CHAPTER IX OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

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1 CHAPTER IX OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM 9.1 DISTRICT MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL The District is composed of approximately 110 full time positions that are organized into distinct departments including administrative services, operations and maintenance, engineering, and finance. The department heads report to the General Manager who is responsible for the overall management of the utility. The General Manager reports directly to the Board of Commissioners Organization Each department within the District has a specific function that is vital to the inner workings and function of the Utility. The departments work independently, yet cooperatively, in a symbiotic relationship with one another. Each of the departments are responsible for both the water and sewer functions of the District and work on each utility system as needed. The administrative services department provides administrative support to other District departments. The department functions include human resources, information technology and GIS, safety and emergency preparedness, communications, facilities management and support for the Board of Commissioners. The engineering department is led by the District Engineer. This department is responsible for the design, design review and inspection of new utility infrastructure and completion of the District s capital improvement projects. The rate of growth affects engineering staff requirements, as growth typically translates to the installation of new projects requiring engineering review and construction inspection. The finance department is responsible for billing, accounts payable, payroll, customer service and budget formulation. The operations and maintenance department is responsible for operation and maintenance of the treatment facility, the lift stations and force mains, and the gravity sewers and manholes. There are approximately 17 staff members employed as fulltime wastewater field personnel. The District employs seven staff members that work exclusively at the wastewater treatment facility. Additionally, there are three crews responsible for the collections system, consisting of two Vaccon crews (3 persons each) and a two person maintenance crew. The District has a lift station operator and a lift station mechanic that spend between 60% and 100% of their workweek maintaining the lift stations and the mechanical components throughout the collection system. These two positions are supported by a maintenance, field, and shop mechanic who spends 0% to 15% of their work week in this supporting role. The District has a full-time SCADA technician and electrician working on the water and sewer systems as needed. 9-1

2 9.1.2 Certification and Training The District encourages its employees to obtain certification and training for skills relevant to operating and maintaining the sewer system. All staff must, at a minimum, have the following: A high school diploma or GED. A driver s license. And field staff must be certified for confined space entry (CSE). The District requires the lead for the water/sewer works and the wastewater foreman to have a State of Washington Wastewater Collection System Operator (WWCS) 1 certification; however a WWCS 2 is preferred. Certifications are not required for water/sewer worker 1 in the District. In addition, the District provides employees with opportunities for training and certification relative to their position function. Each staff member annually receives approximately 24 hours training. Depending on the employee s function, training may include safety, confined space entry, record keeping, pump station electrical and instrumentation, pump station operation, public relations, vactor truck operations and routine line maintenance, traffic control, and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO)/emergency response. Training is provided in varying mixes of the following categories: Manufacturer training by various equipment suppliers and representatives. On-the-job training in the field, the shop, or in the office. In-house class room training. Industry-wide training at conferences and seminars away from the District. To promote the improvement of its employees, the District pays for annual certification fees, employee time and tuition during certification training courses and provides time off for certification testing. The District also provides staff opportunities to receive the continuing education necessary to maintain certification. Professional growth requirements for certification are met through continuing education units (CEU) that are recorded and maintained by the District. Time sheets are also coded to identify and track employee training hours. Certified District personnel are required to obtain a minimum of three CEUs in three years. 9.2 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS This section presents the operations and maintenance activities, including preventive and corrective routines, procedures and wastewater related programs. 9-2

3 9.2.1 Collection System Maintenance Lift Stations The District has a two-person crew that is dedicated to lift station maintenance and incident response. This crew visits every lift station a minimum of once per week. Those stations that are older or that have a tendency to be a source of problems are visited two or three times weekly. The emergency generators are exercised a minimum of once per month. That frequency increases to twice per month during the winter months. Typically the generators are exercised for a 2 to 4 hour period. Approximately half of the wet wells are washed down every month. These wet wells are those that have a high incident of grease accumulation. The remaining wet wells are washed down on a bi-monthly frequency. The District is installing a new SCADA system which will soon be functional. Though the District currently does not have the flexibility to insert a pigging mandrel into the force mains, consideration to adding this feature is being weighed Sanitary Sewers The District s staff has established a plan to conduct an annual internal inspection (closed circuit televising) of 180,000 linear feet of pipeline. The digital record of these inspections are reviewed by the technicians and any segment that is identified as needing repair, sliplining or replacement is noted and reviewed with the Engineering Department. Similarly, those segments that are structurally sound, but in need of routine attention are also tracked and, if warranted, added to the frequent flushing list. The lines that have been previously identified as needing routine flushing are identified on Table 8.1. Depending on the severity of the problem, the staff has categorized the flushing frequency as either monthly, quarterly, annually or bi-annually. The staff is also alert to the potential of odor concerns, though odor complaints in the collection system are extremely rare. The crew also hydraulically jets approximately 600,000 linear feet of pipe each year. The goal is to completely jet the District s entire system every five years Picnic Point WWTP Maintenance The program maintenance protocol currently being used at the WWTP consists of a manual card system that tracks historical maintenance measures for each piece of 9-3

