The third in our ongoing series of interviews is

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1 Interview with a Collection System Operator Welcome to the third interview of an ongoing series of Interview with a Collection System Operator articles, brought to you by the Collection System Committee of the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association. This series is designed to provide the reader with examples of what others in our business are doing to address the common issues facing all collection system owners and operators in Pennsylvania. The Collection System Committee is the largest PWEA committee. This committee is made up of PWEA members with qualifications and interest in issues addressing conveyance from the source to the wastewater treatment plant. Our members include municipalities, authorities, consulting engineers, contractors and vendors. The chief benefit to our members is the sharing of information both from our members and from knowledgeable sources around North America. Among the issues our members address are: Capacity Inflow and infiltration Public Private SSES investigation methods Pipeline and manhole rehabilitation Collection system funding PADEP (regulatory issues) Safety. For geographic convenience, the Collection System Committee is divided into two subcommittees: Western Pennsylvania and Eastern & Central Pennsylvania. The Eastern & Central subcommittee meets about nine times per year in various locations. The Western subcommittee meets about five times per year. Our committee provides PWEA members with: Internal forums on key collection system issues Workshops for operator continuing education Collection system classes during PennTec (PWEA annual conference) Articles in the Keystone Water Quality Manager magazine. The third in our ongoing series of interviews is with Matthew Aikey, Township Sewer Superintendent of Old Lycoming Township (OLT). Matt is a PA-SEO with a Class E, Subclass 4 Operators license. He graduated from Montoursville High School in 1999 and has worked for the Township since He has been Superintendent for the past 5 years. Prior to his working with the Township, Matt was employed with HRI, Inc. The following provides some background on Matt s position, the relationship between OLT and the Old Lycoming Area Authority (OLAA) and concludes with Matt s answers to our questions about his system and the OLT I/I Program. System Description The Old Lycoming Area Authority (OLAA) owns the sewage collection and conveyance system in both Lycoming and Old Lycoming Townships. The sewage collection and conveyance system is operated and maintained by Old Lycoming Township (OLT). Sewage from the system is treated by the Williamsport Sanitary Authority (WSA) at their West Wastewater Treatment Plant (West WWTP). Chapter 94 Reports indicate that the sewage collection and conveyance system experiences a significant amount of infiltration and inflow (I/I) during wet weather events. In June 2005, the Lycoming County Economic Development and Planning Services Department completed a Comprehensive Combined Sewer Overflow Study (2005 Study) of the WSA service area. The Township was a stakeholder in the 2005 Study. As part of the overall 2005 Study, a limited I/I study was performed in the Township. On August 29, 2008, the WSA submitted an Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan and Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) for upgrades to their two WWTPs. On the same day, the Tributary Communities (Duboistown, South Williamsport, Armstrong Township, Loyalsock Township, Lycoming Township, Old Lycoming Township, and Woodward Township) submitted a joint Act 537 Sewage Facilities Special Study, which provided future sewage flow and waste load projections that the WSA used in the development of their Plan and recommendations for sewage collection and conveyance system improvements in the continued on page 30 January/February/March 2013 KWQM 29

