) incorporates several provisions to address construction-specific hazards, account for advancements in technology, and improve enforceability of the requirements. Other than these additions, the standard, which became effective on August 3, is similar in content and organization to the general industry confined spaces standard. Construction is different than the typical general industry site in that a construction environment is continuously changing and often involves multiple employers. To address the unique nature of construction, the new standard places a greater emphasis on training, continuous worksite evaluation, and communication than the general industry standard. The organization, language, and most of the substantive requirements of the construction standard are based on the general industry standard.

Scope of the standard

Confined space evaluations

The standard applies to construction activities at a worksite with one or more confined spaces:

Confined space evaluations are required to determine if spaces are indeed confined spaces and also permit-required confined spaces. The evaluation must be performed by each employer who directs employees who may work in the confined space. The evaluations must be performed by a â&#x20AC;&#x153;competent person,â&#x20AC;? as defined by OSHA, which added this competent-person requirement because the analysis required for these evaluations necessitates some expertise. Employers may cooperate in identifying the confined spaces and permit-required confined spaces on a worksite, but employers remain responsible for identifying spaces that could affect the employees they direct.

The presence of a confined space on the worksite triggers a requirement for all employers to ensure that their employees do not enter a confined space except in accordance with the requirements of the standard. Even if an employer does not have employees who will enter a confined space, they are required to share information and coordinate with other employers if they have information necessary for the protection of workers inside confined spaces or are engaged in activities that could endanger the workers inside a confined space.

Excavations Excavations are not considered confined spaces in the construction standard and OSHA believes that overlapping standards could be unnecessarily burdensome to employers or cause confusion about the appropriate procedures to use. Excavations are best addressed by the existing OSHA excavation standard (29 CFR 1926, Subpart P). Entry into a confined space within an excavation is governed by the confined spaces standard. For example, the interior of a manhole or pipe within an excavation may be a confined space.

Underground construction This OSHA standard (29 CFR 1926, Subpart S) applies to the construction of underground tunnels, shafts, chambers, and other underground structures. To avoid confusion among different standards during the same underground construction project, OSHA covers nonstructural work performed in conjunction with initial construction of an underground space, as covered by Subpart S.

October 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Florida Water Resources Journal

Information sharing and coordination Information sharing and coordination duties at multi-employer worksites are important provisions of the construction standard and include requirements for the host employer (owner/operator). Controlling contractor The controlling contractor is at the center of the information-sharing and coordination process. Before any employer enters a permit space, the controlling contractor is required to obtain relevant information about confined spaces on the worksite from the host employer, and then relay that information to each contractor entering the confined space and to contractors performing work that could foreseeably result in a hazard within that confined space. The controlling contractor is also responsible for coordinating work in and around confined spaces so that no contractor working at the site creates a hazard inside the confined space.

After the entry employer performs entry operations, the controlling contractor must debrief the entry employer to gather information that the controlling contractor then must share with the host employer and other contractors who enter the space later. Host employer The host employer owns or manages the property where the construction work is taking place. The host employer serves an important role in providing information because he or she is likely to be most familiar with the property and the most likely to retain information about permit spaces on the property among separate construction projects, particularly in construction involving existing facilities. The host employer is required to share information on “known” permit spaces. All employers Each employer is required to notify the employees’ representatives and the controlling contractor of the hazards of permit spaces, and the location of those spaces. This requirement applies to all employers who identify a permit space, even if they choose not to allow their employees to enter it.

Permit-required confined space entry program

or potential hazardous atmosphere present in the space, and the employer eliminates all physical hazards in the space. Employers may reclassify the space as a nonpermit space even if a physical hazard remains, so long as the hazard is completely isolated and employees cannot be exposed to it. For example, in covering agitator blades to prevent accidental contact with sharp edges, the hazard is still present in the space but isolated from contact.

Rescue and emergency services The construction standard expands on the rescue requirements of the general industry standard, clarifying how to assess the response and adequacy of rescue services. The employer who designates rescue services must verify that it has the capability to reach the victim(s) within a time frame that is appropriate for the permit space hazard(s) identified. Nonentry rescue is required unless the retrieval equipment would increase the overall risk of entry or would not contribute to the rescue of the entrant. The employer must designate an entry rescue service whenever nonentry rescue is not selected. Whenever nonentry rescue is selected, the entry employer must ensure that retrieval systems or methods

are used whenever an authorized entrant enters a permit space and must confirm, prior to entry, that emergency assistance would be available in the event that nonentry rescue fails. Note: The information provided in this article is designed to be educational. It is not intended to provide any type of professional advice, including, without limitation, legal, accounting, or engineering. Your use of the information provided here is voluntary and should be based on your own evaluation and analysis of its accuracy, appropriateness for your use, and any potential risks of using the information. The Water Environment Federation (WEF), author and publisher of this article, assumes no liability of any kind with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness of use for a particular purpose. Any references included are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any sources. _____________________________________ Tom Burgess, CSP, is a client manager at T&M Associates (Bloomfield, N.J.) and a member of the WEF Safety and Security Committee. He can be reached at tburgess@tandmassociates.com.

The requirements for a permit-required confined space program and confined space entry procedures are almost identical to the general industry requirements. The construction standard also provides for alternate entry procedures and reclassification of permit-required spaces. As part of the program, each entry employer must implement measures to prevent unauthorized entry; identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees enter them; and develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space-entry operations. Permit entry requires a permit, entry supervisor, attendant, and authorized entrants; alternate entry and temporary reclassification require documentation.

Alternate entry procedures Permit-required confined spaces may be entered under alternate entry procedures when the only hazard is atmospheric and can be controlled through ventilation. The alternate entry procedure requirements are similar to the general industry provision.

Temporary reclassification Permit-required confined spaces may be temporarily reclassified when there is no actual Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

C FACTOR

The Good, the Bad, and the Mediocre your ideas on how to build a better plant or catch basin, or even how to hold a real predesign meeting. This is my equivalent of a bear riding a bicycle or a region director being shot out of a cannon. I would like to see this grow into an annual event where the dialogue is honest and thought-provoking.

tle long in the tooth, so we can use some new ideas and energy. Getting out and seeing the kind of leaders a utility has can be very helpful in picking where you want to settle down and introduce your talents.

Membership

Awards

First, I would like to offer a few words about membership. Our membership has dropped off in the last few years. Most regions are laid back in their approach to checking membership at training sessions and events. We are all dedicated to the training and betterment of the water utility industry and to the family of workers who fill the roles needed to make it all work. If you have let your membership expire or you know someone who has, get involved. Remind a friend to renew today. With this article I am starting a campaign to retain and get new members. Each month, I will name an operator whose membership needs to be renewed. If you know the person named, now is your chance to offer a reminder to renew. This month, I am naming John as the member of the month. If you know John, please remind him to send his renewal in today. John, you are missed; we need you back in our association. You were a great member, and if we did anything to upset you, just let us know. You stopped attending the meetings when you got the promotion and were busy (or maybe it was the new baby), but we noticed when you stopped getting the Journal. One of our advertisers recently remarked, “Since John has stopped getting the magazine I am considering pulling my ad.” I was going to use Bill as the operator of the month, but I noticed he renewed before I finished the article.

Each year we offer a Pat Robinson Award to a member of every region who has contributed to his or her region’s success during the year. Some winners taught a course or tutored new workers, some helped with membership drives, and some assisted in other ways. The award is worth up to $800 for class tuition and reimbursement of expenses. Ask your region director about the award and make sure your region gives the award each year; we have had several years where the awards went unused in some regions. I suggest getting involved with your local region at any level you feel comfortable with. When it’s time to pick a person for the award, you may be the one. If there is a class you have wanted to take or if you would like to pursue another license, this is a great opportunity. If you are chosen, and then have something that would keep you from attending, please contact me or one of the directors; we will go out of our way to see to it you have the chance to attend the class (short of babysitting). There are many other awards offered each year; check out the FWPCOA web site for a complete list.

And now for a little blatant pandering. The Journal makes its real money from advertising (not that we pay for our subscriptions in Monopoly money), which has dropped off with the economic downturn. It is our hope that, with things finally turning around, we will see a return to those better years of full-page ads. If you are a company running a current ad, thanks; if you could use a little bigger ad, great. We are on a “Get a friend to join FWPCOA” (damn—if John would just fill out the form) and “Put a new ad in the Journal” drive. I know—it’s a campaign slogan that rolls right off the tongue. It brings up an image of a giant poster of Rim Bishop pointing a long finger and saying “The FWPCOA wants You.” As far as the Journal ad campaign, I have nothing; I guess that’s why I run water and wastewater plants instead of a magazine. I guess we could leave a page blank and say “Your ad could be here.” So, if you need a place to run an ad, or if you know someone to relay this pitch to, please feel free to make up a better way to encourage them to use the magazine to promote their products, services, and expertise.

Thomas King President, FWPCOA

Conference Showcase We have several months to prepare for the next Florida Water Resources Conference so I will mention one part of the conference each month until the curtain goes up in April next year. We will offer an Operations Showcase once again in 2016 to help open the conference. We will tap a keg and sit around and discuss current topics with representatives from engineering companies, experts from all aspects of the utility industry, and me. Like a circus barker, I will direct your attention from one ring to the next. In ring one for instance, a design engineer will listen to

Getting Involved You are probably doing great things for your utility and wondering, when will someone notice? Well, joining a region will help in networking and getting your work noticed. Remember that utility work is not just a job; it’s also a registered mental illness. The FWPCOA state meetings are a great way for new people and young professionals to network and meet industry leaders. The Education Committee and the state board of directors meet once every three months and the meetings are moved around the state to give everyone the opportunity to attend. We make a point to recognize any members and guests attending the meeting, so when one is in your area, come a little early to introduce yourself to the group. Once you meet us, it will be apparent that if we can do it, anyone can. We (and I speak for myself) are getting a lit-

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Advertising

Short School We just completed another great short school in Ft. Pierce. I always enjoy talking to the students and listening to their stories. Whether the story is of a great success or a poor attempt to make a repair with the wrong tools or equipment, we discuss it in class and learn from it. Our goal to provide training through as many avenues as possible continues to grow. We have a couple of distinguished members working on a “B” water and a “B” wastewater treatment system course. These are both huge undertakings and will help fill the void needed for a second avenue of approach when preparing for the state license exams. The courses will need Florida Department of Environmental Protection approval, but they will provide an alternative to the California course. Remember—buy your books with cash and only cross the street with someone that no one would want to run over.

