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News and Features 10 Florida Professor Named 2015 WEF Fellow 16 Pollution Control in Lake Okeechobee and Implications for Lake Discharge Regions—Hannah Malone, Matthew Young, Isabella Cairo, Sitong Chen, Adel Alqaoud, Kahdeem Desouza, and Sung Hee Joo
28 22 42 45
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4 Aquifer Storage and Recovery: Exploring a Real Solution for Reclaimed Water Supply Needs—Kathleen N. Gierok, Mario F. Chavez, Mark B. McNeal, and Martin J. Clasen 32 Statistical Analysis of Automatic Meter Reading in the Multifamily Sector—John P. McCary
Education and Training 11 23 31 35 45
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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.
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Innovative Stormwater Design for Orlando Rail Lines—Paul W. Yeargain and Bruce A. Doig WEF HQ Newsletter—Justin Mattingly WEF HQ Newsletter—Claudio Ternieden, Kristina Twigg, and Seth Brown News Beat
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FSAWWA Speaking Out—Mark Lehigh Certification Boulevard—Roy Pelletier FWRJ Reader Profile—Andrew R. May C Factor—Thomas King FWEA Focus—Raynetta Curry Marshall Committee Profile—FWPCOA Awards and Citations Committee
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Volume 67
ON THE COVER: The City of Apopka’s Water Reclamation Facility. The round structure is a clarifier, which is part of the larger facility that treats 3.1 mil gal per day. The city is an active participant in the growth of reclaimed water use in Florida. (photo: Robert Sargent, City of Apopka)
September 2015
Number 9
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.
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Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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F W R J
Aquifer Storage and Recovery: Exploring a Real Solution for Reclaimed Water Supply Needs Kathleen N. Gierok, Mario F. Chavez, Mark B. McNeal, and Martin J. Clasen olk County Utilities (PCU) operates the Northwest Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (Facility), which serves wastewater and reclaimed water customers in its northwest region utility service area. During wet weather periods, PCU has to manage the excess reclaimed water resulting from limited public-access reclaimed water demands as its primary effluent disposal option. Wasting water, even reclaimed water, is not a viable option for public utilities with water use permits, and it becomes a challenge with the continuous water and alternative water supply and demand variations, married with a diminishing water supply. Consequently, PCU decided to explore an innovative approach for managing its reclaimed water supply needs using aquifer storage and recovery (ASR). Large storage reservoirs and tankage provide finite wet weather storage and can be costly to build and maintain. There is, however, a viable alternative in ASR. After experiencing a significant lull as a result of the lowering of allowable concentrations of the release of arsenic from 50 µg/L to 10 µg/L, ASR is rebounding as a result of revised implementation of existing regulations, allowing by permit specific exceedances that are determined locally. However, institutional controls may then become a significant component in the operation of an ASR system. Actively ahead of the curve, PCU is electing to construct an exploratory ASR well to
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store reclaimed water in a deep, brackish storage zone. There are many unique features of this well: Deepest ASR well known to exist in the world (2,944 ft) First ASR well in Florida utilizing the Lower Floridan Aquifer (LFA) First ASR well, with potable or reclaimed water, in Polk County The depth of freshwater that exists in Polk County required the well to be completed to this great depth to store the highly treated reclaimed water. This article presents the comprehensive issues encountered during the drilling and cycle testing program and presents some of the design features unique to this ASR system, including the ability to recover the stored water to four different points in the wastewater treatment process, depending on the quality of the recovered water and control of Stage 2 disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and dissolved oxygen concentrations in the source water to the ASR well. Applying these principles can allow for a flexible storage and supply system for reclaimed water, which meets the utility’s customer needs in a timely manner.
Background The Facility is a 3-mil-gal-per-day (mgd), three-month rolling average flow (3MRAF) ox-
Kathleen N. Gierok, P.E., is client services manager with Reiss Engineering Inc. in Winter Haven; Mario F. Chavez, P.E., is capital projects manager with Polk County Utilities in Orlando; and Mark B. McNeal, P.G., is chief executive officer and Martin J. Clasen, P.G., is vice president with ASRus LLC in Tampa.
idation-ditch-type domestic wastewater treatment facility. The plant’s permitted capacity is currently limited to 1.515 mgd 3MRAF based on the reuse system’s effluent disposal capacity. Working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), PCU anticipates increasing the current limit of 1.515 mgd to at least 2.515 mgd, with the addition of the ASR well to manage wet weather flows. The facility was designed, and is operating, utilizing public-access reuse as its primary effluent disposal option. Polk County currently provides reclaimed water for nonpotable use (primarily restricted-access spray irrigation and public-access golf course irrigation) and is planning to expand its existing reuse system to provide reclaimed water to an increasing number of customers. Polk County entered into a cooperative funding agreement with Southwest Florida Continued on page 6
Figure 1. Process Flow Schematic
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Continued from page 4 Water Management District (SWFWMD) in 2009 for an 80-mil-gal (MG) reclaimed water earthen storage reservoir (storage pond) to supplement its reclaimed water system during the dry season. The County already had 23 MG in aboveground reservoirs (storage tanks) at the Facility. Figure 1 presents the original concept for the 80-MG storage pond. The County purchased a 50-acre parcel located adjacent to the south property line of the Facility to house the 80-MG reservoir in 2010. At the same time, a neighboring utility was in a law-
suit with an engineering firm for an aboveground reservoir with an earthen berm breach. Coincidently, the design of Polk County’s reservoir required a 35(+)-ft embankment to accommodate the 80-MG storage, which caused the County concern, considering the current lawsuit; consequently, it began to consider other options, and its cooperative funding agreement was still for an 80-MG reservoir. Figure 2 presents the conceptual plan view of the 80-MG reservoir on the 50-acre parcel. In order to avoid risky construction of a large earthen reservoir, the County contem-
Figure 2. Recleamed Water System Modification - Site Layout and Proposed Reservoir
Table 1. Considerations: Reservoir versus Aquifer Storage Recovery
plated an ASR well, but there were many challenges ahead, with the first considerations being feasibility and cost. The County contracted with Reiss Engineering and ASRus to complete a desktop evaluation to determine if an ASR well was a feasible alternative at this site for extended wet weather periods when reuse demand is low. The study also compared the costs of the ASR system to the proposed earthen storage reservoir, which at the time was cofunded by SWFWMD. An ASR well was not part of the cofunding agreement with SWFWMD. The feasibility evaluation served several purposes for these two options, including determining technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and presenting the ASR as a viable alternative to an earthen reservoir for storage. It was necessary to determine if the local geologic and hydrogeologic conditions would provide cost-effective storage of surplus reuse water and subsequent recovery of reuse water during high demand periods. The evaluation identified that, for permitting through the FDEP underground injection control (UIC), the targeted water quality in the receiving zone of the ASR well would be greater than 3,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS), with the possibility of a preferred storage zone being greater than 10,000 mg/L, because then the reclaimed water would not need to be treated to drinking water standards (DWS). One of PCU’s major advantages was that there were no other competing groundwater users in the LFA within 1 mi of the plant site. A conceptual-level cost comparison determined that the ASR system would be about $1 million less expensive than an earthen reservoir. The primary reason for the cost difference was the need for treatment of water stored in an open reservoir for algae and suspended solids removal prior to discharge into the reclaimed water system. Other major considerations were that the reservoir has a finite storage volume and more operational and maintenance requirements than the ASR system. Table 1 outlines several considerations for comparison between an earthen reservoir and an ASR well.
Phasing, Funding, and Schedule In 2012, SWFWMD approved the change to the project plan from the 80-MG groundwater storage and recovery (GSR) to a 1 mgd ASR project. The SWFWMD agreement was fully executed in May 2013. During this time, the scope definition was being shaped, together with SWFWMD. As a result of the inherent risk of drilling a reclaimed water ASR well in an area
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and in a storage zone that has no history of previous installation, SWFWMD and Polk County agreed to install the system in two phases: the injection well pilot hole (ASR-1) as Phase I; and completion of the ASR well, the two monitoring wells, the cycle testing facilities, and surface facilities improvements as Phase II. The cooperative funding agreement was written to enforce phasing of the contract, and it provided measured successful milestones needing to occur prior to continuing with the second phase of the contract. Another consideration was timing and a mechanism to reach the next wet season, in order to maintain the schedule commitments with SWFWMD and avoid missing one or two wet weather cycles. Subsequently, PCU decided to divide the project in three parts, as follows: Drilling (Design-Bid-Build) - Includes the drilling of three wells: one injection well (ASR-1) with a total depth of 2,944 ft below land surface (bls) and two monitoring wells; the shallow monitor well (SMW-1) is 1,130 ft bls; and the storage zone monitor well (SZMW-1) is 2,100 ft bls. Figures 3 and 4 depict the record drawing of the ASR and storage zone wells and the location of the wells on the Facility site, respectively. Cycle Testing Facilities (Design-Build) - Connects the new ASR well to the existing covered-ground storage reservoirs (23 MG) at the Facility for the cycle testing process of injecting and recovering reclaimed water. This phase also includes connection of the ASR and monitoring wells to the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system of the plant. Surface Facilities (Design-Bid-Build) - To complete the ASR system, the existing highservice pump station for the reclaimed water distribution system will be replaced, which includes additional pipe connections between the 2-MG GSRs, a new mechanical building, and SCADA connection with the cycle testing component for the final operation of the Facility. The drilling of the ASR well began in November 2012 and was completed in May 2014, including the two monitoring wells. The well was drilled with much anticipation, but with only minor complications, including considerable dredging during drilling of the well and an inconclusive water quality test. In May 2014, PCU initiated construction of the second part, the ASR cycle testing facilities, which required a design and contracting strategy to meet an aggressive schedule resulting from the imminent wet weather season. The cycle testing facilities provided for water
Figure 3. ASR-1, SMW-1, and SZMW-1 Record Drawing
Figure 4. Overall Site Plan
from the chlorine contact effluent chamber wet well to be transferred to the ASR well for recharge via the 23-MG GSRs, and recover water from the ASR well through a vertical turbine well pump to the chlorine contract effluent chamber or the plant’s reject tank. The first flush from the recovered water is send directly to the reject tanks to confirm that it meets DWS; then, it is diverted to the chlorine contact chamber and the water is blended with reclaimed water generated from the treatment plant. The first round of cycle testing was successfully completed by PCU, and it began the second round of cycle testing in August 2015.
Currently, the surface facilities are under construction and they will improve the performance of the reclaimed water system and allow additional treatment of the reclaimed water from the ASR, if required to meet publicaccess reuse standards. Included in this part of the project is a new reclaimed water high-service pump station (HSPS) and piping to transfer recovered water to the chlorine contact influent chamber and to the head of the filters, if needed for added chlorine contact time or filtration to reduce total suspended solids. This is the last component of the ASR system for Continued on page 8
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Continued from page 7 final operation. Construction of the HSPS is anticipated to be completed by July 2016. The overlapping in dates reflects the best effort to keep timeline commitments with SWFWMD, while working out the sequence, logistics, and scope details of PCU’s first ASR system. This is the primary reason for the three distinct phases for the project.
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Building the Aquifer Storage and Recovery Well Very little was known of the geology and well production of the LFA in northwest Polk County. The initial step toward completing the reclaimed water ASR well was to install a pilot well in order to determine geologic conditions and the optimum casing setting depth, and most importantly, understand the existing water quality in the LFA. As with all reclaimed water ASR wells, there is the challenge of finding the perfect balance of water quality that does not require excessive treatment prior to storing the reclaimed water and that will not require extensive treatment after recovery and distribution to reclaimed water customers. The goal was to find TDS exceeding 3,000 mg/L and, if possible, a zone containing 10,000 mg/L TDS groundwater with sufficient permeability to store 1 to 2 mgd of reclaimed water. Initial water quality tests suggested a water quality from 2,500 mg/L to 3,300 mg/L TDS at 1,500 ft to 2,300 ft bls, respectively. However, this included a large inflow of freshwater from the Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA), which artificially “freshened” the water and was later cut off with the installation of the final casing in the ASR well. At this stage, therefore, the inferred water quality was greater than 3,000 mg/L TDS. A significant volume of water, which had cascaded to the lower depths, was calculated to determine approximate TDS concentrations at the receiving elevations. Fortunately, SWFWMD (providing the 50 percent funding source) and FDEP (permitting agency) agreed with the methodology and allowed the continuation of the project to the next phase, which is completion of the ASR well and drilling and installation of the shallow and storage zone monitoring wells. The preliminary testing, after completing the drilling and wellheads, indicated that an injection rate of 1.5 mgd was feasible, although PCU currently only has an estimated 0.5 mgd available for recharge. Almost immediately following startup of the cycle testing activities, scaling (chemical precipitation) occurred in the ASR well, which reduced the flow rate to between 200 and 300 gal per minute (gpm). Polk County initially attempted to rehabilitate the ASR well using carbon dioxide (CO2) injection to restore previous recharge capacity in the well. This ended up being relatively high-cost and high-maintenance, and PCU elected to acidize the well. A unique approach to acidizing the well using 500 gal of 32 percent hydrochloric acid (HCL), which was diluted to 8 percent HCL before emplacement, resulted in increasing the flow to
September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
the well to over 1 mgd, while wellhead pressure was reduced from approximately 55 pounds per sq in. (psi) at approximately 200 gpm to 0 psi at 1 mgd. The increase in specific injectivity to the well was an order of magnitude, from approximately 2 gpm/ft to over 20 gpm/ft, with no noticeable reduction in specific capacity during the final two months of recharge activities. The cost to acidize the well was approximately $10,000, which was considered an excellent investment in the ASR well.
