Volume 4 Issue 5
May 2018
Dr. Poonam Kalkat of West Palm Beach Public Utilities
AA DD VV EE RR TT I SI S EE MM EE NN TT
We use what we sell, every day.
on | Pu Generati Power
lp, Paper & Steel Mills | Munic ipal W ater I nt
Rugged trash racks and rakers keep water intakes free from debris and hassle. Our innovative debris capture solutions were developed at our own hydroelectric facilities. So, we mean it when we say... �we use what we sell, every day.� Our trash racks and trash rakes are easy to install, operate and maintain. Our HDPE trash racks are practically maintenance free, designed to resist rust, corrosion, mussels and other marine life. Our patented electro-mechanical rakers have no hydraulics to maintain so they provide years of flawless performance. *Electro-mechanical Trash Raker U.S. Patent No. 7,815,811 & 9,539,528
akes | Wastew at e
ti o r Treatment Plants | Flood Control Pump Sta
ns
www.hydrocomponentsystems.com | 920.261.2139 For inquiries in the Western U.S., call 360.601.2391
HUESKER Solution: Canal3ÂŽ
ADVERTISEMENT
Made in the USA
Canal3 provides superior puncture properties for various site conditions from smooth to rough subgrades and is available in several styles. Irrigation districts and contractors agree that the ease of installing Canal3 over other liners is not only cost effective but also reduces installation time by using our wider width materials. No over excavating required Fast installation Inert to biological degradation facebook.com/hueskernorthamerica twitter.com/HUESKERna linkedin.com/company/huesker-north-america www.HUESKER.us | E-mail: marketing@HUESKER.com Phone: 704.588.5500 | Toll Free: 800.942.9418
When every drop counts.
Municipal Water Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for July/August and November/December by
STAFF: Kris Polly, Editor-in-Chief John Crotty, Senior Writer Tyler Young, Writer Julia Terbrock, Graphic Designer Capital Copyediting LLC, Copyeditor SUBMISSIONS: Municipal Water Leader welcomes manuscript, photography, and art submissions. However, the right to edit or deny publishing submissions is reserved. Submissions are returned only upon request. For more information, please contact John Crotty at (202) 698-0690 or John.Crotty@waterstrategies.com.
6
ADVERTISING: Municipal Water Leader accepts one-quarter, half-page, and full-page ads. For more information on rates and placement, please contact Kris Polly at (703) 517-3962 or Municipal.Water.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
AHEAD OF THE STORM WATER CURVE: DR. POONAM KALKAT OF WEST PALM BEACH PUBLIC UTILITIES
Contents May 2018 Volume 4, Issue 5
5 The Storm Water Issue By Kris Polly
10 Engineering Storm Water Solutions: HDR's Daniel Suarez 12 Sustainable Resource Management in San Antonio By Gregg Eckhardt 4
20 Storm Water Innovation on America's Front Lawn: Michael Stachowicz of the National Park Service INTERNATIONAL 32 Greg Ingleton of SA Water
Copyright Š 2018 Water Strategies LLC. Municipal Water Leader relies on the excellent contributions of a variety of natural resources professionals who provide content for the magazine. However, the views and opinions expressed by these contributors are solely those of the original contributor and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or positions of Municipal Water Leader magazine, its editors, or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of advertisements in Municipal Water Leader do not constitute a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC or Municipal Water Leader magazine regarding the products, services, claims, or companies advertised. MuniWaterLeader
COVER PHOTO: Left to right: Mr. Josh McDermott, Assistant Director of Public Utilities, Dr. Poonam Kalkat, Director of Public Utilities, and Mr. Stephon Harris, Utilities Operations and Management Superintendent.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF WEST PALM BEACH PUBLIC UTILITIES.
6 Ahead of the Storm Water Curve: Dr. Poonam Kalkat of West Palm Beach Public Utilities
MANAGER PROFILE 16 Mark Doneux of Capitol Region Watershed District
CIRCULATION: Municipal Water Leader is distributed to irrigation district managers and boards of directors in the 17 western states, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials, members of Congress and committee staff, and advertising sponsors. Please send address corrections or additions to Municipal.Water.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
The Storm Water Issue By Kris Polly
F
or municipal water providers and managers, especially those with combined systems, storm water is a source of significant water quantity and quality concern. Residents and business owners rely on municipalities and public works departments to move storm water away from their property. At the same time, flows created by storm events pick up pollutants across impervious surfaces and move them into drains and, eventually, lakes and rivers. That stresses treatment systems and recreational opportunities. In this issue of Municipal Water Leader, we focus on the latest solutions for integrating storm water into holistic water management solutions. In our cover interview, we talk with Dr. Poonam Kalkat, director of public utilities for West Palm Beach, Florida. The city, which is at the nexus of storm water, sewer, and drinking water management, is rethinking storm water. Dr. Kalkat has led the city to develop a storm water master planning process has integrated storm water into its other water services with the potential for real results: flood-related capital improvements, reduced flood insurance premiums, and increased surface water supplies. Dr. Kalkat explained, “When I came on board, we had a more traditional storm water master plan—it analyzed our drainage capacity and looked at pipe and structure repair or replacement projects. With this plan, the city began looking at different ways to evaluate our storm water system in a holistic manner to develop a new kind of master plan.” To help develop that holistic approach, West Palm Beach hired HDR, Inc., and one of its senior project managers, Daniel Suarez. Mr. Suarez relates how HDR worked with West Palm Beach to shape and realize its vision for storm water in the city and how the “program touches on . . .
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
The Trout Brook Storm Sewer Interceptor (story on page 16).
critical and emerging issues for storm water throughout Florida.” Mark Doneux of the Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) outside St. Paul, Minnesota, discusses the programs and projects that merited its overall best score in the Phase II division of the Water Environment Foundation’s National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Award Program. CRWD’s commitment to creating collaborative partnerships and using innovative technology is critical to its storm water management. Mr. Doneux emphasized, “We talk so much about our innovative practices, but there are new things coming out and we need people in the storm water sector to try them out.” We also hear from the National Park Service’s Michael Stachowicz, who oversees the irrigation systems sustaining the lawns of the National Mall for its 33 million yearly visitors. He sees the use of storm water as an essential component of healthy public parks and gardens. Water managers like Dr. Kalkat, Mr. Doneux, and Mr. Stachowicz are leading the way toward more comprehensive water management systems that employ the latest technologies and best practices with the goal of transforming storm water from a nuisance into an asset. M Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.
5
Ahead of the Storm Water Curve:
Dr. Poonam Kalkat of West Palm Beach Public Utilities
FLORIDA WEST PALM BEACH
Kris Polly: Please provide some background on your utility. Dr. Poonam Kalkat: Ours is an older water system. The city bought the system from the Flagler Water Company in 1950s. Henry Flagler came to Florida to build railroads to increase tourism, and the Florida East Coast Hotel Company built and operated a water plant at Clear Lake in 1901. In 1909, the water plant became part of Mr. Flagler's West Palm Beach Water Company.