Certification Boulevard Test Your Knowledge of Miscellaneous Wastewater Treatment Topics 6. What action should be performed in an activated sludge process to permanently increase the F/M ratio from 0.3 to 0.4?

Roy Pelletier 1. What does the term “loading” refer to? a. The pounds of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) under aeration. b. The cu ft per minute (cfm) of air supplied to the aeration tank. c. The pounds of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) entering the aeration tank. d. The amount of waste sludge removed from the system. 2. What does the "M" mean in the process parameter food-to-mass (F/M) ratio? a. The pounds of volatile microorganisms in aeration. b. The gal per day (gpd) plant flow. c. The lbs/day influent BOD entering aeration. d. The gpd waste sludge leaving aeration. 3. What are very small, finely divided solids known as? a. Settleable c. Colloidal

b. Total d. Inert

4. What types of solids are identified in a muffle furnace test? a. Settleable c. Volatile

b. Suspended d. Dissolved

5. Given the following data, what percentage of BOD5 is removed in this primary clarifier? · Influent flow is 587 gal per minute (gpm) · Influent BOD5 is 250 mg/L · Primary effluent BOD5 is 175 mg/L a. 25 percent c. 50 percent

b. 30 percent d. 75 percent

a. b. c. d.

Decrease waste activated sludge (WAS) Increase return activated sludge (RAS) Decrease RAS Increase WAS

7. Which group of bacteria is responsible for converting nitrite (NO2) to nitrate (NO3)? a. Heterotrophic c. Nitrobacter

b. Nitrosomonas d. Fermenters

8. Given the following data, calculate the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) in mg/L/hour. • Beginning dissolved oxygen (DO) is 7.2 mg/L • Ending DO is 4.5 mg/L • Test time is 10 minutes a. b. c. d.

27.5 mg/L/hour 16.2 mg/L/hour 35.8 mg/L/hour 9.2 mg/L/hour

9. What is the advanced stage of activated sludge called when bacteria oxidize their own cell mass? a. b. c. d.

Log growth Declining growth Cathodic protection Endogenous respiration

10. Select the closest oxygen demand value, in pounds of oxygen (O2), for each pound of carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) oxidized or converted: a. 0.1 to 0.5 c. 4.0 to 5.0

b. 0.8 to 1.2 d. 5.0 to 10.0

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/wastewater professional? All past editions of Certification Boulevard through 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 • October 2015

FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT

FSAWWA Partners With CWWA

at 24th Annual Conference FSAWWA Region VII Support

Mark Lehigh Chair, FSAWWA was introduced to the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) last year at its annual conference in the Bahamas. When I found out that its 2015 conference was going to be in Miami, I thought it would be great to work with incoming CWWA President Jason Johnson as a partner. The Florida Section of AWWA and CWWA agreed, through a memorandum of understanding, to work together on the 24th Annual Conference and Exhibition, which was held August 24-28. The CWWA conference is an opportunity for the managers and practitioners of water and wastewater management to share their experiences for the mutual benefit of improving the quality of life in the Caribbean and the state of Florida. Over its 24 years of existence, this conference and exhibition has taken place in Caribbean countries. This year’s conference was the first time in its history to take place in the mainland United States.

FSAWWA Chair Mark Lehigh speaking at the conference welcoming ceremony.

I reached out to Region VII Chair Juan F. Aceituno for his help. Juan and Region VII’s board and volunteers were committed to help during the planning phase of the conference, and I want to offer a big thanks to all of them for stepping up and working closely with CWWA to make this a true partnership. The following is an extensive list of areas where Region VII provided support: Technical Program Committee Chair – Aceituno, with CH2M, served as chair and assisted with organizing the committee by recruiting members: Dr. Hector Fuentes, Florida International University (FIU); Jorge Acevedo, director of utilities, City of Coral Gables; and Dornelle Thomas, co-chair and engineer, CDM Smith. The committee developed the technical paper criteria, technical program development, and logistics related to the final program, which included providing 15 volunteers to assist with moderating the conference technical sessions. Technical Paper Committee – Developed the criteria for evaluation and subject areas presented in the call for papers. Topics focused on applied research, case studies, and lessons learned that were applicable to the Caribbean and Florida water industries that were not only engaging, but represented both geographic areas. A big thanks to all of the volunteers for their time and effort on this project! The committee consisted of Juan F. Aceituno (chair), Dornelle Thomas (co-

chair), Dr. Hector Fuentes, and Jorge Acevedo. The call for papers generated a submittal of approximately 90 papers, excluding those submitted by the Inter-American Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (AIDIS), which were reviewed and evaluated by AIDIS leadership. The final technical program consisted of 78 papers representing topics related to water, wastewater, solid waste, climate change, project planning, and financing. During the conference the following Region VII volunteers assisted with moderating all of the technical presentations: o Dornelle Thomas, CDM Smith; Jorges Acevedo, utilities director, City of Coral Gables; Dr. Fuentes, professor, FIU; Peter Jelonek, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD); Diana Merisier, CH2MHill; Manny Moncholi, MDWASD; Enrique Vadiveloo, Hazen and Sawyer; Orlando Castro, Hazen and Sawyer; Guillermo Regalado, AECOM; Jose Acosta, Chen Moore and Associates; Cristina Ortega, CH2M; Andres Gomez, AECOM; Sheri Kamali, assistant city manager, City of South Miami; Jorge Camacho, CH2M; and Mandy Kinnick, AECOM. I want to offer a special thank you and appreciation to all moderators for volunteering their time to make the technical program a success. Welcoming Ceremony and Reception and Exhibit Hall Opening – The region coordiContinued on page 24

FSAWWA participants enjoying the events at the CWWA Conference (left to right): Chair Mark Lehigh, Chair-Elect Kim Kunihiro, Executive Director Peggy Guingona. and Region VII Chair Juan F. Aceituno.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Juan F. Aceituno, Region VII chair, and Jason Johnson, president of CWWA, announcing the best paper and poster for the conference. Juan was the chair of the Technical Papers Committee, along with Dornelle Thomas (not in photo).

FSAWWA Chair Mark Lehigh (right) at the Cari–WOP meeting.

Continued from page 22 nated with the Office of the Miami-Dade County Mayor to invite Mayor Carlos Gimenez to speak at the opening ceremony to welcome conference participants. o Coordinated with the Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department to invite Director Lester Sola to deliver a speech to conference participants in the welcoming ceremony. Director Sola also participated in the ribbon-cutting for the opening of the exhibit hall. Plenary Session – The session included a roundtable discussion of executive managers of various utilities in the Caribbean, South America, and Miami-Dade County. Coordinated and facilitated the participation of Juan Carlos Arteaga, operations assistant director, in a twohour roundtable discussion sharing the Miami-Dade experience with the EPA consent

decree, ocean outfall legislation, and its capital plan over the next 15 years. Exhibit Hall Raffles – Provided volunteers from Region VII membership to assist with the morning and afternoon raffles throughout the week. Exhibitors and Sponsorship Support – Assisted by reaching out to Region VII’s vendors and manufacturers to consider exhibiting during the conference. Similarly, Region VII reached out to south Florida engineering companies inviting them to consider sponsorship opportunities for the conference. 11th High-Level Forum of Caribbean Ministers Responsible for Water – The forum brought together high-level Caribbean government officials, experts, donors, and development partners to discuss social, environmental, and economic policy issues in the Caribbean, including climate change. Region VII assisted by

Best Paper Award winner Anuradha Maharaj with Jason Johnson, CWWA president (left) and Juan F. Aceituno, Region VII chair (right) during the closing ceremony at the conference.

Technical Paper Committee Chair Juan F. Aceituno during the closing ceremony of the CWWA Conference announcing the best poster of the conference with Co-Chair Dornelle Thomas in the background.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

FSAWWA Chair Mark Lehigh listens to discussions concerning partnerships between Haiti and North Miami.

contacting the office of Commissioner Jean Monastime, a native of Haiti. The region invited a representative, Chief of Staff Gerard Phillipeaux, to provide opening remarks to the ministers in attendance, welcoming them to Miami and offering general well wishes. Technical Tour Planning and Logistics – Coordinated by Juan F. Aceituno and the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant and South Dade Landfill. (Unfortunately, the landfill tour was cancelled by the County due to the weather and preparation activities for a tropical storm.)

Technical Tour to South District Wastewater Treatment Plant Region VII assisted with the planning and coordination with Miami-Dade County’s Solid Waste Department and Water and Sewer Department to plan a facility tour of the South

Officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony opening the conference exhibit hall (left to right): Luiz Augusto de Lima Pontes, president, AIDIS; Lester Sola, director, Miami Dade Water and Sewer Department; Jason Johnson, president, CWWA; Mark Lehigh, FSAWWA chair; and Cyprian Gibson, CWWA past president (Bahamas).

FSAWWA past chairs meeting at the CWWA Conference in Miami.

Dade Solid Waste Landfill and the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant. Unfortunately, due to tropical storm Erika, the landfill tour was cancelled by the county. However, the site tour of the plant was attended by 20 conference participants and was very well received. Region VII’s chair coordinated the tour with the wastewater treatment operations group. Leo Pou, deputy superintendent for the plant, led the tour, delivering an overview of the plant’s history and treatment process of the liquid and solid streams, while providing background information of the other two treatment plants in Miami-Dade County. Attendees interacted with Pou through a series of questions and comments, exchanging experiences from their utilities. Participants in the tour came from the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Barbados, Guyana, and Belize, among others), South Africa, and Florida.