Meeting Drinking Water Standards The preliminary results from the effluent characterization indicated that the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) were not currently meeting the primary DWS of 80 µg/L and 60 µg/L, respectively, which would be required prior to going into the ASR well if the background ASR storage zone TDS was determined to be less than 10,000 mg/L. After extensive technical and regulatory review, PCU decided to utilize ammonia as the disinfectant by modifying the free chlorine disinfection system to a combination of free chlorine followed by chloramination to reduce the TTHM and HAA5 concentrations. This treatment modification was implemented for less than $50,000 without significant instrumentation and control modifications. The FDEP regulates primary DWS on a single-sample exceedance basis; therefore, it was paramount that these standards are reliably met in the reclaimed water prior to initiating the cycle testing activities. The Facility operations staff was successful in switching from free chlorine to chloramine disinfection in a relatively short period of time, and the result of this process change has been positive; fewer chemicals are used at the site, with approximately one-half of the amount of chlorine previously utilized. There is also expected to be less water rejected at the site due to low chlorine residual, as the chloramine disinfection process, once in place, appears to offer a more stable residual then the previous free chlorine disinfection.
Summary While the ASR system is under a fairly stringent cycle testing program, PCU will attempt to continue cycle testing, recharging during wet weather periods and recovering during drier periods, to get the most beneficial use from the ASR well. Once sufficient data have been collected during the cycle testing, a Class V operation permit will be requested from FDEP. The goal is to have the ASR system fully permitted by 2017.
Florida Professor Named 2015 WEF Fellow The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has named twelve distinguished members as its 2015 WEF Fellows recipients, including Dr. Sarina Ergas with the University of South Florida in Tampa. This prestigious designation recognizes career achievements, stature, and contributions to the water profession. “The Fellows designation denotes significant professional accomplishment and contribution to the water environment field,” said Eileen O’Neill, WEF executive director. “These outstanding individuals have devoted their careers to clean water and are being recognized by WEF for the substance of their impact in their chosen discipline. They are to be congratulated for their passion and commitment, as well as the caliber of their achievements.” Dr. Ergas is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the university. “I'm honored to have been chosen to be a WEF fellow,” she said. “The organization has allowed me to stay up to date with advancements in our field, provided networking opportunities for me and my students, and has been an important advocate for clean water, both nationally and internationally.”
2015 Recipients The WEF Fellows Recognition Program underscores WEF’s reputation as a valuable water quality resource, which is due in large part to the expertise of its diverse membership. The other recipients for 2015 are: Mohamed Dahab University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, Neb.
Daniel Nolasco NOLASCO & Associates Inc. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Earnest Gloyna University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas
James Patterson Patterson Environmental Consultants Chicago, Ill.
Rhonda Harris CH2M Dallas, Texas
Tim Shea CH2M Fairfax Station, Va.
Betty Jordan Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. Fort Worth, Texas
H. David Stensel University of Washington Mercer Island, Wash.
Terry Krause CH2M Barrington, Ill.
Rebecca West Spartanburg Water Taylors, S.C.
Joseph F. Malina, Jr. University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas
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Program Criteria The WEF Fellows Program recognizes the achievement and contributions of WEF members to the preservation and enhancement of the global water environment in the practice areas served by WEF. Fellow applicants are considered by a selection committee approved by the board of trustees. Selected WEF Fellows may use the professional designation, WEF Fellow, after their name. Eligibility Criteria: Member of WEF for a minimum of five consecutive years Completed and signed WEF Fellows application providing: • Documentation for a minimum of ten years of professional experience • Documentation of professional achievement, stature, and contributions to preserving and enhancing the global water environment, in the practice areas served by WEF, including, but not limited to, design, education, operations, regulation, research, and utility management and leadership. Documented contributions to the member’s profession through participation in professional organizations and community involvement. Include examples of work that convey the impact made in the practice area. Note: all presentations, papers, and cited works must be properly documented to show ownership. Provide supporting letters from WEF members (maximum of five/minimum of three). Two letters must be from peers in the applicant’s practice area and not employed at the same organization as the applicant. Application Process: Applications are accepted from any current WEF member as a self-nomination or a nomination of another WEF member. Applications must be typewritten. Individual WEF members and member associations may submit applications nominating WEF members for Fellow status. Applications must be received at WEF headquarters no later than February 1 of each year.
The 2015 WEF Fellows will be recognized during WEFTEC 2015 in Chicago. Go to www.wef.org/weffellowsprogram to learn more about the WEF Fellows Program.
Pollution Control in Lake Okeechobee and Implications for Lake Discharge Regions Hannah Malone, Matthew Young, Isabella Cairo, Sitong Chen, Adel Alqaoud, Kahdeem Desouza, and Sung Hee Joo Protecting lake environments is essential for sustaining environmental and economic benefits and quality of life. Improperly managed lakes can have detrimental impacts on water quality, ecosystems, and public health. Considering that lakes are used for water supply throughout the United States, restoration efforts for them should be considered and prioritized.
Designing remediating strategies ideally begins with identifying issues, investigating and assessing factors affecting water quality, and developing recommendations accordingly. In this article, issues specific to Lake Okeechobee and practices undertaken to minimize pollution are reviewed and suggestions are provided, with discussion for future remedial directions. Lake Okeechobee—the largest freshwater lake in Florida and the tenth largest lake in the U.S.—covers 1,730 km2 and its shallow depth (mean depth of 2.7 m) is affected, mainly in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), by dis-
Graphical abstract
charges of nitrogen and phosphorus (James et al, 2011; Das et al, 2012; Flaig and Havens, 1995; Trimble and Marban, 1989). The location of Lake Okeechobee with the surrounding agricultural area is shown in Figure 1 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2015). One of the biggest challenges for the lake is deterioration of water quality, primarily due to a significant increase in nutrients, especially phosphorus (He et al, 2014). By natural processes, Lake Okeechobee is eutrophic; at times, cyanobacteria (bluegreen algae blooms) have covered approximately 40 percent of the lake’s surface (Haag et al, 1996). Among high concentrations of nutrients, pesticides, and suspended solids introduced in the EAA, significant amounts of phosphorus have damaged watersheds around the lake, with consequent negative impacts on water quality in the lake itself (Das et al, 2012; Daroub et al, 2011). Periodic occurrences of severe rainstorms and hurricanes in Florida can turn the lake into a hazard rather than a valuable resource. Large rainstorms and excessive farm drainage of the Everglades ecosystem add to the complexity of water quality control efforts. The lake plays a critical role as a freshwater source for: humans, animals, and vegetation; as a supplier of irrigation for many south Florida farms; flood control; water storage against droughts; habitat for fish and other wildlife; and recreational and tourist opportunities im-
Figure 1. Location of Lake Okeechobee and agricultural area surrounding the lake; (A) altered everglades ecosystem and cattle and dairy farm area and (B) Everglades agricultural area map. (source: USGS, 2015; Galloway et al, 1999)
B)
A)
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September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
portant to local economies (Aumen, 1995; Trimble and Marban, 1989). Thus, conserving the lake and protecting watersheds surrounding it are central to the health of the community. The extensive agricultural environment surrounding Lake Okeechobee has been shown to contribute to nutrient loads through runoff. The excessive nutrients promote growth of harmful blue-green algae, with its unattractive color, damaging the lake’s attraction for tourists (Kancler 2010), and resulting in high contaminant concentrations in the lake and the surrounding soils. At the same time, as a result of increasing population and encroaching urban development around the lake, uncontrolled seasonal flooding has led to concerns from south Florida residents, and the federal government has taken the initiative of launching flood-control projects (LOPP, 2011). Pollution control efforts have been initiated and practiced for restoring the lake and conserving this resource as a primary water supply. These efforts include dikes designed to prevent overflow into surrounding areas (i.e., flood control); channelization to create outlets for proper drainage and prevention of high water levels; federal and state governmental policies; and best management practices (BMPs) for applying
physical and chemical treatment processes. These preventive and postremedial actions need to be carefully reviewed in order to select proper approaches and further develop remedial treatment technologies.
Issues and Factors Affecting Water Quality Lake Okeechobee is one of the primary sources of fresh water in south Florida, supplying drinking water to five municipalities (Steinman et al, 2004). There are many issues associated with the pollution of the lake and concerns have arisen, not only about agriculture (farming and livestock), but also about municipalities and industry. The EAA alone earns about 2 billion dollars per year, with the lake serving as a water source, thereby placing considerable pressure on the lake in terms of both demand and quality (Steinman et al, 2004). One of the primary causes of pollution is agricultural land use, which introduces nitrogen and, particularly in this case, phosphorous loading, severely impacting the lake’s watershed. Climate change, one of the grand challenges in the water-energy-food nexus, is linked to eutrophication. This is illustrated by the sim-
ulation study of extreme weather conditions associated with the water quality of the lake, primarily due to sediment resuspension, which changes the phytoplankton composition (Moss et al, 2011; Beaver et al, 2013). During the wet season, fertilizers from farms, containing chemicals and high levels of nutrients harmful to native aquatic life, are washed into the lake. Moreover, the fertilizers also lead to the rapid growth of water weeds and algae, degrading water quality in the lake and its environment. Plants and crops grown on farms require significant amounts of fertilizer, and most farms have canals connected to the lake for draining farm waste and for flooding the field whenever necessary (Steinman et al, 2004). Current regulations require the lake not to exceed phosphorus concentrations above 40 mg/L; however, from 2004 to 2008, the average reported concentration was 114 mg/L (Byrne and Wood, 2012). Cattle farming is another practice contributing to the pollution of the lake: 47 percent of the area is involved with cow-calf farming, producing animal waste, along with chemicals used for maintenance of both land and cattle, releasing significant amounts of phosphorus into the soils and water surroundContinued on page 18
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Continued from page 17 ing the lake (Folks, 2005). Other livestock also contribute significant pollution (e.g., biochemical oxygen demand, pathogens, nutrients, and unpleasant tastes and odor to water) through direct contact with lake water or contact through their waste (Haag et al, 1996). Particularly, nutrients found in their waste accelerate the growth of weeds and algae, not to mention the untidy appearance of the lake and surrounding areas due to algae growth and cow fecal matter. Another source of pollution is the cleaning of cattle with chemicals, which are then easily carried off into the lake, dissolving in and polluting it (Goel et al, 2004). Detrimental impacts are not limited to recreational activities and public health. For instance, as home to more than 4000 species of plants, Lake Okeechobee has been identified as one of the most diverse estuarine ecologies in all of North America, but 33 species are listed as endangered or threatened. Even the surrounding St. Lucie and Loxahatchee rivers are being directly impacted, as they receive waters from the lake. Further, the effluent being discharged from the lake, with large amounts of pollution and contamination, has caused increasing numbers of deaths in fish populations, as well as affecting several protected areas around it (Kancler, 2010). Transport of effluent from impaired lake waters into the surrounding region (i.e., St. Lucie River) emptying into the St. Lucie Estuary has resulted in mass deaths of creatures in the Indian River Lagoon, primarily due to high pesticide levels (Trimble and Marban, 1989; Kancler, 2010). Sugar cane fields, citrus groves, and cattle surrounding the lake also cause pollution from runoff as influent from natural rivers, as well as channels and canals. Additionally, alterations of the natural hydrology, or the separation of Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades, have worsened its water quality. Even with water withdrawals from the lake, pollution still remains, and after flooding, the level of suspended solids remains high, though flood prevention measures taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) help preserve water quality. Although such measures do provide a benefit to the ecosystem (flood control) from modification to the natural water flow, large discharges from the lake can still break through (Steinman, 2004). Changes made to separate the lake’s watershed from the Everglades by controlled discharge, construction of the dike surrounding the lake, and the draining of wetlands south of the lake (via canals) to allow for the expansion of farming (Steinman, 2004; Trimble and Marban, 1989) have caused an unnaturally low level of water in the Everglades (Haag, 1996). Phosphorous loads from canal sediments are the main cause of eutrophication, while
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major phosphorus in the EAA canals is sourced from farm drainage water (Das et al, 2012). The addition of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) well water, implemented by USACE, into Lake Okeechobee has caused excess amounts of ions, such as Ca, Fe, and SO42-, thereby affecting the phosphorus equilibrium throughout the biogeochemical cycle (Liu and Chang, 2013). Due to high levels of pesticides and nutrients, water in the lake barely enters the Everglades without treatment (Steinman, 2004). Considering the potentially detrimental effects (e.g., pollutants at 65 times the safe levels stipulated by drinking water guidelines) and consequent decrease in a number of activities (e.g., swimming, fishing, boating, and water sports) on the lake, and potential increase in serious health problems (Kancler, 2010), research is urgently needed to solve issues using both preventive management and post-treatment approaches.