6
That being said, the city has the largest aquifer storage reservoir in the world, which we use to supplement our water supply during times of need. Water from Clear Lake is pumped into the aquifer during times of plenty, and during the dry season, we can withdraw water to supplement the existing surface water sources. Keep in mind, however, that we are one of the few municipalities in South Florida that does not use groundwater. Ours is a surface water–driven system. Kris Polly: How long have you been with West Palm Beach Public Utilities? Dr. Poonam Kalkat: I started working with the city in 2008 in the water and wastewater laboratory services division. I rose through the ranks to manage the lab. I transitioned into managing the water treatment plant and MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF WEST PALM BEACH PUBLIC UTILITIES.
West Palm Beach, Florida, is rethinking storm water. The city has undertaken a storm water master planning process to better integrate its management of storm water into its other water services. The city hopes to see tangible results for its residents: flood-related capital improvements, reduced flood insurance premiums, and increased its surface water supplies. While West Palm Beach Public Utilities operates its storm water system for its residents, the utility is integral to the provision of water and wastewater services to a number of communities in South Florida. In addition to its own 110,000 residents, West Palm Beach Public Utilities provides water services to the towns of Palm Beach and South Palm Beach. In addition, the utility operates a regional sewage treatment plant on behalf of four other municipalities. Dr. Poonam Kalkat, director of public utilities for the city of West Palm Beach, is leading the master planning process and efforts to implement its recommendations. Dr. Kalkat has a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Municipal Water Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, sat down with Dr. Kalkat to discuss the utility’s data-driven, progressive plan for saving citizens money and preparing for the future.
was promoted to be the assistant director of utilities. This July marks my third year as director of public utilities. In this role, I manage the watershed: water treatment, water distribution, water collection, wastewater treatment, and storm water. Kris Polly: It is our understanding that you changed West Palm Beach’s view of storm water. Dr. Poonam Kalkat: The utility developed the current storm water master plan in 2014–2015. We approached it in a different manner. When I came on board, we had a more traditional storm water master plan—it analyzed our drainage capacity and looked at pipe and structure repair or replacement projects. With this plan, the city began looking at different ways to evaluate our storm water system in MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
a holistic manner to develop a new kind of master plan. We decided to take a new, one-water approach—one that would put our community’s needs in the forefront and consider the watershed as a whole while continuing to look at storm water drainage, water quality, programmatic aspects, and the like. We looked at ways to reduce flood insurance premiums for our residents and to collaborate with other entities, including a citizens’ committee comprising West Palm Beach residents, real estate professionals, and the private insurance industry, to help achieve this goal. We developed a comprehensive geographic database with our Storm Water Master Plan consultant Collective Water to help craft a thorough assessment for this plan. The data will save the city's citizens millions in insurance
Maintenance Leader of the Stormwater Division Eddie Robinson and Maintenance Worker Sam Marshall clean debris from a catch basin at a work site.
7
premiums because we were able to show that some previously identified flood zones were not actually flood zones. Building this database really helped us move forward with confidence. Now, we have one of the most holistic storm water and geographic data sets in Florida. Kris Polly: How long has it taken to complete the master plan?
Kris Polly: With this new information, was West Palm Beach able to make better decisions regarding hard structures and drains? Dr. Poonam Kalkat: Absolutely. Once the storm water master planning
8
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WEST PALM BEACH PUBLIC UTILITIES.
Dr. Poonam Kalkat: We started planning in 2014 and are finalizing the report now. We are currently verifying that the data captured and thoroughly explained all the information we sought to obtain. The mapping project, which allowed us to get better premiums, was completed in 2017. We wanted to make sure we were communicating with all our stakeholder groups when we were completing the storm water plan maps. To help, we assembled a citizens’ committee. In addition, our storm water team reviewed the process. The team, some of whom have been working in storm water for over 20 years, is very strong.
team collected all the data, it looked into the work order system, assessed system complaints, talked to the staff to gain institutional knowledge, and looked at the infrastructure itself. Once all the data had been analyzed, we developed a number of projects and prioritized them based on condition assessments and field evaluations. To help prioritize the projects based on the assets’ actual condition assessment, we hired HDR. HDR established a methodology to complete this assessment and recommended how we should work to improve our infrastructure. We wanted to have a methodology that we can defend and share with our residents. This is part of a transparent government initiative our mayor has directed us to pursue. We want to make sure we are being good stewards for our rate payers. Based on the HDR methodology, we will determine the best course of action for prioritizing projects and determine whether repairs,
Captions.
rehabilitation, or replacement is needed. Kris Polly: What is the time frame for the plan, and how will the projects that come out of it be funded? Dr. Poonam Kalkat: In 2017, West Palm Beach Public Utilities borrowed $70 million in bond money. Of that amount, $45 million was for water and sewer and $25 million was for storm water. We are already lining up projects from our plan prioritization and have a good idea where to go from here. We have also committed to putting in $2.5 million of our annual repair and rehabilitation funds toward projects prioritized in the plan. Using the developed methodology and the Storm Water Master Plan, the capital projects will be fine tuned to ensure the best use of funds and the means of repair or replacement. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
LEFT: Tim Howard, maintenance supervisor, directing the stormwater crew installing a tidal valve to help protect roadways from water flowing back into the storm system and streets during high-tide events. ABOVE: Stormwater Maintenance Workers Rodney Mickens, Melvin Elliott, Sam Marshall, Torrey Futch; Utilities Maintenance Supervisor Anthony Thompson; Administrative Assistant Kathy Freeman; Assistant Director of Public Utilities Josh McDermott; Director of Public Utilities Dr. Poonam Kalkat; and Utilities O&M Superintendent Stephon Harris at the Operations and Management Complex in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Kris Polly: Aside from improvements for flooding, do you see your city using storm water differently than it has in the past? Dr. Poonam Kalkat: We have one project already—the Renaissance System Project— that uses storm water for source water. It takes water from downtown West Palm Beach to our treatment basin and puts it into our source water lakes. That was constructed a number of years ago. South Florida Water Management District operates a drainage system via L8 Canal from Lake Okeechobee to C51 Canal to our south, sending water out to tide at Lakeworth Lagoon and creating water quality concerns at the lagoon. The city modified some structures to bring water from C51, which otherwise would have gone to tide, through the Renaissance system to supplement the city's source water. M
9
Engineering Storm Water Solutions:
HDR's Daniel Suarez
HDR, Inc. is helping West Palm Beach, Florida, rethink its storm water. HDR developed analytical tools for the city’s storm water master planning process to prioritize storm water projects based on the actual conditions of the city’s water assets. Municipal Water Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris Polly, spoke to HDR Senior Project Manager Daniel Suarez about the company’s involvement in West Palm Beach’s storm water management. Kris Polly: Can you tell me about the city of West Palm Beach’s storm water asset condition assessment program?
deferred over the years in order to address other infrastructure needs. However, the city has now acquired bond funding to repair its aging storm water infrastructure and extend its useful life and to address capacity deficiencies due to urbanization and sea level rise. The city recognized the need to develop a defensible and comprehensive long-term storm water asset condition assessment program and a methodology to help ensure that the appropriate method for repair will be applied. Senior Project Manager Daniel Suarez.
10
Daniel Suarez: A key element of the project was the development of this methodology, which consists of a renewal decision logic and flow chart to document standard decisions to identify when renewal will be performed as well as the type of renewal to be used. The city was seeking to apply the most current proven technology and processes to support storm sewer system inspection, condition assessment, and renewal planning aligned with industry MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL SUAREZ.