FSAWWA Past Chairs Summit The Florida Section took the opportunity to host the eighth annual Past Chairs Summit during the CWWA Conference. This gave our leadership an opportunity to experience the conference firsthand. The first summit was held in 2008, with Matt Alvarez as section chair. It was great to see Matt back at this year’s event. We kicked of the summit with a delicious welcome dinner that was arranged by section staff; thank you, Peggy Guingona, and a big thanks to our resident expert on everything Miami, Grace Johns, current section vice chair, for recommending the restaurant and bringing Stan along. I’d also like to thank Past Chair Bevin Beaudet for telling some great Dr. Edward J. Singley stories, saying some kind words in his remembrance and allowing us all the opportunity to remember our friend, mentor, and colleague. The food was delicious and the fellowship gave

FSAWWA past chairs enjoy fellowship at summit dinner.

everyone a chance to meet and reconnect before getting down to business the next day. At the morning meeting, the past chairs were briefed on the most recent year’s accomplishments and challenges. After the presentation, a round-robin table discussion was held. Some of the main topics included membership, finances, marketing, and both the Florida Water Resources Conference and the FSAWWA Fall Conference. As a direct result of the leadership and guidance from all our past chairs, the financial health of our association is in very good standing. A healthy discussion on ways to use those finances for the betterment of the membership ensued. There were also discussions on our upcoming marketing plan, ways to retain members, and ideas to improve member experiences at both conferences. The input and guidance we receive from these leaders will assist the Executive Committee with key decisions concerning the future of FSAWWA. The past chairs have been invaluable

in helping section leadership evaluate new ideas and develop strategies for implementing them. Many of the milestone steps for the section would not have taken place if it were not for the past chairs’ support. I was thrilled to have the support of all these past chairs and especially happy to see a few of them that I hadn’t seen in a while—thank you, Larry, Matt, Chuck, Bevin, and John! In attendance this year were Bevin Beaudet, Pete Robinson, Jim Cowgill, Richard Coates, Larry Ruffin, John Hagelskamp, Jackie Torbert, Matt Alvarez, Ana Gonzalez, Chuck Carden, Richard Anderson, Rick Ratcliffe, Jason Parrillo, and Carl Larrabee, and our current Executive Committee: Kim Kunihiro; Grace Johns; Bill Young; Peggy Guingona, our executive director; and myself. I want to again sincerely thank everyone who was involved in the CWWA Conference and the Past Chairs Summit for a job well done!

Attending the CWWA Conference closing ceremony luncheon (left to right): Juan F. Aceituno, Lauren Thomas, Stella Saunders, and Dornelle Thomas. Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

Are Tiered Water Conservation Rates Legally Valid? Nicolas Porter In Florida, water utilities are required to adopt water-conserving rate structures as a condition for issuance of a consumptive use permit. Florida law grants utilities wide latitude in the rate structure adopted, as long as it promotes water conservation [§ 373.227(3), Fla. Stat.]. The conservation rates are typically tiered with increasing block rates based on water usage, with rates increasing in each tier to discourage high water use. This type of rate structure is also used in other states, including California. However, a recent appellate decision in that state has forced water utilities there to radically reevaluate the use of tiered rates. On April 20, 2015, California’s Fourth Appellate District issued an opinion in Capistrano Taxpayers Ass’n, Inc. v. City of San Juan Capistrano. In that case, a group of taxpayers filed a lawsuit against their water utility, alleging that its tiered rates violated a provision of the California Constitution, adopted by voters in 1996, known as Proposition 218 (see Cal. Const., art. XIII D, § 6). Proposition 218 provides in relevant part that any “fee or charge imposed upon any parcel or person as an incident of property ownership shall not exceed the proportional cost of the service attributable to the parcel.” The court in San Juan Capistrano ruled that tiered water rates do not automatically violate the requirements of Proposition 218, but in order to be

legal, the rate charged to customers must be shown to correspond to the actual cost of providing water to customers in each tier. In other words, basing rate tiers on amounts determined to be necessary to encourage efficient water usage violates Proposition 218, unless the utility can demonstrate that the cost of providing water to higher-consumption users is proportional to their water use. The court in San Juan Capistrano also found that the limitations imposed by Proposition 218 apply equally to recycled (reclaimed) water. Therefore, the cost of implementing reclaimed water is subject to the same cost-based analysis, though the court did allow for the possibility that higher-consumption users could be charged higher rates, if it can be shown by the utility that the need for development of reclaimed water is attributable to users in the higher-rate tier. Also of note, California’s constitution contains a separate provision that specifically requires conservation and efficient use of water in the state (see Cal. Const., art. X, § 5). The San Juan Capistrano court, however, ruled that this provision of the constitution does not specifically address water utility rates, does not mandate that water-conserving rates be adopted, and does not trump the requirements of Proposition 218. The utility in San Juan Capistrano calculated its water rates based on the American Water Works Association’s M1 Principles of Water Rates, Fees and Charges. This guidance

manual provides for utilities to calculate their various costs, differentiate between classes of water customers, and calculate water budgets for possible usage patterns based on assumptions about low, reasonable, excessive, and very excessive water use. Those water budgets formed the basis for the utility’s four rate tiers. Under the ruling in San Juan Capistrano, this method of determining rates is invalid, since it relies on determinations of which levels of use are low, reasonable, or excessive to allocate costs. Instead, rate tiers must be based on an analysis of actual costs of providing service to the given customer. This could still allow for some consideration of the customer’s actual use rate, but must tie that rate to actual costs. In other words, the utility must “show its work” to justify that its tiered rates comply with Proposition 218. What are the implications of this ruling for Florida water utilities and their customers? Florida does not have a constitutional or statutory provision like Proposition 218. However, the sentiment that property owners need to be protected from ever-increasing fees and assessments, which led to the approval of Proposition 218 by California voters, is similar to that which led Florida voters to approve the 1992 “Save Our Homes” amendment, which caps the increase in assessed value of Florida homestead property. Furthermore, the issue of establishing a nexus and proportionality in relation to land use and imposition of fees was recently addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District. That case found that the monetary exactions required in the context of environmental permitting must meet the test of nexus and rough proportionality to be valid. Though Koontz does not specifically address the ability of governments to impose user fees such as utility rates on property owners, the rationale of that case is extremely similar to the San Juan Capistrano decision. The reasoning reflected in the San Juan Capistrano decision should be proactively addressed by water utilities in Florida. Otherwise, water utilities may wake up one day to find the validity of tiered conservation rates in the hands of the state’s courts. Nicolas Porter is a shareholder at de la Parter & Gilbert P.A., a Tampa-based law firm founded in 1975 serving a diverse portfolio of state, national, and international clients in matters involving business transactions, eminent domain, environmental and land use, government, health care, and civil litigation.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015

F W R J

Do You Happen to Have a Place to Store 500 MG of Reclaimed Water? Kerstin L. Kenty, Randall Bushey, and Sarah N. Rodriguez he Pasco County Master Reuse System (PCMRS) is an example of a system that must balance its dry weather demand with wet weather excess flows. The way Pasco County plans to achieve this balance is through the addition of the 500 mil gal (MG) Boyette Road Reclaimed Water Reservoir. The vision for the PCMRS, which beneficially reuses about 20 MG of water daily that’s provided by seven wastewater treatment facilities, is to grow the system to serve over 25,000 residential customers over a 352 sq mi (912 sq km) service area. The PCMRS does not have a surface water discharge to help balance wet weather flows; all of the water that comes to the PCMRS is beneficially reused via Part III (unrestricted access), Part IV (rapid rate infiltration basin system, or RRIBS), or Part II (sprayfield). Currently, about 12,000 residential customers are serviced by the PCMRS, in addition to golf courses and other bulk users of irrigation water, and one industrial facility, as shown in Figure 1. For the PCMRS, the Boyette Road Reservoir is an integral aspect of the growing system, both for flow equalization to meet customer demand and for meeting water quality requirements in the future. For the reservoir to be a successful project, it must both be safe and effective. Safety includes considerations in design, construction, and operation; effectiveness includes maintaining water quality and operability. Some of the concerns that

were tackled during design included off-site seepage and other technical considerations, including water quality. As the reservoir is completed, it is also envisioned that it will become the center of the PCMRS, serving as the main source (pressure and water) for the distribution system, as well as being the receiver of highly treated effluent before it goes out to users. This philosophy requires a change in the operational strategy for the PCMRS and this article examines some of the design considerations of the reservoir, as well as how the operational strategy is affected by the addition of the reservoir to the system.

Design Considerations The design of an off-stream pumped reuse water storage reservoir typically incorporates the containment of water, the management and prediction of seepage, the operational safety of the embankment or dam during filling and drawdown cycles, and the attainment of longterm operation and maintenance goals of the system. These reservoir design considerations were the key objectives during the design phase. A unique aspect of this project is that CH2M joined the project as a successor engineer; at that time, the original reservoir design was nearly complete. The firm’s first task was to assess the original design to provide recommendations. During the assessment phase, there were two main areas where more conservativism was rec-

Figure 1. Pasco County Master Reuse System (Triangles represent wastewater treatment plants; circles, existing storage tanks. Pipes are in purple.)

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Kerstin L. Kenty, Ph.D., P.E., PMP, ENV SP is a client service manager with CH2M in Tampa; Randall Bushey, P.E., is a senior water resource engineer with CH2M in Gainesville; and Sarah N. Rodriguez, P.E., is an engineering manager with Pasco County Utilities Services Branch in New Port Richey.

ommended. The first was related to the seepage cut-off design, and the second was the requirement to use select fill on-site to construct the reservoir embankments. Conceptual improvements to enhance the ability of the reservoir, when constructed, to meet the County’s longterm operational goals for a reliable reuse water storage facility, were considered. Seepage Management The site for the reservoir is unique for two reasons. First, it’s an abandoned borrow pit that was partially excavated. Secondly, it is a regional topographical high point for the area, with all of the surrounding ground at a lower elevation. In the intervening time between the original design and the CH2M assessment, there was a residential development constructed directly south of the reservoir site. This 700-plus home community had houses at elevations near 122 ft (all elevations are in NGVD1929). The design pool elevation for the reservoir is 136 ft. With the mixture of soils, including transmissive sandy soils, CH2M was concerned that the lack of a complete cut-off wall could result in seepage to these homes. Figure 2 details a cross section of the reservoir area, including the general elevation of the houses to the south. Enhanced seepage management through the use of a seepage cut-off wall bridges the design gap between the upstream geomembrane erosion control lining and the clay layer lying between 50 and 60 ft below grade, thus creating a “bathtub” that significantly reduces the seepage out of reuse water and infiltration into the reservoir of the surficial groundwater, thereby maintaining storage volume. Adding the cut-off wall and tying the original erosion protection geomembrane into the cut-off wall creates a sealed reservoir to effectively manage seepage.