Reviews of Current Approaches for Controlling Lake Pollution Implementing proper drainage and waste management policies could be one of the best tactics used. Although the federal regulatory structure affecting water transfers is currently being tested in court (for example, Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited, 2014) under the Clean Water Act, facilities are required, by law, to treat waste before releasing it into any drainage system, including Lake Okeechobee, and to ensure that it is free from toxins that cause direct or indirect harm to aquatic life. The Florida state government has mandated the implementation of BMPs to include separating different sources of phosphorus and controlling the phosphorus concentration coming from surrounding farmlands in the region. However, contamination cannot always meet regulatory standards, due primarily to input from uncontrolled nonpoint sources. Stormwater retention areas offer another approach to minimizing the pollution of four basins located directly north of the lake by capturing and reusing runoff, and by chemical treatment of discharge (Folks, 2005). However, when highly contaminated overflow is introduced into the basins, such temporary treatment approaches may not be effective unless previous studies have been carried out with simulations of this kind of dramatic circumstance. A dairy buyout could be an another method of addressing the agricultural runoff issue, relocating the dairy farms, with their large numbers of milking cows and subsequent residual phosphorus in soils (Folks, 2005; LOPP, 2011). Unlike straight canals, streams and rivers taking twisting paths could allow for nutrients and other contaminants to be gradually and naturally removed from the water prior to
September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
reaching the lake. Similarly, bends in rivers also cause slower-moving water, bringing less silt into the lake. Currently, with the Kissimmee River Restoration initiative, channelization is being undone with the goal of strengthening the Lake Okeechobee and Kissimmee River environments (Byrne and Wood, 2012). Efforts to restore 24 mi of the Kissimmee River were completed through the straightening and subsequent unstraightening of the river, overcoming the negative effects channelization can have on the quality of lake water and correcting artificially direct discharge (LOPP, 2011). It has been shown that restoring curves and oxbows to the river reestablishes wetland areas in the Kissimmee Basin, so that the level of sediments discharged to the lake is reduced, allowing for nutrients and other pollutants to be gradually removed from the water as it travels down the river (Bryrne and Wood, 2012). The Everglades Restoration Project tries not only to remedy damage done to Lake Okeechobee, but also to redirect lake discharge back to the Everglades, which can provide water to the ecosystem and reduce the amount of water discharged from the lake, which is ultimately dumped into estuaries (such as the Indian River Lagoon) and the ocean. In preparation for water shortages, large amounts of this water (up to 1.6 bil gal daily) are designated to be stored from the 1.7 bil gal of water daily discharged from Florida into the ocean; some of it, however, is being redirected to the Everglades (Steinman, 2004). The Everglades is traditionally a nutrient-low environment and the native ecology may not thrive in water due to high nutrient loading from the EAA and Lake Okeechobee (IWQ, 2015). While stormwater treatment areas (STAs) have been designed and approved to reduce nutrient loading prior to entering the Everglades, some hydraulic structures, including a flow-equalization basin, have already been constructed. Remediation activities in the Lake Okeechobee Basin (e.g., lagoon remediation and chemical treatment of runoff at the edges of properties surrounding the lake) have been shown to improve water quality by reducing phosphorous loads to the lake (Folks, 2005; LOPP, 2011). However, this may rest on the quantity and concentrations of incoming contaminant levels. Phosphorus control alternatives (PCAs), based on research by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) in 2004, are mainly methods addressed to landowners. Some examples include optimization of the existing dairy rule design, enhanced cow-calf BMPs, and alternation of land uses from one purpose to another (e.g., converting dairy operations to cow-calf operations with improved management and altering all-citrus and field-
crop operations to natural areas). A watershed reservoir-assisted stormwater treatment area (RASTA) is one of the PCAs that is used. Two RASTA initiatives by the USACE, and the SFWMD initiatives and projects for Everglades restoration, include the Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough STA and two Lake Okeechobee watershed water quality treatment facilities (Johns and O’Dell, 2004). The Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough STA includes areas of water quality concern for nutrients in the lake watershed, and a current plan consists of implementing various BMPs to reduce phosphorus loading from the Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough basins. Examples of BMPs for the fully constructed STAs at Taylor Creek and Nubbin Slough include fencing cows away from streams, animal wastewater disposal on croplands, and utilization of wetlands for nutrient removal. Construction projects also incorporating buffer strips, cooling ponds, shade structures, and feed/water structures in order to eliminate manure deposition in streams. Policies to encourage silvopasture practices could also be effective, since studies have indicated that combining trees, forages, and shrubs with livestock operations not only has the potential to control phosphorus runoff, but also to improve habitat for wildlife (Shrestha and Alavalapati, 2004). A recent study indicated that the use of ditch fencing and culvert cattle crossings as part of BMP programs were effective in reducing phosphorus and nitrogen loads and were economically feasible in the Lake Okeechobee Basin (Shukla et al, 2011). A primary cause of deteriorated water quality and cultural eutrophication of both Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades ecosystems has been due to phosphorus loadings from mainly nonpoint source agricultural runoff. Despite various projects that addressed the issues and have been collectively successful, water quality from some basins has not improved due, in part, to increased agricultural and urban development. Although farm-scale BMPs have reduced the phosphorus load from the watershed, additional reductions will be required to meet phosphorus load-reduction targets for the lake. In this effort, development of techniques for the removal of nutrients or integrated approaches to source control and pretreatment prior to discharge into the lake will be necessary. Table 1 summarizes the reviews on the methods that have been practiced for controlling Lake Okeechobee’s pollution.
Conclusions There are various factors producing severely detrimental effects on Lake Okeechobee and the areas that it comes into contact with, as
Table 1. Description and Comparison of Methods for Controlling Lake Pollutants
described and discussed previously. Significant elements include agricultural and industrial developments (e.g., sugar cane fields, citrus groves, and cattle surrounding the lake) with increasing population and need for more residential development, cattle farming, the characteristics of the geological areas surrounding the lake, cleaning cattle with chemicals, and artificial channels. Possible solutions and approaches have been designed and practiced as discussed, involving ensuring appropriate drainage, setting regulatory policy, providing facilities for pretreating waste to minimize pollution into any drainage system, BMPs (e.g.,
separation and control of different sources of phosphorus), developing stormwater retention areas, relocating large dairy farms, and PCAs (e.g., optimization of dairy rule design, enhanced cow-calf BMPs, and changes in land use). However, none of these seems to be optimally accomplished by emphasizing one over the others. Apart from geological location, evenly distributed urban development surrounding the areas, employment of BMPs, and well-managed and controlled nonpoint sources, as well as development of cost-effective postContinued on page 20
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Continued from page 19 treatment options, should be integrated for restoration and for decreasing pollution levels in the lake, as well as the surrounding regions.
Recommendations Water scarcity is a significant global issue, especially considering climatic and hydrological changes combined with increasing population. Studies determining levels of pollution may need to include measuring lake water toxicity and identifying methods through which pollution of drainage systems can be reduced in south Florida. Effluent pollution could be reduced in drainage systems by evaluating ways to achieve and maintain contaminant-free environments with clean water. Pollution reduction can enhance the health of surrounding human communities, protecting against illnesses caused by poor water quality. As previously described, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) need to be controlled as well, as these are the primary causes of eutrophication in the lake. While Ninputs from external sources were balanced in the lake by denitrification in surface sediments as a major N-sink, phosphorus loads (only one form, phosphate) into the lake have been three to five times more than the total maximum daily load (TMDL) limit (James et al, 2011; FDEP, 2001). Compared to TP, net loads of TN into the lake have been stable due to balances between increased fluxes of NH4+, NOx, and significant denitrification (James et al, 2011). This indicates that, as long as TN loads (mainly the inorganic N forms) are controlled, management practices for decreasing TP loads should alleviate the eutrophication issue. Research on the development of the main conveyance canal sediment treatment and management strategies, as well as factors affecting the phosphorus release from sediments, is urgently encouraged for TP control, due to the higher TP concentrations detected in recent research as 1,280 ± 360 mg/kg TP compared to 960 ± 540 mg/kg TP in the farm canals (Das et al, 2012). Likewise, studies on phosphorus cycling in soils are critical to mitigate the phosphorus release because of the physical chemical reactions (sorption/desorption, precipitation, and oxidation) that occur in soils and sediments. Remedial plans have included practicing BMPs, and such approaches involve the revision of pumping practices, protection of canal banks with vegetation, minimizing pesticide use, retention of on-farm drainage, and minimizing the transport of sediments from farm canals (Daroub et al, 2011). Further recommendations involve investigating phosphorus equilibrium of sorption/desorption between lake water and sediments, as studies have shown that the fate and transport processes of phosphorus in sediments
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are the major factors affecting its stability, as well as its mass transfer as determined by the dilution effect (Liu and Chang, 2013). This indicates that a proper mixing ratio (e.g., 1:10) between ASR well water and lake water could minimize excess phosphorus loads for the long term through a buffering effect (Liu and Chang, 2013). Permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology incorporating environmentally benign remedial materials could be explored for treating contaminants and evaluating treated effluent through monitoring wells. Phosphorus absorption, binding, and filtration technologies could be incorporated into the PRB technology. Various avenues could be explored to improve water quality. Creating new discharge points could also minimize pollution levels in the lake and surrounding areas by inducing increased diffusion of effluent with subsequent increase in the dilution of contaminants, preventing flooding to the surrounding ecosystems during heavy rainfall. In addition, pretreatment systems could be operated along these drainage points to treat contaminated effluent before it is released into the lake. Restoration of wetlands could be another consideration, since wetlands are effective for treating surface water and capturing runoff. However, synergistic effects achieved by combining other techniques, such as vegetative linings, could aid in natural filtration of the lake water. Further, monitoring long-term trends of water quality in the watershed would be necessary, which would involve collecting data to identify and quantify phosphorus sources in the watershed and evaluating the feasibility of alternative nutrient removal technologies. Increased funding to expand research on nutrients recovery, water management, and treatment development is encouraged as relatively few studies have made progress in controlling pollution in Lake Okeechobee and its surrounding regions. Nutrients recovery from sludge is not only a promising process, but could also minimize excess nutrients released from leachate of biosolids from agricultural lands (Joo et al, 2015). Maximizing nutrients recovery prior to biosolids land applications could mitigate the release of excess nutrients from agricultural runoff in the watershed regions. Finally, the current agricultural BMPs should be re-evaluated and modified as needed.
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References • Aumen, N.G., 1995. The History of Human Impacts, Lake Management, and Limnological Research on Lake Okeechobee, Fla. Archival of Hydrobiology Advances in Limnology, 45:1-16. • Beaver, J.R.; Casamatta, D.A.; East, T.L.; Havens, K.E.; Rodusky, A.J.; James, R.T.; Tausz, C.E.; and Buccier, K.M., 2013. Extreme Weather Events Influence the Phytoplankton
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Community Structure in a Large Lowland Subtropical Lake (Lake Okeechobee, Fla.). Hydrobiologia, 709:213-226. Byrne, M.J., Sr.; Wood, M.S., 2012. Concentrations and loads of nutrients in the tributaries of the Lake Okeechobee watershed, South-Central Florida, Water Years 2004– 2008: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 613. Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited (CMCTU), Inc. et al v. United States Environmental Protection Agency et al, No. 7:2008cv05606 - Document 37 (S.D. New York 2009, accessed on 03.28.14). Daroub, S.H.; Horn, S.V.; Lang, T.A.; and Diaz, O.A., 2011. Best Management Practices and Long-Term Water Quality Trends in the Everglades Agricultural Area. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 41:608-632. Das, J.; Daroub, S.H.; Bhadha, J.H.; Lang, T.A.; Diaz, O.; and Harris, W., 2012. Physicochemical Assessment and Phosphorus Storage of Canal Sediments within the Everglades Agricultural Area, Fla. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 12:952-965. Flaig, E.G.; Havens, K.E., 1995. Historical Trends in the Lake Okeechobee Ecosystem I. Land Use and Nutrient Loading. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement, 107:1-24. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), 2001. Total Maximum Daily Load for Total Phosphorus Lake Okeechobee, Fla. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, p. 1. Folks, J.C., 2005. Lake Okeechobee TMDL Technologies and Research: Lessons Learned. CSREES 2005 State of Science of Animal Manure and Waste Management Symposium San Antonio, Texas. Galloway, D.L.; Jones, D.R.; Ingebritsen, S.E., 1999. Land Subsidence in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1182, pp 95106 (accessed on 03.03.15). Goel, P.K.; Rudra, R.P.; Gharabaghi, B.; Das, S.; Gupta, N., 2004. Pollutants removal by vegetative filter strips planted with different grasses. ASAE/CSAE. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Paper no. 042177. Haag, K.H.; Miller, R.L.; Bradner, L.A.; & McCulloch, D.S., 1996. Water Quality Assessment of Southern Florida: An Overview of Available Information on Surface Water and Groundwater Quality and Ecology. Water resources investigations report (no. 96-4177): National water quality assessment program. Tallahassee, Fla. He, Z.; Hiscock, J.G.; Merlin, A.; Hornung, L.; Liu, Y.; and Zhang, J., 2014. Phosphorus Budget and Land Use Relationships for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, Fla. Ecological Engineering, 64:325-336. Improving Water Quality (IWQ): Stormwater Treatment Areas. (n.d.). 2015.
www.sfwmd.gov/sta (accessed on 03.03.15). • James, R.T.; Havens, K.E.; McOrmick, P.; Jones, B.; and Pord, C., 2011. Water Quality Trends in Shallow South Florida Lakes and Assessment of Regional Versus Local Forcing Functions. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 41:576-607. • Johns, G.M.; O’Dell, K., 2004. Benefit-Cost Analysis to Develop the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan. Florida Water Resources Journal, 34-38. • Joo, S.H.; Monaco, F.D.; Antmann, E.; and Chorath, P., 2015. Sustainable Approaches for Minimizing Biosolids Production and Maximizing Reuse Options in Sludge Management: A Review. Journal of Environmental Management, 158:133-145. • Kancler, K., 2010. Issues Surrounding Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie River. http://legacy.usfsm.edu/academics/cas/capstone/2009-2010 (accessed on 03.03.15). • Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan (LOPP), 2011. Lake Okeechobee protection plan update, SFWMDC, FDEP, FDACS, 463 p. • Liu, S.; Chang, N.-B., 2013. Geochemical Impact of Aquifer Storage and Recovery Operation on Fate and Transport of Sediment Phosphorus in a Large Shallow Lake. Environmental Earth Sciences, 68:189-201. • Moss, B.; Kosten, S.; Meerhoff, M.; Batterbee, R.W.; Jeppesen, E.; Mazzeo, N.; Havens, K; Lacerot, G.; Liu, Z.; De Meester, L.; Paerl, H.; and Scheffer, P., 2011. Allied Attack: Climate Change and Eutrophication. Inland Waters, 1:101-105. • Shrestha, R.K.; Alavalapati, J.R.R., 2004. Valuing Environmental Benefits of Silvopasture Practice: A Case Study of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed in Florida. Ecological Engineering, 49:349-359. • Steinman, A.D.; Luttenton, M.; and Havens, K.E., 2004. Sustainability of surface and subsurface water resources: case studies from Florida and Michigan. Water Resources Update. 127:100-107. • Shukla, S.; Goswami, D.; Graham, W.D.; Hodges, A.W.; Christman, M.C.; and Knowles, J.M., 2011. Water Quality Effectiveness of Ditch Fencing and Culvert Crossing in the Lake Okeechobee Basin, Southern Florida. Ecological Engineering, 37:11581163. • Trimble, P.G.; Marban, J.A., 1989. A Proposed Modification to Regulation of Lake Okeechobee. Water Resources Bulletin, 25:12491257. Hannah Malone, Matthew Young, Isabella Cairo, Sitong Chen, Adel Alqaoud, and Kahdeem Desouza are undergraduate students and Sung Hee Joo is assistant professor of environmental engineering at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Help for States Considering Direct Potable Reuse
Framework provides guidance on program development and costs, federal regulations, and public outreach Justin Mattingly As interest in direct potable reuse (DPR) has grown, so has the need to ensure water quality and safety. State regulators, local government, and water utility decision makers must make water supply decisions, but without specific criteria or guidelines, excessive treatment redundancies may result that impede or slow down projects, causing high costs, project delays, and public distrust. As a result, a framework is being developed that outlines the most important issues that states will need to address as they develop DPR guidelines. This framework, which will be released in the fall, will focus on two forms of DPR, the first of which is defined as introducing highly treated wastewater effluent—with or without an engineered storage buffer—into the intake water supply upstream of a drinking water treatment facility. Another form introduces highly treated wastewater effluent directly into a drinking water distribution system. The framework is the culmination of a DPR framework project being developed by the WateReuse Research Foundation (Alexandria, Va.) in coordination with the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA; Denver).