Daniel Suarez: The city of West Palm Beach has a vast storm water infrastructure network. Most of the storm water system in the eastern portion of the city comprises vitrified clay pipe and was installed as early as the 1920s. Newer parts of the system comprise corrugated metal pipe, whose useful life is not as long as concrete pipe that is now a standard for large diameter pipe in coastal environments. Much of the required maintenance for the city’s storm water assets had been
Kris Polly: How was the storm water asset rehabilitation methodology developed?
West Palm Beach, Florida, skyline at sunset.
best practices for asset management; the city was also taking into consideration the unique conditions found in a coastal environment. The renewal business decision logic for storm sewers provides a transparent, defensible, and consistent approach for renewal decisions and is used to communicate level of service to stakeholders. The renewal logic can also be tied in the future to risk and cost, in order to develop renewal funding demand forecasts and associated risk reduction estimates. Kris Polly: What were some of the other components of the project? Daniel Suarez: Other aspects of this project included the following: • Coordinating with local contractors to discuss unique, local challenges related to performing inspections and rehabilitating pipes in a coastal environment. • Developing technical specifications for the most commonly used inspection and rehabilitation methods in South Florida, as well as for associated activities, such as plugging, bypass pumping, and jet cleaning. • Compiling cost data for inspection and rehabilitation to assist the city with budgetary planning. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
• Developing decision logic to help select appropriate inspection technologies based on existing conditions. • Applying specifications and protocols to a pilot project consisting of approximately 5,000 linear feet of storm sewer. The storm water assets in the pilot project were carefully selected to include a sample of the typical conditions found in the city, for example, an outfall, under a railroad track, in a heavily traveled downtown area, etc. Lessons learned during the pilot project will be applied to the remaining 35,000 linear feet of priority storm sewer repairs. Kris Polly: What is your favorite aspect of the program? Daniel Suarez: We see cities, communities, businesses, and individuals facing new and intensifying challenges: extreme weather events, resource scarcity, aging infrastructure, changing demographics, and disruptions to essential services and supplies. I think it’s exciting how this program touches on some of these critical and emerging issues for storm water throughout Florida—coastal flooding/sea-level rise and aging infrastructure. It’s great to work with such a progressive city that is investing to make its storm water infrastructure more resilient. M
11
SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT in San Antonio
By Gregg Eckhardt
A
12
Aerial photo of the Dos Rios Water Recycling Center.
As Texans are prone to brag, the Dos Rios staff will boast that it is the greenest place in Texas.
Reusing water was the easy part. When faced with supply limitations from its primary water source in the 1990s due to endangered species concerns, SAWS built the nation’s largest direct recycled water system with a capacity of 35,000 acre-feet per year. More than 130 miles of large diameter pipelines deliver tertiary-treated water that is almost drinking-water quality to irrigators, industrial customers like a Toyota truck plant, Microsoft, and the historic Alamo. The $140 million system is dual use in that water is also delivered to remote outfalls on creeks and rivers for environmental flow maintenance. San Antonio’s world-famous River Walk had previously been supplied with water from potable wells; today, the flow is almost entirely recycled water, thereby saving drinking water for potable uses. Another outfall on Salado Creek resulted in the removal of the creek from the federal list of impaired water bodies for dissolved oxygen, and it laid the foundation for large public investments in linear parks that today are a MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM.
t the spot where water from the San Antonio Water System’s (SAWS) Dos Rios Water Recycling Center cascades 50 feet down into the river, a visitor from a group of international guests gently wept. When asked if everything was alright, he nodded. “I’m ok,” the visitor said. “It’s just that in my country, we don't even have water like this to drink. And here you can just send it into the river.” The group had come because they heard that Dos Rios, SAWS’s largest water recycling center, is the place to learn about sustainable resource management in wastewater. As Texans are prone to brag, the Dos Rios staff will boast that it is the greenest place in Texas. Back in the 1990s, SAWS began viewing all treatment process residuals as valuable resources, not waste products. Those residuals include 140,000 acre-feet of recycled water per year, 165,000 tons of biosolids, and 1.5 million cubic feet per day of methane-rich digester gas. In 1996, the staff hatched a bold plan to try to reuse everything, putting nothing to waste. The catch was that any project they pursued had to be environmentally friendly while either saving money, being cost neutral, or producing a revenue stream. If projects had side benefits like water conservation, that would be factored into a cost-benefit analysis. The effort, led by SAWS Chief Operating Officer Steve Clouse, took almost 20 years to accomplish, but it demonstrated that being green and fiscally responsible are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are complementary goals. And so visitors come from all over the world to Dos Rios to see what SAWS did and how they did it.
Drying bed.
Contact Chamber.
community magnet for hiking and biking. Reusing biosolids was more challenging. Four hundred tons of biosolids per day were being disposed of in a landfill when the plant operators began experimenting with compost production. Biosolids were mixed with wood-based materials like brush clippings and ground-up telephone books in static piles. With growing confidence in its composting ability, a 16-acre facility was constructed; additional equipment was purchased; and before long, the staff was producing 30-foot mountains of superior-quality compost. But costs were high and marketing was difficult. It was doubtful that composting could continue unless the private sector was engaged, so the entire operation was outsourced. Today, two contractors truck the biosolids from Dos Rios to their own composting facility, and in 2018, about 90 percent of all biosolids will be made into compost. Contractors mix the compost with various soil products and sell it at retail outlets. For SAWS, the cost is slightly cheaper than landfilling, and compost also MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
saves water when applied to local landscapes. With successful water reuse and biosolids composting operations in place, attention began to turn to the last piece of the beneficial use puzzle—digester gas. Some of the methane-rich gas was being used to maintain temperatures in biosolids digesters, but most was simply flared off. To achieve an economy of scale for any potential beneficial use project, biosolids transfer lines were constructed from SAWS’s other water recycling centers to consolidate all solids handling at Dos Rios. Each was a large capital project—one involved a 700-foot tunnel 90 feet beneath the San Antonio River. These large projects, along with depressed market conditions for methane gas and limited technologies for extracting it from digester gas, explain why SAWS’s bold reuse plan took nearly 20 years to accomplish. Finally, with all digester gas produced at a single facility, the time had come to explore full utilization. SAWS once again turned to the private
13
The Dos Rios Water Recycling Center solar farm and cooling lake.
sector for ideas on how to use the digester gas. The Ameresco Corporation responded with a proposal to build a first-in-the-nation processing facility to purify and condition the gas and sell it on the open market, with a portion of the revenues returned to SAWS. So far, SAWS has realized about $20,000 to $100,000 per month, and the flares no longer burn. Ameresco invested $7.5 million and estimated that its facility would have about a 3-year payback while reducing carbon emissions by about 20,000 tons per year. Meanwhile, recent sharp increases in composting costs have prompted SAWS to look for ways to volatize more biosolids into gas, so there is more gas to sell and the cost for disposing of biosolids by composting can be reduced. One such process is hydrolysis, which explodes and disrupts the cell membranes of organisms in sludge, making them more digestible and producing more gas. SAWS conducted a feasibility study for thermal hydrolysis and is now examining additional alternatives, such as chemical hydrolysis. SAWS’s sustainability initiatives did not stop with water, biosolids, and gas. They also extend to other sustainable energy projects. On two sides of the Dos Rios site, 250 acres of buffer lands were leased for construction of a 20-megawatt solar farm. When it was built in 2010, it was the largest in Texas. More potential for energy production exists at the final effluent. SAWS is currently conducting a study to test the potential for hydropower generation at the outfall where 85 million gallons per day cascades 50 feet down to the San Antonio River. Preliminary estimates suggest the potential for production of 0.5 megawatts. Reduction in energy use has also been a target for increased efficiencies. A large fraction
Gregg Eckhardt is a senior resource analyst for San Antonio Water System. He can be reached at gregg.eckhardt@saws.org.