Seepage Cut-Off Wall The seepage cut-off wall technology chosen for this project was trench remixing and cutting deep wall (TRD). This method mixes the soils in place, using an apparatus that cuts into the ground like an oversized chainsaw. While mixing, the apparatus also adds portland cement and bentonite and creates a homogenous mixture throughout the entire machine depth. Figure 3 shows the TRD wall installation at the Boyette Reservoir, and Figure 4 shows the head of the completed TRD wall on-site. Because the site was an existing borrow pit, there was a considerable amount of water onsite before construction. It was not envisioned that the contractor could fully dewater the site, and some “in the wet” construction was expected. However, through means and methods, the contractor was able to dewater the site lower than the 122 ft assumed in the design. This opened up some value-added construction items that would not have been possible had the site remained wet. Trench Remixing and Cutting Deep Wall Tie-In One of the critical components of the reservoir is how the geomembrane ties into the TRD wall. A floating connection was considered the most robust connection method. Because of the concrete and bentonite added to the admixture in the TRD installation, there was about 50 percent more mixture that could fit in the wall profile. One of the management techniques on-site for these spoils is to excavate the upper 10 ft on both sides of the wall and have a wider TRD wall at the top, which left a “hammerhead” at the top of the TRD wall (Figure 5). This wide area created an ideal platform for the floating connection. The connection is layered, with bentonite powder on the bottom forming a seal and the

geomembrane laid on top. Then, the geomembrane is covered with a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) with 10 in. of compacted soil on top. To protect the compacted earth from upstream erosion over time, a geotextile is anchored on it before 12 in. of flowable fill is poured on top to protect the entire system. This system will maintain a water-tight connection between the geomembrane and the TRD throughout the project design life. Embankment Construction with Select Soils The soil profile at the Boyette Reservoir site is somewhat unusual for this area of Florida, which has significant clay composition. The original design called for the use of select clayey soils in construction of the embankment core. With the addition of the TRD and the tie-in of the geomembrane, the embankment is isolated from the pool water, which reduces the phreatic water levels within the embankment. During construction, this allowed the use of all on-site materials as engineered fill to build the earthen embankment, without the need for segregation

of the on-site materials, e.g., clayey soils, to reduce the seepage through the embankment.

Operational Considerations The reservoir is designed to allow the pool elevations to fluctuate from a maximum of 135.5 ft to a minimum elevation of 114 ft, corresponding to the designed depth of excavation and operational bottom of the reservoir. The anticipated operational scenario is filling during the summer (wet) months and draining during the winter (dry) months. Operational considerations were also studied during design, e.g., maintaining the pool elevation above122 ft; the TRD tie-in elevation; anticipated heavy wind conditions, such as hurricanes; and not maintaining the pool stationary below the elevation of 122 ft, but to either fill or discharge within this zone of pool elevations. The original design included a low-pressure pump system to transport water out of the reservoir to a nearby wastewater treatment facility for Continued on page 30

Figure 2. Reservoir Cross Section (North is to the left, south is to the right.)

Figure 3. Trench Remixing and Cutting Deep Wall (TRD) Installation

Figure 4. Trench Remixing and Cutting Deep Wall (TRD) Completed On-Site Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

Continued from page 29 entry into the PCMRS. During the design and construction of the reservoir, the County was concurrently undergoing master planning activities with corresponding PCMRS model updates. Ultimately, it was recommended that the reservoir instead have a high-service pump station

and discharge directly to the PCMRS. To achieve this, three 100-horsepower (hp) pumps were replaced with three 500-hp variable frequency drive pumps, which was nearly enough pressure to drive the entire PCMRS. Because the PCMRS receives highly treated effluent from seven wastewater treatment facilities,

management of the system is challenging. With the high-service pump station at the reservoir, the new operational strategy will be to bring all water to, and discharge all water from, the reservoir using the existing ground storage tanks to supplement the system. This will simplify operations and reduce cost, as the majority of reclaimed water customers are located near the reservoir.

Conclusion

Figure 5. Trench Remixing and Cutting Deep Wall (TRD) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Geomembrane Connection

October 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Florida Water Resources Journal

Not every reclaimed water system needs a 500 MG reservoir; however, the vision of the PCMRS is to continue operations without a surface-water discharge. To achieve this, the County must grow the residential customer base for reclaimed water. While the system has about 12,000 residential users today, the plan is for over 25,000 residential reuse customers. In the meantime, the County needs the reservoir to manage wet weather flows. However, as the County continues to grow, the reservoir will eventually switch from a wet weather flow management tool to a residential user supply source that will allow the PCMRS to grow well into the future.

FWRJ COMMITTEE PROFILE This column highlights a committee, division, council, or other volunteer group of FSAWWA, FWEA, and FWPCOA.

Water Use Efficiency Division Affiliation: Florida Section American Water Works Association Current chair: Lisa Krentz, Hazen and Sawyer Year group was formed: 2004 Scope of work: The goal of the Water Use Efficiency Division (WUED) is to provide consistent statewide leadership in development, evaluation, and transfer of water use efficiency tools, technology, policies, and issues. We have also made it our purpose to support the development of a professional water demand management workforce and to connect the membership with reliable information, professional expertise, and training opportunities through conferences and workshops. The WUED typically meets at least twice a year: once at the FSAWWA Fall Conference and then again during the Florida Water Resources Conference. Some examples of subject matters discussed through WUED collaboration include: State legislative initiatives Best management practices and policies Comparison of cost and water supply benefits to other alternatives Approaches in documenting water use, including collection and storage of data Scientific methods for analysis and verification of water efficiency Application of irrigation system design and installation standards Application of International Green Construction Code Performance-based contracting Funding alternatives and opportunities Education and outreach programs The WUED committee meetings are an open forum for expression of ideas regarding the past, present, and future state of water efficiency and its role in water management and supply planning. The division is comprised of four committees, each tasked with specific goals and objectives: The Education and Outreach Committee is involved with water conservation education for FSAWWA members, including professional certification, coordination of Water Conservation Month activities, outreach to potential WUED members and

other water conservation stakeholders, coordination of technical training opportunities, and development of content for Florida Water Resources Journal articles. The Planning and Evaluation Committee focus is on analytical aspects associated with planning and evaluation of water efficiency and conservation programming. It includes uniform approaches in information management, water use and savings documentation, scientific methods for analysis and verification of water use, and savings and integration into water utility water supply planning processes. The Policy and Rates Committee monitors the section’s Utility Council initiatives and identifies proposed policies that could use division direction. The focus is primarily on water conservation planning and other statewide policy issues, including water rates and water shortage planning and response. The Research and Technology Committee monitors local, statewide, and national research and technology regarding measurable water use efficiency gains in endwater uses. The committee promotes appropriate use of water conservation best management practices, and water-efficient products, practices, and programs. Recent accomplishments: Partnered with the Water Research Foundation and FSAWWA Regions IV, VI, VII, and X to bring two water loss workshops to Florida. The workshops were held in May on consecutive dates in west central Florida and south Florida. Each workshop had approximately 50 attendees. Worked with the state’s water management districts to increase utility outreach and participation, and to streamline the tracking of Water Conservation Month adoptions throughout the state and by state government. Held its annual Water Conservation symposium at the FSAWWA Fall Conference. The symposium was titled, “Water Efficiency: An Innovative Approach to Integrated Utility Planning,” and was extremely well attended. Current projects: Members of the WUED and Utility Council recently met with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to provide comments on the Safe Drinking Water State

Revolving Fund (SDWSRF) rule modification. Specifically, FDEP is looking at ways to amend its rules to permit the use of SDWSRF loan funds for the implementation of conservation programs. As a result of this meeting, if FDEP rules include specific conservation language, the assistance of WUED will be required to draft a guidance document helping utilities seeking funding for the implementation of water conservation programs. The WUED is currently seeking volunteers to assist with this effort. Please contact me at LKrentz@HazenandSaywer.com if you would like to be involved. The division is currently planning its annual Water Conservation Symposium for the 2015 FSAWWA Fall Conference. The Symposium is titled, “Water Efficiency Potential: What Your Utility Needs to Know,” and will be held on December 2 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The symposium will focus on how to effectively identify, achieve, and monitor water efficiency potential. Future work: The WUED will continue to promote water efficiency and its role in water management and supply planning through: Recognition of innovative and outstanding achievements in water efficiency through the FSAWWA Water Conservation Awards of Excellence. Promotion and coordination of statewide adoption of April as Water Conservation Month. Expansion of statewide demand-side planning and management training programs to increase regional access to continuing education workshops and seminars relating to cost-effective water conservation programming. Division members: Lisa Krentz (chair), Hazen and Sawyer Lois Sorenson (vice chair), Southwest Water Management District Jackie Martin (secretary), South Florida Water Management District Dave Bracciano, Tampa Bay Water Robert Wanvestraut, South Florida Water Management District Jay Hoecker, Southwest Florida Water Management District

Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

FWEA FOCUS

Stepping Up to the Plate Raynetta Curry Marshall President, FWEA s this magazine goes to print, FWEA will be sending two teams to WEFTEC 2015 in Chicago to compete in the Student Design Competition (SDC), which will be held on October 27. Heading to the competition are: Etienne Vawters, Ileana Wald, Samantha Flores, David Lee, and Alexander Miller from the University of South Florida, to compete in the wastewater category; and Maxwell Goodacre, Erik Mead, and Nathan Wunder from Florida Gulf Coast University, to compete in the environmental category. The SDC, one of FWEA’s premier events, was first held in the mid-1990s. The state program was so successful that the Water Environment Federation (WEF) took notice and adopted the idea at the national level, with the first competition held in 2002 at WEFTEC. Recognizing the diversity of our industry, the program was expanded in 2009 to include, along with the wastewater category, an environmental category. If you are not familiar with the SDC, let me tell you a little bit about it. The competition is intended to promote real-world design experi-

ence for students interested in pursuing an education and/or career in water engineering and sciences. The teams take current problems and situations, develop a problem statement and solution, and present their findings in both written and oral presentations. The projects are related to the environmental field and the teams are able to compete in one of two categories: wastewater or environmental design. Examples of wastewater projects include hydraulic capacity design, upgrades to existing systems, biosolids handling, etc. Examples of environmental projects include sustainability, water reuse, wetlands construction, and other topics. The scope of the project should be at the level of a senior or graduate engineering or science student. The teams are expected to work with little assistance from an advisor or professor, but are expected to work together as a team to recommend a solution. While the current competition is still ongoing, entry forms can be submitted for next year’s competition. Entry to the competition is easy and information can be found on FWEA’s website. Normally, the final submission due date is early in the new year, so please monitor the website so that your entry is not late. The FWEA awards scholarships, participation bonus funds, and WEFTEC travel allowances to the winning teams; therefore, sponsorships are critical to funding the competition. This year, the FWEA Students and Young Professionals Committee did a fantastic job rais-

ing funds and sponsorships for the competition. Included among the sponsors was one utility, the City of Oldsmar. One of my goals as FWEA president is to reach out to my fellow utilities to encourage participation and increase our support through sponsorships of the SDC. Utility participation in the competition is mutually beneficial. First, a utility can have one of its “issues” worked on by young, bright minds; and second, by doing so, it introduces the utility industry as a possible career choice to the students. As an example, in 2011, the University of North Florida team worked on an issue that was provided by JEA and went on to win first place at the state level in the wastewater category with the paper entitled, “JEA Southwest Wastewater Treatment Facility Alternative Effluent Disposal Evaluation and Plan.” Not only did JEA benefit from having the issue studied by bright minds, but it also benefited from two members of the team eventually becoming JEA employees. One of these members, Michael Williams, recently reflected upon his experience as a past participant: “The FWEA Student Design Competition truly was a life-changing experience for me. Throughout the project process, I was able to interact with and learn from professional engineers and leaders in the water and wastewater industry. This experience and knowledge, along with the professional connections I was able to make, greatly increased my potential job opportunities. It also aided me in interviewing well for the engineering position I have today. I firmly believe that, without the FWEA Student Design Competition, I would not be where I am today in my professional career.” In closing, this is an opportunity for all of us to “step up to the plate.” We can have industrywide and individual utility issues addressed, while providing opportunities for young minds to develop and be creative. For a small investment we can reap great rewards. If you are interested in sponsoring the competition, or learning more about it, please feel free to contact me at marsrc@jea.com, or Danielle Bertini at dbertini@carollo.com.

The 2011 first-place team members from University of North Florida (left to right): Anthony Gennette, Dustin Dykes, and Michael Williams.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

FWEA’s Vision: A Clean and Sustainable Water Environment for Florida’s Future Generations

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015

Construction on Major Everglades Water Quality Project Nears Completion A-1 shallow reservoir is set to be the first project completed for the state’s restoration strategies plan With 16,500 cu yd of concrete, 2,100 tons of steel, and 21 mi of levees, a massive new South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) project to improve Everglades water quality is nearing completion and set to start operations. Water has already begun flowing into the A-1 flow equalization basin (FEB), which will help optimize wetlands that clean phosphorus from water before it reaches the Everglades. The basin will be the first project completed as part of the state’s restoration strategies plan to improve water quality. “Completing this significant project and continuing progress on others is how we achieve water quality goals,” said Jeff Kivett, SFWMD director of operations, engineering, and construction. “The A-1 will soon be fully

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

operational and providing its intended critical restoration benefits to the Everglades.”

How A-1 Works With the capacity to hold 60,000 acre-ft of water at a site west of U.S. 27 in Palm Beach County, the A-1 was designed to capture and store peak stormwater flows during the wet season or during heavy rainfall events. A system of 21 mi of earthen levees and 15 water control structures—10 with solar power—within the A-1 now gives water managers the ability to deliver water at the right time and in the right quantity to the vast stormwater treatment areas (STAs) 2 and 3/4 to the south and east.

Achieving optimal water flow to these constructed wetlands enables emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation, such as the southern naiad, to most effectively and naturally remove nutrients from the water that eventually flows to Everglades National Park. The District operates a network of five STAs south of Lake Okeechobee, with an effective treatment area of 57,000 acres. Construction of the A-1 required massive amounts of land, material, and heavy equipment, including: A 15,000-acre footprint 1.6 mil cu yd of fill material, all mined onsite 3.1 mil cu yd of muck, degraded and used as topsoil 23 massive, 40-ton articulated dump trucks 150 construction personnel on-site each day Construction of the A-1 benefited from significant work already completed at the site for a reservoir originally planned to provide deep water storage, known as the EAA Reservoir.

Restoration Strategies In June 2012, the state of Florida and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a consensus on new strategies for improving water quality in the Everglades. Based on months of scientific and technical discussions, these strategies will expand water quality improvement projects to achieve the ultralow phosphorus water quality standard established for the Everglades. Key features of the plan include: Design and construction of 116,000 acre-ft of additional storage adjacent to the existing Everglades STAs that will better control water flow into the treatment wetlands and thereby improving their performance. These storage areas will be designed to assist all five Everglades STAs. Design and construction of the STA 1 West expansion, which will increase by 50 percent the treatment capacity of water quality facilities currently discharging into the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Additional subregional source controls in areas of the eastern EAA Reservoir where phosphorus levels in runoff have been historically higher, building on the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing best management practices (BMPs) regulatory program.

Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015

FWRJ READER PROFILE University of North Florida water treatment plant operator course FWPCOA backflow tester course and backflow repair course FWPCOA distribution course FWPCOA management course FWPCOA collection system course Certified public manager course at Florida State University

Glenn Whitcomb Work title and years of service. I retired as public works/utility director from the City of Deltona and worked in the water and wastewater industry for 35 years. I currently teach classes for FWPCOA part time. What does your job entail? My former job duties included overseeing the day-to-day operations of the public works and utility divisions for the City. I also have worked as a water and wastewater treatment plant operator, lead/chief operator, and field supervisor, along with various other duties in the water utility industry over the years. What training have you taken? California State University water and wastewater plant operator courses

What do you like best about your job? I enjoy being involved in the water and wastewater industry for various reasons. One reason is that I learn something new every day. I also like being involved in protecting the environment. What organizations do you belong to? FWPCOA and AWWA. How have the organizations helped your career? They helped me obtain my education in the field of water and wastewater. I am also able to keep updated on new techniques in the industry, along with new rules and regulations. What do you like best about the industry? I like being involved in the training of other people in the industry. It feels great when you help people learn new things.

Glenn at Bikeweek in Daytona.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

A backflow class.

What do you do when you’re not working? I enjoy hunting, riding my motorcycle, and spending time with my three grandchildren, Christopher, Austin, and Kylee, along with my wife, Wanda. I also like being involved with FWPCOA committees; I’m currently chair of the Backflow Committee and am also involved with the Education Committee.

Glenn and granddaughter Kylee.

FWPCOA TRAINING CALENDAR SCHEDULE YOUR CLASS TODAY! October October 5-8 Backflow Tester............................................................Deltona ..........$375/405 October 26-29 Backflow Tester* ..........................................................St. Petersburg ..$375/405 October 26-30 Water Distribution 3, 2 ..............................................Deltona ..........$225/255 October 26-30 Reclaimed Water Distribution Level C ......................Deltona ..........$225/255

November November 16-18 Backflow Repair............................................................Deltona ..........$275/305 November 16-18 Backflow Repair* ........................................................St. Petersburg ..$275/305 November 20 Backflow Tester Recert***..........................................Deltona ..........$85/115

December December 7-10 Reclaimed Water Field Site Inspector ......................Deltona ..........$350/380 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 *** any retest given also

You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools and most other courses. Florida Water Resources Journal â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015

F W R J

Keys to Successful Sewer Rehabilitation Bryon Livingston, Mark E. Martin, and Saeed Kazemi oday’s buried wastewater infrastructure continues to be of significant concern to many cities and wastewater utilities. The possibility of a catastrophic sewer collapse propels many utilities to pursue aggressive and complete rehabilitation of sewers. However, is the cost for this total rehabilitation always justified? A methodical approach to implementing a successful and cost-effective rehabilitation program using a multiple-step approach is needed. Using proven and cutting-edge technology for inspection of large-diameter sewer pipe will provide a proper condition assessment and provide critical guidance for repair or rehabilitation. Therefore, design of the rehabilitation is based on the known condition of the pipe so that money is not spent to rehabilitate pipe that is still in good condition. This approach will extend the available funding to allow utilities to fix larger portions of the system by only repairing what is needed with the appropriate technology, or bidding two alternatives to provide cost competition. This will also allow for a thought-out and correctly designed approach, where repair technology is best used, which will lead to cost-efficient budgeting.

vent catastrophic failure events on critical pipelines. The poor condition of buried pipeline infrastructure in the U.S. has been emphasized in the news and documented in several agency reports, such as those published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that stress the need for increased investment in the nation’s pipeline infrastructure. The recent ASCE 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure1 rated wastewater systems with a “D” and noted that aging pipes and inadequate capacity lead to the discharge of approximately 900 bil gal of untreated sewage each year. These reports indentify the critical function of these systems to protect public health and for essential economic development and growth. Disruptions and failures in these pipelines hinder the public’s ability to meet their everyday needs, exposes them to waterborne contaminants, can cause damage to roadways and structures in the millions of dollars, and can result in personal injury and negative health effects.