What the framework will include The DPR projects are not necessarily new; Windhoek, Namibia, has been operating one since 1967 that introduces water directly into the drinking water distribution system. In the United States, permitted operational DPR projects add highly treated wastewater ahead of a water treatment facility. Currently, only the cities of Wichita Falls and Big Spring (both in Texas) have operational DPR facilities, but DPR is currently under consideration
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in California, New Mexico, and several other states. The framework will summarize Texas’ experience in implementing DPR and California’s creation of regulations for groundwater recharge indirect potable reuse projects. This framework also will cover a broad spectrum of issues in DPR implementation, including: a background on DPR, as well as the cost of implementing a DPR program compared to other water resource options; public health protection and how DPR may be affected by existing federal statutes, such as the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act; source water control programs, wastewater treatment, advanced wastewater treatment, residuals management, and monitoring and control strategies; and system operation to ensure that utilities have sufficient staff training and resources to properly operate these systems, which in many cases are more advanced than traditional wastewater or drinking water treatment facilities.
Managing public perception Water treatment technology and operations are an ever-evolving process, and technology and regulatory needs for DPR may require future development. In addition, public perception is important in any statewide or local discussion of implementing a DPR program. Community organizations need to be engaged early to ensure that the public understands the DPR concept to dispel fears about using recycled water as a source of drinking water. The framework will include information on public outreach, including the key factors that should be included in a communication plan, communication tools, and examples of successful DPR outreach programs. The framework effort is part of a WateReuse Research Foundation direct potable reuse initiative that has already allocated $5.8 million to fund
September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
34 research projects. The National Water Research Institute (Fountain Valley, Calif.) expert panel developing this framework is chaired by George Tchobanoglous of the University of CaliforniaDavis, along with Joseph Cotruvo of Joseph Cotruvo & Associates; Jim Crook; Ellen McDonald of Alan Plummer Associates; Adam Olivieri of EOA Inc.; Andrew Salveson of Carollo Engineers; and R. Shane Trussell of Trussell Technologies Inc. The framework directly addresses a key theme found in EPA’s Water Technology Innovation Blueprint. The blueprint outlines the business case for investment in new tools in the 10 most promising market opportunities in the water quality sector, one of which is “Conserving and Eventually Reusing Water.” Intended to be released at WEFTEC 2015, which will be held September 2630 in Chicago, the framework will be featured at the WEFTEC Innovation Pavilion discussion, “Overcoming Barriers to Water Reuse.” 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. Justin Mattingly is a research manager at the WateReuse Research Foundation. He can be reached at jmattingly@watereuse.org.
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, Emerging Issues and Water Resources Management. 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:
Aquifer Storage and Recovery: Exploring a Real Solution for Reclaimed Water Supply Needs Kathleen Gierock, Mario F. Chavez, Mark B. McNeal, and Martin J. Clasen (Article 1: CEU = 0.1 WW) 1. The preferred reclaimed water storage zone a. is 1,000 ft below land surface. b. contains native water with chloride concentration below the drinking water limit. c. had already been tapped by a neighboring utility. d. contains native water with total dissolved solids exceeding 10,000 mg/L.
2. _____________ was ultimately used to restore the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) well’s recharge capacity after initial fouling. a. Hydrochloric acid b. Sulfuric acid c. Carbon dioxide d. Citric acid
3. Which of the following chemicals or processes was used to control reclaimed water trihalomethane formation? a. Chlorine dioxide b. Ammonia c. Sodium hypochlorite d. Activated carbon
4. Polk County Utilities will seek a __________ Florida Department of Environmental Protection operating permit for the ASR system once it is fully tested. a. Class I b. Class II c. Class III d. Class V
5. Revised implementation of regulations allowing locally determined limits on the release of __________ has revived interest in the use of ASR. a. arsenic b. chloride c. calcium d. disinfection byproducts
___________________________________________ (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)
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT
Summertime and AWWA Mark Lehigh Chair, FSAWWA etting from the Florida Water Resources Conference in April to the FSAWWA Fall Conference in November can be challenging. Let’s face it— there’s no football, hockey, or basketball to entertain us during the doldrums of summer. We
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have baseball, but how many games can you watch in a row? For me, it’s ten. Don’t get me wrong; I like baseball, but lately I am bored by the fifth inning. I appreciate that baseball is our national pastime, but summer is more than passing time; at least, it should be. How about mixing in some AWWA events and activities? And for gosh sakes—come on football! If you are in the same position as me and need to talk to someone about it, I understand and I am here for you. This is where FSAWWA
FSAWWA attendees Peggy Guingona, Kim Kunihiro, and Mark Lehigh at the workshop.
The workshop allowed AWWA section members to share ideas.
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September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
has helped me through the summer and straight into the FSAWWA Fall Conference. Upon returning, re-energized, from ACE15 in Anaheim, I checked my calendar to see how I was going to get through the summer. At the top of the list was the AWWA Summer Workshop. For the first time, I had the opportunity to attend the AWWA Summer Workshop in Denver. I was provided a very wonderful opportunity to represent the Florida Section and I gave a presentation on section chair goal-setting. I was able to attend some fantastic breakout sessions and a workshop on membership, and also listen in on an update on AWWA’s education program. All of these were informative and enlightening. Our membership is passionate about these subject areas and they bring direct value to everyone. In my opinion, this workshop is a must for all section leaders and staff. In addition to the workshop this year, there are two events that I always have on my summer calendar: Wine for Us – Region III Member Appreciation Night at the Ballpark – Region IV Both of these are a must-do for everyone. Personally, I don’t mind sipping some wine while raising money for a good cause, or drinking a beer and eating a hot dog at the ballpark with good friends—would you? Let’s not forget the FSAWWA Young Professionals Summer Seminar. This is always a great and timely event, especially with this year’s topic, “Chlorine Loss in Your Distribution System.” Who couldn’t use some help with this topic? Making it even more attractive is that it’s only $10 for utility members and free for students! Hey, count me in. Make sure to put the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) Conference on your calendar for next summer. In 2014 I had the opportunity to attend the conference held in Nassau, Bahamas. This was my first exposure to the conference and I was immediately sold on the value it brings, including the programs offered, the opportunities to partner with our island neighbors, and the opportunity for our FSAWWA membership. Personally, I welcomed the diversity and was impressed with the teamwork and cooperation among the partnering utilities. This year the conference was held in
Miami, where, under the leadership of Juan Aceituno and Region VII, FSAWWA was able to partner with the CWWA organizers to bring this conference to Florida. We took the opportunity to hold our past chairs summit at the conference, and what a wonderful opportunity it was for current and past section leadership. This is always an event I look forward to, and having it during the CWWA event was even more exciting. That finally gets us to football, baseball playoffs, and the kids back in school. Looks like a pretty good summer if you’re an FSAWWA member. All of these events represent your membership benefits in action. Please visit the FSAWWA website at www.fsawwa.org for more information and to see what upcoming events you might be interested in. If you have any questions about anything that the section offers, please do not hesitate to contact any one of our section staff, board of governors, or executive committee members.
Mark Lehigh gives his presentation at the AWWA Summer Workshop in Denver.
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Certification Boulevard Test Your Knowledge of Water Resources Management
Roy Pelletier 1. Which of the following is considered to be the least harmful bacteria? a. Typhoid c. Cholera
b. Fecal coliform d. Streptococcus
2. What does the term “aliquot” mean? a. Composite sample b. Grab sample c. Total volume of sample d. Portion of a sample
5. Which component in the chlorination process is responsible for creating a vacuum condition, which draws the chlorine gas through the chlorinator and then mixes the gas into a solution? a. Pressure regulator b. Vacuum regulator c. Gas rotometer d. Gas injector
6. If a plant has a flow rate of 1.25 mil gal per day (mgd), a chlorine demand of 7.5 mg/L, and a chlorine residual of 2.5 mg/L is maintained, how many lbs/day of chlorine will be used? a. 104.2 lbs/day b. 78.2 lbs/day c. 62.6 lbs/day d. 152.1 lbs/day
3. What happens to the alkalinity in wastewater during the nitrification process? a. It increases. b. It decreases. c. It does not change. d. It stabilizes at 200 mg/l.
4. What happens to the activity rate of activated sludge microorganisms when the temperature decreases?
7. What is the system called that requires proper documentation associated with the person who collects the samples, the person who receives the samples in the laboratory, and the laboratory technician who performs the tests? a. Sample performance b. Chain of custody c. Mapping d. Sample journal
a. It decreases. b. It increases. c. It remains the same. d. It doubles.
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.
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September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
8. Which chemical is used to identify a chlorine leak? a. Bleach b. Ammonia c. Sodium d. Nitrate
9. When using the proper chemical to identify a chlorine leak, what color will the cloud of smoke be? a. Green c. Yellow
b. Black d. White
10. What is the term when Ammonia-N, Nitrite-N, and Nitrate-N are added together? a. TN c. NO3
b. TIN d. TKN
Answers on page 54
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
FWRJ READER PROFILE rehabilitation to water and wastewater treatment plants.
Andrew (Andy) R. May, P.E. JEA, Jacksonville
Work title and years of service. I am a professional engineer with more than 33 years of experience. I have been with JEA for 16 years. What does your job entail? After working as a consulting engineer for 17 years, I started with JEA providing engineering support for the water production area of operations and maintenance, and then transferred to project management within JEA’s engineering and construction services group several years ago. I currently manage large capital projects through the phases of design, bidding, construction, and startup, before turning the asset over to JEA’s operators. The projects range from the design of potable production wells to well
What training have you’ve taken? Technology in the water and wastewater field is continually evolving, requiring ongoing education. I’ve been fortunate to participate in many educational opportunities offered by JEA, those available through FSAWWA and its Fall Conference, and at the Florida Water Resources Conference. Often the training I’ve taken is technical to satisfy the continuing education requirements for a professional engineer and keep up with the technical advances in our field. What do you like best about your job? It’s satisfying to take on a project that is just a need on paper, or maybe is a problem with an unknown solution, and then be able to pull together all the necessary factions— engineering, equipment, regulatory, etc.—to construct a solution that makes our utility and community a better place. What organizations do you belong to? I am currently serving as the chair for Region II (northeast Florida) of the Florida Section of AWWA.
state-level conferences, and by so doing, they offer the opportunity for the knowledge to be transferred. I remember several times being able to apply information learned from a conference presentation to a project that directly reduced its cost. What I don’t remember is all the times that I have been able to ask a question, answer a call, or share a laugh with someone that I wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for our organizations. What do you like best about the industry? I am continually impressed with the dedication of the industry—from operators and manufacturer’s representatives to design professionals and utility managers—and its members who work with such personal commitment to keep up with the needs of our growing population, while preserving the unique water-based environment we have in Florida. What do you do when you’re not working? My three sons and two daughters keep me and my wife pretty busy, but when possible I enjoy being outdoors boating, fishing, and training and hunting with my Boykin Spaniel retriever, Cooper.
How have the organizations helped your career? The power of our industry in Florida is the talent and knowledge of its people. The FSAWWA, FWEA, and FWPCOA bring all of our industry-related people together, whether through regional meetings, charity events, or
Above: Andy explains FSAWWA’s role with water in Florida at a Region II meeting for the Model Water Tower Competition. At left: Happy fisherfolk return from the Region II annual day of fishing in Mayport.
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Innovative Stormwater Design for Orlando Rail Lines Paul W. Yeargain and Bruce A. Doig Innovation. It comes in all forms—from the Apple Watch to, most recently, the commercial use of drones for stormwater inspections. You could argue that successful innovations like these occur at the intersection of three elements: a problem to solve, the development of new technologies, and mechanisms to get a good return. To engineers, innovation starts with asking a simple question: “What if ?” Take the commonplace idea of stormwater pond systems. It’s the go-to solution for Florida’s road-building agencies. There are many reasons why, including that they meet state and federal standards and play a starring role in the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Stormwater Management Facility handbook. But what if this stormwater standard is deemed costprohibitive, causes schedule delays, and does not meet project requirements? Enter—stormwater engineering innovation.
Project Background The last decade brought a series of firsts to central Florida, sparked by the construction of the area’s first-ever commuter rail line, SunRail. Launched in May 2014, Phase I of SunRail consists of 12 stations and stretches 32 mi, connecting Volusia, Seminole, and Orange counties through downtown Orlando. With SunRail providing the spine that joins together Central Florida’s region-wide, multimodal network of transportation options for the first time, cities and counties along the SunRail corridor ex-
plored new land options, capitalizing on the opportunities for transit-oriented development around the new stations. As municipalities were maximizing land development opportunities, FDOT was forging forward with the design and construction of the rail line and its stations. The new rail line meant design, construction, and engineering firsts for FDOT as the project varied dramatically from the standard road-building project. Designing stormwater management systems, particularly around the rail stations, turned out to be a task requiring some serious innovation from stormwater engineers.
