florida water resources journal - wastewater treatment

News and Features4 Altamonte Springs Creates New Water

Supplies16 2015-2016 FSAWWA Board of

Governors20 In Memoriam21 FWEA Collection Systems Committee

Awards33 Reflections on Retirement From the

Water Industry—Ed James Jr.33 FSAWWA Awards38 FSAWWA Membership Thank You43 FSAWWA Drop Savers Contests45 News Beat53 Retraction

Technical Articles12 Stable Attraction: How to Cheat the

Activated Sludge Process for AdditionalCapacity Using the Magnetite-BallastedMixed Liquor Process—Brian Karmasin,Bill McConnell, and Megan Moody

22 Paynes Prairie Sheetflow RestorationProject: Navigating Numeric NutrientCriteria Without Getting Stranded Upthe Creek—Rick Hutton, Alice Rankeillor,Russ Frydenborg, Beck Frydenborg, JanMandrup-Poulsen, and David Childs

34 Full-Scale Demonstration of a BallastedTreatment System for CapacityExpansion—Melody Johnson, CarlaFernandes, Mike Finley, Dennis Evans,Louise Di Giacomo, John Irwin, andMatthew Vareika

42 Phosphorus Removal From Wastewatervia Chemical Process WithStoichiometric and pH SolubilityControl—David A. Aubry

Education and Training7 Florida Water Resources Conference

15 FWPCOA Region VIII Training31 CEU Challenge39 FSAWWA Training41 FWPCOA Training Calendar47 TREEO Center Training

Columns18 Technology Spotlight—Dana Clement

and John Irwin28 FWRJ Reader Profile—Larry Hickey30 C Factor—Thomas King32 FSAWWA Speaking Out—Kim Kunihiro36 FWEA Focus—Brian Wheeler37 Certification Boulevard—Roy Pelletier40 FWRJ Committee Profile—FSAWWA

Young Professionals Committee

Departments48 Service Directories51 Classifieds54 Display Advertiser Index

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Volume 68 January 2016 Number 1

ON THE COVER: North-facing view of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department South

District Wastewater Treatment Plant's septageand fats, oils, and grease (FOG) receiving facility

odor control blowers and ductwork. (photo:Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department)

Florida Water Resources Journal • January 2016 3

Altamonte Springs CreatesNew Water Supplies

The City of Altamonte Springs recently cel-ebrated another innovative step in creating al-ternative water supplies with the grand openingof the Altamonte-FDOT Integrated Reuse andStormwater Treatment (A-FIRST) project. Justover a year ago, ground was broken on an inno-vative project designed to mitigate stormwaterretention concerns for the City’s I-4 UltimateImprovement Project, address regional watersupply needs, and provide water quality im-provements within the Wekiva River Basin.Through a joint partnership with the FloridaDepartment of Transportation (FDOT), theFlorida Department of Environmental Protec-tion (FDEP), and the St. Johns River WaterManagement District, A-FIRST is now a reality.

The A-FIRST project won the ExcellenceAward given by the Florida Stormwater Associ-ation, which recognizes stormwater projects fortheir commitment to innovation and benefit tothe environment and citizens.

Background

The mission of A-FIRST is to “InnovateToday for Water Tomorrow.” It’s the result of acollaborative effort among many entities tocome up with a unique way of saving water andmoney, while protecting the environment. Thisproject exemplifies how the City provided in-novative, forward-thinking solutions for solvingcomplex issues involving water, transportation,and the environment, and saving taxpayer dol-lars. The A-FIRST project: � Creates a new supply of 4.5 mil gal of re-

claimed water a day � Eliminates the need for another massive re-

tention pond � Prevents thousands of pounds of phospho-

rus and nitrogen from flowing into the LittleWekiva River each year

� Saves the state $15 million in constructioncosts for the I-4 Ultimate Improvement Proj-ect

� Solves 19.4 percent of the total phosphorusloading for the entire 513-sq-mi WekivaBasin, even though only 2 percent of the areais within the Wekiva Basin Management Ac-tion Plan

About the City of Altamonte Springs

Altamonte Springs is a city known for itsinnovation and progressive ideas. The City has

Continued on page 6

4 January 2016 • Florida Water Resources Journal

one of the lowest tax rates in Florida, has thelowest millage rate per resident in SeminoleCounty, and is completely debt-free. Thoughhighly regarded for its business climate and en-vironmental leadership, Altamonte Springsnever loses sight of its most important con-stituent—its residents.

An Innovative Program

The A-FIRST project is an innovativestormwater management initiative aimed at in-creasing alternative water supplies for Alta-monte Springs and the neighboring City ofApopka, while significantly reducing pollutantloads to the Little Wekiva River. There are sev-eral unique aspects of the project:� It is extremely innovative from an engineering

standpoint. It is the first project of its kind inthe United States and can serve as a model forfuture projects in Florida and around the coun-try. The most significant aspect of A-FIRST isthe partnerships that are created, resulting in anew model for multiagency coordination andaccomplishment. Multiple governments andagencies worked together to come up with newways to solve problems, as opposed to the sameold “cookie cutter” approach.

� It is just the latest initiative by the City toconserve water. The city’s Project APRICOT(A Prototype Realistic Innovative Commu-nity of Today), implemented in the 1980sand the first of its kind in the country, madeit possible to deliver reclaimed water to al-most every property for lawn, landscape, andother nondrinking purposes. Many citiesstruggle to deliver reclaimed water to newcommunities; Project APRICOT focused onretrofitting existing neighborhoods and de-velopments with reclaimed water, and hasbeen doing it for more than 25 years.

� The project is the result of AltamonteSprings creating a new business model thatrequires support and participation withFDOT, FDEP, the St. Johns Water Manage-ment District, and the City of Apopka, aswell as from Sen. David Simmons. Alta-monte Springs conceived the project and willcontinue to manage construction and oper-ations.

Specifics of the project are as follows: � It eliminated the need for another massive

retention pond that would have been neces-sary as part of the I-4 construction project,and will utilize the increased runoff that theproject will generate.

� Stormwater from the section of I-4 withinAltamonte Springs is captured, flowing intoCranes Roost. This avoids the expense ofbuilding and maintaining a large retentionpond.

� The stormwater from I-4 is pumped to arecommissioned water treatment plant,which creates additional savings by repur-posing one of the City’s water plants.

� The I-4 stormwater is cleaned, filtered, chlo-rinated, recovered, and used as irrigation, in-stead of being lost to a retention pond. Byrecovering and using the stormwater, 1.6 bilgal of alternative water supply are createdevery year.

� When there is excess recovered water, Alta-monte Springs sends the additional cleanedwater to the City of Apopka through a pipeconstructed to help meet Apopka’s growingdemand for water.

� Excess water used to be pumped from bothCranes Roost and the Altamonte Springs Re-gional Water Reclamation Facility into theLittle Wekiva River. With this project, theCity eliminates the discharge of 31 tons ofnitrogen and 14 tons of phosphorus fromthe Little Wekiva River every year. ��

Continued from page 4


Utilities are often faced with addressingimprovements at their wastewater treat-ment facilities due to a number of issues,

including increased growth and more stringenteffluent limits. The land available for imple-menting facility upgrades and/or expansionsmay not be available, leaving the utility in a chal-lenging situation. There are a number of tech-nologies that have gained traction to address thisconcern, including moving bed bioreactors(MBBRs), integrated fixed-film activated sludge(IFAS), membrane bioreactors (MBRs), and bi-ological aerated filters (BAFs). An emergingtechnology is the BioMag™ treatment system.

A full-scale demonstration of the processwas completed from September 2009 throughJanuary 2010 at the Mystic Water PollutionControl Facility (WPCF), which is owned by theTown of Stonington, Conn., to verify achieve-ment of required process performance and totest the impacts of magnetite-impregnatedmixed liquor on settling, resuspension, and

other mechanical aspects of successful treat-ment. The primary goal of the demonstrationwas to evaluate the potential of the treatmentprocess to adequately meet the facility’s nitro-gen removal performance goals in regards to ef-fluent quality, mixed liquor inventory, andsettleability. The ability of the system to meetthis primary goal was achieved and previouslydocumented (McConnell et al, 2010).

A second important goal of the processdemonstration was to evaluate certain mechan-ical and process impacts on other treatmentplant systems, e.g., aeration tank mixing, sec-ondary clarifier capacity, and pipeline solidsdeposition/resuspension, such that a final in-stallation could be designed to address these im-pacts. The ability of the system to meet thissecondary goal was achieved and also previouslydocumented (Moody et al, 2011).

Several full-scale facilities are nearing com-pletion or are presently in the start-up phase ofthe treatment process. This article will summa-

rize the results of the full-scale demonstrationtesting, preliminary results from the facility afterstart-up of the BioMag™ operation, and lessonslearned during the start-up and early stages offull-scale, permanent operation.

Background

The WPCF is rated at a permitted designcapacity of 0.80 mil gal per day (mgd). A facili-ties plan in 2007 identified improvementsneeded to upgrade the aging facility, as well asto meet an annual effluent total nitrogen (TN)limit mass load equivalent to 5.2 mg/L. At thetime, the WPCF was not configured for biolog-ical nutrient removal (BNR).

The treatment system was eventually se-lected due to its attractive life cycle cost. Othertechnologies that were evaluated included ex-panding the facility with conventional sus-pended growth technology, IFAS, and MBRs.

The process provides a magnetite ballast tobioreactors for dramatically enhanced settling ofbiological and chemical flocs. Magnetite is an ironoxide powder with a high specific gravity that ad-sorbs to solids to enhance secondary clarification.This allows for the secondary treatment processto operate at mixed liquor suspended solids(MLSS) concentrations much higher than con-ventional activated sludge systems due to the en-hanced setting rate of the magnetite-impregnatedmixed liquor. Magnetite is recycled from the clar-ifiers back to the suspended growth process in thereturn activated sludge (RAS). The waste activatedsludge (WAS) is processed for magnetite recoveryusing an in-line shearing mechanism to separatethe sludge from the magnetite, followed by a mag-netic drum. Recovered magnetite from the WAS isreturned to the bioreactors for reuse.

Stable Attraction: How to Cheat the ActivatedSludge Process for Additional Capacity Using

the Magnetite-Ballasted Mixed Liquor ProcessBrian Karmasin, Bill McConnell, and Megan Moody

Brian Karmasin, P.E., BCEE, is principalenvironmental engineer with CDM Smith inMaitland. Bill McConnell, P.E., BCEE, andMegan Moody, P.E., are process engineerswith CDM Smith in Providence, R.I.

F W R J

Figure 1. Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids Concentration Variation (not including magnetite; Mc-Connell et al, 2010)


Summary of Full-Scale Pilot Demonstration

The goals of the full-scale testing were toevaluate the following:� Operations and performance of the facility

to meet target performance goals of less than10 mg/L of biochemical oxygen demand(BOD5), 10 mg/L of total suspended solids(TSS), less than 5 mg/L of TN, and less than1 mg/L of ammonia nitrogen in the effluent.