Infrastructure Deterioration

In the past, the common approach for utility managers has been to address infrastructure needs crisis to crisis. The lesson now for these managers is that buried pipeline infrastructure is an asset—with a limited lifespan that must be managed. One of the important factors is the knowledge of how these systems deteriorate so utility managers can better evaluate the risks in planning for replacement. The completion of a condition assessment

With the condition of infrastructure across the United States continuing to deteriorate, the management of buried pipeline infrastructure is evolving. No longer is it merely about building, operating, and maintaining pipelines; it’s an art of balancing performance, risk, and cost, and it requires a comprehensive process. The primary goal of a condition assessment is to pre-

A New Approach

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Bryon Livingston is engineering manager with Black & Veatch in Kansas City, Mo. Mark E. Martin is engineering manager and Saeed Kazemi is public works director with City of Fort Myers.

can help utilities evaluate the condition of existing pipelines. It requires an understanding that the life expectancy for a pipeline is less than the design life. Several factors reduce the lifespan of a pipe, including corrosion, construction/installation practices, and impacts from transient pressures. The first step in the process is to develop a plan. This can be part of a master plan or a specific plan for managing infrastructure. An important part of the plan is to identify critical pipelines, which, if they break, would significantly impact the performance of the system. The probability and consequence for failure of infrastructure varies significantly, from routine leaks to catastrophic failure. Several technologies are available to help in determining the condition of the pipeline. They range from the basic visual or closed-circuit television (CCTV) to sophisticated electromagnetic and ultrasonic evaluations. The information from a condition assessment provides the necessary data for the prioritization of the replacement of pipes. Instead of replacing the entire segment of pipeline, the utility can then replace only those sections that are close to failure. Therefore, the development of the investment needs for replacement of pipelines can be based on their actual condition. The cost for replacement can be planned in a budget process to manage the impacts from these costs. The condition-assessment step is a key component of the asset management process, and knowing what technology to use is important. Asset management principles are not a new concept for most utilities, except that using a formalized approach provides a more efficient use of the data collected. The condition assessment will show why it is beneficial to have information on the actual condition of the pipe based on field evaluations, versus information based on statistical methods. The formalized process provides for converting data from condition assessment to implementation of projects based on their priorities.

Managing buried infrastructure requires balancing the performance of the system; the associated risks; and the costs required with operational efficiency, planning requirements, affordable rate structures, security, and regulatory requirements. The decisions made to replace, or repair or rehabilitate, any pipe should be made based on the actual condition of the pipe in the system. There are several factors that impact the length of the service life of pipe, including: Third-party damage External loads from overburden and traffic External corrosion from soil characteristics Internal corrosion from water quality characteristics Design and construction practices Bedding condition and material Ground movement Understanding that these factors exist and how they affect the service life of pipe is important in knowing how to manage the risk associated with buried infrastructure. Such factors cannot be eliminated, but they can be managed.

Assessing Conditions Improved condition assessment technologies can help utilities fix larger portions of their systems than in the past. Before the decision is made to rehabilitate any pipe in a buried water distribution or wastewater collection system, it is necessary to determine the current condition of the pipe. Rehabilitation includes repair, relining, replacement, and other methods to restore and extend the service life of the pipe. The key to successful rehabilitation is the “R3” approach. This approach is the proper evaluation of the data from the condition assessment performed on the pipeline, and replacing the right pipe at the right time with the right material2. Condition assessment, therefore, becomes more than evaluating the pipe age, material, and overflows, or running a CCTV unit through the pipe. In the last 40 years, remarkable improvements have been made in the tools available to the engineer for evaluating the condition of pipe. The traditional methods of smoke testing, dye testing, and flow monitoring are still useful tools, but newer technologies have been developed. Condition assessment technologies have improved the quality of the data that can be gathered. Technologies available today for assessing buried piping systems include side-scanning television, zoom cameras, improved CCTV quality, laser scanning, sonar profiling, ultrasonic testing technologies, and electromagnetic

technologies. These technologies are on improved robotic or remote controlled platforms; however, no single tool will identify all of the problems that can develop in a deteriorating pipeline. Before the implementation of any of these technologies is done, the following question should be asked: Are utilities spending available funding on the highest priority, critical pipelines? The answer is the assurance that the design of the project is based on known pipe conditions. An additional factor that must be considered is available funding. In the past, buried infrastructure repair funding has been based on the “management by crisis” approach, which required a significant and obvious failure of the system or a by-chance identification of a significant problem to obtain the required attention. With the changing emphasis on managing buried infrastructure as assets, this approach is being replaced with a more proactive one: to assess pipe conditions in advance of failure and to allow for a scheduled and budgeted approach for anticipated pipe repairs and replacement. It is usually cheaper to rehabilitate a pipeline than replace a failed pipeline, especially considering the intangible costs associated with an emergency repair. With funding in place and knowledge of the actual pipe condition based on field inspec-

tions of the system, the limits and quantities of rehabilitation projects can be planned, organized, and designed more effectively. Project planning requires review of the various methods and technologies available for rehabilitation of pipe, which may include only partial rehabilitation to extend the service life of the pipe. Methods for pipeline rehabilitation include: Slip lining Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining Spirally wound pipe Pipe bursting Spray lining The optimal rehabilitation method should be selected on the basis of its ability to extend the useful life of the pipe cost-effectively. A decision must also be made about whether to renovate or replace the pipe using trenchless or open-cut construction methods. The use of trenchless technology is becoming more widely used for replacement of buried infrastructure, as it usually results in fewer construction impacts to the project site; less pavement removal and replacement; fewer disruptions to traffic, businesses, and residences; and lower project costs—all of which lead to fewer environmental impacts and public concerns. Continued on page 40

Factors Impacting Life of Pipe

Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

Continued from page 39

Case Study Fort Myers, Florida As part of improvements at its south Advanced Waste Water Treatment Plant (AWWTP), the City of Fort Myers identified a 54-in. sewer influent pipeline as a critical component of its collection system and requested Black & Veatch to conduct a condition assessment. The pipeline is the primary influent for the AWWTP and cannot be taken out of service, so technologies had to be used to allow for an assessment while the pipeline remained in service. The influent pipe is a gravity pipeline, which is about 550 ft of reinforced concrete pipe that was installed in 1983 as part of the original plant construction. It begins where two 36-in. ductile iron pipes combine in a manhole just outside the AWWTP property and ends at the raw wastewater pump station wet well. The slope of the pipe is 0.0008 percent, which makes the pipe nearly flat. Sewer Condition Evaluation An inspection plan was developed in coordination with the City operations staff to identify specific roles and responsibilities for the inspection. The inspection plan confirmed that the upstream manhole could be used as access to the pipeline. In order to float the equipment through the pipeline the pipe needed to be less than half full, and the City identified the times in which the flows in the pipe would be less than half full as 1:00 a.m. to7:00 a.m. The inspection plan also addressed safety concerns, including the potential for H2S gas, confined space entry requirements, and exposure to traffic. Granite Technologies was subcontracted by Black & Veatch to perform the condition assessment. The inspection equipment used included a floating platform that was capable of carrying a CCTV, and laser and sonar equipment. This

platform allowed for simultaneous data collection in order to accurately determine the existing condition of the pipe. The platform provided sufficient lighting to illuminate the pipe to provide high-quality digital CCTV images. The CCTV images were transmitted live to a screen to allow the technician to review the images and reinspect areas of potential defects as needed. The laser was a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system that was configured for pipe profiling and used “time of flight” principles, which measures the range of each point individually and does not suffer from loss of accuracy as the pipe diameter increases. The sonar unit provided for accurate data collection below the water surface. The system was specifically designed for pipe profiling and used high-frequency sound waves to obtain profiles from the submerged section of the pipe. The sonar was capable of transmitting the data to a screen similar to the CCTV to allow the technician to review the data and re-inspect it as needed. During the inspection, the flow was actually less than half of the pipe and the platform would not move in the flow. It was determined that there was approximately 12 in. of sludge buildup on the bottom of the pipe. The sonar unit, which is suspended below the platform, was getting stuck in the sludge because of the low flow. The sonar unit was removed to allow the platform to proceed with the inspection. The condition assessment did not identify any significant defects of immediate concern. The pipeline appeared to be in good condition based upon review of the CCTV and LIDAR information from the inspection. The corrosion detected by the LIDAR system did not appear to be a major concern and was limited to around 1 percent, or less than 0.5 in., and only in scattered locations. The observed defect of material hanging was consistent throughout the pipeline at about every 20 ft, which appeared to be an indication that the joints were leaking. This could be a

source of inflow/infiltration, but none was observed during this inspection. The other observed concern was the amount of sludge buildup that limited the use of the floating platform. The slope of the pipe was nearly flat, which could allow sediment to build up and restrict the flow. Rehabilitation Recommendations Recommendations for rehabilitation were made upon review of the CCTV video, condition assessment data, and field observations. Because this pipe is critical to operations at the AWWTP, the City decided to extend the design life by rehabilitating the pipe. The recommendations, based on the existing condition of the pipeline, were to clean the sludge buildup, remove hanging material, and provide a nonstructural rehabilitation of the pipe. The recommended nonstructural rehabilitation method was CIPP and spray allied cementitious liners. Construction specifications will be prepared and bid for both alternatives, and the City will make a selection based on cost.

Summary and Conclusions The design and prioritization for the rehabilitation of pipelines based on actual condition of the pipe results in the most cost-effective extension of the service life of a pipeline: replace the right pipe. To the operations staff members, the buried utility infrastructure is never out of mind because it’s out of sight; they know that, like aboveground and visible facilities, buried infrastructure does not last forever and needs to be replaced at the right time. Proper condition assessment of buried pipe systems using a variety of assessment technologies will lead to better design, planning, scheduling, and budgeting for when repairs and rehabilitation should occur, and result in replacement with the right material. Using the R3 approach will allow for planning and design of the best rehabilitation repair, which will lead to cost-effective budgeting and spending of available funds. The simple statement “out of sight, out of mind” therefore does not apply to buried municipal utility infrastructure. Utilities need to take an active approach to manage and determine the condition of buried infrastructure to prevent catastrophic failure of critical pipelines.