14
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM.
of treatment costs at Dos Rios are for power to supply air to biological reactors. (Air blowers here are so large that it costs $1,500 just to turn one on.) To save energy, SAWS recently replaced 100,000 aeration diffusers in 20 basins with more-efficient, fine-bubble membrane diffusers. After the diffuser project, fewer blowers are required to operate, operations and maintenance costs are lower, and employee safety has increased. Previously, staff had to periodically clean the old-style ceramic diffusers with acid; now, they only have to spin off a retaining ring and replace a rubber diffuser membrane. Another sustainability solution involved replacing chemical insecticides with natural pest control methods near the Dos Rios solids handling facility. Plant operators suggested trying purple martin birds instead of spraying chemicals for fly control, which was costing $50,000 per year and posed a chemical exposure hazard to both employees and the biological treatment process. SAWS carpenters at the plant built almost 500 birdhouses, and tiny parasitic wasps and specialized soil bacteria were added to the natural pest control arsenal. Today, no chemical insecticides are used at Dos Rios. Going back to the cascade of water into the river and the emotional reaction of the visitor, staff explained to the visitor that SAWS does not view water put into the river as a waste. During dry times, there is no background flow in many Texas streams, and there would be no flow at all in the San Antonio River without water from SAWS’s water recycling plants. Flow maintenance in the river is important from an environmental perspective but also from an economic viewpoint, because large fishing and recreation industries downstream near the Gulf of Mexico depend on freshwater flows from San Antonio. In another bold sustainability initiative, SAWS recently filed an application with the state of Texas to make a formal dedication of 50,000 acre-feet per year of its recycled water to maintain instream flows, to ensure that adequate volumes make it all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Water recycling at Dos Rios is about finding the sustainable balance between reuse and the protection of the environment and regional economies. When the Dos Rios operators boast that the SAWS water treatment center is the greenest place in Texas, it is not really bragging. M
ADVERTISEMENT
Keep saving water for the birds and the bees. And me. A Thankful Butterfly
MANAGER PROFILE
Capitol Region Watershed District Administrator Mark Doneux.
Mark Doneux of Capitol Region Watershed District
16
challenges; the solutions; and, ultimately, the path CRWD has taken to become a leader in storm water management. Tyler Young: Can you tell us about your background in the water industry and your time with CRWD? Mark Doneux: I have been fortunate to work for 33 years in the water resources and watershed management sector. During the first 10 years of my career, I was in the private sector, working in the consulting industry. For the last 23 years, I have been in the public sector, and for the last 15 years, I have been the administrator for CRWD in St. Paul, Minnesota. Tyler Young: Could you provide a brief history of CRWD, including its mission and the services it provides to the area? Mark Doneux: Watershed districts are somewhat unique to the state of Minnesota. The idea for the watershed district started in the 1950s with the need to have an autonomous unit of government that could MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARK DONEUX AND CITY OF ROSEVILLE.
In October 2017, the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards program recognized the Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD), located in St. Paul, Minnesota, as the overall best score winners of the Phase II division. With its commitment to creating collaborative partnerships throughout the community, drive to collect and reuse storm water from new sources, and devotion to using groundbreaking technology to enhance their system, it is easy to see how CRWD leads the pack in storm water management. Tyler Young, a writer for Municipal Water Leader, spoke with CRWD’s administrator, Mark Doneux, about the district’s efforts to collect and use storm water in innovative ways. Throughout the interview, Mr. Doneux speaks about the
MANAGER PROFILE
The cistern shown is part of the Lake McCarrons storm water reuse project. and is located in Upper Villa Park in Roseville, Minnesota.
implement flood control projects spanning multiple cities or counties. As you know, water does not follow political boundaries. The state of Minnesota created these watershed districts because it wanted local units of government focused on water management, specifically watersheds, water reuse, and water resources. What is unique about districts is that they have regulatory authority, taxing authority, and some broader authorities to pursue projects that span different political boundaries. Fast forward to the 1990s, and one of our major lakes in the St. Paul area, Como Lake, was becoming impaired, and the residents wanted more to be done at the local level to deal with flooding, erosion, and water quality on a local level. They petitioned the state to create CRWD, and we were formed 20 years ago in 1998. Our mission is to protect, manage, protect, and improve the water resources of the district. We do that through five major areas. We have a watershed regulatory program that requires permits on developments. We do extensive monitoring of and research on storm water and its best management practices. We implement our own projects for flood control and water quality improvements. Recognizing that we cannot do it all on our own, we have an active watershed education and outreach program. We also provide financial and technical assistance for individuals, businesses, and organizations that are not regulated, but that choose to pursue storm water best practices on their own. Finally, we also own and operate a 6 -mile-long storm sewer interceptor tunnel system that receives drainage from four of our five cities. Tyler Young: What are the storm water management challenges in your watershed district? Mark Doneux: The biggest challenge we face is impervious surfaces. Research shows that when a watershed becomes more than 10 percent impervious, water resources are affected. Our watershed is made up of over 40 percent impervious surfaces. Many of our streams have been put into pipes, and many of our wetlands have been filled. While impervious surfaces are one of our challenges, people are too. We have about a quarter of a million people in our watershed. One in 20 Minnesotans lives in our watershed, and their activities can have negative consequences for our water resources. Beyond that, we have MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
more traditional challenges with storm water management, such as working in an urban environment and retrofitting the system. In addition, we have degraded soils, and in a few areas, we have shallow bedrock. Tyler Young: What are the main elements of your storm water program, and how do underground treatment systems factor into the program overall? Mark Doneux: One of our main programs we have is a regulatory program. It is the foundation for many of things that we do. In addition, CRWD provides financial and technical assistance to entities that may want to go above the bare minimum of work. Within the regulatory program, we will see a lot more underground treatments, and a fairly common occurrence is perforated piping under a parking lot to meet rate and volume control standards. In fact, an analysis was done along the Green Line light rail transit system, and about 68 percent of the projects under our permits were using a combination of all underground or partially underground systems. Tyler Young: Can you provide some examples of other storm water projects you are pursuing? Mark Doneux: One project in particular blends two elements—technology and storm water reuse. We have a lake that is meeting water quality standards, Lake McCarrons. The goal was to prevent degradation by collecting and reusing storm water and allowing it to soak back into the ground. We first built a cistern
17
MANAGER PROFILE In the end, it is a benchmark to say that we are on the right path with our program. Tyler Young: Could you describe the National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Award and what it means?