� Impacts of the magnetite on facility equip-ment and piping, namely, effectiveness ofbasin mixing, impacts on the power draw tothe chain-and-flight clarifier drives, andsolids deposition in piping.

Both process trains were used for the test-ing due to the inability to isolate an aerationbasin and a coupled clarifier to only run onetrain. In addition, mechanical mixers were in-stalled in the aeration basins to keep MLSS insuspension when air was turned off to provideanoxic conditions at the facility.

Operation and Performance GoalsFigure 1 shows the increase in MLSS and

solids loading rate to the secondary clarifiersduring the pilot testing. The MLSS values (bio-mass only) increased from an initial value of2,000 mg/L up to over 5,000 mg/L. A largeamount of foaming was experienced in Octoberof 2009. Plant operations staff were required towaste a large amount of solids from the systemand interim foam removal measures were taken.

Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the solid load-ing rate to the secondary clarifiers and thesludge volume index (SVI) of the mixed liquor.The secondary clarifiers averaged 150 kg/m2-d(30 lb/d/ft2) during the snow melt periods withpeak days reaching over 250 kg/m2-d (50lb/d/ft2). The higher-than-normal solids load-ing rates can be attributed to the SVI values ofbelow 100 mL/g observed during the test period(with the exception of the October 2009 foam-ing event).

The MLSS, with the magnetite engrainedin the floc, caused the solids–liquid interface inthe standard SVI test to be achieved rapidly atabout the five-minute mark. Approximationsfor the Vesilind initial settling velocity (Vo) andhindered zone settling parameter (K) were 109m/hr (359 ft/hr) and 0.4 L/g, respectively. Theinitial settling velocity results in much highersettling capacity than typical mixed liquor,about 10 times greater, resulting in additionalclarifier capacity.

Figure 4 shows the ammonia-N, nitrate-N, and TN concentration for the test period.

Figure 3. Sludge Volume Index Variation (not including magnetite; from McConnell et al, 2010)

Figure 2. Secondary Clarifier Solids Loading Rate Variation (not including magnetite; from Mc-Connell et al, 2010)

Continued on page 14


The process basins were operated in a three-hour intermittent aeration cycle, with two hoursbeing aerobic and the third hour being anoxic.The ammonia-N concentration averaged 0.86mg/L during the test period, while the nitrate-N concentration averaged 1.35 mg/L.

Impacts on Equipment and PipingAs mentioned previously, the full-scale test-

ing included use of floating mixers, which wereoperated during the anoxic cycles. Two 5-horse-power (hp) mixers were installed in each aera-

tion basin. The mixers were installed on the up-stream and downstream ends of the basin. TheTSS measurements were taken during anoxic cy-cles to assess the variability of the MLSS in thetanks during the anoxic cycles.

Measurements were taken with both mix-ers in operation, and with only the upstreammixer in operation. The MLSS concentrationsfor the two-mixer operation, with a power inputof 0.69 hp/1,000 cu ft of volume, varied within5 percent from top to bottom of the tank, whichwas deemed to provide adequate mixing. Onemixer operation, with a power input of .34

hp/1,000 cu ft, showed stratification at thedownstream end of the basin, with concentra-tions 100 percent different between the upperand lower portions of the tank (6,000 mg/L atthe top to 13,000 mg/L at the bottom).

Measurements were taken at the clarifiersto determine if the higher concentration ofsolids in the secondary clarifier affected the ampdraw on the motors operating the chain-and-flight clarifiers. It was determined that there wasnegligible impact due to the magnetite use inthe secondary clarifiers.

Testing was also done to access settling con-cerns in magnetite-ballasted mixed liquor inprocess piping. Clear polyvinyl chloride (PVC)piping was connected to a submersible pump. TheRAS, at concentrations of 0.9 to 1.1 percent solids(without magnetite), were pumped into the clearPVC piping. The submersible pump was shut offand the solids were allowed to settle in the pipe.After settlement, clear water was pumped throughthe pipe to determine the resuspension velocityneeded. Testing indicated that resuspension oc-curred at velocities of one ft per second at aMLSS-to-magnetite ratio of 1 to 1. Tests were runat velocities below this value and did not show re-suspension of solids in the pipeline.

Based on the results of the successfulprocess demonstration, the WPCF was recentlyupgraded to a full-scale, permanent treatmentsystem installation, configured in a four-stageBNR configuration. Initial start-up of the plantoccurred in late fall 2014.

Preliminary Results After Start-Upof Treatment System Process

An analysis of the WPCF’s operational con-trol parameters and effluent performance wasdone looking at data from December 2013through February 2014 (pretreatment systemstart-up) and compared to data from 2015(post-treatment system start-up). Table 1 sum-marizes the findings. Note that the pretreatmentsystem data encompass a period when con-struction was occurring on-site, and indicates astressed process condition.

Prior to the facility upgrades, flow was di-verted from the WPCF to a neighboring facility.The increase in flow after start-up was a result ofending the flow diversion. The MLSS concen-tration increased roughly 400 percent after im-plementation of the treatment process, whichallowed for more biomass inventory and in-creased removals of ammonia and nitrate in theeffluent. The increased flow and solids loadingto the secondary clarifiers did not cause a dete-rioration in effluent TSS and turbidity due tothe low SVI (even though the full-scale pilot hadSVIs even lower). Ultraviolet (UV) transmit-

Table 1: Operational and Effluent Performance Parameters Pretreatment and Post-Treatment System Start-Up

Figure 4. Effluent Nitrogen Values (McConnell et al, 2010)



tance increased due to the lower turbidity in theeffluent; however, the UV dose increased due tointermittent difficulty in achieving the plant’sdisinfection limits for Enterococci.

The magnetite recovery system appears tobe working well. The system is recoveringroughly 95 percent of the magnetite in the sys-tem. Full-scale pilot testing indicated a recoveryrate of 97 to 98 percent, which compares favor-ably to the results after the process was started.

Lessons Learned During Start-Up

The following items are lessons learnedduring the recent start-up process that were notanticipated:� Foaming has been an ongoing issue during

start-up. The facility is equipped with theability to surface waste and for mechanicalfoam removal, and operation of these sys-tems are required to avoid significantly ex-cessive foam. Foam was microscopicallyanalyzed and determined to not have an ex-cessive count of Nocardia filaments.

� The WAS (the biomass portion) capture per-centage at the rotary drum thickener is muchlower than anticipated. A 65 to 75 percent

solids capture rate has been experienced,causing a thinner sludge-to-solids handlingthan anticipated, resulting in increased oper-ational time for the thickener. It is suspectedthat the increased solids recycle back to thesuspended growth process may be a factor inseeding the process with the foam-causingbacteria, instead of wasting them out of theplant.

� As noted previously, the UV dose has in-creased significantly since the treatmentprocess was started up to address intermit-tent problems with providing satisfactorydisinfection; testing is presently underway todetermine the cause(s) of this unexpectedissue. One theory is that large floc particlescaused by polymer addition (needed for thetreatment process) may be shielding Entero-cocci from the UV light, and the dose is beingincreased to meet permit limits.

� Magnetite loss appears to be more than justthrough the magnetic drum recovery and isdependent on the loss in the scum skim-mings and in the effluent stream.

All of these items are currently beingstudied further.

Conclusions

Full-scale pilot testing and initial operationafter installation of the treatment system at theWPCF has shown increased removal efficienciesfor total suspended solids and effluent total ni-trogen. The ballasted mixed liquor has de-creased SVI values, allowing the clarifiers toeffectively double the mixed liquor concentra-tion. Some unexpected items have occurredduring start-up that are still being investigatedand should be topics for future papers and pre-sentations.

References

• McConnell, W.; Moody, M.; and Woodard, S.Full-Scale BioMag Demonstration at the MysticWPCF and Establishing the Basis-of-Design fora Permanent Installation. WEFTEC10 Confer-ence Proceedings.

• Moody. M.; Bishop, A.; and McConnell, W.Beyond Desktop Evaluation: Key Design Crite-ria for Mixing and Settling of Magnetite-Im-pregnated Mixed Liquor. WEFTEC11Conference Proceedings. ��


Executive CommitteeKimberly A. KunihiroChairOrange County Utilities9124 Curry Ford Rd.Orlando, Florida 32825P: (407) 254-9555F: (407) 254-9558E: [email protected]

Grace M. Johns, Ph.D.Chair-ElectHazen and Sawyer4000 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 750NHollywood, Florida 33021P: (954) 987-0066F: (954) 987-2949E: [email protected]

William G. YoungVice ChairSt. Johns County Utilities1205 State Rd. 16St. Augustine, Florida 32084P: (904) 209-2703F: (904) 209-2702E: [email protected]

Mark D. LehighPast ChairHillsborough County Water Resource Services332 N. Falkenburg Rd.Tampa, Florida 33619P: (813) 272-5977 ext. 43270F: (813) 635-8152E: [email protected]

Christopher Jarrett SecretaryAmerican Cast Iron Pipe Co.2200 Winter Springs Blvd., Suite 106-294Oviedo, Florida 32765P: (412) 721-6338F: (205) 307.3824E: [email protected]

Kim KowalskiTreasurerWager Company of Florida Inc.720 Industry Rd. Longwood, Florida 32750P: (407) 834-4667F: (407) 831-0091E: [email protected]

Ana Maria Gonzalez, P.E.General Policy DirectorHazen and Sawyer999 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 1150Coral Gables, Florida 33134P: (954) 967-7040E: [email protected]

Jacqueline W. Torbert Association Director Orange County Utilities Water Division9150 Curry Ford Rd., 3rd FloorOrlando, Florida 32825P: (407) 254-9850F: (407) 254-9848E: [email protected]

Matt Alvarez, P.E.Alternate Association Director (non voting for EC)CH2M 201 Alhambra Circle, Suite 600Coral Gables, Florida 33134P: (305) 443-6401F: (305) 443-8856E: [email protected]

TrusteesFred Bloetscher, Ph.D., P.E.TrusteeFlorida Atlantic UniversityP.O. Box 221890Hollywood, Florida 33022P: (239) 250-2423F: (954) 581-5076E: [email protected]

Michael Bailey, P.E.TrusteeCooper City Utilities11791 S.W. 49th St.Cooper City, Florida 33330P: (954) 434-5519F: (954) 680-3159 E: [email protected]

Robert J. DudasTrusteeOrange County Utilities8100 Presidents Dr., Suite COrlando, Florida 32809P: (407) 836-6835F: (407) 836-6862 E: [email protected]

Mark KellyTrusteeGarney Construction370 E. Crown Point Rd.Winter Garden, Florida 34787P: (321) 221-2833F: (407) 287-8777E: [email protected]

Dave SlonenaTrusteePinellas County Utilities14 S Ft. Harrison Ave.Clearwater, Florida 33756P: (727) 464-4441 F: (727) 464-3595 E: [email protected]

Council Chairs Tyler Tedcastle, P.E.Administrative Council ChairCarter & VerPlanck Inc.4910 W Cypress St.Tampa, Florida 33607P: (850) 264-9391F: (813) 282-8216E: [email protected]