Problem and Solution Look no further than the stormwater engineering that was developed for FDOT’s Central Florida Commuter Rail Transit (CFCRT) Altamonte Springs Station project. A quick review of the project site in Seminole County shows 7.8 acres of land enclosed by SunRail tracks, State Road (SR) 436, and Ronald Reagan Boulevard in the City of Altamonte Springs. When engineers from VHB were contracted to design a stormwater management system for the station in 2006, the team immediately faced challenges in using FDOT’s go-to pond system for stormwater management at the site. The 5.8 acres allocated for a parking lot at the project site left limited land available for a pond and made this “go-to” stormwater solution a “no-go.” The engineers had to come up with some innovative ideas for stormwater management—and fast— to find a solution that would fit into the project’s tight budget and even tighter timeline.
Layout of storm chambers showing tie-in to drainage inlet.
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The site required a stormwater management system that would provide the following: Limit the postdevelopment discharge for the 25-year, 24-hour storm to the predevelopment discharge for the 25-year, 24-hour storm. Provide 0.86 acre-ft of treatment volume that would recover prior to 36 hours after the storm event. Meet St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) water quality requirements. Originally, FDOT purchased enough land for the parking lot and a large retention pond at the site, but parking requirements increased because of rising trip generation estimates for SunRail. To satisfy those requirements, FDOT used some of the land originally allocated for a retention pond to provide additional parking. The remaining space was too small for a pond that provided stormwater attenuation, water quality, and recovery needed at the site. While a typical solution would be to purchase additional property for a larger retention pond, this was not an option for several reasons: Increase in project costs Possible requirement of additional permits Delays with the time spent scouting an appropriate retention pond site outside of the project area The FDOT faced another stormwater “first” because of this unique project: the go-to pond system was not a viable option to meet project requirements. With the clock ticking away, the stormwater engineers started thinking innovaContinued on page 30
Layout of storm chambers showing gravel sublayer.
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Continued from page 28 tively: What if they approached this project as a site development project for a private client? Looking at the project from a site development angle introduced the idea of an underground stormwater chamber system integrated with the retention pond. This was not novel in site development projects around the United States, but it was definitely a first for FDOT at the time. The engineers worked with FDOT to answer questions like: What if stormwater were collected via storm sewer and routed it to an underground storm chamber system to provide the required treatment and attenuation, instead of to a typical FDOT pond? The system proposed to FDOT involved 1300 underground stormwater chambers, which
were 30 in. in diameter, with an underground footprint of approximately 1 acre, to capture water and release it at a defined rate. The water routed to the pond would be discharged via a control structure to an existing storm sewer system along the four-lane Ronald Reagan Boulevard bordering the site. The total system capacity is 2.24 acre-ft and it provides 0.86 acre-ft of treatment volume, intended to recover prior to 36 hours after a storm. As mentioned, the system also effectively limits the postdevelopment discharge for the 25year, 24-hour storm to the predevelopment discharge for the 25-year, 24-hour storm. The 100-year, 24-hour peak stage remains below the top of the rock in the underground system. The 25-year, 24-hour peak stage has 1 ft of freeboard
in the storm chamber system. The chambers can recover entirely within 14 days after the 25-year, 24-hour storm. This innovative solution of underground stormwater chambers integrated with the small retention pond solved all the problems of a larger retention pond because: No additional land was needed. Underground stormwater chambers had capacity for the water volume needed to provide attenuation and water quality necessary at the site. The permitting process was relatively fast since SJRWMD was familiar with the underground stormwater chambers. The number of parking stalls would not have to be reduced. The system presented additional benefits because it could be designed easily and efficiently around underground utilities, natural or manmade structures, and any other limiting boundaries, allowing for quick installation during the construction phase. The system is aesthetically pleasing because the system is out of sight. The stormwater chambers also opened the door for site development options other than parking lots in the future as the land is not needed for retention ponds. Since the Altamonte stormwater system reduces the amount of total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) in stormwater runoff, the system helps to promote long-term improvements in water quality in nearby water bodies, where excessive amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen promote an overgrowth of algae and exotic plant life, altering habitats and water quality that Florida’s native plants and animals need to thrive.
Distribution of stormwater to the chambers.
Outcome The Altamonte Springs station performs very well with lower long-term operating costs and easier maintenance compared to other best management practices (BMPs). The system successfully handled two rainy summer seasons in central Florida, when frequent afternoon thunderstorms, with heavy rainfall, can sometimes bring several inches of rain within an hour. This type of stormwater management system quickly went from a “first” for FDOT in 2006 to a viable option for the agency when dealing with stormwater management. It was even utilized at other SunRail stations, such as the Sand Lake station. No fancy technology was needed to expand FDOT’s options and solve the stormwater challenges at Altamonte Springs; all that was needed to spark innovation was a team of engineers who asked “What if ?”
Storm chambers being back-filled with gravel.
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Paul W. Yeargain, P.E., CFM, is managing director and Bruce A. Doig, P.E., LEED AP, is a water resources engineer at VHB Orlando.
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F W R J
Statistical Analysis of Automatic Meter Reading in the Multifamily Sector John P. McCary John McCary, P.E., is potable and reclaimed water planning team leader for Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department in Tampa.
his article presents the results of a highfrequency water use evaluation using one-minute data for two multifamily residential complexes that are customers of Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department (Utility). Automatic meter reading (AMR) data loggers are used with short-range wireless com-
T
munication, which allow for ease of data collection by driving by and downloading the data from the data loggers. Starting in September 2013, over 1,400,000 data points have been collected and stored in a database for the two study areas, and the database provides easy access to water use data aggregated to any combination of time of day and day of the week. Both study areas are supplied by 8-in. master meters with AMR data loggers. The data loggers record in 10-gal increments, and the data storage is limited to 16,000 data points, which requires downloading every 11 days in order to avoid gaps in the data. Study Area 1 has 440 residential units, with an estimated population of 893 residents; study Area 2 has 257 residential units, with an estimated population of 447 residents. The purpose of the analysis was to evaluate the value of the high-frequency water use “big data�: How can the data be used to improve service by making better design and operating decisions? Specifically, focus was on comparing the measured results with the normal distribution to see if peak flows could be accurately estimated by traditionally collected billing data containing average use over monthly readings. Applying the normal distribution approximation using only the mean flow value, with the assumption that the standard deviation is half the mean flow, results in a distribution that visually resembles the measured distribution and adequately estimates peak flows at different levels of aggregation. This conclusion is subjective, as it is up to the individual, depending on application, to determine how close of an approximation is needed. Future applications of the data and additional collection efforts will evaluate water use distributions at varying temporal scales with applications in design and operations optimization. It is unlikely that large data collection efforts are necessary to predict flow distributions and peak flows; however, future research will evaluate how much data collection is necessary to accurately forecast demand patterns and account for seasonal variations.
Background Figure 1. Aerial View of Study Area 1
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Beginning in August 2013, an AMR data collection and analysis case study began for the
Utility. The entire study group consisted of one large single-family residential (SFR) neighborhood, two multifamily residential (MFR) complexes, one commercial big-box retail store, and one hospital. This analysis focused on the two MFR complexes, and data collection for these two study areas began in September 2013, with data downloaded through February 2015. The reason the analysis on the MFR complexes was selected for the study was because of the return on data investment: one meter indicated the combined water use habits of a large number of individuals, as opposed to looking at single-family residences. In addition, limited research has been done on high-frequency water use in the MFR sector, as opposed to several well-documented studies that have been completed on the SFR sector (DeOreo et al, 1996; Buchberger and Wells, 1996; Mayer et al, 1999; Blokker et al., 2010; Buchberger et al, 2003). Study Area 1 Shown in Figure 1, the MFR complex has 440 units on a parcel classified by the Department of Revenue (DOR) Code 0310 (Multifamily Residential > Nine Units, Class A). There are 22 residential buildings, resulting in an average of 20 units per building. According to the American Community Survey (ACS) data, the rolling five-year average of persons per household (pph) for the census tract that encompasses this study area is 2.03. Assuming that the 2.03 pph is an appropriate average for the 440 units, the resulting population is 893 residents. The MFR complex has one 8-in. master meter, with an AMR data logger with recording capability in 10-gal increments. The data storage was limited to 16,000 data points, which required downloading every 11 days in order to avoid gaps in the data. Over the period of record, 744,785 data points have been collected. The average flow during the period of record is approximately 52,000 gal per day (gpd) or 36.1 gal per minute (gpm). The resulting gal per capita per day (gpcd) is 58. Study Area 2 Shown in Figure 2, the MFR complex has 257 multifamily residential units on a parcel classified by the DOR Code 0621 (Retirement Independent Living Facility, Class B). There are 10 residential buildings, resulting in an average of 25.7 units per building. According to the ACS data, the rolling five-year average of pph for the census tract that encompasses this study area is 1.74. Assuming that the 1.74 pph is an appropriate average for the 257 units, the resulting population is 447 residents. The MFR complex has one 8-in. master meter, with an AMR data logger with the same recording capability as
Figure 2. Aerial View of Study Area 2
Study Area 1. Over the period of record, 700,628 data points have been collected. The average flow during the period of record is approximately 28,300 gpd or 19.6 gpm, and the resulting gpcd is 63. The values of 58 and 63 gpcd reported for Study Areas 1 and 2, respectively, are typical values for indoor water use in the MFR sector (Friedman et al, 2010). These values are also consistent with the range of 50 to 65 gpcd reported for previous studies in the SFR sector (Mayer et al, 1999; Buchberger et al, 2003). This is important to note for future studies comparing the MFR sector data to aggregated SFR sector data.
Water Use for Study Areas Water use data were initially available from monthly meter reads used for billing purposes.
These are presented for historical perspective on water use prior to the AMR study period; however, the installation of new meters with AMR data loggers allowed for one-minute water use data to be evaluated at higher frequencies and up to the aggregated, more commonly collected monthly billing data. Monthly and Daily Average Figure 3 shows the monthly average water use for both study areas obtained from billing data starting in October 2010 and reported through December 2014. Prior to the AMR data collection starting in September 2013, the meters were changed because of questionable readings. These readings can be seen in Figure 3, with wide variations in reported water use prior to the meters being replaced. For both meters, Continued on page 34
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Continued from page 33 the data has been more consistent once replaced with a meter and an AMR data logger. Figure 4 shows the daily average water use for both Study Area 1 and 2. Each point on the graph is calculated by averaging the flow for each minute of the day, i.e., the average of 1,440 data points. Study Area 1 doesn’t show any noticeable seasonal variation in flow, meaning
there is little or no irrigation relative to the quantity of indoor water use. Study Area 2 indicates that there is some seasonality, with the rolling 30-day average increasing from midspring through the end of summer. While not the subject of this article, future research will include investigating seasonality and how it impacts demand patterns over the year.
Figure 3. Average Monthly Flow From Billing Data
Demand Patterns Figures 5 and 6 show the average values for both study areas reflected in a weekly time series. Each point on the graph represents all of the data available for that time of day and the day of the week averaged together. For one year of data, each one-minute value on the graph represents the mean of each of the individual 52 weekly oneminute data points for that minute and day of the week. When aggregated up to the one-hour time step, each one-hour value on the graph represents the mean of 3,120 data points (52 weeks multiplied by 60 minutes) for that hour and day of the week. This level of aggregation shows the timeaveraged smoothing when transitioning from one-minute to one-hour time steps. However, as noted previously, the averaging across the entire dataset doesn’t account for any seasonality throughout the year that would be required to compare changes in seasonal patterns. Of note is that Study Area 1 is indicative of a younger demographic, with early morning and evening peaks as the residents prepare for, and return from, work or school. This is also evident by the similar pattern for Monday through Friday; however, there are noticeably different patterns for Saturday and Sunday. Study Area 2 is indicative of an older, retired demographic, with peaks occurring later in the morning and use slowly declining over the rest of the day. What is also evident is that the pattern for each day of the week, whether weekday or weekend, shows a similar pattern. The key element to take from the pattern comparison is that the two study areas have significantly different, repetitive demand patterns; however, the flow distribution analysis discussed in the following sections can be applied regardless of knowing the actual time-varying demand patterns.