Inspection of the Trout Brook Storm Sewer Interceptor.
Tyler Young: Can you tell us about some of the benefits these projects have had on your watershed district? Mark Doneux: I will say that over 10 years ago, we developed and adopted our 1-inch volume retention standard. I think the benefits of doing what we have for over a decade, from a regulatory standpoint, is that we have been able to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this approach. Every applicant has been able to comply with our standards, and we have only issued a handful of variances.
18
Tyler Young: Where do you see the future of storm water management in your watershed district? Mark Doneux: There is something we talk about here called shared stacked green infrastructure. Shared meaning multiple entities sharing the same system so that each is not individually building its own system. It is more efficient to have a common system, especially on these larger developments, so we think sharing is in the future. By stacked, I mean stacked benefits. There are open spaces and green spaces and opportunities for wildlife, and greenhouse gas reduction is associated with all these projects. Then these projects have the green infrastructure aspect as well. I talked earlier about these underground systems, and while they are effective at flood control and pollutant removal, they are fairly single purpose. Stacked green infrastructure, on the other hand, has the added benefit of green space and is more aesthetically pleasing. I think the shared stacked green systems are going to be more and more common in our future. I also think that innovation is important. We have talked about our innovative practices, but there are new things coming out and we need people in the storm water sector to try them out. The University of Minnesota pioneered the iron-enhanced sand filter a few years ago, which is the innovation we need to see. The filter system pulls out not only the particulate phosphorus, but also the dissolved fraction. In Minnesota, with all our lakes, phosphorus is a limiting nutrient. Technology can optimize and improve efficiencies in CRWD’s existing systems. With climate change, we are seeing more-intense storms, which will force us to retrofit our existing systems to adapt. Asset management is also important. We are seeing an explosion of projects being built, with one of the most common being bioretention sites, more commonly referred to as rain gardens. The storm water sector is going to have to step up its asset management systems so that we are ensuring the performance of all these systems in the future. M MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPITOL REGION WATERSHED DISTRICT.
that collects storm water. The cistern is used to irrigate a ball field, and we added technology that would divert and drain the cistern in advance of a storm. The water goes into large perforated pipes. That water soaks back into the ground and replenishes the aquifer. That cistern is then empty and available to receive new water. The other is more on a partnership basis. We recently completed a project with the City of St. Paul's Public Works Department and the St. Paul Public Schools to build a regional treatment system on school property that receives runoff from school property and the public road rightof-way. Our three entities collaborated on the design and construction agreement, which includes storm water credits, and long-term operation and maintenance plans shared by all three parties. It is really the first time that we have moved a public road right-of-way water out of the right-of-way and onto another owner’s property—the school. We worked to create a system that was removing runoff and pollutants that would have drained into the Como Lake. The school district spent the same amount of money and not only addressed its regulatory requirements, but also was able to add additional storm water credits due to the efficiency of the storm water system. The city of St. Paul, in turn, will be maintaining the pretreatment system, contributing financial support, and receiving credits for its projects as well. From our viewpoint, we get a significant project that is removing nutrients that would otherwise be going into an impaired body of water. I hope that we will be doing a lot more of these projects in the future.
Mark Doneux: WEF started the National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards program in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Organizations submit a nomination form. WEF reviews and considers basic program management and the six minimum control measures, as well as innovation, technology, leadership, training, and financing. It is an incredible honor to have received the overall highest score for the awards program.
ADVERTISEMENT
Public Safety Boat Barriers
16 Years, 60 Countries, One Company
Worthington is the right partner to solve your waterway barrier challenges. Worthington has been the trusted choice of dam professionals for more than 16 years and in over 60 countries. Let us put our global installation expertise, common sense engineering, and understanding of debris, fish, public safety and security issues at dams to work for you. You can trust Worthington to deliver quality, performance and outstanding customer service before, during and long after the installation. When you buy a Worthington barrier, you receive our lifetime commitment. Call today or visit us online.
Call
l
1.800.899.2977
Click
l
tuffboom-ir.com
Public Safety never looked so good
20
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Michael Stachowicz is the turf management specialist for the National Park Service in Washington, DC. PHOTO BY JULIA TERBROCK.
Storm Water Innovation on America's Front Lawn Michael Stachowicz of the National Park Service
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
21
Just 7 years ago, the National Mall looked quite different than it does today. The grass was patchy and laden with weeds, and the soil was compact and bare, causing silty water to run through the streets when it rained. Needless to say, this was not the image the National Park Service (NPS) wanted the many visitors and residents of Washington, DC, to see when they visited the mall. In 2011, the NPS began a project to revive the nation’s front lawn. As part of the project, the NPS undertook an innovative project to correct the soil beneath the turf and designed a collection, storage, and irrigation system for storm water. Tyler Young, writer for Municipal Water Leader, had the opportunity to speak with Michael Stachowicz, turf management specialist for the NPS, about the National Mall, its revitalization, and the use of storm water to maintain the lush turf. Throughout the interview, Mr. Stachowicz showcases the innovative irrigation system and highlights the benefits of using storm water for irrigation in recreational areas. Tyler Young: Please tell us about your background and how long you have been with the National Parks. Michael Stachowicz: I have been with the NPS for 5½ years. I started when phase I was finishing up, and I helped manage phases II and III. Previously, I had spent over 20 years managing golf courses. During that time, I built a golf course; in doing so, I was able to work with conservation groups as well as storm water retention and other drainage systems. I will say that it is a lot easier to manage water on a golf course than it is here, because you can make ponds. I went to the University of Massachusetts for Turf Management. My education and previous work gave me the experience I needed to come here. Tyler Young: Please explain to our readers what prompted the implementation of this system.
22
Butterfly valves work in conjunction with the 3 variable frequency drive pumps to reduce water hammer and to smooth out operations.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS BY JULIA TERBROCK.
Michael Stachowicz: This project predates some of the District of Columbia’s storm water rules. The NPS recognized that the landscape had been worn down. We had been getting 33 million visitors a year, versus the 3 million people that were in the country when Pierre L’Enfant laid out the District of Columbia. The vast number of people in this area causes a lot of wear and tear.
We were looking at hard-packed areas as well, which are common in many parks around the country. The soil here is a heavy clay. Infiltration is difficult, so the water mostly runs off. With compaction, it is hard for grass to grow. Before the system, this was a dust bowl. The mall was mostly weeds with bare patches of dirt. When it rained, water would just run down the surrounding streets carrying silt. It was wet, slick, and muddy when it rained and dusty when it was dry. People would still come out to the mall, but now people come and sit and play games on the grass. It is just a nicer environment. The NPS undertook this $42 million project to try to improve the United States’ front lawn. There was a lot of engagement with the community to encourage this project. We wanted the mall to reflect our ability to take care of something with the utmost priority. There was also an environmental component to it with the storm water system. The irrigation system was efficient and fit in with later directives from the District of Columbia.
Underneath the National Mall, the National Park Service's irrigation system includes screens to filter out debris or silt from the storm water.