Richard HewittContractors Council ChairPCL Construction3810 Northdale Blvd., Suite 160Tampa, Florida 33624P: (813) 425-1441F: (813) 961-1576E: [email protected]

2015-2016 FSAWWA BOARD OF GOVERNORS

FloridaSectionAWWA

by Region


Todd LewisManufacturers and Associates Council ChairU.S. Pipe and Foundry LLC 14580 St. Georges Hill Dr. Orlando, Florida 32828 P: (407) 592-1175F: (877) 505-1570E: [email protected]

Steve SoltauOperators and Maintenance Council ChairPinellas County Utilities 3655 Keller CircleTarpon Springs, Florida 34688P: (727) 453-6990F: (727) 453-6962E: [email protected]

Scott Richards, P.E.Public Affairs Council ChairGAI Consultants Inc.618 E. South St., Suite 700 Orlando, Florida 32810P: (407) 423-8398E: [email protected]

Pamela London-ExnerTechnical and Education Council ChairVeolia Water2301 Regional Water LaneTampa, Florida 33619P: (813) 781-0173F: (813) 627-9072E: [email protected]

Rob Teegarden, P.E.Utility Council ChairOrlando Utilities Commission3800 Gardenia AvenueP.O. Box 3193Orlando, Florida 32802P: (407) 434-2570F: (407) 434-2671E: [email protected]

Region Chairs Edward A. Bettinger, RS, MSRegion I Chair (North Central Florida)DOH – Bureau of Water Programs4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #A-08Tallahassee, Florida 32399P: (850) 245-4444 ext. 2696F: (850) 487-0864E: [email protected]

Andrew May, P.E.Region II Chair (Northeast Florida)JEA21 W. Church St. Jacksonville, Florida 32202P: (904) 665-4510F: (904) 665-8099E: [email protected]

Lance R. LittrellRegion III Chair (Central Florida)Reiss Engineering Inc.1016 Spring Villas Point, Suite 2000Winter Springs, Florida 32708P: (407) 679-5358F: (407) 679-5003E: [email protected]

Steven KingRegion IV Chair (West Central Florida)Black & Veatch Corp.4890 W Kennedy Blvd., Suite 950Tampa, Florida 33609P: (813) 281-0032 F: (813) 281-0881E: [email protected]

Ronald Cavalieri, P.E.Region V Chair (Southwest Florida)AECOM4415 Metro Parkway, Suite 404Fort Myers, Florida 33916P: (239) 278-7996F: (239) 278-0913E: [email protected]

Gerrit R. BulmanRegion VI Chair (Southeast Florida)CH2M550 W Cypress Creek Rd., Suite 400Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309P: (954) 351-9256F: (954) 698-6010E: [email protected]

Maricela FuentesRegion VII Chair (South Florida)AECOM800 S. Douglas Rd., Suite 200Coral Gables, Florida 33134P: (305) 718-4819F: (305) 716-5155E: [email protected]

Brad MacekRegion VIII Chair (East Central Florida)City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems Dept.900 S.E. Ogden LanePort St. Lucie, Florida 34983P: (772) 873-6400F: (772) 873-6405E: [email protected]

Monica AutreyRegion IX Chair (West Florida Panhandle)Destin Water Users Inc.P.O. Box 308Destin, Florida 32540P: (850) 837-6146F: (850) 837-0465E: [email protected]

Kyle A. KelloggRegion X Chair (West Central Florida)ATKINS 100 Paramount Dr., Suite 207Sarasota, Florida 34232P: (941) 225-4823E: [email protected]

Kristen Sealey Region XI Chair (North Florida)Gainesville Regional UtilitiesP.O. Box 147051 Gainesville, Florida 32614P: (352) 393-1621F: (352) 334-3151E: [email protected]

Bobby GibbsRegion XII Chair (Central Florida Panhandle)Bay County Utility Services3410 Transmitter Rd.Panama City, Florida 32404P: (850) 248-5010F: (850) 248-5006E: [email protected]

Section StaffPeggy GuingonaExecutive DirectorFlorida Section AWWA1300 9th St., Bldg. B-124St. Cloud, Florida 34769P: (407) 957-8449F: (407) 957-8415E: [email protected]

Casey CumiskeyMembership Specialist/Training CoordinatorFlorida Section AWWA1300 9th Street, Bldg. B-124St. Cloud, Florida 34769P: (407) 957-8447F: (407) 957-8415E: [email protected]

Donna MetherallTraining CoordinatorFlorida Section AWWA1300 9th St., Bldg. B-124St. Cloud, Florida 34769P: (407) 957-8443F: (407) 957-8415E: [email protected]

Jenny ArguelloStaff AssistantFlorida Section AWWA1300 9th Street, Bldg. B-124St. Cloud, Florida 34769P: (407) 957-8448F: (407) 957-8415E: [email protected]


Technology Spotlight is a paid feature sponsored by the advertisement on the facing page. The Journal and its publisher do not endorse any product that appears in this column. If you would like to have your technology featured, contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006 or at [email protected].


Dana Clement and John Irwin

For Florida wastewater treatment facilitiesthat are grappling with the upcoming septageland application ban, the experience of a NewHampshire plant provides an attractive alterna-tive for plant upgrades at no cost for taxpayers,while also profiting from septic waste. An inno-vative ballasted biological treatment helped theAllenstown, N.H., wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) expand capacity and generate $1.3million in new revenues per year from septage.

The Allenstown facility serves two munici-palities with a combined population of 15,000.The original plant was designed 30 years ago asan extended aeration activated sludge processwith a 1.05-mil-gal-per-day (mgd) capacity.Raw wastewater passes through a headworks,aeration, clarification, and chlorine disinfection.Solids wasted from the treatment process are de-watered on a screw press, combined with sep-tage solids, and landfilled.

An Affordable Solution for Increasing Capacity

Although the communities’ sewers are notcombined, infiltration and inflow were con-tributing to serious wet weather capacity issuesthat were amplified by the existing shallow clar-ifiers (7 ft deep). The state’s Department of En-vironmental Services in 2005 found that theplant was exceeding capacity and placed a mora-torium on sewer connections.

The utility sought design recommendationsfrom consultant Hoyle, Tanner Associates(HTA). The firm proposed a comprehensiveplant upgrade, including sequencing batch reac-tors, but voters twice rejected a proposed bondissue because of the project’s high cost. Unableto get voters to approve a full plant upgrade, thesewer commission asked HTA to find a Plan B.

The firm recommended installing the Bio-Mag® Ballasted Biological Treatment Systemfrom Evoqua Water Technologies. At a fraction ofthe price of the original plan, the BioMag system’slow cost enabled the commission to work out afunding plan. Federal funds from the AmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) pro-vided 50 percent of the funding needed for theproject. The other half was provided by the

sewage commission from the utility’s capital re-serve generated from septage revenue. Thus, theproject was completed at no cost to taxpayers.

The project team was limited by the existinginfrastructure, including the shallow clarifiers;however, the innovative BioMag System over-came that limitation. The technology integratedwith existing infrastructure to greatly enhance itsperformance, which minimized project costs, in-cluding engineering and construction costs. Theproject was completed at a fraction of the cost ofa full-scale upgrade and the municipalityachieved consistent permit compliance.

Ballasted Settling Process

The BioMag System adds fine particles ofmagnetite (a readily available, fully inert iron ore)to conventional biological floc to make it heavier,dramatically improving settling rates and increas-ing clarifier performance without the addition ofcapital-intensive new tankage. It has proven effec-tive where secondary clarifiers are at the chokepoint in wastewater treatment plants. This bal-lasted settling technology allows the biologicalprocess to carry a much higher biological solidsconcentration, providing more treatment capac-ity in existing tanks, with significantly smallertreatment volumes than alternative technologies.

Magnetite ballast is continuously recoveredfrom the waste solids stream for recovery and reusein the system. The WWTP recovers about 95 per-cent of the magnetite, which is stored on site, thenblended into a sidestream of the return activatedsludge and fed directly into the bioreactor whereit is gently mixed and fully infused with the con-tents. As the specific gravity of the floc increases,biological solids settle faster and more reliably, re-sulting in extremely low clarifier sludge blankets.

The mixed liquor suspended solids concen-tration increases without the risk of upset, and theclarifier easily handles the increased solids loadingrate. As a result, operators gain more control oversludge blankets, especially during storms, and tankcapacity can be freed up for nutrient removal.

Capacity Increased and Settling Improved

The 20 mil gal (MG) of septage that annuallyarrive at the WWTP had negatively impacted the

sludge settleability. In addition, the 7-ft-deep clar-ifiers did not provide much buffer capacity to han-dle peak flows. With the BioMag systemimplemented, settling issues disappeared, provid-ing better handling of septage loads. The designflow was increased by 30 percent, which lifted themoratorium on sewer connections. Now, this fa-cility can handle peak flows at five times the designflow, while maintaining a stable sludge blanket.

The new BioMag system came online inFebruary 2011. About the same time, the plantstaff made other modifications that includedconverting the extended aeration to a ModifiedLudzack-Ettinger (MLE) process. The operationsstaff worked closely with HTA and Evoqua to in-stall and start up the BioMag system. Differentparameters were monitored during the commis-sioning of the ballasted aeration basin and clar-ifier to optimize the amount of magnetite in thesystem and the magnetite recovery rates.

The MLE and BioMag system improve-ments also enabled the plant to nitrify. Beforethe new system, the plant could not fully nitrifybecause of inadequate solids retention time(SRT); now, the plant easily achieves the SRTneeded for complete nitrification with a highmixed liquor solids concentration because theclarifiers perform reliably and can handle thehigher solids loading. The plant now has theability to completely nitrify throughout the year.

The plant effluent meets biochemical oxy-gen demand and total suspended solids limits of30 mg/L for release to the Merrimack River.While the state has not yet set new mass loadingrequirements, the plant’s next permit mostlylikely will require reductions in effluent con-centrations as capacity increases. This, plus an-ticipated future requirements on ammonia,phosphorous, and copper, will make the BioMagsystem and its ability to stabilize the process andimprove effluent quality even more critical toplant performance. But, most importantly, theBioMag system has paved the way for turningwaste into profit for the citizens of Allenstown.

Dana Clement recently retired as senior superin-tendent of the Allenstown (N.H.) WastewaterTreatment Plant and currently serves as a con-sultant to the facility. John Irwin is technical salesmanager with Evoqua Water Technologies in AnnArbor, Mich. ��

A Windfall from Waste: Lucrative Septage HandlingEarns New Hampshire Town $1.3 M Annually

Ballasted Settling Technology Enables Plant to Process 20 MG of Septage per Year

T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T

Odis Carter1939 - 2015

Odis Carter, 75, passed away on Nov. 25,2015. He retired from O.M.I., and was a memberof the Florida Water Pollution Control Opera-tors Association (FWPCOA) for 43 years. His po-sitions with, and recognition from, theorganization include:� Director of Region I� Ethics Committee chair� President's Spotlight Award - November 2001� Honorary Life Member Award - January 2004� A.P. Black Award, Wastewater Treatment Plant

– 1994� A.P. Black Award, Water Treatment Plant –

2007� Outstanding Service Award - 2014

Carter was a member of Thomas MemorialBaptist Church. He loved his family and was anavid fisherman who enjoyed preparing his catch.