References 1) American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, pg. 30. 2) Livingston, B. L. and Vidikan, D.C., “The Right Pipe at the Right Time.” Water Environment & Technology, November 2009, pg. 29-33.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

News Beat Aaron Zahn has been named the 2015 Young Floridian by the University of Florida’s Bob Graham Center. When David Colburn, director for the Center, made the announcement, he said, “Aaron has applied his entrepreneurial talents to create technologies that help preserve our state’s most precious resources and improve the quality of life in our state.” Former Governor and United States Senator Bob Graham and the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida established the Bob Graham Center Florida Citizen of the Year and Young Floridian awards. The awards recognize individuals who have made substantial contributions to the state of Florida, both professionally and civically. Two external panels of leading citizens select the winners. As president and CEO of BCR Environmental and NuTerra, Zahn has counseled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), World Health Organization, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and state and local leaders on the economic and environmental impacts of innovation in wastewater and organic waste infrastructure. Over the past 10 years, the company has reduced the cost of wastewater sludge management for Florida’s cities by an average of 40 percent, eliminated more than 18,000 megawatts per year of energy consumption, addressed environmental issues such as nutrient pollution, and provided for the recycling of over 120,000 tons per year of organic waste. To date, BCR is the only company in the world to work with EPA to develop new technologies that are nationally certified for treating of organic waste and creating marketable products. In October 2013, the company joined with FDEP and Republic Services to provide compost to Clara White Mission’s White Harvest Farms project. The farming grounds were established to offer job training and creation for homeless and low-income veterans. The reusable materials provided by BCR reduced water consumption by about 16,000 gallons per acre per year and minimized nutrients and groundwater pollution. In 2015, BCR Environmental was selected by FDEP to receive the Environmental Excellence Award for the state.

water from the Florida Aquifer and bulk-purchased water from a regional water supplier to meet customer needs. In an effort to manage the cost of water, protect the environment, and conserve water resources, the City implemented an integrated water management strategy, with key priorities including improvements to and expanding its existing potable water system and the upgrade of the existing treatment plant with a 6.25-mil-galper-day (mgd) brackish water RO plant. The

plant is the first large-scale RO municipal system in Florida to use ozone to treat H2S in RO permeate. The City is committed to incorporating sustainability practices into the design and operation of new public facilities as outlined in the Clearwater Greenprint program, which was adopted in 2011 by the City Council. Clearwater is a certified “Green City” and part of the Florida Green Building Coalition. Continued on page 42

Reiss Engineering announced that the design, construction, and permitting for the City of Clearwater’s new brackish Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) No. 2 have been completed. Prior to the new plant, the City used Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

New Products The Spider™ 125 from McElroy has a universal clamping system designed for quick and accurate socket-fusion field installations of 63- to 125-mm polypropylene pipe and fittings. The lightweight and compact device features a worm gear drive with a parallel link system to bring pipe and fittings together evenly and with control. (www.mcelroy.com)

A new, easy-to-use smart phone application from Mueller Systems enables water utility workers to improve customer service and increase operational efficiency. With the mobileRDM application, utility workers can remotely check the status of service connections, read meters, and connect or disconnect water service, all from an Android smartphone using a two-way radio connection. The application doesn't require an automated meter reading or advanced metering infrastructure system, but it can be used on any existing system. Another benefit of the application is that utilities can deploy it incrementally and expand its use to other geographic service areas without significant capital expenditures. With its simple, easy design and scalable technology, utilities can incrementally deploy the mobileRDM application and expand its use or implement a complete AMR/AMI system as their needs evolve. While parked within 1,000 ft of a service connection fitted with a 420 RDM remote disconnect meter, utility workers simply push a button for the function they wish to perform. The mobile application then sends a high-frequency radio signal directly to the meter. The meter sends back meter readings, system status, or confirmation that the water service has been connected or disconnected. (www.muellerwaterproducts.com)

News Beat Continued from page 41 The project incorporated state-of-the-art sustainability practices and design elements into the treatment plant’s early stages of design to increase the plant’s efficiency, reduce adverse impacts to the environment, and provide long-term and cost-saving benefits to the City, enhancing its reputation as a Green City. Some of the sustainable design elements included “FloridaFriendly” landscaping and efficient irrigation, efficient pumping fixtures, subaqueous pipeline crossings to avoid wetland or environmental impacts, a cool roof, community connectivity, an energy-efficient HVAC system, and insulated walls and roof. The new plant was funded in part by the South West Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). The water it produces meets or exceeds state and federal standards, and will serve 100,000 customers throughout the city. The plant received the 2015 Public Works Project of the Year Award from the Florida Chapter of the American Public Works Association.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Tank Engineering And Management Consultants, Inc.

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

863-354-9010 www.tankteam.com

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

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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

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY Showcase Your Company in the Engineering or Equipment & Services Directory Contact Mike Delaney at

352-241-6006 ads@fwrj.com

CLASSIFIEDS Positions Av ailable

Water Plant Operator ''C'' - City of Lake Mary Full-time, $14.98 - $23.39/hour. Must possess a Class 'C' Water Operator's Certificate from the State of Florida and a valid Florida driver's license. Must be a high school graduate or equivalent with knowledge of general mechanics and operations of water treatment plant. All applicants may apply at www.lakemaryfl.com.

Utilities Field Superintendent $72,499 - $102,012/yr.

Utilities Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor $54,099 - $76,123/yr.

Utilities Engineering Inspector $51,004 - $71,767/yr.

Utilities System Operator II $36,246 – 51,004/yr. Apply Online At: http://pompanobeachfl.gov Open until filled.

Water Plant Operator The Utilities Commission, City of New Smyrna Beach is seeking qualified applicants for a WTP Operator within the Water Resources Department. This is highly specialized work in the operations of a Class A Water Treatment Plant. Visit www.ucnsb.org for a full job description. Education/Experience: Valid Florida Class C, B, or A License in Water Treatment. Starting Salary: C - $18.27/hr; B - $19.80/hr; A - $21.35/hr Qualified applicants may apply online at www.ucnsb.org or email resume to jobs@ucnsb.org or mail resume to Human Resources, PO Box 689 New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170. EOE/DFWP

Reiss Engineering, Inc. Are you looking for an opportunity with a company that is poised for growth? Reiss Engineering stands as one of the most prominent Civil and Environmental engineering firms in the State of Florida and the Bahamas. Our main focus is water and wastewater, serving both public and private sector clients with integrity, technical excellence and a commitment to performance. At Reiss Engineering, we are committed to making success happen for our clients, our employees and our firm. Reiss Engineering offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well as a stimulating and fast paced work environment. Reiss Engineering is continuously searching for highly talented individuals and welcomes resumes from those with an interest in joining our team. For a list of our current openings, or to submit a resume for a potential opportunity, please visit our website at www.reisseng.com.

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

UTILITIES TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR Bay Laurel Center CDD is now accepting applications for a State certified treatment plant operator, seeking full time employment to join our team. All applicants must hold at least a minimum “C” operator’s license in water and wastewater treatment. Must be able to work weekends. Valid FL driver’s license is required. Salary is based on experience. Applications are available at: 9850 SW 84th Court, Suite 400 Ocala, FL 34481 Phone: 352-414-5454 Fax: 352-414-5461 Job description is available on our website. www.blccdd.com Posting will remain open until the position is filled DFWP/EOE

assignments. The Senior Project Manager is responsible for continued marketing and sales to clients with whom they are working. Education & Experience Jones Edmunds & Associates, Inc. hires only the best and the brightest associates and is proud to build business based on our core values of Integrity, Knowledge, and Service. We offer a diverse workplace that fosters growth and development. If you thrive on challenge and wish to work with industry leaders on environmental and infrastructure solutions to improve the quality of life for the people we serve, join our team of dedicated professionals.

Education: BS in Engineering from an accredited college or university Registration: Florida Professional Engineer Experience: 12+ years of progressive consulting or related experience Apply at: www.jonesedmunds.com Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veteran/AA/DFWP

We are currently seeking the following professionals to join our team: OPERATIONS MANAGER – Tampa, FL The Operations Manager is responsible for managing an office comprising a mix of disciplines, engineers, technicians, scientists, and support personnel. This individual is typically responsible for a group that generates up to $15 million in revenue. The OM coordinates office activities to ensure individual, department, and office goals are met. The individual ensures compliance with applicable policies and performance measures and is responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training staff; planning, assigning, directing, and reviewing work; appraising performance and rewarding and disciplining associates; and addressing complaints and resolving problems. The individual may also perform tasks such as project management, design, and review of work. The OM is a visible leader in the office, both internally and externally, while carrying out Jones Edmunds’ vision and mission. Education & Experience Education: BS in Engineering, Science, Architecture, Management, or related field from an accredited college or university. Four years of project management experience in an A/E firm focused on municipal civil/environmental projects may be substituted for a B.S. Registration: May require registration as a Florida Professional Engineer, Geologist, or Architect Experience: 12+ years of progressive consulting or related experience - 7+ years of successful project management experience - 7+ years of demonstrated success managing others Other: Knowledge of project performance metrics and their meaning Knowledge of business operations SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER – Tampa, FL We are looking for a Senior Project Manager to join our team as we continue our mission to improve the quality of life for the people we serve. The Senior Project Manager will be responsible for managing projects with as well as client relationships. This individual will be responsible for more than one project at a time. The Senior Project Manager will independently apply his or her extensive and diversified knowledge of engineering principles and practices to complete assignments. The Senior Project Manager prepares, reviews and approves scopes, budgets, schedules, and contracts for consistency with Company policies, procedures and objectives. This individual is responsible for overall project quality, technical and financial performance. This individual assigns tasks to and oversees engineers, technicians and administrative staff. In this role there is extensive interaction with technical and non-technical staff, clients, officials, contractors, vendors and others. This individual is expected to attend project meetings and present specific aspects of engineering

Jones Edmunds & Associates will not sponsor a work visa (e.g. H1B, etc.,) to fill this position. As a condition of employment with Jones Edmunds & Associates any successful job applicant will be required to pass a pre-employment background investigation, drug screen and motor vehicle report.

Wastewater Plant Operator C License Marathon, Florida Keys Category: Full-Time Description: This position is responsible for wastewater treatment plant operation and process control data collection and reporting, ensuring that the plant operates within the required State of Florida Department of Environmental permit standards. Miscellaneous: Email application/resume to HR@ci.marathon.fl.us or fax to 305-289-4143. See website for full description: www.ci.marathon.fl.us

CITY OF WINTER GARDEN – POSITIONS AVAILABLE The City of Winter Garden is currently accepting applications for the following positions: - Water Conservation & Recycling Coordinator - Water/Wastewater Plant Operator – Class C - Solid Waste Worker II - Utilities Operator II - Collection Field Tech – I & II - Distribution Field Tech – I & II 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.