If the system is low on storm water, the underground irrigation system includes a city water feed to the cistern. An electronic flow meter matches the flow of city water to the flow required in the field.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Tyler Young: Can you tell us about the major components of the system, and what path water takes when it enters the system? Michael Stachowicz: The center panels of the mall have all been rebuilt over the past 5 years. They were rebuilt to sports field specifications, which includes internal drainage, irrigation, and engineered soil. We used a high sand mix to get infiltration in our traditional clay soil. Sand does not compact as much as clay, which makes it beneficial for this project. It is built like a penetrable, rooftop garden, but here we can take in 11 inches of water an hour. There is drainage beneath the grassy areas and within the curb around the grass that collects water and distributes it to four cisterns. Each can hold 250,000 gallons of water. The first, second, and fourth cisterns pump to the third, which is the one we use to irrigate. As we are pulling water from there, all the water cisterns are pumping into it to maintain a steady water level. Once we run out of water, we have the ability to fill the cistern with city water. The cistern should supply 68 percent of our water requirements. Whether that has panned out, I cannot tell you. We are in our first year of full operation, so hopefully by the end of this year we will have more statistics to report.
23
"We are pretty lucky to be where we are in the Northeast, to have as much rain as we do and to be able to design a system like this for a historic landscape."
Tyler Young: What happens to the water when the cisterns are full?
Tyler Young: How does the system distribute the collected water?
24
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO BY JULIA TERBROCK.
Michael Stachowicz: Right now, it is released into the storm water system for the District of Columbia. It does not happen in the summer, but it does in the winter. One of the pushes now is to use weather forecasts to predict how much water we should pump out to prepare for the weather to take pressure off the system. That is down the road, but that is how we would get better at it.
Michael Stachowicz: The irrigation system is much more efficient than a lot of other irrigation systems. There are 165 heads on the mall, and I have individual control over every single one. When you see a typical lawn go on, typically a block of heads is turned on. I can turn on any number of heads I wish. This means that I can control specific areas and better use our water. We have control over edges that seem to dry out more than the center of the lawn as well. The system is hooked up to a weather station that produces the evapotranspiration (ET) rate. The ET rate is basically how much water the grass loses in the course of a day. On a humid
can prevent it from having a perfect calculation for the whole area. For the future, we are looking at soil moisture monitors. The ones currently on the market are still pretty buggy, so we are looking forward to the new technology they are developing for our system. Our system has two failsafes to ensure that it shuts down during a rainstorm to prevent wasting water. One is the weather station indicating it has rained, and the other is a sensor that turns the system off once we receive 0.10 inch of rain. Tyler Young: Do you have regular times that you irrigate? Michael Stachowicz: Yes, we start at 11:00 p.m. and are done by 5:00–6:00 a.m. Each turf area is watered every second or third night, depending on the weather and what is going on. No matter what, we want to ensure that the crown of the plant dries out. When the crown starts to dry out, there is a hormonal response for the grass to push roots down making for a stronger plant. Plus, if we constantly watered, we would be promoting disease and fungus. That being said, we can only irrigate 6 to 7 months a year. Tyler Young: Have other parks in the area taken up initiatives similar to this?
and cloudy day, we do not lose anything. When we have dry weather with hot sun, we lose a lot more. During a normal summer day, I may have to irrigate a quarter of an inch at night to replace what the turf has lost. The system autoprograms each head to replace what was lost that day. What I tend to control is the percent adjustment for each head because there are microclimates for each. During the summertime, we may run 100 percent or 110 percent of what our ET rate is, and in the spring and fall, we tend to be around 75 percent to 80 percent of the ET rate. The ET system is positioned in the middle of the National Mall, so some of the sun angles MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Mr. Stachowicz turns on a block of National Mall sprinkler heads with his smartphone.
Michael Stachowicz: I do not know if we have caused a domino effect, but I do know that this is a viable way to use storm water and has worked itself into other projects. I believe the Eisenhower Memorial being built on Maryland and Independence Avenues, SW, has a cistern system for watering. Now the District of Columbia encourages these systems through its regulations. Tyler Young: Do you see storm water as the way of the future for irrigating recreational areas in municipalities? Michael Stachowicz: Yes, it is important to irrigate and find alternative resources to potable water. We are pretty lucky to be where we are in the Northeast, to have as much rain as we do and to be able to design a system like this for a historic landscape. M
25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
No Lead No Iron No Baggies No Linings No Coatings No Composites No Cathodic Protection No Special Tools aves No k leCorrosion a e r b n i a water m e e p thout i o c w i s h e C s s e n nd busi No a s e et m o h StreProblem t t e 100 s n a m i es Will water, clos
PVC has over 50 years of proven performance in the U.S and Canada. Studies show it has the lowest break rates of all water pipe products in these markets. It has pressure ratings to 305 psi and Diamond Plastics keeps inventory on hand through 60” diameter. Say yes to a safe sustainable solution, PVC. Proud Members of the PVC Pipe Association
800-PVC-Pipe
•
WWW.DPCPIPE.COM
Visit our page dpcpipe.com to view highly informative plant tour videos along with our 2017 Open House promo.
ADVERTISEMENT
Providing
Water • Wastewater • Recycled Water Since 1951
Industry leader in water reuse and brackish water desalination programs Eastern Municipal Water District • Perris, California www.emwd.org
ADVERTISEMENT
Rubicon Water. Over 20,000 gates and meters sold in 10 countries. Over the past 20 years Rubicon software, gates and meters have helped irrigation districts in the US and around the world better manage and control their water, increasing availability so users have more water when they need it most. Contact us to discover how we can do the same for you and your customers.
Call 1877-440-6080 email inquiry@rubiconwater.com or visit www.rubiconwater.com California contractor’s license number 984209
Oakdale Irrigation District, California
ADVERTISEMENT
Wa t e r S u p p l y • F l o o d P r o t e c t i o n • Wa t e r Q u a l i t y • R e c r e a t i o n
Enriching communities. Improving the quality of life. 8 0 0 E . N o r t h s i d e D r i v e , F o r t Wo r t h , T X 7 6 1 0 2 | ( 8 1 7 ) 3 3 5 - 2 4 9 1 | w w w. t r w d . c o m
ADVERTISEMENT
Bridging the gap between idea + achievement At HDR, we’re helping our clients push open the doors to what’s possible, every day. We can help you navigate the complexity of planning, designing, constructing, managing and operating your water supply facilities. Contact Us: Blaine Dwyer | blaine.dwyer@hdrinc.com
hdrinc.com
INTERNATIONAL
GREG INGLETON of SA Water
Late last year, in November 2017, Greg Ingleton, business development manager for Environmental Opportunities at SA Water, based in Adelaide, South Australia, took center stage at a TEDx Talk event in Adelaide to present his innovative vision for SA Water and Adelaide Airport. Struck by an idea when flying into Adelaide Airport, Mr. Ingleton used the knowledge he has gained as a farmer and the research he was undertaking on urban heat islands to propose using SA Water’s existing recycled water system around the airport to maintain soil moisture and cultivate a green space. Today, the project is in testing and is focused on applying anywhere from 0.47 to 0.59 inch of recycled water up to 3 evenings per week on a 10-acre patch of alfalfa south of the airport. While he had a strong inkling that the irrigation and the alfalfa patch would benefit the airport, he had no idea just how much the project would benefit SA Water, the airport, and the airlines, as well as the general public. Not only will it help the airport look nicer when the irrigation area is expanded, but the experiment also has shown that proper irrigation can reduce average ambient temperatures by around 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit. In an interview with Municipal Water Leader’s writer, Tyler Young, Mr. Ingleton discusses his idea for urban greening, its social benefits, and other innovative ideas for the future. Tyler Young: Please tell our readers about your background in the water industry and about your time in South Australia with SA Water.