Survivors include his wife, Myrell BundyCarter; children Glenda Bolton (Ron), DiannaMayo (Rod), and Joey Carter (Gloria); elevengrandchildren and four great grandchildren; anda host of nephews and nieces.

Remembering Carter, Rim Bishop FWPCOA secretary-treasurer, said, “In all myyears with FWPCOA, I do not recall when oneindividual worked so long, so diligently, and wasso alone in his struggle to hold a region together.Bearing burdens that most of us are not calledupon to bear, Odis endured lengthy trips, often inpoor health, just to be with us for a few hours andto serve our organization and the industry thathe loved. His life, his service, and his characterare object lessons to those of us fortunate enoughto have known him. I'll never be an Odis Carter,but I am a better person for that privilege.”

IN MEMORIAM

Richard "Dick" Vogh 1921 - 2015

Richard Philip “Dick” Vogh,94, of Rupert, Ga., passed away onDec. 5, 2015, at Upson RegionalMedical Center. He was a memberof Faith Presbyterian Church inGainesville, where he was a deaconemeritus.

Vogh was a member of the Fly-ing Tigers 69th DRS Association andthe R.T. Schafer Lodge #350 F & AM,and was in the Florida Select Societyof Sanitary Sludge Shovelers. He wasa field coordinator for some innova-tive and important studies with theBlack, Crow and Eidsness engineer-ing firm, and served as a mentor formany graduate students from theUniversity of Florida.

He was a past president andhonorary life member of FWPCOA. The Richard P. Vogh Award, which is presentedannually by FWPCOA to the most progressive region in the organization, was estab-lished in 1975. The award honors the time and energy he devoted for over 30 years tothe development of operator education and professionalism in both the water andwastewater fields. He was a life member of the American Water Works Association andthe Water Environment Federation.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Pohl Vogh, and a grandson, Isaac Tim-othy Vogh. He is survived by three sons: Richard P. Vogh III of Marietta, Ga., Warren R.Vogh of Cleveland, Ga., and H. Clifford Vogh of Linwood, N.C.; one daughter, Mary V.Bowles; one brother, James W. Vogh of Bartlesville, Okla.; and twelve grandchildrenand fifteen great-grandchildren.

In 1954, Vogh was involved in a vote by the FWPCOA board of directors to awardactor Art Carney, of the television series, The Honeymooners, an honorary life mem-bership in the Association in recognition for his constant and humorous reminders tothe American public that sewage systems and sewer operators do exist. Carney gratefullyaccepted the honorarium.

“Dad's house in Gainesville had an old-style, decommissioned lift station in thebackyard, and he used that for his workshop,” recalls Vogh’s son, Richard. “He even hadthat piece of the property under separate title, until he sold the place in 2005. He fig-ured if he ever lost the house, he'd move into the lift station! Where I live, in a 1972subdivision, all the houses have septic tanks. When my main one went bad in the mid-1990s, Dad worked with the local authorities here in Cobb County, Georgia, to get mea sewer connection to the manhole just ahead of the adjacent lift station. I have the onlyhouse in the subdivision on the county sewer system.”

Richard also remembers a time when the smells started getting bad at the MainStreet plant where his father worked. “Dad needed another tank truck for hauling awaysludge, and in reply to at least one complaint call from someone in the nice neighbor-hood where the smell was, he suggested that several of the residents call their city com-missioners and complain. Eventually, Dad got a call from his boss, John Kelly, theGainesville utilities director, asking him, ‘What were the specs again on that truck youwanted?’ Soon after, Dad got his tank truck.” ��


The Paynes Prairie Sheetflow RestorationProject is located at the southern tip ofGainesville, adjacent to the Paynes Prairie

Preserve State Park, which received an Outstand-ing Florida Water designation (Figure 1). The pri-mary motivation for the project was to complywith nutrient reduction requirements establishedby a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) forAlachua Sink, a 14-acre lake located within thestate park. Alachua Sink was listed on Florida’s ver-ified list as being impaired for total nitrogen (TN)and Chlorophyll a under Florida’s Impaired Wa-ters Rule in 2002. A nutrient TMDL, designed torestore the designated use of the lake, was ap-proved in 2006.

Figure 2 provides a closer view of the AlachuaSink watershed and the project area prior to con-struction of the project. Alachua Sink is drained by

a sinkhole that connects to the Floridan aquifer.The watershed for Alachua Sink encompasses abroad area that includes Newnans Lake, wetlandswithin the state park, and Sweetwater Branch. Inaddition to the nutrient enrichment in AlachuaSink, there are several historical sources of human-induced stress to Sweetwater Branch and PaynesPrairie. Like many urban streams, SweetwaterBranch has been highly physically altered (chan-nelized and incised). Additionally, the system re-ceives significant stormwater flows originatingfrom urban development constructed beforemodern stormwater regulations. The GainesvilleRegional Utilities (GRU) Main Street Water Recla-mation Facility (MSWRF) also discharges intoSweetwater Branch.

In its natural state, Sweetwater Branch flowedonto Paynes Prairie in a sheetflow pattern, which

hydrated wetlands on the prairie. The naturalsheetflow pattern onto the prairie had been dis-rupted by a manmade channel, constructed in the1930s, which bypassed the natural wetlands androuted the flow directly to Alachua Sink (see Fig-ure 2). Channelization resulted in dehydration of1,300 acres of wetlands on the prairie and createda direct conduit for nutrients and other substancesto be carried into Alachua Sink, which flows to theFloridan aquifer. Additionally, large amounts oftrash and sediment carried by Sweetwater Branchwere being deposited on the prairie.

Total Maximum Daily Load Development

Sources of nitrogen to Alachua Sink identi-fied through the TMDL process included theMSWRF discharge, urban stormwater runoff, sep-tic tank discharges, and flow from Newnans Lake(Table 1). Newnans Lake is a hypereutrophic up-stream waterbody that flows into wetlands in thestate park, which ultimately flows into AlachuaSink.

The TMDL requires GRU to reduce nitrogenloads from the MSWRF by 55 percent and the mu-nicipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) to re-duce nitrogen loads by 45 percent. The City ofGainesville, Florida Department of Transportation(FDOT) facilities, and Alachua County collectivelyown and maintain the MS4.

The Florida Department of Environmental

Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project:Navigating Numeric Nutrient Criteria

Without Getting Stranded Up the Creek Rick Hutton, Alice Rankeillor, Russ Frydenborg, Beck Frydenborg,

Jan Mandrup-Poulsen, and David Childs

Rick Hutton, P.E., is supervising engineer andAlice Rankeillor, P.E., is project manager withGainesville Regional Utilities. RussFrydenborg is president and Beck Frydenborgis senior scientist with Frydenborg EcologicLLC in Tallahassee. Jan Mandrup-Poulsen issenior environmental scientist with DynamicSolutions LLC in Knoxville, Tenn. David Childsis senior attorney with Hopping Green &Sams P.A., in Tallahassee.

F W R J

Figure 1. Project Location


Protection (FDEP) assembled a basin manage-ment action plan (BMAP) working group to ad-dress the Alachua Sink TMDL, as well as otherTMDLs in the Orange Creek Basin. Stakeholdersincluded several municipalities, government agen-cies, agricultural representatives, environmentalgroups, and citizens.

After evaluating several different alternativesand having multiple discussions with the BMAPgroup, the restoration project was identified as themost cost-effective approach for meeting theTMDL requirements for both GRU and the city’sstormwater utility. The primary project partnersinclude GRU (owned by the City of Gainesville),Gainesville Public Works Department, St. JohnsRiver Water Management District (SJRWMD),FDOT, FDEP Division of Recreation and Parks,FDEP Division of Water Resource Management,Alachua County, and Florida Fish and WildlifeConservation Commission. Extensive discussionsamong the entire BMAP group resulted in unani-mous support for the project. This partnership,combined with extensive public outreach, has re-sulted in broad support for the project in the com-munity, as well as at the state and national levels,which is particularly important given the com-plexity of the project.

The project will meet TMDL requirementsfor Alachua Sink for the MSWRF and the MS4.However, in addition to improving water quality,the project provides a comprehensive approach foraddressing several environmental problems re-sulting from previous anthropogenic activities inthe watershed.

Project Description

The conceptual plan for the project is shownin Figures 3 and 4. The project includes multiplecomponents to reduce nitrogen concentrations tobackground levels in order meet the TMDL. Theprimary project components are as follows:

1. Main Street Water Reclamation Facility En-hancement

The MSWRF is rated at 7.5 mil gal per day(mgd) and includes activated sludge treat-ment, tertiary filtration, and disinfection. Theplant was not specifically designed for nutri-ent removal; however, GRU has operated theplant to optimize nitrogen removal and willcontinue to do so as part of this project. Theplant was also upgraded to achieve phospho-rus removal via alum addition. Although theTMDL did not require reductions in phos-phorus, it was necessary to reduce phospho-rus concentrations in the MSWRF dischargeto achieve the desired water quality for dis-charge onto Paynes Prairie. The plant achieves

Table 1. Summary of Estimated Total Nitrogen (TN) Loads

Figure 2. Project Area Showing the Manmade Sweetwater Branch Canal

Figure 3. Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project Conceptual PlanContinued on page 24



average effluent TN of 8 mg/l or less and canachieve total phosphorus (TP) as low as 0.3mg/l discharging into Sweetwater Branch.

2. Enhancement WetlandAll of the flow from Sweetwater Branch has

been diverted to the inlet of a 125-acre en-hancement wetland. Figure 4 shows the con-ceptual plan for the enhancement wetland inmore detail. The inlet structure includes a sed-iment removal basin, trash rack, and forebay.Under nonstorm flow conditions, the flow isdistributed into the wetland treatment cells,which flow into the distribution channel. To

protect the wetland cells from damage duringstorm events, excess flow is diverted throughbypass channels that flow directly into thesheetflow distribution channel. The wetland isdesigned to achieve average TN levels of 3 mg/lor less and TP levels of 0.3 mg/l or less.

3. Sheetflow Distribution ChannelThe sheetflow distribution channel receives

the flow from the wetland treatment cells.The distribution channel discharges onto theprairie via sheetflow, reestablishing the natu-ral flow pattern in the Sheetflow RestorationArea (Figure 3). Nutrients in the water fromthe distribution channel are further reduced

through the natural wetland processes in theprairie to reach background TN levels of ap-proximately 1.4 mg/l, achieving the TMDLrequirements before the water eventuallyreaches Alachua Sink.

5. Backfilling and Removal of the Existing 10,000-ftChannel

In conjunction with the construction of thesheetflow distribution channel, the existingmanmade channel has been backfilled toreestablish the natural sheetflow pattern.

Figure 5 is a photograph of the project, whichwas completed in September 2015 at a total proj-ect cost of $27.6 million. The project has the fol-lowing benefits:� Meets regulatory TMDL requirements for GRU,

the City of Gainesville, and FDOT. � Rehydrates over 1,300 acres of formerly im-

pacted wetlands in Paynes Prairie.� Intercepts and removes sediment, trash, and

other pollutants that were previously carriedonto the prairie by Sweetwater Branch, therebyprotecting the prairie, Alachua Sink, and theFloridan aquifer.