Comparison of Measured Data With Normal Distribution
Figure 4. Daily and Monthly Average Flow From Automatic Meter Reading Data
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Previous work on a limited dataset indicated that of the more common probability distributions, the normal (also known as Gaussian) distribution had the best fit. Conceptually, this makes sense because of the Central Limit Theorem, which basically states that when many random variables are combined, each having independent distributions, the combined distribution approaches a normal distribution. Rather than performing a detailed analysis using various distribution fitting tests and confidence intervals, a simple question was analyzed: Based on knowing only one value, the mean water use, how accurate would the normal distribution be at estimating minimum and peak flow rates at Continued on page 36
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You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools and most other courses. Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Continued from page 34 one-minute, five-minute, 15-minute, and onehour time steps? Prior to performing this analysis, the flow distributions are presented to visualize how well the normal distribution approximation matches the measured data. From this point forward, any application of the normal distribution is distributing values around the actual mean flow, with an assumed standard deviation equal to half the
mean flow. For presentation purposes, only Study Area 1 is shown graphically, although the flow distributions are similar for Study Area 2, with a distribution around a lower mean flow value. Flow Distributions Figure 7 shows the distribution of flows for the entire period of record (total of 744,785 data points) for Study Area 1, which has a mean flow value of 36.1 gpm; for display purposes, the X
Figure 5. Aggregated Demand Patterns for Study Area 1
Figure 6. Aggregated Demand Patterns for Study Area 2
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axis is limited to a flow rate of 100 gpm. The actual peak flow rate of 1,200 gpm occurred during only one minute of the total period record, and only 28 data points exceeded a flow rate of 130 gpm. These high flow rates occurred during short durations on two separate days, so this is likely a result of on-site fire hydrant testing. Outside of these two periods, the peak flow was 130 gpm, but this flow rate occurred so infrequently that it was invisible for graphing purposes. Also of note is that, during the period of record, flow was recorded 98.3 percent of the time, with the remaining 1.7 percent of the time resulting in zero flow. Because these particular meter registers record the data in discrete 10-gal increments, the data columns in Figure 7 are displaying the actual data reported by the data logger and are not the result of binning by the database. The reported value for each one-minute interval carries the remainder of the value forward from the previous time step if it didn’t result in a discrete 10-gal increment. The following example illustrates this concept. Assume that for three consecutive minutes, the actual flow values are 1 gal, 21 gal, and 8 gal, respectively; the data logger would report the flow values as 0 gal, 20 gal, and 10 gal, respectively. In this manner, the total flow over the three minutes is conserved, although the reported values vary slightly during the actual time of use. Because of the way the remainders are carried forward, the maximum error for any one value is +/-10 gal; however, the maximum cumulative error over any period of record is -10 gal. Figure 8 shows both the probability and cumulative distributions using the measured data and the normal distribution approximation. Since the actual data is based on discrete points, and the normal distribution is continuous, the points used for plotting the normally distributed probability distribution used +/-5 gal around the discrete 10-gal increment. As an example, the data point used for graphing the probability at 10 gal used the difference between the cumulative probability at 15 gal and 5 gal. This affects the display of the results only; it doesn’t have any impact on the normal distribution calculations. High-Frequency Peak Predictions As previously noted, the primary goal of the normal distribution approximation was to be able to test the ability of using traditionally collected billing data to predict high-frequency peak flows. In order to do this, a simple question was asked: What flow would result for a given timeperiod statistic, like peak hour, assuming the probability of occurrence is consistent with the actual percentage of time that the period of interest occurs? The question was tested for both
study areas for 76 weeks, with each week tested independently. For each week, a normally distributed cumulative distribution was generated using the actual mean flow and an assumed standard deviation equal to half the mean flow. After the distribution was generated, the minimum and peak flows were calculated and compared to the measured values at each level of aggregation. As an example, the minimum and peak one-minute flow values during the week were assumed to occur over exactly one minute, which would equate to a frequency of 0.01 percent of time during the week. So, the minimum one-minute value for each week was selected from the cumulative distribution whose flow value corresponded to 0.01 percent, and the peak one-minute flow value was selected from the corresponding value at 99.99 percent. For fiveminute, 15-minute, and one-hour flow values, the corresponding time periods occur at 0.05, 0.15, and 0.60 percent of the time, respectively. Referring to Figure 8, the expected peak flow values are not visually evident because of the “flattened” curve above the 99 percent cumulative probability. However, what is visible from the overall graph is that the normal distribution would predict minimum flows of zero for all four levels of aggregation. While Figure 8 is representative of the entire dataset, this is consistent with the individual weekly distributions as well. Therefore, Table 1 doesn’t summarize the minimum values, but it is important to note that the actual data recorded a zero value every week for the one- and five-minute levels of aggregation for both study areas. At the 15-minute and one-hour levels of aggregation, the actual data showed that there were weeks with minimum flow values of zero, but on average, there was flow. Table 1 shows the weekly summarization of all 76 weeks, with peak flows at one-minute, fiveminute, 15-minute, and one-hour levels of aggregation. The “percent difference” values in the table reflect the summarization of all 76 weeks, not the percent difference between the measured and predicted values already summarized in the table. As an example, the maximum value of 21 percent reported under the “Peak One-Minute” column for Study Area 1 indicates that the maximum difference for any of the 76 weeks results in a measured peak flow that is 21 percent greater than the predicted peak flow.
Comparison of Measured Data With Meter Accuracy Another application of the flow distribution data is for estimating meter accuracy. One area of concern for meter accuracy has been the use of compound meters considering the transition between the low- and high-flow meter
Figure 7. Probability Distributions for Study Area 1
Figure 8. Probability and Cumulative Distributions for Study Area 1
registers. In order to test this concern, the collected data were used and compared against meter accuracy curves. The data were assumed to be 100 percent correct, and these data were applied to the meter accuracy curves published for the 23 meters currently approved for use by the Utility at the sizes of 4, 6, and 8 in. For each flow value recorded for the two study areas, the meter accuracy error for each of the 23 meters was individually applied and the cumulative
error for each meter type was calculated. Figure 9 shows the measured probability distribution and the meter accuracy error curves for three meters of interest for Study Area 1. The three meters of interest are: the actual 8-in. meter used at the study area (the black line), the meter that resulted in the highest cumulative negative error (the red line), and the meter that resulted in the highest cumulative positive error (the Continued on page 38
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Continued from page 37 green line). In this case, both the meters with highest negative and positive cumulative errors are compound meters. As can be seen in Figure 9, both meters underestimate the lower-flow rates up through the transition to the high-flow meter, and after the transition, they slightly overestimate the higher flows. The actual 8-in. meter used resulted in a -0.2 percent error, and the meters with the highest negative and positive cumulative errors resulted in -2.3 and +0.4 percent, respectively. While not graphed, Study Area 2 had similar results with the actual 8-in. meter resulting in 0 percent error, and the meters with the highest negative and positive cumulative errors resulting in -1.8 and +0.6 percent, respectively.
Conclusions The high-frequency water use data collected from the AMR data loggers provide excellent insight into the demand patterns and overall flow distributions for two MRF complexes, representing a combined population estimated at 1,340 residents. Applying the normal distribution approximation, using only the mean flow value with the assumption that the standard deviation is half the mean flow, results in a distribution that visually resembles the measured distribution. Using the normal distribution approximation provides an adequate estimate of the expected peak flows at different levels of aggregation. This conclusion is subjec-
Table 1. Summarization of Weekly Measured and Predicted Values for 76 Weeks
tive, as it is up to the individual, depending on application, to determine how close of an approximation is needed. It is unlikely that additional data collection efforts would result in a quantitative improvement in the analysis for either the total distribution or the peak flow estimates. However, future research will involve evaulating how much data collection is necessary to accurately forecast demand patterns and account for seasonal variations. The AMR data also provided an excellent dataset for evaluating meter accuracy. While there weren’t significant cumulative meter accuracy errors, in an application where the water use would occur more at one extreme or much more frequently at the transition period, the errors would be more significant. For a total of 46 comparisons, consisting of each of the two study areas being tested against the 23 approved meters, the accuracy ranged from 97.7 to 100.6 percent.
Acknowledgments The author would like to acknowledge the staff members at Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department who have been involved in the AMR program. While this list doesn’t encompass everyone involved, special thanks are in order for Daniel Hammon, Kenny Carlisle, Gary Hunter, David Butierries, Kimani Thomas, Norman Vik, and Paul Schaedler.
References
Figure 9. Measured Probability Distribution Versus Meter Accuracy
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• Blokker, E., J. Vreeburg, and J. van Dijk, 2010. Simulating Residential Water Demand with a Stochastic End-Use Model. Journal Water Resources Planning and Management, 136(1), 1926. • Buchberger, S.G., and G.J. Wells, 1996. Intensity, Duration, and Frequency of Residential Water Demands. Journal Water Resources Planning and Management, 122(1), 11-19. • Buchberger, S.G., J.T. Carter, Y. Lee, and T.G. Schade, 2003. Random Demands, Travel Times, and Water Quality in Deadends. Denver, Colo.: AwwaRF. • DeOreo, W.B., J.P. Heaney, and P. Mayer, 1996. Flow Trace Analysis to Assess Water Use. Journal American Water Works Association, Vol. 88, No. 1. • Friedman, K., Heaney, J.P., Morales, M. and R. Switt, 2010. Water Use and Demand Management Options for the Multifamily Residential Sector. FSAWWA 2010 Fall Conference. Orlando, Fla. • Mayer, P., W.B. DeOreo, E.M. Opitz, J.C. Kiefer, W.Y. Davis, B. Dziegielewski, and J.O. Nelson. 1999. Residential End Uses of Water. Denver, Colo.: AwwaRF.
C FACTOR
Management 102: More of What Every New Leader Needs to Know Thomas King President, FWPCOA
n last month’s column, I went over management fundamentals and style, communication, safety, etc. Once you take the plunge into management, the opportunity to be the wrong kind of leader comes into play on a daily basis.
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First off, honesty should not be an effort; it should be a way of life. You have entered into the gray area of good leadership; some of this is exposed in your management style and some is hidden in conversations you remember or conveniently don’t remember. If you have a bad memory, make notes of important conversations while you still remember the details. If you don’t remember the details right after the conversation, try politics—you are a natural. There is no such thing as plausible deniability in good leadership. Your mission is not to keep yourself from being held responsible; it is to lead by example. When a mission fails, saying “WE failed” is the right approach. The devil is in the details here and it is important for all who take the role of manager at any level to accept responsibility for their role. Any deviation from a plan as written should be done with approval. Make sure you are not caught up in giving “just enough” instruction, which causes the project to go off course. Detailed task instructions are not always needed, but if the project is important enough to have a negative impact on your utility or company, then they are a valuable resource. Don’t let the crew walk away from a preoperational briefing without understanding the job they are about to perform. Delegate tasks as often as you can. The art of delegation is in knowing the crew and each member’s attributes, and their willingness to accept the responsibility of the job at hand. Give as much authority as possible and make sure the crew is aware of the roles and responsibilities you have delegated. That plausible deniability thing will only work once or twice, unless you are in one of those organizations where everyone has it, like Enron. There never seems to be enough time to do the proper training on new equipment or the proper use of personal protective equipment, but remember the last time you spent hours investigating an accident. Filling out reports, interviewing the injured person, and looking for methods to put into place to prevent it from happening again are very time-consuming. All accidents are preventable, and most of the pre-
September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
vention comes from good training. Handing out the proper safety equipment and ignoring its use and proper storage is not getting the best use of the expenditure. Training people to use the equipment is paramount in a good safety program. One of the hardest parts of a safety program is the integrity of its administration in your organization. “Our goal is zero accidents” is a great slogan, but it’s also commendable to reward teams for reaching milestones without having a lost-time accident. Make sure that the message is also clear to report all accidents. Many times, I have seen people ignore cuts and bruises to avoid being responsible for ending a great safety record. Make sure you end each safety message with the purpose of the program, which is to protect the employees from harm associated with performing their duties. In most utilities, employees joke about the safety program as either being “over the top” and too restrictive, or it’s the “safety with a wink and a nod approach.” It’s challenging to have a good safety program that is accepted by employees and meets all requirements. Safety programs should include evaluating solutions to challenges presented by employees. One of the hardest challenges facing today’s safety programs is the 10-step Arc Flash procedure used to analyze a power system and identify any trouble spots. Looking for new equipment and ways to test it safely takes cooperation and the commitment of employees and management alike to solve. Keeping employees motivated is another challenge. You can never truly motivate another person; motivation needs to come from within. Some utility jobs are very repetitious and a bit boring; hopefully, those jobs are performed by the newer employees in your utility and you can move people around. Leaving good employees in a boring job can have a devastating effect. At best, they get used to it and never complain, and at worst, they only stay long enough to get the experience they need and move on. Having employee input can be the best part of being a manager, if done properly. Pick-
ing out members of your team to review plans for a new plant expansion or to help design a break room keeps them in the loop. Many times, small changes in design or in the convenience of a breakroom help to reassure employees that you value their input. Remember that the first responsibility of management is to bring order. If there is no order to your organization, you will always be working from the crisis management mode. You can bring some level of order through procedures and policies, and you should have standard operating procedures to cover repeated task that do not change often, but when the equipment or the task changes, so does the procedure. Don’t get me wrong; there will be plenty of times when it seems like you are running in crisis management mode for weeks at a time, but use the time in between to establish procedures to prevent them from being a way of life. There is life during and after management. I can’t list all the great moments of self-satisfaction I have gained from projects that have gone well and the adrenaline rush from repairing a major water line break under the worst
conditions. I remember an incident when the eyes of the community and television cameras were on my team after eight hours without water: each member doing a job they have done so many times, each one knowing exactly what to do and everything going perfectly. Then I woke up from the daydream as the mechanical joint blew apart for the second time and the dewatering pump ran out of fuel. Oh well, management has its ups and downs, but if you are willing to put in the effort, it does have its rewards. I have had the pleasure of watching many young professionals grow into leaders and some very talented engineers. Looking back, I could not have chosen a better path, although I would have checked the fuel more often and insisted on seeing the torque wrench calibration. I would like to take a moment to thank all of the FWPCOA role models I have had over the years. We have been using the “Committee Profile” article to highlight those who chair committees and give of their time to play an important part in the Association’s activities. Some, like Shirley Reeves, play an intricate role in the Association without being a committee
chair. Shirley runs our training office and puts up with a constant barrage of questions—from operators seeking training opportunities to instructors wanting to know why no one signed up for their course, which they had not bothered to advertise. We owe Shirley our thanks and an occasional “I’m sorry they did that” when we don’t know what else to say. When you call to ask for something or you are unhappy with one of the motions we have passed in an effort to make the training as professionally run as possible, end the call with a “Thanks, Shirley,” which will go a long way and might help get your problem fixed a little quicker. We have come a long way from the times we had a closet-sized office in the Brevard Community College campus. For those of you who remember those days, please take a minute to think how far we have come. Setting up short schools, helping regions manage their training calendars, and dealing with egos and keeping the records straight is a huge job. Thanks, Shirley, for your dedication and continued support to our sometimes dysfunctional family.