4 equipment. This system has been the backbone of scheduling all preventative maintenance. The daily, weekly, monthly and annual measures of oil changes, lubrication and exercising of infrequently used equipment is chronicled on these cards The plant staff does most of the repairs and rebuilds with in house personnel. More complex tasks such as motor rewinding, electrical or instrumentation modifications are out sourced to a third party. Critical equipment that could affect effluent quality has redundant and backup equipment on-the-shelf. This redundancy allows the District to respond to equipment failures without effluent violations. With the backup equipment available the District currently does not routinely replace old equipment until such time as the maintenance efforts become burdensome and replacement is the prudent decision. The new MBR plant improvements will include features that will ease some of the laborintensive maintenance efforts associated with aging equipment. 9.3 PROGRAMS Pretreatment Program The District commissioners, through Resolution No , established pretreatment requirements for all dischargers into the District s system. These standards include a general prohibition that disallows any discharge that would result in a pass through or interference with the Public Owned Treatment Works. This resolution also contains a specific and detailed description of the prohibited substances. The following is a general summary of those specific prohibitions: Any substance that is considered explosive and/or has a flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Any substance that may cause an obstruction to the flow in a sewer or at the plant. This includes garbage with particles greater than one-quarter inch (1/4 ), waste from industrial processes including sludges, screenings, and pretreatment residues, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshings, entrails, whole blood, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, earth, gravel, coal, rubbish, spent lime stone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, waste paper, wood, plastics, gas, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining, or processing of fuel or lubrication oil, mud, or glass grinding or polishing wastes. Any wastewater generally having a ph less than 5.5 or greater than 8.5 Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants Any noxious or malodorous substance Any substance that may result in toxic gases, vapors or fumes. Medical wastes Septage Substances that might result in biosolids to be unsuitable for reclamation Substances containing color such as stains, dyes, and paints 9-4

5 Wastewater that is greater than 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Any amount of unpolluted water including non-contact cooling water, stormwater, and other indirect inflow sources. Wastewater containing radioactive wastes. Any substance that would result in a violation of the District s NPDES permit. Metal concentrations must not exceed o Arsenic 0.5 mg/l o Cadmium 0.24 mg/l o Chromium 5.0 mg/l o Copper 3.0 mg/l o Cyanide 0.65 mg/l o Lead 1.89 mg/l o Mercury 0.1 mg/l o Nickel 2.83 mg/l o Silver 0.49 mg/l o Zinc 4.0 mg/l High strength dischargers of BOD, TSS and FOG are obligated to have special provisions that might restrict their rate of discharge or have specific pretreatment requirements. The District s pretreatment resolution also defines the requirements for sizing and maintaining the grease traps and/or interceptors. Failure to comply with the limitations and prohibitions presented above may result in the issuance of a Corrective Order and, if the directive of the corrective order is not followed, fines may be imposed on the violator. The District s FOG policy was passed by the Board of Commissioners under Resolution (see Appendix M) Water Reclamation and Reuse The current plant uses chlorinated and strained effluent for wash down purposes within the plant. No offsite use is currently allowed. The plant does not meter wash down water, so the volume of reuse water is not known. The new MBR plant, as previously stated, has reserved an area and preserved the flexibility for reclaimed water equipment in the future. The future use of reclaimed water will include the District s use for line and manhole flushing and potentially for irrigational use as discussed in Chapter Biosolids Recycling All biosolids generated at the plant are dewatered and hauled to GrowCo in the Kent Valley. There are approximately two to three loads per week delivered to that facility. 9-5

6 Each load is approximately 3 dry tons. Last year a total of approximately 400 dry tons were processed. The biosolids are dewatered using a belt filter press. The 2007 costs associated with hauling was $22.50 per dry ton and the costs for tipping was $64.00 per dry ton. GrowCo uses the biosolids in their composting operations. The new centrifuge and thermal dryer will result in biosolids volumes that are only 12 to 14 percent of that which is currently being hauled to GrowCo. Initially the dried biosolids will be hauled to GrowCo. However, consideration will be given to local distribution to nurseries and parks Sewage Spill Response Plan Emergency response to reported sewage spills and back ups typically come into the District Administrative offices. These calls are forwarded to the maintenance department during normal business hours. During non-business hours, the District has a rotating assignment among the staff to be on-call to respond to incidents 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. The District also requires the user that may have discharged a slug load or accidental discharge of substances prohibited into the POTW to notify the Lead Operator of the Wastewater Treatment Plant immediately. Written report of the event is required within five days of the first notification. The District has a reporting protocol that includes informing the Department of Ecology within the next business day of the spill and within 24 hours to the Snohomish County Health Department CMOM The EPA has issued draft regulations implementing the Capacity, Management, Operations, and Maintenance (CMOM) program. CMOM requires the development of facility maintenance plans, tracking of asset condition, establishing level of service and performance goals. Key requirements are outlined below: 1. Capacity Assurance Plan evaluate existing system; identify capacity deficiencies; establish short and long-term remedies to capacity deficiencies. 2. Management Program specify program goals; establish organizational structure legal authority (e.g. service agreements) to manage flow; establish program measures and ranking of O&M activities based on current capacity and structural deficiencies. 9-6