� Creates high-quality wetland wildlife habitatand a public park.

� Restores part of the overall water balance toPaynes Prairie, which has been impacted bythe channelization of Sweetwater Branch anddiversion of water from the prairie at otherlocations.

As shown in Figure 4, the enhancement wet-land provides a public park with approximately 3.5mi of nature trails and boardwalks with numerousoverlooks, and will ultimately provide a visitorcenter and other public facilities.

Numeric Nutrient Criteria Compliance Strategy

The project plan was developed prior to theenactment of the FDEP Numeric Nutrient Crite-ria (NNC) rule. Although it was known that NNCrequirements would need to be addressed, theexact regulatory mechanism was not known.Therefore, GRU collected data to support site-spe-cific criteria during the project design and con-struction period.

The Alachua Sink TMDL was adopted byFDEP and approved by the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) as the NNC site-specificinterpretation for Alachua Sink. Although the orig-inal TMDL did not specify a phosphorus limit, thesite-specific interpretation set the phosphorus limitat the historical average so as to prevent an increasein phosphorus concentrations in the sink. As theproject meets the TMDL, it will also meet the site-

Figure 4. Enhancement Wetland Conceptual Design

Figure 5. Aerial Photo of Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project: October 2015


specific NNC interpretation for Alachua Sink. Meeting NNC requirements for Sweetwater

Branch is more complex. As described, MSWRFwill discharge an average TN of 8 mg/l. TheMSWRF has the capability to produce effluentTP levels of 0.3 mg/l or less; however, in order tominimize chemical costs, the plant may be oper-ated with effluent TP levels slightly higher thanthis with the downstream enhancement wetlandproviding additional polishing to produce TPlevels of 0.3 mg/l discharging to the prairie. Dur-ing nonstorm conditions, the MSWRF flowcomprises about 80 percent of the flow in the1.1-mi section of Sweetwater Branch betweenMSWRF and the enhancement wetland. There-fore, instream concentrations will be similar tothose in the MSWRF effluent. The applicable in-stream threshold criteria for TN and TP for thenorth central Florida region are 1.87 mg/l and0.3 mg/l, respectively. Therefore, the thresholdinterpretations will not be met for TN and TP,and site-specific criteria will be required.

Sweetwater Branch fails the Stream Condi-tion Index (SCI), which is an invertebrate-basedbiological health assessment. A Stressor Identifica-tion Study, following EPA protocols, determinedthat habitat alteration, hydrologic modification,and sediment movement/smothering were theproximal causes for the failures. SweetwaterBranch does not suffer from excessive algae or pe-riphyton growth and fully complies with the floralmeasures required by NNC. Therefore, it was con-cluded that nutrients were not a stressor associatedwith the degraded faunal community. Computermodeling, using QUAL2K, a one-dimensionalwater quality model, demonstrated that charac-teristics of Sweetwater Branch, including shortwater residence time and low light availability(from an extensive tree canopy), precluded the ex-pression of nutrient enrichment within the 1.1-misegment between the MSWRF and the enhance-ment wetlands. Because this portion of Sweetwa-ter Branch is not expected to be affected bynutrients, it was appropriate to develop a site-spe-cific interpretation of the narrative nutrient crite-rion for the segment.

Four alternatives were considered for com-plying with NNC for Sweetwater Branch:� Construction of a pipeline to bypass Sweetwa-

ter Branch to meet threshold criteria.� Exercising the water conveyance (“ditch”) ex-

ception from stream NNC.� Reclassification as a Class III Limited Water-

body.� Level II Water Quality-Based Effluent Limita-

tions (WQBEL).

Pipeline ConstructionA pipeline could be constructed to divert the

MSWRF discharge directly to the enhancement

wetland, thus bypassing the 1.1-mi stretch ofSweetwater Branch. This would cost $8 millionand would have no environmental benefit; thus, itrepresents the worst case if no regulatory reliefcould be obtained.

Exception from Stream Numeric NutrientCriteria

Under the FDEP NNC rule (62-302.200),the threshold interpretations do not apply toditches, canals, and other conveyances that aremanmade or predominantly physically altered

if they are (1) primarily used for water manage-ment purposes, and (2) have marginal or poorstream habitat or habitat components. The nar-rative criterion continues to apply to water con-veyances and the section of Sweetwater Branchdownstream of MSWRF if highly physically al-tered. The FDEP determines the habitat qualitybased on the FDEP habitat assessment method(FDEP SOP FT 3000). Although the instreamhabitat in Sweetwater Branch is very poor, thepresence of a riparian forest buffer zone and tree




canopy were sufficient to elevate the habitatscores above the minimum required to meet the“ditch” exception. Therefore, the stream couldnot be excluded from the numeric threshold cri-teria based on the habitat assessment.

ReclassificationReclassification of Sweetwater Branch to a

Class III Limited Waterbody in conjunctionwith development of site-specific criteria for nu-trients was considered. The Class III designationrecognizes that physical alterations to a water-body creates conditions that would not supportall of the attributes of a Class III waterbody, andprovides an alternate designated use target (sup-port and maintenance of a limited biologicalcommunity). This approach offers the advan-tage that the site-specific criteria would essen-tially be permanent, barring extensive physicalrestoration of the creek, which due to the ex-treme expense, would be unlikely.

The Class III designation would be reason-able for the stream since it is highly altered andit would not be feasible to return the 1.1-mi sec-tion of it to natural or near-natural conditions.The stream runs through highly urbanized areasof Gainesville, and consequently, SweetwaterBranch had been channelized for flood controlpurposes long before modern water quality orstormwater regulations. Full restoration of thecreek would necessitate removal of large areasof urban development, cause flooding, and beprohibitively expensive. Despite this, based ondiscussions with members of the community, itwas clear that there was a lack of local supportfor the reclassification approach, and the nextalternative was considered.

Level II Water Quality-Based Effluent Limitations

Development of a Level II WQBEL was se-lected as the preferred approach for complyingwith the requirements of NNC. The Level IIWQBEL may be re-evaluated with permit renewalsand could be modified if appropriate. While thisperiodic re-evaluation places some potential mon-etary risk associated with the approach, it wasmore palatable to the community as it allows theopportunity for a physical restoration of the creekif funds become available in the future.

Level II Water Quality-Based Effluent Limitations Approach

The Level II WQBEL essentially requirestwo major demonstrations:� Demonstration that the current and historic

nutrient discharge is not the cause of the cur-rent impairment.

� Determination of limits that are appropriate toensure that future discharges will not cause orcontribute to impairment.

The cause of the impairment is demon-strated through a Stressor Identification Study(EPA, 2014) using historical and current data.The allowable nutrient limits are demonstratedthrough computer modeling. A study plan forthe WQBEL was developed and approved byFDEP and is described.

Stressor Identification StudyTo conduct a Stressor Identification Study,

EPA developed a Causal Analysis/Diagnosis De-cision Information System (CADDIS), whichconsists of a five-step process:

Step 1: Define the Case Does biological health significantly differ

when comparing data upstream and downstreamfrom a discharge containing nutrients (e.g., inthis case, the MSWRF), or are other physical fac-tors influencing the system’s biological response?

Step 2: List Candidate CausesIn Sweetwater Branch, targeted factors in-

cluded water quality (especially nutrients andspecific conductance), physical alteration (chan-nelization and habitat), hydrologic modifications(impervious surfaces coupled with channeliza-tion), and landscape development factors.

Step 3: Evaluate Data from the Case. These data were evaluated using the CAD-

DIS guidelines.

Step 4: Evaluate Data from ElsewhereData from other systems were evaluated in

conjunction with information from SweetwaterBranch.

Step 5: Identify Probable CausesThe Stressor Identification Study con-

cluded that habitat alteration, hydrologic mod-ifications, and sediment movement/smotheringwere the proximal causes for the SCI failures inSweetwater Branch. Because floral communitieswere healthy, nutrients were not a stressor.

ModelingThe QUAL2K model, which is a public-do-

main, nonproprietary model, was used to assessinstream water quality and floral impacts inSweetwater Branch resulting from permittedflows and the design nutrient loadings from theMSWRF and other nutrient sources to thecreek. By using the model to assess against aworst-case condition, GRU provided reasonableassurance that excess algae or periphyton would

not occur and that water quality standards willbe met in Sweetwater Branch.

Summary and Conclusions

The Paynes Prairie Sheetflow RestorationProject provides an integrated, collaborative,community-based approach to cost-effectivelymeet regulatory nutrient reduction requirementsfor multiple sources. The project integrates theconstruction of manmade treatment facilitieswith natural systems and includes multiple ele-ments that act in concert to achieve the multiplegoals of improving water quality, restoring natu-ral systems, and protecting the Floridan aquifer.

An integral part of the project was the abil-ity to obtain site-specific nutrient criteria forSweetwater Branch that are protective of thecreek and attainable with the project. Althoughthe FDEP NNC rule became effective in October2014, GRU collected biological and water qual-ity data throughout the project conceptualiza-tion, design, and construction processes inanticipation of seeking site-specific nutrient cri-teria for Sweetwater Branch.

Several mechanisms were considered forseeking site-specific criteria before selecting theWQBEL approach. A study plan for obtaining theWQBEL was approved by FDEP, and the study isnow nearly complete. The plan integrated the ex-isting data and involved the collection of someadditional data to demonstrate the appropriate-ness of the WQBEL. The approach included aStressor Identification Study, which determinedthat nutrients are not causing adverse effects tothe creek’s flora or fauna. Computer modeling offuture conditions were conducted to set appro-priate nutrient criteria for Sweetwater Branchand discharge limits for the MSWRF.

References

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014.Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision InformationSystem (CADDIS) websitehttp://www.epa.gov/caddis/index.html.

• Gao, X.; D. Gilbert; and W. Magley (2006).TMDL Report: Nutrient TMDL for AlachuaSink, WBID 2720A. Florida Department of En-vironmental Protection, Division of Water Re-source Management, Bureau of WatershedManagement. Tallahassee, Fla.

• White, L.D. (1975). Ecosystem Analysis of PaynesPrairie for Discerning Optimum Resource Use.University of Florida School of Forest Resourcesand Conservation Research Report No. 24.Gainesville, Fla.

• QUAL2K model:http://www.epa.gov/athens/wwqtsc/html/qual2k.html. ��



FWRJ READER PROFILE

Larry Hickey Equipment Plus Solutions Inc.,

Ocala

Work title and years of service.I have worked in Florida’s wastewaterindustry for over 34 years. I started mycareer with a family-owned sludge haulingcompany in Ft. Lauderdale in the early1980s. In 1985, I moved to the Gulf Coastand joined Marolf, where I was ultimatelypromoted to the position of national salesmanager. While at Marolf, I was involved inthe construction of wastewater treatmentplants throughout Florida and theCaribbean. In 1992, my family and I madethe move to Ocala, which led to the start ofmy career as a manufacturer’s representative.My wife, Joanne, and I presently own andoperate Equipment Plus Solutions Inc., and Iserve as president of the company.