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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U.S. EPA Finalizes Clean Water Rule Claudio Ternieden, Kristina Twigg, and Seth Brown On May 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) finalized the Clean Water Rule (http://www2.epa.gov/cleanwaterrule), which EPA and the USACE believe ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined and predictably determined, making permitting less costly, easier, and faster for businesses and industry. The rule, published in the Federal Register on June 29, was scheduled to go into effect August 28, depending on the outcome of some lawsuits filed by a number of states seeking to stop the rule. The rule is grounded in law and the latest science, according to an EPA fact sheet (http://www2.epa.gov/cleanwaterrule/documents-related-clean-water-rule#Fact), and it received substantial public input from more than 400 stakeholder meetings and more than a million public comments. The EPA and USACE also maintain that the rule creates no new permitting requirements for agriculture and maintains all previous exemptions and exclusions, including dredged or fill requirements.
Stormwater controls not affected In general, the Clean Water Rule clarifies which bodies of water are classified as “waters of the United States,” thereby requiring federal pollution controls. The rule maintains the current status of municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) and encourages the use of green infrastructure to protect water quality. Specifically, the final rule states: (2) The following are not “waters of the United States,” even where they otherwise meet the terms of paragraphs (1)(iv) through (viii) of this section. (vi) Stormwater control features constructed to convey, treat, or store stormwater that are created in dry land.
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By using the terms “constructed” and “in dry land,” the new rule allows EPA to assert jurisdictional authority over the natural lakes, ponds, wetlands, rivers, and streams, while not impacting MS4 elements. This section should help to exclude urban stormwater control measures in most cases, as the rule also stresses in the preamble: “This exclusion responds to numerous commenters who raised concerns that the proposed rule would adversely affect a municipality’s ability to operate and maintain stormwater systems, and also to address confusion about the state of practice regarding jurisdiction of these features at the time the rule was proposed.” Existing jurisdictional determinations and permits are valid until they expire. By promoting more consistent and effective implementation of Clean Water Act regulatory programs, the rule sets the stage for permit streamlining during implementation.
Some areas may be challenged However, questions remain about the rule’s definition of tributaries and when that definition applies to ephemeral or intermittent streams, which would make them jurisdictional. According to EPA, 60 percent of U.S. stream miles flow only seasonally or after rain, and one in three Americans rely on these sources for drinking water. According to some environmental attorneys, the tributary definition is the part of the rule most likely to be challenged. Based on the rule, a tributary must possess the physical characteristics of a bed, bank, and ordinary high water mark, as well as evidence of the frequency, duration, and volume of flow characteristic of a tributary. Further, to be considered jurisdictional, tributaries must significantly affect the health of downstream waters. Based on these definitions, tributaries primarily include headwater streams. Erosional features and ditches with intermittent flow are specifically excluded, along with ditches draining into wetlands.
September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
The final rule also further defines adjacent open waters and wetlands as jurisdictional if they are within 100 ft of the ordinary high water mark of a jurisdictional water, or within the 100-year floodplain and within 1500 ft of the ordinary high water mark of covered waters. Certain isolated waters could also fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act based on both their connectivity and proximity to traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, and territorial seas. A significant nexus determination is based on the isolated water’s effects on the physical, biological, or chemical integrity of jurisdictional waters, such as through an exchange of pollutants, flow, or organisms. Additionally, scientific analyses assessing connectivity will consider how isolated waters affect the nearest jurisdictional water as a group rather than individually. That analysis will be informed by EPA’s final report published last January, Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Review and Synthesis of the Scientific Evidence (http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm? deid=296414), where it summarized current understanding about the connectivity and mechanisms by which streams and wetlands affect the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of downstream waters. The report serves as the technical backbone of the final Clean Water Rule. “Even if an excluded ditch falls within the defined limits of adjacent waters, an exclusion will trump an inclusion,” said Ken Kopocis, deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Water, in a recent webcast about the rule.
Other clarifications In addition to the issue of defining tributaries, EPA and USACE say the Clean Water Rule: Protects prairie potholes, Carolina and Delmarva bays, pocosins, western vernal pools in California, and Texas coastal prairie wetlands when they affect downstream waters. Continued on page 43
FWEA FOCUS
Just Getting Warmed Up! Raynetta Curry Marshall, President, FWEA
mental category and the University of South Florida in the wastewater category. Florida will be well represented by these teams, so if you are heading to WEFTEC, please make certain to stop by and cheer them on—they will greatly appreciate your support.
B
Florida Representation at WEFTEC The Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) will be held September 26-30 in Chicago. The FWEA will proudly be sending three teams to represent Florida: two in the Student Design Competition and one in the Operations Challenge Competition. The winning team of the Operations Challenge this past spring at the Florida Water Resources Conference, Methane Madness from the City of St. Cloud, will carry the torch to Chicago for the national competition. Also heading to Chicago to compete in the Student Design Competition will be teams from the Florida Gulf Coast University in the environ-
Continued on page 42 Focuses on streams, not ditches. The rule limits protection to ditches that are constructed out of streams, or function like streams, and can carry pollution downstream. Ditches not constructed in streams and that flow only when it rains are not covered. Significantly limits the use of case-specific analysis by creating clarity and certainty on protected waters and limiting the number of similarly situated water features. Previously, almost any water could be put through a lengthy case-specific analysis, even if it would not be subject to the Clean Water Act. Only protects the types of waters that have historically been covered under the Clean Water Act. It does not regulate most ditches and does not regulate groundwater, shallow
Hurricane Planning
I would also urge all of you to stay active in your local chapter activities. Our Association has eight wonderfully active chapters across the state that provide a litany of professional development and networking opportunities all year round. Looking at the calendar for the remainder of the year, there are many chapter luncheons, committee meetings, golf tournaments, and other activities happening this year. Key events in September and early October include: Southwest Florida Expo on September 10 in Fort Myers Institute of Food and Agricultural Science technical seminar in the Orlando area on September 9 Big Bend (Tallahassee area) Florida A&M University/Florida State University students meeting Southwest Florida chapter golf tournament in early October
Speaking of warming up, I would be remiss if I didn’t include a reminder that we are now at the peak of the hurricane season. I encourage you to make certain that your individual and organizational emergency plans are in place. For FWEA’s utility members, if you are haven’t already, you may want to check into FlaWARN (Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network), which was created by utilities to provide and accept mutual aid from other utilities during emergency situations. After Hurricanes Charles, Frances, Jeanne, and Ivan crisscrossed the state in 2004, it became apparent that there was a need for a mutual aid system. FlaWARN was created in spring 2005 as a statewide system for water and wastewater utilities. The goal of the organization is to provide immediate relief to member utilities during times of emergencies. Currently, there are over 125 member utilities, including my very own JEA. For more information regarding the organization and membership, go to the website at www.flawarn.org.
The strength of our organization starts with each individual member, and also our
FWEA’s Vision: A Clean and Sustainable Water Environment for Florida’s Future Generations
subsurface flows, or tile drains. It does not make changes to current policies on irrigation, water transfers, or erosion in a field. The Clean Water Rule addresses the pollution and destruction of waterways, not land use or private property rights. The Water Environment Federation will continue to follow the developments related to this rule and provide analysis and information.
using the information. The Water Environment Federation (WEF), author and the 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. ______________________________________
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
Claudio Ternieden is director of government affairs and Kristina Twigg is associate editor of World Water: Stormwater Management at the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.). Seth Brown, P.E., is a WEF senior adviser on stormwater issues and is the principal/founder of Storm and Stream Solutions LLC (Springfield, Va.).
Chapter Activities elieve it or not, but there are only four more months until the end of 2015! That doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot happening that needs our attention and our involvement.
chapters and committees, and your participation in these local events will allow you both networking and learning opportunities.
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FWRJ COMMITTEE PROFILE This column highlights a committee, division, council, or other volunteer group of FSAWWA, FWEA, and FWPCOA.
FWPCOA Awards and Citations Committee Affiliation: Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association Current Chair: Renee Moticker, water treatment plant operator, Class C, City of Hollywood. Scope of Work: The Awards Committee develops the criteria for all awards and citations given by the Association and coordinates the work of selection committees to review applications and nominations for the awards. The winners for the following awards are chosen by the committee, which are presented at the Florida Water Resource Conference: Richard P. Vogh Award (most progressive region) David B. Lee Award (outstanding/active operator) Pat Flanagan Award (outstanding/active associate member) Membership Award (50 or more years) During the Fall Short School in August, the Fall Awards Luncheon hosts the following awards: A.P. Black Award - operator recognition (Awards and Citation Committee)
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Emory Dawkins Award - FWPCOA regional newsletter (Awards and Citation Committee) Senior Systems Operators Award recognition to operators with more than 10 years of service (Executive Board and Awards Committee) Nathan Pope Award - stormwater management (Stormwater Committee) Theodore Kamien Award - backflow and cross connection (Backflow Committee) Robert E. Heilman Award - industrial pretreatment (Industrial Pretreatment Committee) Joseph V. Towry Award - water reclamation (Reclaim Water Committee) Utility Maintenance Award - utility maintenance (Awards and Citations Committee) Outstanding Website Award - best website by a utility or municipality (Website Committee) Safety Awards (Safety Committee) The above committees in parentheses select the winning nominee. All award nomination forms are located on the FWPCOA website (www.fwpcoa.org) under “Forms and Publications.” Details for submitting each award are on the award nomination form. Electronic submissions: awards@fwpcoa.org Mail: Awards and Citations Committee, P.O. Box 813520, Hollywood, Fla., 33081-3520
September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
Recent Accomplishments: Utility Maintenance Award: This award was created in 2014 after the Utility Maintenance Course was created in 2013. It gives utility maintenance industry personnel an opportunity to be recognized for their hard work and dedication. They will now enjoy the same credibility as the plant operators and system operators. Award Participation: Since I have taken over as Awards Committee chair, I have seen an increase in award nominations participation. I continually promote and encourage the importance of the awards and how they will make a positive impact on the nominees and their respective utility or municipality. Current Projects: Pat Robinson Scholarship Award: The FWPCOA has established a state training scholarship, known as the Pat Robinson Award. The award provides a fee waiver for attendance at the Annual Short School or an On-the-Road Short School and/or reimbursement of travel costs up to $800. My responsibility as Scholarship Committee chair is to oversee the awarding of the scholarship. The Scholarship Committee has an approved program that includes procedures for nominating individuals within each region. A region may select up to two individuals; once the nominations have been selected, the forms are Continued on page 45
News Beat The City of North Miami Beach water utility, which serves 170,000 water customers in northern Miami-Dade County, has selected Itron to help modernize its water distribution system and recover lost water. The utility will use Itron’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) leak detection solution and cloud-based analytics to manage the delivery of water resources, reduce nonrevenue water, and conserve resources. The AMI solution will enable North Miami Beach to enhance customer service, protect revenue, forecast consumption, analyze flow, and support district metering by leveraging detailed consumption and meter alerts collected by Itron Analytics. The utility’s customers will have access to detailed consumption information through a secure customer web portal so they can better manage their usage, conserve water, and save money. The utility will be able to collect meter reads remotely, increasing operational efficiency, enhancing worker safety, and improving billing accuracy. In addition, North Miami Beach will be able monitor distribution lines for leaks, helping reduce nonrevenue water, associated costs, and potential service disruptions caused by major leak events. The system consists of water communication modules and acoustic leak sensors, as well
as cloud-based leak monitoring, network, and Itron Analytics software applications. The installation will be complete by the end of summer 2015.
Lance Littrell, P.E., client services manager with Reiss Engineering in Winter Springs, was awarded the 2015 Southeast Desalting Association (SEDA) Distinguished Service Award and was also named the 2015-2016 SEDA president.
The award was presented at the 2015 SEDA Spring Symposium awards luncheon on June 16. The award recognized Littrell’s role and leadership in planning and preparing for the symposium. He was nominated and selected as the organization’s next Continued on page 46
Continued on page 44 forwarded to the Scholarship Committee for notification either by mail or electronically. Upon verification of the attendance and completion of the schools mentioned, the student must complete a travel expense report, with appropriate receipts attached, for reimbursement. Deadline for this award is December 31. Future Work: I will develop new CEU programs and short schools for Region 7. I plan on creating new ideas for future awards since our industry is achieving new future growth. Committee Members: Tim McVeigh - FWPCOA Education Committee appointee, Region 7 treasurer; retired wastewater treatment plant manager (City of Hollywood) Nigel Harris - Region 7 chair, wastewater treatment plant supervisor (City of Hollywood) Duane Wallace - Trustee, Region 7, retired water plant operator (City of Plantation) Debbie Wallace - retired teacher/head librarian (City of Plantation) Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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Continued from page 45 president at its board of directors meeting. As president, Littrell will be responsible for managing and supervising the business efforts of SEDA, as well as directing and controlling the activities, affairs, and officers within the organization. “We are proud that our colleague received such honors at this year’s SEDA symposium. Lance has demonstrated his superior understanding of the water and desalination industry, and the ways we can use this technology to increase Florida’s potable water supply,” said Dr. Robert Reiss, president of Reiss Engineering. At Reiss Engineering, Littrell is also a business development representative. He has more than 14 years of experience as an advanced water treatment processes and facility design engineer and is a frequent speaker on the topics of desalination, water quality, and reverse osmosis. He currently serves as an instructor for SEDA and the Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association.
The Bonita Springs Utilities (BSU) board of directors has selected John R. Jenkins as the utility’s new executive director. Jenkins, an attorney who has specialized in public utility law
for more than three decades, has provided legal services to BSU since the 1980s. He joined the utility on June 22 after Fred Partin, who served as executive director since 1981, retired. Jenkins holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., and finance from Florida State University, where he also earned his law degree. He began his career as an associate with a Miami-based law firm, and was later a partner in the firms of Rose, Sundstrom & Bentley and Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson in Tallahassee. Jenkins has spent 30 years advising on issues ranging from day-to-day utility operations to complex financing, capital project, and real estate matters. He has worked with utilities operated by private companies, local governments, and utility authorities throughout Florida. Jenkins is a member of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association, the Florida Bar Environmental and Land Use Law Section, the Tallahassee Scientific Society, and other civic groups. “The board of directors launched a me-
thodical, nationwide search in early February and considered many well-qualified candidates,” said Jim Strecansky, board president. “John’s depth of experience and his extensive knowledge of Florida utility systems and regulations made him the clear choice. His work and familiarity with BSU, the city of Bonita Springs, and our regulators is a bonus and will ease the transition, both for John and the utility.” Said Jenkins, “This is an exciting opportunity. I’ve spent my career advising people in the position I am taking on, and I look forward to concentrating my energies on BSU and the area it serves.”