City of Wildwood Water Treatment Plant Operator Looking for a licensed operator to join our professional team at one of the fastest growing cities in Florida. Must hold at least a Class A water license. Valid Driver's license a must. Pay Range: 111a ($15.12 $23.44/hour) Contact Diane Gibson Smith at 352-330-1340, or email dgibsonsmith@wildwood-fl.gov. DOE Open Until Filled Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

CGA Employment Opportunities

Utility Plant Operators (Various Levels) If there is a right place in all of the Orlando metropolitan area, Altamonte Springs is it. Positioned in the geographic heart of central Florida, Altamonte Springs provides a solid base of services with the convenience of a location that virtually eliminates the daily challenge of commuting to work. Recently recognized as the Outstanding Public Organization of the Year during the Central Florida Engineers’ Week, the Altamonte Springs Public Works & Utilities Department is seeking utility plant operators to serve our residents and utility customers in both water and wastewater. Hiring Range D.O.Q.: $35,983 - $41,380 Salary Range D.O.Q.: $35,983 - $55,774 For additional information and to apply, please visit http://www.altamonte.org/jobs.aspx

Water Wastewater Operators U.S. Water Services has part time positions open for certified water and wastewater treatment plant operators for weekend and holiday work in the Fort Myers/Naples/Port Charlotte areas. A company vehicle will be provided during working hours. Responsibilities include compliance testing, performing operational checks and making log book entries as required in the permits as well as performing some light repairs. A valid Florida driver's license is required. Package plant experience is a plus. Pay is ranges from $18.00 to $28.00 per hour based on experience and qualifications. Duel certified water/wastewater operators may qualify for top pay. Please contact Jon Meyer at239-543-1005 or jmeyer@uswatercorp.net if interested.

Lee County Utilities, Fort Myers, FL Lee County Utilities is currently accepting applications for the following positions: Ref#03513 Engineering Manager 1 ($58,175-$97,737/yr.); Ref#03532 Utilities Sr. Manager-Development and Review $58,175$97,737/yr.); Ref#03555 Public Utilities Principal Planner ($52,233$87,889/yr.) Salary based on qualifications. Excellent benefits. Visit http://agency.governmentjobs.com/leecounty/default.cfm for complete descriptions and to apply. Contact ACyganiak@leegov.com.

Parkson Corporation Technical Service Specialist Services products and equipment as assigned. Starts up, identifies, analyzes and repairs instruments and products at customers location. Performs preventative maintenance, site surveys, installations and modifications as needed or requested by customers. Performs training at customer site. Troubleshoots basic control circuits. Determines parts to order for repairs and timeliness of need. Travel up to 90% To apply: http://www.parkson.com/about-us/join-team

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

CGA is an innovative multidisciplinary Engineering Firm ranked as a Top Ten Engineering Firm by South Florida Business Journal, and in the top 100 fastest growing United States architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms; with main offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. CGA is hiring engineers with expertise in water, wastewater, roadway, traffic, and/or storm water design. Candidates must have a PE license or EI certification and 5 to 10 years of experience. Apply at jobs@cgasolutions.com

City of Coconut Creek, FL: Utility Services Lead Worker (Water) Utilities & Engineering Department Salary: $22.47/hour; $46,737.60 Annually High school diploma or GED; four (4) or more years’ experience in Construction, Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Repair of Water Distribution Systems ; an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience may be considered. Must a valid Florida Commercial Class B driver's license (CDL), Florida Water Pollution Control Operators Association (FWPCOA) Class “C” Water Distribution certification, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Class III license, ASSE Backflow certification. Must obtain a Florida Water Pollution Control Operators Association (FWPCOA) Class “B” Water Distribution certification, Confined Space certification, CPR and First Aid certification, Intermediate level Maintenance of Traffic certification, Trenching and Shoring certification within twelve (12) months of hire. Apply online at www.coconutcreek.net

Field Process Engineer Performs start-up and/or trouble-shooting on Parkson supplied equipment at customer's locations. Responsible to respond and take care of customer issues and needs. Professionally assesses and understands customer's requirements, develops the appropriate solution strategy and applies or manages the implementation of the solution. Furthermore, uses detailed knowledge and personal credibility gained from the customer interaction to successfully close sales orders while creating high level of customer satisfaction. Travel up to 90%. Bachelor's degree in Environmental, Civil, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering. Minimum of 3 - 5 years work experience automation, controls and instrumentation To apply: http://www.parkson.com/about-us/join-team

Utility Electronics Technician The City of Casselberry is seeking a Utility Electronics Technician for installation, repair and quality control, low voltage electrical repairs, troubleshooting and installation of various control systems along with generating predictive maintenance schedules and parts inventory. This position requires a highly skilled individual with instrumentation, AC/DC power, PLC’s and computer networks. Requirements: HS diploma or G.E.D., some college or related trade school preferred, minimum (5) years of electrical/electronics and (3) years of experience with Variable Frequency Drives and SCADA monitoring systems. Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver's license. For additional information regarding responsibilities or qualifications and to apply, please visit our website at www.casselberry.org

City of Port Orange Instrument Control Technician The City of Port Orange is accepting applications for Instrument Control Technician. Salary is negotiable. Apply online at www.port-orange.org.

Positions Available

C o r r e c tio n In the article, “Sequential Chlorination and Chloramination: Cost-Effective Disinfection Methods for Reclaimed Water Aquifer Recharge,” which appeared in the August issue, page 14 had the incorrect Figure 3 (see correct figure below) and Table 1 on page 15 should have been captioned as Table 2 (see table below). The magazine regrets the error.

MALCOLM HARVEY – Holds a Florida C Water and Distribution license with eight years experience. Prefers central, north Florida areas. Available for immediate employment. Contact at 128 15th Ave, NE, Largo, Fl. 33770. 727-581-9640.

Looking For a Job? The FWPCOA Job Placement Committee Can Help! Figure 3. Sequential Chlorination Disinfection

Contact Joan E. Stokes at 407-293-9465 or fax 407-293-9943 for more information.

_____________________________________

Table 2. Sequential Chlorination Operating Mode

Classified Advertising Rates Classified ads are $20 per line for a 60 character line (including spaces and punctuation), $60 minimum. The price includes publication in both the magazine and our Web site. Short positions wanted ads are run one time for no charge and are subject to editing. ads@fwrj.com

Florida Water Resources Journal • October 2015

Certification Boulevard Answer Key From page 21 February 2014

Editorial Calendar January ....Wastewater Treatment February....Water Supply; Alternative Sources March ........Energy Efficiency; Environmental Stewardship April ..........Conservation and Reuse May............Operations and Utilities Management; Florida Water Resources Conference June ..........Biosolids Management and Bioenergy Production July ..........Stormwater Management; Emerging Technologies; FWRC Review August ......Disinfection; Water Quality September Emerging Issues; Water Resources Management October ....New Facilities, Expansions, and Upgrades November..Water Treatment December..Distribution and Collection

1. C) The pounds of BOD entering the aeration tank. The term “loading” refers to the pounds of CBOD5 entering the aeration system. A highly, or overloaded, plant typically has a high F/M ratio and a low solids retention time (SRT).

2. A) Pounds of volatile microorganisms in aeration. The “M” stands for mass, or microorganism, and represents the pounds of volatile bug population in the activated sludge process.

3. C) Colloidal A colloid is a type of chemical mixture where one substance is dispersed evenly throughout another. The particles of the dispersed substance are only suspended in the mixture, unlike a solution, in which they are completely dissolved.

4. C) Volatile The muffle furnace is used to identify volatile solids. Fixed solids are the only form remaining after the total solids are burned: total - fixed = volatile.

5. B) 30 percent Percent removal of CBOD5 = (IN - OUT) ÷ IN x 100 = (250 mg/L - 175 mg/L) ÷ 250 mg/L x 100 = 30 percent

6. D) Increase waste activate sludge (WAS) 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.

Display Advertiser Index Blue Planet ..........................51

Garney....................................5

CEU Challenge ......................14

GML Coatings ..................12,30

Crom ....................................35

Hudson Pumps......................13

Data Flow ............................27

PCL ........................................9

Florida Aquastore ..................42 FSAWWA CONFERENCE Calendar of Events ..............15

Polston ................................23

Overview ..........................16

Treeo ....................................33

Opening Session ..............17

Wade Trim ............................19

FWPCOA Training ..................37

Xylem ..................................52

Stacon ....................................2 Stantec ................................49

2016 FWRC Call for Papers ..41

October 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal

An increased F/M ratio means that there is more food available for the active microorganisms. In most plants, the operator doesn’t have any control over the amount of food that is available on a daily basis, but does have direct control over the amount of active bugs in the system. Altering the rate of WAS has a permanent effect on the amount of bugs (“M”) in the process. With a constant influent concentration of CBOD5, increasing the WAS rate, which decreases the bug population, will allow more food to be available, which raises the F/M ratio. This action will also decrease the process SRT.

7. C) Nitrobacter Nitrification is accomplished with two main groups of bacteria. The first group, Nitrosomonas, converts NH3 (ammonia) to NO2 (nitrite) and the second group, Nitrobacter, converts NO2 to NO3 (nitrate).

8. B) 16.2 mg/L/hour OUR Formula, mg/L/hr = (Beginning DO, mg/L - ending DO, mg/L) ÷ test time, minutes x 60 minutes/hour = (7.2 mg/L - 4.5 mg/L) ÷ 10 minutes x 60 minutes/hour = 16.2 mg/L/hour

9. D) Endogenous respiration Endogenous respiration takes place when the sludge is very old and food availability is very low. This condition encourages active bacteria still hungry to “cannibalize” other bacteria to find and assimilate their uneaten food (carbon) value. Endogenous respiration is known as “survival of the fittest.”

10. B) 0.8 to 1.2 Basically, it take about one pound of oxygen to convert (or oxidize) one pound of CBOD5; this value can vary with F/M ratio (or age of the bugs). As the F/M ratio goes up (younger, more active bugs), the amount of oxygen used for each pound of CBOD5 usually goes down (becomes more efficient). However, as the bugs get older, as indicated by a lower F/M ratio and higher SRT, the amount of oxygen used per pound of CBOD5 converted goes up (becomes less efficient).