What does your job entail?Customer support with integrity is at thefoundation of our mission statement, whichwe take very seriously. We strive to serveFlorida’s utility customers, consulting firms,and utility contractors. As a manufacturer’srepresentative, we provide solutions offered

by the companies we represent, whichincludes design support, constructionguidance, and system integration. Long-termrelationships with our customers, long afterequipment has been placed in service, is avery important part of our DNA.

What do you like best about your job?I have had the privilege of getting to knowsome incredibly dedicated and professionalpeople in this industry over the years. Whilehard work can be a challenging task, doing itwith great people makes it an experience tobe remembered.

What organizations do you belong to?WEF, FWEA, and its Air Quality Committee(past chair).

How have the organizations helped yourcareer?I believe involvement in the stateassociations related to the water andwastewater industry is essential for access tocontinued education, networkingopportunities, and professionaldevelopment.

What do you like best about the industry?I believe in paying it forward. Involvementwith FWEA has personally been a veryrewarding experience. The organizationmaintains a focus on continually educatingthe people who make up the industry. It hasbeen a privilege to participate in this visionby being a part of the FWEA Air QualityCommittee. Over the years, our committeehas journeyed throughout Floridaconducting educational workshops andseminars related to air quality and odorcontrol. The committee is made up of abroad range of people who all play differentroles within the industry. It has been anincredible experience to see everyone cometogether with one common goal. Throughthese continued education workshops, weare all paying it forward.

What do you do when you’re not working? I am a veteran of the United State Air Forceand the Florida Army National Guard. I giveof my time serving veterans through thePatriot Guard, as well as throughparticipation locally in Honor Flight. I hadthe privilege of flying to Washington D.C., asan escort with an Honor Flight mission outof Ocala. It was an amazing experiencesupporting our “Greatest Generation.” I amalso an avid motorcyclist and love to hit theopen road on my Harley. The concerns ofthe day are easily dealt with when I am onFlorida’s backroads with a V-Twin below me,an open throttle in my hand, and the windin my face! ��

Patriot Guard Honor Mission – PFC Robert Blair,Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.

Honor Flight Mission – Washington, D.C. My favorite escape from the issues of the day.


Iwould like to thank the Universe for the paththat led me to the utility profession. It is, andhas always been, a true calling for me. I see

people every day who are in jobs they hate andhave to drag themselves to work each day. I havemet and had students who felt that, althoughthey didn’t like their job everyday, they like itmost days. I would tell you all what I tell mychildren (and I have a lot of them): If you hateyour job, do yourself and your company a favorand move on.

I can honestly say that on many days I lovemy job, on most days I like my job, and on veryfew days I feel I should have used a sick day.When I look at other professions, there are veryfew that would have given me the opportunitiesI have been given; I am an upbeat person, so Iwould have been somewhat happy at most anyof them. It’s like the old song says: “Love the oneyou’re with.”

There are very few jobs where a wisecrack-ing vagabond (like me) would have a chance atsuccess. I have scanned the want ads for “bigmouth who thinks he knows it all” and have yetto see a single job posting. I had a dream oncethat I was a school bus driver; actually, it wasmore of a nightmare. When I awoke, I was try-ing to explain to the police that duct-taping thekids to their seats was better than what I wasgoing to do before I regained my composure.

I know that if I had not become an opera-tor I would have missed out on much of whathas made my life a great adventure. I would notfeel that oneness with the poor haggard utilityspokesperson we so often see on televisionstanding in front of a water line shooting 50 feetin the air behind him or her, while being askedby a reporter, “How long do you expect thewater to be affected?” and giving a polite answerof, “A few hours, I hope,” while thinking, “I haveno damn idea!” In that situation, I would like tosay, “It would be a lot easier to round up a crewon Sunday if you didn’t show them the watershooting 50 feet in the air!”

When this has happened to my utility,while waiting for the crew to show up, I ob-

served the neighborhood spectators setting uplawn chairs to watch the repair. I have oftensaid that we should set up bleachers and chargeadmission. I wonder, as the dogs lined up towatch us repair a fire hydrant, if they are think-ing “What are you doing to my favorite bath-room?”

I love the excitement of a water or sewerline break; there is nothing like the sound of amud hog running and crews busy unloadingequipment that gets my adrenaline pumping.There is something about watching the crewstart up a pump and take the extra gas can offthe truck that makes me tear up with pride. It’slike coming home from work to find that yourteenager has started a school project that is notdue for two whole weeks! Well, maybe that’s tak-ing it too far, but it is nice to see that the work-ers have listened to the “make sure the pumpwill run and has gas before you load it on thetruck” speech. I have had good crews and greatcrews, but very seldom have I run into thatstereotype of a lazy county or city worker I haveheard some speak of.

My early days in operations were spentcleaning the plant and performing maintenance,while constantly being told the industry paywould catch up one day with the training anddedication requirements. I was not told that daywould not come until I was part of the manage-ment team that would participate (many yearslater) in making that happen. The competitionfor good operators did not take place until I wasno longer in a position to benefit from it.

I don’t regret a minute of the journey be-cause I did have my share of interesting events.I once had the great opportunity to explain to alady who was crying when her sunken livingroom was filled with sewage from a backup thatI was sure it would not affect the resale value ofher beautiful home. I said with a smile, “With alittle paint and some new carpet you wouldnever know the waste from your neighbors’ di-gested Thanksgiving dinner had been in yourhouse.”

I have worked with some of the best andworst contractors during my career. Withoutnaming names (you know them) I had a con-tractor and engineering firm build a new resi-dential community near our utility’s border. Thehomes were constructed and new ownersmoved in. Two months after the ribbon-cutting,we discovered that the gravity sewer lines werenot tied to anything. It was just a big holding

system for crap that went nowhere (much likeour Congress).

There were 23 high-end homes built onhalf-acre lots, which had a series of gravity linesand manholes that were almost a mile from theclosest sewer line, and were actually tied to ourcollection system. The residents formed a coali-tion and tried to sue, but had very little success,as the contractor went bankrupt. Finally, afterhauling sewage from the site for several monthswhile everyone tried to rectify the issue, we builta lift station and ran the main to our system. Wewere able to work with another contractorbuilding a community nearby and tie the sys-tems together with one slightly up-sized lift sta-tion. The poor residences were assessed a feethat was incorporated into their bills, but it wasbetter than 52 portalets in the neighborhood.

Membership Renewal

I know that several months ago in my col-umn I was promoting a membership drive ask-ing for anyone who knew John to have himrenew his membership. I would like to say thatit was a great success and almost every John outthere renewed his membership in October.However, I know for a fact that many of youJohns are procrastinators and may have meantto renew, but failed to follow through. Now it’stime for all of those Judys and Junes to get theirmemberships in, too. Just ask John and he willshow you how to download and print the appli-cation. I know that each of you who reads theseinformative and well-thought-out articles canget at least one person to renew this month.

Closing Thoughts

A new FWPCOA president will be takingover soon and I will hand over the much-worngavel. I am sure he will write from his heart andpersonal history to keep you informed on thenews of our future path. I would like to leaveyou with some positive thoughts: � The most valuable thing we have is our time;

spend yours as wisely as you can. � The cheapest way to increase productivity,

with a crew or a child, is by thanking them. � Always praise in public and criticize in pri-

vate. � Be kind and honest and take some chances;

your life can be a great adventure, even in theutility world. ��

Thomas KingPresident, FWPCOA

C FACTOR

Love the One You’re With

Operators: Take the CEU Challenge!

1. The product described in this article isa. a high specific gravity metal oxide powder.b. an electrically charged polymer.c. commonly in use in drinking water treatment systems.d. presently not commercially available.

2. Within the first two months of the plant scale test, operators wererequired to waste a large amount of sludge to address what type ofproblem? a. High effluent biochemical oxygen demandb. Foamingc. Solids washoutd. Sludge density

3. Testing revealed that resuspension of sludge settled in a pipelineoccurred at a velocity of ___ ft per second.a. 1 b. 2c. 3 d. 4

4. Which of the following increased after full-scale, permanentimplementation of the process described in this article?a. Sludge volume index (SVI)b. Ultraviolet transmittancec. Effluent turbidityd. Chlorine demand

5. During performance testing in 2009/2010, the solids/liquid interfacewas achieved at the ___ -minute mark during standard SVI testing.a. one b. fivec. 10 d. 15

Stable Attraction: How to Cheat the ActivatedSludge Process for Additional Capacity Using the

Magnetite-Ballasted Mixed Liquor Process

Brian Karmasin, Bill McConnell, and Megan Moody(Article 2: CEU = 0.1 WW}

___________________________________________SUBSCRIBER NAME (please print)

Article 1 ________________________________________LICENSE NUMBER for Which CEUs Should Be Awarded

Article 2 ________________________________________LICENSE NUMBER for Which CEUs Should Be Awarded

If paying by credit card, fax to (561) 625-4858

providing the following information:

___________________________________________(Credit Card Number)

___________________________________________(Expiration Date)

1. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency currently regulatesphosphorus on a __________ basis.a. ross loading b. net loadingc. concentration d. capricious

2. The process described in this article a. reduces total phosphorus concentration by 33 percent.b. reduces total phosphorus concentration by 99 percent.c. utilizes conventional water treatment chemicals.d. utilizes ion exchange treatment.

3. In the plant scale trial, the reduction of ________ by >33percent indicates that the coprecipitation/clarification processcaptures additional molecules.a. total suspended solidsb. biochemical oxygen demandc. volatile solidsd. E. coli

4. Research to date indicates that ___________ ,rather thancoagulation, may play a more significant role in phosphorusremoval.a. electrolysis b. flocculationc. ionization d. adsorption

5. For which of the following parameters was there no reductionin concentration through the two-stage plant scale trial?a. Total dissolved solids b. Nitrate as Nc. Total organic carbon d. Coliform

Phosphorus Removal From Wastewater via Chemical Process With Stoichiometric

and pH Solubility Control

David A. Aubry(Article 1: CEU = 0.1 WW)

Earn CEUs by answering questions from previous Journal issues!

Contact FWPCOA at [email protected] or at 561-840-0340. Articles from past issues can be viewed on the Journal website, www.fwrj.com.

Members of the Florida Water & Pollution Control Association (FWPCOA) mayearn continuing education units through the CEU Challenge! Answer the questionspublished on this page, based on the technical articles in this month’s issue. Circlethe letter of each correct answer. There is only one correct answer to each question!Answer 80 percent of the questions on any article correctly to earn 0.1 CEU for yourlicense. Retests are available.

This month’s editorial theme is Wastewater Treatment. Look above each setof questions to see if it is for water operators (DW), distribution systemoperators (DS), or wastewater operators (WW). Mail the completed page (or aphotocopy) to: Florida Environmental Professionals Training, P.O. Box 33119, PalmBeach Gardens, FL 33420-3119. Enclose $15 for each set of questions you chooseto answer (make checks payable to FWPCOA). You MUST be an FWPCOA memberbefore you can submit your answers!