The St. Johns River Water Management District and the City of Ocala are partnering on a one-year pilot project that could result in a 5 percent water savings by participating water users. The District has committed $75,000 to the WaterSmart pilot project, which utilizes social norms, in conjunction with comprehensive data analytics and targeted messaging, to modify water use behavior. Five thousand of Ocala's residential customers will participate in the pilot program and receive mobile, email, and print reports that provide consumption details and targeted water savings recommendations. By educating residential customers on their uses of water and ways to conserve, WaterSmart has been proven to improve water-use efficiency. "Water conservation is a key component of protecting water resources in Marion County," said Lou Donnangelo, leader of the District's North Central Florida Water Initiative. "We are working diligently to identify and implement prevention and recovery strategies to protect Silver Springs and other waterways." According to Jeff Halcomb, Ocala’s director of water resources, "Any and all projects that can assist in understanding the role we all have in the state of Florida to conserve and protect the natural resources that are vital to our existence, the better we can manage the water that we have. The WaterSmart project is not just another tool in the tool box; it is a specific program that we believe will drive awareness and lower water demand." WaterSmart has partnerships with more than 40 water utilities across the United States and has verified nearly 2 bil gal of water saved through its programs.
Hatch Mott MacDonald has moved to a new location in downtown Pensacola. Its address is 220 W. Garden St., Suite 700, Pensacola, Fla., 32502.
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September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
New Products Lowell Corp. has added four new lightweight aluminum models to its line of strap wrenches. Designed for use in industrial, construction, water, and high-line utility work, as well in home applications, the tools make it possible to turn any shape without scratching, denting, or crushing. Industrial and construction uses include loosening and tightening oddlyshaped and/or frozen fittings, machine and vehicle oil filters, small handwheels, PVC pipe, knurled fasteners and knobs, and turned shafts. Specs for the four new wrenches include handle lengths that range from 6 in. to 24 in. Strap lengths range from 17 in. to 54 in. and custom lengths are available. Capacities range from 2 in. to 12 in., torque limits range from 20 lb-ft to 330 lb-ft, and weights range from 1/8 lb. to 25/8 lbs. Lowell also offers two other lines of strap wrenches: the Simplex Standard and the heavy duty Warnock. All wrenches are guaranteed against defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from date of delivery. To view a strap wrench usage video go to: http://.lowellcorp.com/strap-w renches. (www.lowellcorp.com)
Sensorex has announced a new UVT-LED Transmittance Monitor and the Android-compatible version of its popular SAM-1 Smart Aqua Meter. The UVT-LED verifies the effectiveness of a UV disinfection system by providing extremely stable readings of treated water in all conditions. It is the first UV-transmittance monitor to use a single LED light source instead of a conventional mercury lamp. As a result, the UVT-LED features quick warm up, extended lamp life, and a small footprint. The monitor comes in two models: a handheld version for use in the field and multiple plant sampling locations, and a process version for installation directly into a pipe or open channel system. Newly available with Android compatibility, the SAM-1 Smart Aqua Meter transforms smartphones or tablets into convenient and powerful pH, ORP, or Conductivity/TDS meters with integral temperature measurement. It plugs into the headphone jack of virtually any smartphone or tablet, and connects to Sensorex smart analytical sensors. The free SAM-1 App instantly recognizes the smart sensor and provides an easy-to-use interface for taking measurements and managing data. (www.Sensorex.com)
Florida Water Resources Journal • September 2015
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CLASSIFIEDS Positions Av ailable
Water Distribution Manager Utilities Field Superintendent $72,499 - $102,012/yr.
Civil Engineer III (Utilities) $69,045 - $97,156/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.
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. Hiring Range D.O.Q.: $29,463- $44,267 For additional information and to apply, please visit http://www.altamonte.org/jobs.aspx
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 a Water Distribution Manager to serve our residents and utility customers. Through teamwork, training, leadership and accountability, Altamonte Springs strives to provide the highest level of service. Qualifications: Minimum of four (4) years experience in water distribution and trenchless construction techniques, to include supervisory experience. Certification as a “Competent Person” as prescribed by OSHA rules for trenching and shoring. Level II Department of Environmental Protection Water Distribution License. HS diploma or G.E.D. and valid driver’s license. Preferable qualifications include experience with personal computers, Level I Department of Environmental Protection Water Distribution License and completion of the following NIMS Courses: Basic IS-700, ICS-100, and Intermediate ICS 200 (within 6 months of hire). For additional information and to apply, please visit www.Altamonte.org. Hiring range D.O.Q.: $41,714- $47,971
City of Tamarac Water Plant Operator Trainee, C, B, or A The City of Tamarac is accepting applications for Water Plant Operators. These positions are Water Treatment Plant Operator Trainee, Water Treatment Plant Operator C, Water Treatment Plant Operator B, and Water Treatment Plant Operator A. To view the complete job posting and to apply online visit us at www.tamarac.org or submit to Human Resources, 7525 NW 88th Avenue, Tamarac, FL 33321. EOE/M/F/D/V.
CITY OF MARGATE TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR – WATER Applicant must have High School Diploma or GED; must possess a minimum of a Class “C” Treatment Plant Operator license at the time of application. Must possess and maintain valid Florida Driver License. Competitive starting salary depending on Class – “C” $39,928; “B” $41,315; “A” $44,088. Excellent benefits. The City of Margate is a participant in the Florida Retirement System and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications are available in Human Resources, Margate City Hall, 5790 Margate Blvd., Margate, FL 33063, or may be down loaded from the web site at www.margatefl.com. Completed, original applications must be submitted to Human Resources. This position is open until filled.
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.
Waste Water Plant Operator The Coral Springs Improvement District is currently accepting applications for the position of a waste water treatment plant operator. Applicants must have a valid Class A waste water treatment license, minimum of five years experience in field, have a valid Florida drivers license, satisfactory background check and pass a pre-employment drug screening test.
Water Plant Operator Trainee The North Springs Improvement District is searching for a water plant operator trainee. Under direct supervision, follows a defined training program in water treatment to become a certified operator; performs daily tasks and maintenance of the water facility; and performs related duties as assigned. Please email Mireya Ortega atMireyaO@nsidfl.gov with your application and resume.
Water Plant Operator The North Springs Improvement District is searching for a licensed water plant operator. Applicant must be licensed by the Florida Department Environmental Protection with either a C, B, or A water plant license. Please email Mireya Ortega at MireyaO@nsidfl.gov with your application and resume.
Lift Station/Collection System Operators 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 lift station operators to serve our residents and utility customers. Qualifications: Six (6) months experience working with lift stations, pumps, and electrical meters. HS diploma or G.E.D. and valid driver’s license. Valid Class C Wastewater Collection Technician certification preferred. For additional information and to apply, please visit www.Altamonte.org. Hiring range D.O.Q.: $28,245- $43,780 Compensation and Benefits: A competitive salary based on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. Employee health insurance and life insurance coverage, a retirement system with pension/investment plan options, paid leave time, paid holidays, a comprehensive wellness program, Employee Assistance Program, etc.
Water Plant Operator ''C'' - City of Lake Mary
Full-time regular employees are eligible for paid Medical, Dental, Disability, and Life benefits, paid vacations, holidays, and sick benefits.
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.
Full-time regular employees are eligible to participate in our 6% noncontributory investment money purchase pension plan, and matching 457 plan of up to 4%. EOE.
Full-time Operations Technician
Excellent starting salary / to commensurate relative to years of experience in the field.
Applications may be obtained by visiting our website at www.fladistricts.com and fax resume to 954-753-6328, attention Jan Zilmer, Director of Human Resources.
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September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
The City of Cocoa Beach is hiring an Operation Technician, min Class C license required. FT, $17.70 per hour. Apply online at www.cityofcocoabeach.com/jobs EOE/DFWP/Vets Pref
Lead Water Plant Operator Severn Trent Services is seeking a Lead Operator! The Lead Operator is responsible for overseeing the daily operations activities at the Hialeah, FL Water Treatment Plant. This is a state of the art, 10MGD Reverse Osmosis plant. High school diploma or equivalent *A valid Class A FL Water license *15+ years water treatment with 5 years of Reverse Osmosis experience *5 years supervisory experience in water treatment To Apply: SevernTrent.com
Water and Sewer Project Manager Okaloosa County BCC is currently recruiting for a Water and Sewer Project Manager to manage water & wastewater projects from the preliminary stage through surveying, design, and permitting. The hiring salary is $46,820.80 - $62,774.40 annually. For more information or to apply, visit www.co.okaloosa.fl.us. DFW/VP/AA/EEO
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
Field Salesperson Seeking a highly motivated Field Salesperson. A self starter w/ established contacts in the Water/Wastewater Field. Contacts at the local attractions a plus. Pay commensurate w/experience. Focus on New Equipment Sales & Repairs EMail resumes to KFender@PatsPump.com.
Water Plant Operator 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
Toho Water Authority Kissimmee, FL Engineering Technician Non-Exempt Toho Water Authority seeks immediate applications from qualified candidates for the position of Engineering Technician. This position assists engineers during all phases of capital infrastructure projects undertaken by the Engineering and Construction Division. This position handles all external requests for information involving utility location verification coordination from other governmental agencies and the development community, modification to existing right-of-ways or easements, or service availability. To view the complete job description and submit an application, please visit WWW.TOHOWATER.COM EOE
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
Positions Av ailable SHEILA STRAMPP – Has passed the C Water course and is seeking a Trainee position. Available immediately and prefers the Palm Beach County or northern Broward County areas. Contact at 2105 NE 4th St. Boynton Beach, Fl. 33435. Phone: 561-374-9873. email t99334@yahoo.com
Looking For a Job? The FWPCOA Job Placement Committee Can Help! Contact Joan E. Stokes at 407-293-9465 or fax 407-293-9943 for more information.
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 • September 2015
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Certification Boulevard Answer Key From page 26 February 2014
Editorial Calendar January ......Wastewater Treatment
1. B) Fecal coliform None of these things sound good to me! However, fecal coliform is considered to be the least harmful because it is not pathogenic. Fecal coliform is not pathogenic; it is an indicator of pathogenic organisms. It is easier to analyze and more difficult to kill, which is what makes it a good indicator to determine the presence or absence of pathogenic organisms.
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 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).
2. D) Portion of a sample One of the definitions of aliquot is a “little amount.” Basically, an aliquot is a small amount of a larger sample, or a subsample of a larger sample.
3. B) It decreases. Alkalinity is consumed (decreases) during nitrification (aerobic) at the rate of about 7.14 lbs of alkalinity for every pound of ammonia-nitrogen that is converted to nitrate. Alkalinity is replenished (increased) during denitrification (anoxic) at about one-half the rate at which it is lost during nitrification. So, denitrification puts alkalinity back into the water at the rate of about 3.57 lbs of alkalinity for each pound of nitrate that is used as a source of oxygen.
4. A) It decreases. Microorganisms will decrease their rate of activity as the temperature of the water decreases. However, as the temperature rises, the microorganism activity rate basically doubles for every 10ºC increase in water temperature. There is an upper limit, however, to increasing temperatures; eventually, the activity rate of the bugs will drop if the water temperature is above their acceptable threshold.
5. D) Gas injector An injector creates a vacuum condition as the water flows through a restricted throat. This vacuum action draws the gas through the chlorinator, into the injector, and into the solution as it mixes with the water.
6. A) 104.2 lbs/day 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.
Lbs/day of chlorine used = Flow, mgd x concentration, ppm x 8.34 lbs/gal = 1.25 mgd x (7.5 mg/L + 2.5 mg/L) x 8.34 lbs/gal = 104.25 lbs/day chlorine
7. B) Chain of custody The chain of custody is an extremely important protocol designed to identify the paper trail of sample procurement, delivery, analyses, and task documentation. The chain of custody is basically a legal record to indicate sample and analyses documentation.
8. B) Ammonia
Display Advertiser Index Blue Planet ................................55
2016 FWRC Call for Papers ........45
CEU Challenge............................23
Garney ........................................5
Crom..........................................21
GML Coatings........................17,41
Data Flow ..................................29
Hudson Pumps ..........................39
Florida Aquastore ......................47 FSAWWA CONFERENCE Calendar of Events ....................11
McKim & Creed ..........................25
Registration............................12
Stacon ........................................2
Water Conservation ................13
Treeo..........................................31
Distribution Awards ................14
Wade Trim ..................................46
Golf/Poker ............................15
Xylem ........................................56
Polston ........................................9 Reiss............................................8
FWPCOA Training........................35
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September 2015 • Florida Water Resources Journal
Fumes from a squeeze bottle of an aqueous solution of ammonia, with the bottle no more than about half full, will create a cloud of “smoke” (it’s not really smoke) when it contacts chlorine. Do not apply liquid ammonia directly on chlorine pipes, joints, valves, or any other component in the chlorination network as it will corrode chlorine components and create leaks in the near future.
9. D) White The color of the cloud, which is actually the dust in the air created by the ammonia fumes, is white. The white color is created as the ammonia reacts with the chlorine and creates ammonium hydrochloride. About one-half of the ammonia is converted to chloramines, and the other half is converted to ammonium hydrochloride. Since chloramines can create toxic conditions, and can cause breathing problems with many people, it is best to “spray” the least amount of ammonia fumes into the air as possible when checking for chlorine leaks.
10. B) TIN Total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) is the combination of ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, and nitrite-nitrogen. It includes all forms of nitrogen except organic-nitrogen.