7 audit documentation of changes in system condition and performance establish standards and requirements for new construction as well as rehabilitation and repair. 3. Overflow Response Plan (ORP) steps to respond to SSO s and to implement response plan 4. Audit Operations and Maintenance performance initial assessment of O&M activities; establish performance goals, measures and priorities perform periodic audits to identify progress and required revisions to the program. Between 2002 and 2004, District staff prepared a draft CMOM plan that responded to the draft regulations. However, since the rules were not promulgated, implementation of that plan has not moved forward Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan The Federal Water Pollution Control Act established the requirement for a Water Quality Management Plan. Resultantly, RCW established the need of a Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan. The stated objectives of this governance are to recover of the Puget Sound waters by the year This Comprehensive Sewer Plan is consistent with the intended goals of the Water Quality Management Plan. 9.4 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM / RECORD KEEPING Collection System The District maintains an ongoing record of existing and as-built sewer extensions. Previously these records were retained as AutoCAD files, though more recently, the District has developed GIS based drawings in an effort to have a more comprehensive and consolidated record of pipe age, size and material, invert and rim elevations, slopes and manhole identifiers. As the GIS mapping expands, the O&M activities should be incorporated into this data base. These activities should include the last time the pipe segments were internally televised, flushed and jetted. It could also include incident reports, backup events and surcharging manholes National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit The District s NPDES permit requires that record keeping be maintained and that regular reporting be made to DOE. Any spills in the District s collection system are reported as part of the NPDES Permit requirements. A copy of the District s current NPDES Permit is included in Appendix K. 9-7

8 9.5 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Wastewater Treatment Plant The Picnic Point WWTP operates under the current NPDES Permit No. WA This permit requires regular reporting of influent loading and effluent mass and concentrations discharged through the existing marine outfall. From the period beginning in September 2000 through July 2006, the plant noted only two excursions beyond the limits defined in the permit. These are summarized below: Minimum ph threshold of 6.00 was exceeded in September 2000 with a reading of 5.86 Maximum chlorine residual of 0.50 mg/l was exceeded in November 2003 with a measurement of 0.55 mg/l The NPDES permit also defines the maximum allowable influent loadings and concentrations. Several excursions beyond the prescribed mass loading limits for the influent BOD and Total Suspended Solids were noted. Despite greater influent loadings, the plant was able to meet the BOD and TSS effluent threshold values in the NPDES permit. 9.6 CONDITION ASSESSMENT Collection System The District staff has an ongoing routine of performing internal inspection of the District s lines. As described in section the staff TVs approximately 180,000 linear feet of pipe each year. These records are retained and reviewed to judge the progression of the deterioration of those pipe segments. The staff also maintains a frequent flush list. The frequency and any particular observances are tracked in a separate notebook specifically for these chronic problem areas Lift Stations A conditions assessment report was prepared in 2007 that identified and prioritized the recommended improvements for the District s lift stations. The recommendations were grouped into three categories: Asset improvements that were common to all stations Specific upgrades or replacements needed now. Future or anticipated improvements (Asset Upgrade Program). 9-8

9 The recommendations contained in that report have been incorporated into the CIP in Chapter STAFFING NEEDS The District employs a total of 17 field people in the wastewater division. Of these 17, seven are assigned to the WWTP, six are Vaccon crews, two are line maintenance and two are lift station maintenance. In addition, the District has various other staff that work between the water and wastewater divisions, including a SCADA technician, electrician and other staff. The WWTP is staffed 10 hours/day, 5 days/week. On weekends and holidays personnel are assigned to visit the plant and take samples and laboratory work as necessary. These weekend visits are typically 2 to 3 hours. To compare the pipeline and lift station staffing with other special service districts, the report has looked at the Woodinville Water District and Southwest Suburban Sewer District. The summary below also presents the estimates as used by EPA in the Estimating Costs and Manpower Requirements for Conventional Wastewater Treatment Facilities and Innovative and Alternative Technology Assessment Manual. Agency Service Lift Current Length Person/ Person/ Area, Ac Stations Staff Pipe, LF 100,000 LF 10,000 Ac. Woodinville WD 1, , SWSSD 7, ,419, AWWD 24, ,942, EPA Estimate for AWWD 11 As expected, the personnel per acre values decrease as the size of the service area increases. However, using a very conservative application of the EPA guidelines, it would suggest that the District might be slightly under staffed by one employee. Prior to adding staff, it is recommended that the District revisit their previous staffing studies to determine if adding staff is warranted. 9.8 RECOMMENDED OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENTS The District has been proactive in taking steps to solve the most critical maintenance issues. The Lift Station assessment identified the improvements needed. The District has been responsive to these improvements and has incorporated them into the CIP. One feature that the District may want to consider is the addition of a pigging mandrel station for those force mains that are prone to solids deposition. 9-9

10 The construction of the new MBR plant will replace many of the labor intensive efforts needed to keep the existing plant functional. The District should consider incorporating an automated maintenance management system for the new MBR plant and all of the District s facilities. This would provide automatic reminders of routine maintenance tasks as well as less frequent and non-routine tasks. 9-10