It is an honor to serveas chair of the FloridaSection of AWWA in

its 90th year. I have hadthe privilege to serve in several positions to helpprepare me for the role I will serve this year. Iam surrounded by so many past chairs who arestill actively engaged in the work of the section,and a board of governors that has passion andexcitement for our mission to serve the mem-bership as they work in the water industry. I amthankful to Mark Lehigh, our 2014-15 chair,who has kept me involved over the past year, andI look forward to continuing to work with himand Grace Johns, our chair-elect.

We have just come from four outstandingdays at the 2015 Fall Conference where ChadPregracke, founder of Living Lands and Watersand a pioneer in cleanups of the Mississippi,Missouri, and Ohio rivers, enthusiastically re-minded us all of our primary mission: to advo-cate for safe drinking water, public health, andthe environment. We should also advocate forour staffs and our community of operators, en-gineers, scientists, customer service representa-tives, finance personnel, regulators, publichealth officials, service providers, and vendors,who all make our jobs possible.

The water industry is the silent industry,where we go about our daily business of watersupply development, treatment, distribution,and environmental protection. Our customersexpect and are confident that when they turn onthe tap, clean, safe water will always be there. Byadvocating and reminding our customers andcommissions of what we quietly and efficientlydo every day, there may be a better understand-ing of the need to maintain and improve thisvaluable infrastructure before it fails or ages be-yond repair.

One way to advocate is to be actively en-gaged in FSAWWA as professionals in the in-dustry. The past chairs have included utilitymanagers, service providers, consultants, andoperators. You all have expertise and a uniqueamount of experience you can share with others,and we have a job for each and every memberwho wants to be involved.

My focus this year is to engage the mem-bership and renew interest in some of the com-mittees that may have downsized or lostmembers and focus during the recent recession.

We would like to grow opportunities forthe customer service professionals to help us outin the Public Affairs Council. We would like toexpand the SCADA and automation profes-sionals’ involvement in the Technical and Edu-cation Council, where we are already wellknown for our quality educational programs. Inthe past year, a new Finance and Rates Com-mittee has formed to focus on utility financeconcepts, including rate setting.

The Utility Council could use your help inlegislative and regulatory issues. This groupworks at a fast pace during the legislative sessionto influence the legislative process, including as-sisting in developing language for new legisla-tion and communicating with house and senatemembers in support of the water industry. TheFSAWWA has been working on this water billfor several sessions and those efforts have cometo fruition: it’s likely that the current water billwill become law early in the session this yearafter the governor’s approval.

Hot issues at the national level this year are: � Funding for infrastructure improvements

through the Water Infrastructure Financingand Innovation Act (WIFIA), which hasstalled in Congress.

� Inorganic contaminants, including lead andstrontium.

� Implementation of the revised Total Col-iform Rule, which must be implemented inFlorida by April 1, 2016.

Direct and indirect potable reuse projectsare being implemented in several states, includ-ing Florida, and FSAWWA is your resource forinformation and expertise on this emergingwater supply option.

Last year, the FSAWWA board aligned ourstrategic planning efforts, mission, vision, andgoals with the larger AWWA organization. Ourmission is: “Uniting the water community to ef-fectively manage WATER, the world’s most im-portant resource.”

In 2016, we will be developing additionalaction plans to keep these goals moving forwardand keep them relevant to the important issuesin our state and our core principles. Our re-cently completed marketing and communica-tions plan will be put into action with a varietyof implementation steps.

The FSAWWA regional structure makes par-ticipation easy. Monthly, there are technical train-ing sessions, social events, scholarship fundraisers,environmental cleanups, and many other oppor-tunities to engage with others in the industry inyour home territory. If you are open to interna-tional travel, the Water For People organization isfor you. There are opportunities to travel to sev-eral countries to work on water supply develop-ment or sanitation projects, and there areFSAWWA regional and council fundraisers forthis worthy effort throughout the year.

If any of these opportunities sound entic-ing, contact me or our friendly staff led by PeggyGuingona, our exceptional executive director,and we will match you to the committee, coun-cil, or regional leader who can get you involved.Our website is www.fsawwa.org.

My mission for the year is to advocate forthe water industry and for our members in ourmission for public health: delivery of safe andreliable drinking water at a reasonable price, andpreservation of the environment, in all that wedo. I invite you to participate and I look forwardto hearing from you and working with you thisyear. Thanks for the opportunity! ��

Kim KunihiroChair, FSAWWA

Serving the Water Community from the Bottom Up

FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT

FloridaSection32 January 2016 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Ed James Jr.

June 10, 2009, was one of the saddestdays of my life. That was my last day as ad-ministrator of the Florida Operator Certifi-cation Program at the Florida Departmentof Environmental Protection (FDEP).

It was sad because that day I was of-ficially retiring from the industry that Iloved—and still love—with all my heart.Yes, it was also a time of happiness, plan-ning all the things that were on my bucketlist: traveling, volunteering, relaxing, andgrowing old with a sense of purpose andfulfilment.

Well, now almost seven years later,my heart still yearns, wants, and needs tostill be a part of the water industry. After

some health issues, getting around is notthat easy for me anymore, and I missbeing able to just stop by and say hello atindustry functions, like the Florida WaterResources Conference, Florida RuralWater Association Annual Conference,and the Florida Section of the AmericanWater Works Association Fall Conference,where I had the pleasure and honor tomeet many of the great men and womenwho serve Florida’s water industry on adaily basis with their dedication to makeour state a leader in the industry.

I must admit that I have been calledon the carpet for not having my shovelerspin from the great Florida Selection Soci-ety of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (FSSSSS).A few weeks ago, when I stopped by FDEP

to say hello to the members of the Oper-ator Certification Examination ReviewCommittee, I was in the presence of BillAllman, Bill Edgar, and Jamie Hope—allfellow FSSSSS members—and me with-out my pin! (And they all had theirs!) It istruly hard to be both proud and embar-rassed at the same time.

My friends, I just wanted to let youknow that you are missed in my heart butnever forgotten! I’m forever grateful forall of the wonderful people I have met andhope to continue to meet in the Floridawater industry. Thanks to the FloridaWater Resources Journal for allowing meto share these few words.

Take care, everyone, and have ahealthy and prosperous 2016.

Reflections on Retirement from the Water Industry


The Kemptville (Ont.) Water PollutionControl Plant (WPCP) is a conventionalactivated sludge (CAS) facility, with a

rated average day flow (ADF) capacity of 1.2 milgal per day (mgd). A recent environmental as-sessment has concluded that continued growthin the service area will require a plant capacityexpansion of approximately two times the cur-rent design. The site, however, has limited space,and a conventional plant expansion would re-quire acquisition of additional land. For this rea-son, the sewer authority decided to evaluate theuse of the innovative BioMagTM treatmentprocess as an alternative to influent equalizationand expansion of the CAS process. The treat-ment system, which is a ballasted activatedsludge process, was identified due to its smallfootprint requirements, capability to treat highpeak flows, and ease of retrofitting into the ex-isting CAS process.

The goal of the project was to confirm thefeasibility of converting the WPCP to the newtreatment system. The objectives of the programincluded confirming design parameters for thenew process, including operating mixed liquor

suspended solids (MLSS) concentration, peak clar-ifier solids loading, and surface overflow rates, aswell as performance in terms of effluent quality,chemical and energy use, and ballast recovery.

The project was conducted with assistancefrom the Ontario Ministry of the Environmentunder the Showcasing Water Innovation grantprogram. The pilot system and associated equip-ment, materials, and services for the demonstra-tion were contributed by the developer of thetreatment process, Evoqua Water Technologies.

Existing Kemptville Water Pollution Control Plant

The WPCP is a conventional activated sludgewastewater treatment plant with tertiary filtration.The treatment processes include: screening, grit re-moval, primary clarification, aeration, secondaryclarification, flocculation, filtration, and ultravio-let (UV) disinfection. Sludge management is pro-vided by waste activated sludge (WAS)cothickening in the primary clarifiers and diges-tion of the cothickened sludge in a two-stageanaerobic digestion process. A general process flow

schematic of the liquid treatment train at theWPCP is shown in Figure 1.

Innovative Treatment Process

The treatment process is a ballasted acti-vated sludge system that incorporates the addi-tion of magnetite into the activated sludgeprocess to ballast the biological floc and in-crease its specific gravity, resulting in improvedsecondary sludge settling efficiency. This alsoallows the system to carry a higher level ofMLSS, thereby providing additional treatmentcapacity.

The process focuses specifically on the sec-ondary treatment components of the activatedsludge facility. A typical process flow schematicis shown in Figure 2. Return activated sludge(RAS) is combined with recovered magnetiteand virgin magnetite in a ballast mix tank. Theballasted RAS then flows to the aeration tankwhere biological treatment occurs, and then tothe secondary clarifier. The settled sludge is thenreturned back to the biological process as RAS,and WAS is sent to a ballast recovery systemprior to sludge handling and disposal. The mag-netite recovery system incorporates a shear millto dislodge and allow extraction and recovery ofthe magnetite on a rotating magnetic drum.

The increased specific gravity and set-tleability of the magnetite-impregnated solidsallows the secondary clarifiers to be operated athigher hydraulic and solids loading rates, whilemaintaining and improving effluent water qual-

Full-Scale Demonstration of a BallastedTreatment System for Capacity Expansion

Melody Johnson, Carla Fernandes, Mike Finley, Dennis Evans, Louise Di Giacomo, John Irwin, and Matthew Vareika

Melody Johnson is senior project managerand Carla Fernandes is a process engineerwith XCG Consultants Ltd., in Oakville, Ont.Mike Finley is superintendent of environmentalservices, Dennis Evans is senior water/seweroperator, and Louise Di Giacomo is awater/sewer operator with the Municipality ofNorth Grenville (Ont.). John Irwin is technicalsales manager and Matthew Vareika is aprocess engineer with Evoqua WaterTechnologies LLC, in Ann Arbor, Mich.

F W R J

Figure 1. Kempteville Process Flow Schematic


ity. This also allows the biological reactors to berun at elevated MLSS levels, similar to mem-brane bioreactor (MBR) processes, and enablesadditional biological plant capacity.

Full-Scale Demonstration Methodology

A demonstration program was undertakenthat involved temporary full-scale integration ofthe treatment process at the WPCP during athree-month period. This was accomplished byremoving one secondary treatment train fromoperation, adding magnetite (ballast) to the on-line treatment train, and temporarily installinga magnetite recovery system housed in a trailer.A process flow diagram of the full-scale demon-stration is presented in Figure 3.

The demonstration system was operated atprojected future operating conditions to con-firm the design parameters associated with bio-logical treatment. Secondary clarifier stresstesting was also conducted to confirm clarifierperformance and peak flow capacity.

Results

Long-Term TestingLong-term testing began on July 15, 2013,

and the demonstration period ended on Sept.30, 2013. The treatment system operated at anaverage MLSS concentration (without mag-netite) of 6,945 mg/L. With magnetite, the totalMLSS concentration was 20,036 mg/L.