2 Interview with a Collection System Operator continued from page 29 Tributary Communities for the management of wet weather sewage flows. The recommendations for OLAA included the construction of a 1.5 MG wet weather storage tank and conducting a detailed sewage collection and conveyance system investigation to identify sources of I/I within their system. In November 2009, the OLT completed the detailed I/I investigation. Based on the investigation results, the overall structural condition of the system was fair. During 2010, OLT began the private property inspection program of all properties within the system; as well as designed the recommended public system improvements. During 2011, the OLAA completed construction of public system improvements and developed their operation and maintenance plan for the system. During 2012, the OLAA is designing their wet weather management tank and associated facilities, which are scheduled for construction in Q: How many miles of pipeline in your collection and conveyance system? A: 22 miles Q: What is the range of pipeline diameters in your system? A: 6 21 inch Q: How many customers does your system serve? A: Approximately 2,000 Q: Are there any pumping stations in your system? If so, how many and what are the capacities and force main sizes? A: We currently operate three pump stations. The following provides a description of each station. Gardenview Place Gardenview (a.k.a. Shirn s) Pump Station is a variable frequency drive duplex grinder pump station equipped with two 15 HP 1,170 rpm C-face 3 phase Baldor/1,200 GPM Vaughan pedestal chopper pumps model VDP6U8S-104 that are set up on a lead/lag cycle and are metered by an inline Rosemount magnetic flowmeter and also an Endress+Hauser Ecograph T data logger. The data is then sent to a SCADA system for monitoring and alarming. The levels within the wet well are controlled by a Dwyer instruments model SBLT submersible level transducer and a backup float system. This station is also equipped with a 65 KW/ 3 phase Generac generator for power failure. Fox Hollow The Fox Hollow Road pump station is a duplex demand grinder pump station equipped with two Vaughan 35 HP 220 GPM model S3V-073 submersible chopper pumps that convey flow from the entire Fox Hollow Sewershed through a 4 ductile iron force main. Flow at this station is metered through an Endress+Hauser Proline Promag 53 magnetic flow meter and also an Endress Hauser Ecograph T data logger. Flow data is then sent to a SCADA system for monitoring and alarming. The levels within the wet well are controlled by a Pressure Systems series 700 submersible level transducer and there is a back up float system. This station is also equipped with a 75 KW/ 3 phase Generac generator for power failure. English Farm Lane The English Farm Lane pump station is a duplex demand grinder pump station equipped with two 7.5 HP, 35 GPM KSB submersible chopper pumps that convey sewage from the northwest portion of the Fox Hollow Sewershed through a 2.5 PVC force main, which then flows by gravity to the Fox Hollow pump station. Flow at this station is metered through an Endress+Hauser Proline Promag 53 magnetic flow meter and the flow data is sent to a SCADA system for monitoring and alarming. The levels within the wet well are controlled by a Pressure Systems series 700 submersible level transducer and a backup float system. This station is also equipped with a 17 KW/ single phase Generac generator and Cutler Hammer sxv9000 variable frequency drives to create the third phase to operate the pumps. Management Q: How many employees are dedicated to the collection and conveyance system operation? A: There are currently 6 full time employees and one part time employee. Q: Do you utilize GIS for mapping and as a database of system information? A: We currently own and operate a Trimble GeoXT and use ESRI Arc software for all of our GIS mapping. Q: What is your annual budget for the collection and conveyance system? A: Our annual budget is approximately $1.3 Million. Q: How much of the budget is dedicated annually to an I/I removal program? A: Approximately ¼ of our annual budget. Q: Do you have a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)? If so, is it updated annually? A: To address the I/I issues within the OLAA system, our engineer recommended to us to: Focus a majority of rehabilitation efforts within the Indian Hills sewershed and provide limited rehabilitation in the other three remaining sewersheds that were constructed during the 1970s. A significant 30 KWQM January/February/March 2013

3 contributor of I/I was the Bottle Run Interceptor sewer along Bottle Run. The portion of the collection system serving the properties along Ridgedale Avenue was scheduled for replacement since it was the only portion of the system constructed of vitrified clay pipe and brick manholes and significant slope issues exist within these pipelines. Implement an inspection program that will inspect all properties connected to the sewage collection and conveyance system with the objective of identifying inflow sources from private properties and identifying building sewers that allow infiltration to enter the system. Once sources of inflow and infiltration are confirmed, the Township s Sewer Department would be responsible for ensuring that the property owners make the repairs and modifications required to comply with the Township s Sewers and Sewage Disposal Ordinance. Develop and implement an operation and maintenance program for the sewage collection and conveyance system that meets the requirements of EPA s Capacity, Management, Operations and Maintenance (CMOM) guidelines. The implementation of an operation and maintenance program insures that the system provides sewage service to the residents of the Township in a manner that protects their health and safety, and minimizes adverse impacts on the environment. In addition, the program provides the necessary maintenance to preserve the integrity of the system and quality of service; as well as, eliminate the need to increase the volume of the wet weather storage facility in the future. I have created a capitol reserve account that is based off of our operation and maintenance manual which is updated annually. Operations Q: Is construction observation and testing routine for any sewer system installation? If so, what types of testing are performed on the mains and the manholes? A: Newly constructed manholes are tested using a vacuum test and then a detailed manhole inspection using the Trimble GeoXT is completed for mapping purposes. Newly constructed sewer mains are air tested for leaks and mandrel tested for deflection. Closed-circuit televising is also completed for new sewer mains. Routine smoke testing of sewer mains and manholes is also completed; as necessary. continued on page 32 January/February/March 2013 KWQM 31