32
industry that was historically dominated by male engineers. That is changing somewhat these days. During my time, I’ve noticed that engineers think differently than environmental scientists like me. One is definitely not better than the other, but each is uniquely different. As an environmental scientist, I look for ways that we can do things without building infrastructure. I have had a lot of opportunities to look at different aspects of the water cycle and different aspects of water quality. My main focus now is looking at making the most of our recycled water and future opportunities with storm water and providing the best benefit to our customers. Tyler Young: What is the history of SA Water? Greg Ingleton: SA Water is a large organization, founded as a government corporation in 1856. We provide water and wastewater services to around 1.6 million customers, which is around 95 percent of the population of South Australia. SA Water has been leading the way in Australia on recycling water for the past three decades, and we’re now recycling around 30 percent of our wastewater every year. Although a majority of the population of South Australia resides in Adelaide, our rural areas contain many MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF GREG INGLETON.
Greg Ingleton: I grew up in Sydney, Australia, wanting to be a farmer. After 15 years, I realized all I was doing was making the farmers rich, so I decided one day that I was going to go to university to study environmental science. An older gentleman at a local hardware store in Byron Bay, New South Wales, told me, “You know, son, water is where it is at. You have got to get involved in water.” So I did just that. As part of my environmental science degree, I studied recycled water. Once I finished my degree, I looked at a map of Australia to find a dry capital city in Australia; Adelaide was it. It is located close to the coast and had a good cost of living, so I moved there 15 years ago without a job and without knowing anybody. I was able to find a home and enter into a graduate program at SA Water. For the last 15 years, I have been working in an
SA Water Business Development Manager Greg Ingleton.
INTERNATIONAL farms that rely on groundwater to irrigate. That being said, as a state government organization, what money we make is contributed to the government’s budget for schools or hospitals to benefit the South Australian community. Looking at our natural resources, we have one big river, the River Murray, which runs through the state. It flows in from New South Wales and Victoria. A certain volume of our water for the city comes from rainfall and runoff into our reservoirs located in the hills around the city and water we take from the River Murray; just 2 percent comes from the Adelaide Desalination Plant, which we keep running in the background, ready to step up and supply the city if drought conditions return in future. The majority of the state’s regional towns are serviced with groundwater from natural aquifers. South Australia is a dry state. In fact, it is the driest state in the driest inhabited continent on earth. Our rainfall in the city is about 19.5 inches per year, while the rainfall in the hills goes up to 31.5 to 35.5 inches per year in some areas. Beyond that, some places only get 8 inches and others as little as .60 inch of water per year. Tyler Young: How did you make your idea of localized irrigation at airports into the success it is today? Greg Ingleton: One day when flying into Adelaide airport, I had a vision that stemmed from my research on urban heat islands. At that time, the airport was pursuing efforts to become more sustainable. When it came time to sell them on my idea, I thought about all the benefits for them and for SA Water. From SA Water’s perspective, we had a recycled water system that ran by the airport. If we did not use the water on the land, we would have to turn it out to sea, which we have to pay a license fee to do. By putting the water on the land, we would actually save money for SA Water and potentially for Adelaide Airport. That was kind of the base case for the project and the hypothesis we wanted test with the airport. After that point, I started to pursue a test trial to work out any problems. These trials always have to be reversible, so if they do not work I can just collect the equipment and move on to another idea. With this one, the biggest issue we identified was birds. Birds are automatically attracted to water, and since birds and airplanes do not mix, we wanted to make sure we did not increase the number of birds around the airport. The trial gave everyone a lot of confidence. The interesting thing with all these experiments is that it’s not until the experiment is started and data are gathered that all the unforeseen benefits are identified. To begin with, I did not think about increased aircraft performance when I started the project. It turns out that the temperature decrease caused by irrigation leads to a decrease in fuel consumption during takeoff. Also, one of the biggest savings is from airlines not having to reduce payload as much. On hot days, airlines have to adjust their MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
payload significantly. Now, the temperature difference that will be associated with this project once it is fully expanded across the airport could mean the difference between a flight being profitable or running at a loss. The ability to cool the airport by around 5 degrees Fahrenheit means the difference in hundreds of pounds of freight that can stay on a plane because of that cooler air. It turns out to be a huge difference to the airline. When I started to present some of the results around Adelaide, someone would always come up and mention a benefit I had not thought about. Usually, when we looked into it, it was a benefit. The idea to grow a crop on this land came from wanting to prevent runoff. The really interesting thing about this is that most airports around the world, especially those in the United States, Europe, and Australia, are encouraged to grow vegetation up to 11 inches in height. In Adelaide, it does not rain much from about November until the end of April. During that period, everything dies off, and you are left with dead grass. During that period, pigeons and cockatoos may be attracted to the area in search of bugs in the soil. If you grow vegetation over that, they cannot get into the dirt to get the bugs, so keeping the area green and fresh helps keep the birds away and benefits the airport. Tyler Young: What advice do you have for a water provider or an individual interested in pursuing an operation such as this? Greg Ingleton: If you have an idea, and think it could work, do the research, gain confidence in the program yourself, and then be persistent about gaining support for your project from potential stakeholders. Additionally, you cannot be constrained about justifying your idea from the beginning. Think forwardly! One of the reasons I had this idea is because I do a lot of blue-sky thinking about water in general and not because I was trying to create a revenue source for SA Water. A good example of this comes from when I first started at SA Water. My first job was examining our water catchment and drinking water quality to identify things that could affect it. One day, I was driving down a road I had driven every weekend, and the day after I got the job I noticed a stockpile of chemical containers next to a creek that eventually entered our water catchment. The containers had probably been there for a year, but I did not notice them until I had read about catchment risk at work. It was like my eyes were opened because I had just read about it, but if I hadn’t, I would have driven by the stockpile of chemical containers forever and never seen the risk there. That is similar to my idea with the airport. Had I not been researching urban heat islands, I might not have had the idea. I encourage people to have a look into other areas as well. If you are an engineer, have a look into environmental science. It helps you think about different approaches to things you see and do on a day-to-day basis. From this
33
INTERNATIONAL thinking, benefits will come naturally. When I first started work on the Adelaide Airport project, I had a lot of people say it was not a good idea. I could have easily given up, but I knew what the big picture was, and I changed my communication strategy. I started to talk to senior-level SA Water people about the benefits to our reputation and all the cost savings and revenue gains we could see. I would say, “Imagine if we are the first utility to do something like this?” They started to take notice and see the value of the idea. Some others were just concerned with the monetary benefits, so I broke down all the money we could save by pursuing the project, such as not discharging water to the sea. Some other benefits come from the reduced treatment steps the water would have to go through. If we are putting the water on the land, we do not have to take the nutrients out of the water. Instead, farmers would love to have the nutrients applied to their land. This saves us energy and chemical treatment costs. Tyler Young: Where do you see the water and wastewater industry going in the future?
34
to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. People say, “Ahh that is nice, it won't feel as hot on a warm day.” However, there is more to it! What we want to do is demonstrate that irrigation can encourage public exercise. If a park is green, people will be attracted to the park. The other direct benefit is the reduction in heat-related deaths. We have data from each city in Australia that identify the temperature tipping point, where you see a 2–8 percent increase in deaths, and up to a 25 percent increase in hospital admission. In South Australia, we know that the tipping point is 107 degrees. As soon as it hits 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and not a degree less, the data show that the death rate jumps up by 2–8 percent. You also see an increase in hospital admissions and ambulance use. It is a strain on hospitals and healthcare providers to keep up with that increase when the temperature rises. If we can cool the urban area down by 5 or even 7 degrees Fahrenheit, we will have saved people’s lives and saved the healthcare budget a lot of money. As a water utility, we are now looking to provide this type of guidance and education to our customers to encourage people to water lawns, gardens, and parks. We are not promoting the use of more water or its use in an unsustainable manner; we are promoting the smarter use of water, emphasizing where and when to use water to get the maximum benefit from it. Tyler Young: Are there any other projects you are working on now that you can tell us about? MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SA WATER.
Greg Ingleton: One of the things that we are conscious of is becoming like the energy sector. You see the disruption to energy providers from the introduction of solar panels and private utility providers. The industry has moved away from the traditional large utility provider to wind farms and the like. This could happen in the water industry as well. We have to reposition ourselves because we are no longer a monopoly. We have to be smarter about the services we supply to our customers. One of the things we are exploring is the original charge put on water utilities long ago—community health. That was to provide clean and a stable water source for the community. We are thinking about this in a different way now. If we are charged with maintaining public health, there has to be more that we can do today than to just provide a clean water supply. As a result, we have been working with our municipal councils and health departments on this issue. One of the ideas we have looked into is urban greening. If a council were to irrigate a park in a neighborhood, would there be a benefit? There is a wealth of information out there that shows you can reduce the temperature in that urban environment by up
INTERNATIONAL
Various Adelaide Airport irrigation trials show the progress and improvement in irrigating the grass surrounding the airport.
"We are promoting the smarter use of water, emphasizing where and when to use water to get the maximum benefit from it." Greg Ingleton: Related to what we were just talking about, you can teach people how to use water to reduce the cooling costs for their homes. As a farmer, we would always water our crop a few days before a heat wave was expected. That never happens in the city. People wake up in the morning or come home from work on a really hot day and turn on all their sprinklers to save their droopy vegetation. We have been developing technology that measures soil moisture and syncs with weather forecasts and indicates to irrigate a few days before a heat wave. We are encouraging people to water their lawn a few days before a heat wave hits to keep the vegetation healthy. Then instead of going inside on the day of the heat wave, we are encouraging them to go outside, spray water around the ground where they are going to sit, and turn on a sprinkler for the kids. By doing this, you only spend about $0.23 per hour, but if you were inside you would spend about $0.90 running your air conditioner, television, and whatever else. We know that air conditioners play a critical role in our homes, and this type of watering will not replace the use of air conditioners, but we are hoping it will encourage a reduction in the use of air conditioners as the only method to provide comfort in or around the home. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
The thing about air conditioners is they make the outdoor temperature even hotter by pumping all the hot air into the environment. We are trying to show the benefits of using water effectively to save money. If we can get a carbon credit in an urban area for energy reduction, we can then get a carbon credit for the grass and trees—it is a carbon sequestration pathway. That changes the whole economic discussion dramatically. My goal in all this is to get the word out. When I was at university, people asked me why I would move from Byron Bay to Adelaide, and my answer without thinking about it was, “I want to change the world.” If I can make the world a better place, I will be a happy man. M To view Greg Ingleton’s TEDx Talk, please visit youtu.be/nKtwitvoRIg.
35
ADVERTISEMENT
w e n av i g at e the peaks and valleys
A s s e t M a nag em en t So l u ti o n s f r o m t he i nd u s t ry’s l ead i n g p r o f essi o n al s With aging water and wastewater infrastructure and shrinking budgets, utilities are working proactively to prioritize system renewal with a risk-based approach. Freese and Nichols helps clients act as stewards of their facilities and their budgets by providing fiscally responsible rehabilitation options.
We maximize value of your CIP dollars by taking a business case approach to asset management. Our professional services include prioritized renewal CIP creation, comprehensive condition assessment, process evaluation, data inventory and management, and more.
The sustainable benefits of system assessment and rehabilitation are many, including power savings, leak reduction and increasing the life of an existing facility.
Regionally Based with National Expertise
www.freese.com
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Introducing the IWS AG-Screen Our newly designed self cleaning AG-Screens are ideal for low flow (2-3 cfs) applications. They are much more affordable for the independent farmer. Prices starting as low as $10,000.
RICH GARGAN (661) 979-1815 iwsrich@sbcglobal.net
CHRIS GARGAN (661) 979-7206 iwschris@sbcglobal.net International Water Screens 11007 Ainswick Dr. Bakersfield, CA 93311 Website: www.internationalwaterscreens.com Phone: (661) 746-7959
JOEL IRVING (310) 614-4681 Iwsjoel@sbcglobal.net
ADVERTISEMENT
WESTERN WATER SEMINAR August 1–3, 2018 • Grand Summit Hotel • Park City, Utah
Register today at nwra.org
NWR
National Water Resources Association
ADVERTISEMENT INDEX 2 Hydro Component Systems (920) 261–2139 | hydrocomponentsystems.com
29 Rubicon (877) 440–6080 | rubiconwater.com
3 Huesker (704) 588–5500 | HUESKER.us
30 Tarrant Regional Water District (817) 335–2491 | trwd.com
15 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (213) 217–6000 | mwdh2o.com
31, 40 HDR hdrinc.com
19 Worthington (800) 899–2977 | tuffboom-ir.com
36 Freese and Nichols, Inc. freese.com
26 Northwest Pipe Company (360) 397–6250 | nwpipe.com
37 Desert Water Agency (760) 323–4971 | dwa.org
27 Diamond Plastics (800) PVC–Pipe | dpcpipe.com
38 International Water Screens (661) 746–7959 | internationalwaterscreens.com
28 Eastern Municipal Water District (951) 928–3777 | emwd.org
39 National Water Resources Association (202) 698–0693 | nwra.org
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
39
Offices worldwide
hdrinc.com
Upcoming Events May 2–3 Arizona Water Annual Conference and Exhibition, Phoenix, AZ May 7–8 National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Great Lake Regional Utility Forum, Grand Rapids, MI May 7–8 Water Environment and Reuse Foundation, 2018 Research Conference, Atlanta, GA May 16–18 WateReuse, Pacific Northwest WateReuse Conference, Portland, OR May 23–25 National Association of Counties, Western Interstate Region Conference, Blaine County, ID June 3–7 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, Minneapolis, MN June 11–14 American Water Works Association, Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV June 20–22 Western Coalition of Arid States, WESTCAS 2018 Annual Conference, San Diego, CA
MuniWaterLeader
Past issues of Municipal Water Leader are archived at waterstrategies.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY.
Bridging the gap between idea + achievement