4 Interview with a Collection System Operator continued from page 31 Q: Is any type of post construction testing required on the sewer system? (For example, do developer constructed extensions need to be internally inspected prior to dedication?) A: The same testing and inspection procedures for newly constructed or rehabilitated sewer mains and manholes are utilized for post construction testing. Q: Are you part of a regional system? Is so, how are excess flows handled? A: We are a regional system, since the Authority owns sewer mains within two municipalities. We are also part of the Williamsport Sanitary Authority s service area, since our sewage is treated at their West WWTP. Q: Do you have a defined safety program? A: Yes, this includes continuing education courses for all workers, proper safety equipment inspected and calibrated on schedule, the use of confined space entry permits and all required confined space equipment as stated in the operation and maintenance manual Maintenance Q: Do you have a formal I/I program? Are you under any orders from the PADEP to eliminate/reduce SSOs or CSOs? A: We have a formal I/I program but are not under any consent order. Q: Do you have a program to deal with private property I/I issues? If so, briefly describe what you do. A: The properties in Lycoming and Old Lycoming Townships will be inspected on a rotating schedule. The properties have been divided into a six year rotating schedule. Each year, approximately 300 properties will be inspected. Yearly sewershed inspections should take place during the spring months or during times of increased precipitation. Inspection Process The following is a summary of the sequence of events needed to complete a property inspection: 1. An initial letter should be sent to the home owner from the Township to notify the home owner that their property is due for an inspection. The letter shall include a timeframe of 30 days for the homecontinued on page 34 Water Wastewater Stormwater Philadelphia State College Pittsburgh 32 KWQM January/February/March 2013

5 Indian Hill Graph Leaking Lateral Top Side View Root in Manhole Root in Manhole Smoke test January/February/March 2013 KWQM 33

6 Interview with a Collection System Operator continued from page 33 owner to contact the Sewer Department secretary and schedule their inspection. 2. An appointment is scheduled and placed on the Sewer Department calendar. 3. Representatives from the Sewer Department conduct the inspection. An inspection form, a video of the building sewer and pictures of all potential sources of inflow will be done for each property. 4. Once the inspection has been completed, a review of the inspection will be done by a competent Sewer Department inspector. A summary of the review will be provided to the Sewer Department secretary detailing the results of the inspection. 5. A letter from the Sewer Department will be sent to the home owner summarizing the results of the inspections. Each property will be deemed to be either compliant or non-compliant. 6. In the event the property is found to be non-compliant for a building sewer issue, a timeframe of 90 days will be granted to make the proper corrections; for a building inspection violation a timeframe of 30 days will be granted to make corrections. Extensions may be granted at the discretion of the Sewer Department Supervisor for extenuating circumstances such as inclement weather or homeowner funding assistance. Extensions will only be granted when the homeowner has supplied a contract between themselves and a contractor with both parties signatures and a tentative start date (all time frames are subject to change). 7. Once the corrections have been made, a follow-up compliance inspection will be conducted to determine if the property owner has made the necessary repairs. Q: What has been your experience with I/I identification/removal/reduction methods? What has worked best for you; what not so well? A: The procedures stated above have seemed to work very effectively. Q: Do you have your own equipment to do the investigation and rehabilitation? A: Yes About the Author Matthew Peleschak, PE is a 1999 graduate of Wilkes University with a degree in Environmental Engineering. Mr. Peleschak is currently employed as a Project Manager by Larson Design Group at their Bethel, PA office. Mr. Peleschak is responsible for all phases of project development including planning, system design, plan preparation, PA- DEP permitting, specifications, and construction administration. He works closely with clients, regulators, suppliers, and other discipline designers to ensure that the work is completed in accordance with client and regulatory requirements. He is highly experienced in the evaluation and rehabilitation of sewage collection and conveyance systems. Over the past 10 years, Mr. Peleschak has worked with a number of the communities in the Greater Williamsport Area to develop both public sewer system and private sewer system improvements, including the development of Property Inspection Programs, to address wet weather flow issues. 34 KWQM January/February/March 2013