The average sludge volume index (SVI) val-ues reached a steady state value of approxi-mately 50 mL/g by the end of the demonstrationperiod, indicating a very well settling sludge.The SVI values were calculated based on theMLSS concentration without magnetite so thatit could be compared to the SVI of other acti-vated sludge facilities.

Over the study period, the average rate ofmagnetite recovery from the WAS was approxi-mately 95 percent. Magnetite remaining in theWAS accounted for approximately 9 percent ofthe average WAS mass flow rate.

Secondary Clarifier Stress TestingClarifier stress testing took place over two

days. In order to provide added flow for stresstesting, two pumps were used to recirculate sec-ondary effluent from the tertiary flocculationtanks, which were located downstream of thetest secondary clarifier to the head of the on-lineaeration tank to simulate peak flows. Samples ofmixed liquor, secondary effluent, and tertiary ef-fluent were collected throughout testing. Sludgeblanket levels were also monitored throughouttesting.

During Day 1 testing, flows were increasedincrementally at one-hour intervals to attempt toreach the hydraulic capacity of the clarifier and amaximum influent flow rate of approximately 2mgd was reached. During Day 2 testing, a targetflow value of approximately 2.64 mgd was chosenand was held over a three-hour period.

A summary of the secondary clarifier op-erating conditions and secondary effluent qual-ity during the two days of stress testing arepresented in Table 1. It should be noted that the

solids loading rate (SLR) values were calculatedbased on the solids loading from the MLSSwithout magnetite so that they could be com-pared to typical SLR values for nitrifying CASfacilities.

It was determined that the existing second-ary clarifier can be operated at sustained surfaceoverload rate (SOR) and SLR values of 945 galper day per sq ft (gpd/sf) and 67 lb/da/sf, re-spectively, and peak SOR and SLR values of

Figure 2. Typical BioMagTM Treatment System

Figure 3. Full-Scale Integration of the Treatment Process



1369 gpd/sf and 98 lb/da/sf, respectively, whilemaintaining the required secondary effluentquality.

At an operating MLSS of 7,000 mg/L, theexisting secondary clarifiers at the WPCP are es-timated to have an equivalent peak-hour flow

process capacity of 5.9 mgd, or approximatelytwice the existing peak rated capacity of 3 mgd.

Conclusions

The results of the full-scale demonstrationconfirmed that conversion of the existing CAS

process at the WPCP to a BioMag™ treatmentsystem is a feasible option to provide addi-tional wastewater servicing capacity within theexisting biological and clarification tankageand without the need for additional land ac-quisition.

Based on the results of long-term testing,the treatment process was capable of meetingthe target secondary effluent performance tar-gets of 10 mg/L, 10 mg/L, and 0.3 mg/L for car-bonaceous biochemical oxygen demand(CBOD5), total suspended solids (TSS), andtotal phosphorus (TP), respectively. The bal-lasted mixed liquor exhibited excellent set-tleability, with an average SVI value of 50 mL/g.Secondary clarifier stress testing results indicatethat the treatment process can maintain sec-ondary effluent quality, even at high flows.

The results of this full-scale demonstra-tion indicate that the treatment technology is aviable treatment option that can be easily inte-grated into existing activated sludge processesto provide additional treatment capacity, in-cluding peak flow treatment capacity, in asmall footprint, while maintaining effluentquality. ��

Table 1. Secondary Clarifier Stress Testing: Select Operating Conditions and Effluent Quality

By the time you read this article it will be lessthan a month until the start of the 2016 leg-islative session. Due to the presidential elec-

tion later this year, the legislative session will beginon January 12. Last year, the session was billed asthe “Year of Water.” It was, however, more like the“Year of Drought” as far as legislative accomplish-ments were concerned relative to water resources.Though 2016 is not being called the “Year ofWater,” it does appear to have the promise of de-livering significant water legislation this session.

Last year, the house and senate worked ondeveloping an omnibus water policy bill thatcovered a wide range of water issues. The twolegislative bodies were close to achieving agree-ment on the legislation when the session endedearly because the two bodies could not agree onhealth care legislation. For the coming 2016 ses-sion, the legislature has taken up the 2015 waterbill and resolved the issues that were unresolvedwhen last year’s session ended. The omnibuswater bill (HB7005 and SB552) has passed

through all of its committee stops and is set tobe heard and acted upon in the first week of thisyear’s session. This could be the most significantpiece of legislation adopted by the legislaturethis session, if the disagreements over redis-tricting and health care don’t derail the 2016 ses-sion, as they did in 2015.

The omnibus water bill grew out of legis-lation initially drafted for the 2014 session in-tended to address water quality and quantityconcerns with springs. In 2015, the legislationwas expanded to include a wide range of waterpolicy issues, in addition to springs protection.It has expanded to about 150 pages of legisla-tion, covering topics such as minimum flowsand levels, recovery and prevention strategies,basin management action plans, Total Maxi-mum Daily Loads, the northern Evergladesrestoration, Central Florida Water Initiative, al-ternative water supply projects, water conserva-tion, and water supply funding processes.

There is something in this legislation that Ithink will have some impact on every utility in thestate in some manner. This column does not pro-vide enough space to go into the specifics of thelegislation, so I encourage each of you to read it.

The FWEA Utility Council worked with thesponsors of the legislation during and after the2015 session to make improvements, and therewas success in some areas, such as not having localgovernments be solely responsible for correctingseptic tank issues in spring sheds and modifyingthe proposed funding process for alternative watersupply projects to make it more objective.

After the omnibus water bill, there is notmuch else on the horizon related to water or en-vironmental legislation of note. The governor’sbudget does contain a request for $50 millionfor springs protection projects and the sameamount for alternative water supply projects.This level of funding doesn’t even begin to im-pact the total price tags for these projects, but atleast the proposed funding is a beginning.

On a related matter, the Florida Depart-ment of Environmental Protection issued thefinal SB536 Reclaimed Water Report last year onDecember 3. This report could help provide thebasis for a legislative effort in 2016 to addressexpanding the use of reclaimed water. TheFWEA Utility Council is currently having dis-cussions with members of the legislature whohave an interest in reclaimed water issues. ��

Brian WheelerPresident, FWEA Utility Council

2016 Legislation PreviewFWEA FOCUS



1. What does the unit parts per mil (ppm)mean?a. 1 lb per mil galb. 1 gal per mil lbsc. 8.34 lbs per mil gald. 10 mg per liter

2. Which zone of a biological nutrientremoval (BNR) plant produces a releaseof phosphorus and is responsible forconditioning the phosphorus for lateruptake in the downstream zones?a. Anoxicb. Fermentationc. Aerobicd. Reaeration

3. What is the carbonaceous biochemicaloxygen demand ( CBOD5) test a measureof?a. Suspended solidsb. Organic contentc. Dissolved solidsd. Alkalinity

4. Which major reaction is most likely tooccur in an anoxic zone of a BNRprocess?a. Nitrificationb. Phosphorus uptakec. Denitrificationd. Reaeration

5. Which laboratory test requires the use ofan analytical balance, a drying oven, filterpapers, a muffle furnace, and a desiccator?a. Volatile suspended solidsb. Total solidsc. CBOD5

d. Settleable solids

6. What is the correct incubation time andtemperature for the CBOD5 test?a. Five days at 20°Fb. Five days at 20°Cc. 20 days at 5°Cd. Five days at 68°C

7. What does this formula represent?�r2 x depth, ft x 7.48 gals/ft3

a. Volume of a cone in ft3

b. Volume of a circular tank in galc. Volume of a sphere in gald. Volume of a cone in gal

8. Which is the highest life form in theactivated sludge process: a free-swimmingciliate, a stalked ciliate, or a rotifer?a. Free-swimming ciliateb. Stalked ciliatec. Rotiferd. They are all the same.

9. What two laboratory analyses arenecessary to calculate the food-to-mass(F/M) ratio?a. Aeration mixed liquor volatile

suspended solids (MLVSS) andinfluent CBOD5

b. Aeration mixed liquor suspendedsolids (MLSS) and oxygen uptake rate(OUR)

c. Aeration MLVSS and effluent CBOD5

d. Aeration MLSS and influent CBOD5

10. What does the term adsorption mean?a. Impregnate a liquid with airb. Taking in of one substance in the body

of anotherc. To gather onto the surface of a

substanced. Soak like a sponge

Answers on page 54

Readers are welcome to submitquestions or exercises on water or wastewater treatment plantoperations for publication inCertification Boulevard. Sendyour question (with the answer) or your exercise (with the solution) by email to:[email protected], or by mail to:

Roy PelletierWastewater Project Consultant

City of Orlando Public Works DepartmentEnvironmental Services

Wastewater Division5100 L.B. McLeod Road

Orlando, FL 32811407-716-2971

Certification Boulevard

SEND US YOURQUEST IONS

Test Your Knowledge of Wastewater Treatment Topics

Check the ArchivesAre you new to the water andwastewater field? Want to boostyour knowledge about topicsyouʼll face each day as awater/wastewater professional?

All past editions of CertificationBoulevard through 2000 areavailable on the Florida WaterEnvironment Associationʼswebsite at www.fwea.org. Clickthe “Site Map” button on thehome page, then scroll down tothe Certification BoulevardArchives, located below theOperations ResearchCommittee.

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS?

Roy Pelletier



Affiliation: Florida Section American Water WorksAssociation

Current chair: Jordan Walker, water resources engineer,Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.

Scope of work:The Young Professionals (YP) Committeeorganizes and sponsors events with the purposeof involving the younger members of FSAWWAand to encourage them to actively participate inFSAWWA throughout their careers. The YPCommittee also supports other FSAWWAcommittees and activities by cohosting eventsand encouraging YPs to participate in regionalevents.

Yearly events and projects:FSAWWA Fall Conference Events� Water Bowl – A competition like TV’s

Jeopardy! game show for students fromFlorida universities. Teams compete againsteach other to see who can answer the mostquestions correctly in the least amount oftime. All questions are related to the drinkingwater industry.

� “Fresh Ideas” Poster Session – Encourages YPparticipation in the technical program at theconference through presentation of a poster.Posters are judged and the winner receivesairfare, hotel, and conference registration toattend the Annual AWWA Conference andExhibition (ACE) to compete against otherAWWA section "Fresh Ideas" poster winners.

Florida Water Resources Conference Events� Young Professionals Workshop: This workshop

strengthens mentoring and knowledgetransfer within the YP community, as well asfacilitates communication among membersof the three Florida Water ResourcesConference (FWRC) host organizations. Fourselect speakers share personal stories andlessons learned about career and personaldevelopment through the first third of a waterindustry career. This workshop explores theunique pathways of four individuals as theytransition from young professionals toemerging leaders in the water industry,including academic, consulting, and utilityperspectives. Additionally, attendees arepresented with the opportunity to prepare fortheir future involvement with professionalorganizations and conference experiences by

identifying goals for development withinthese organizations and articulating an actionplan for these goals. The workshop is followedby a networking event open to all young andseasoned professionals.

Young Professionals Summer Seminar� This is a half-day seminar organized

specifically for directors, managers,supervisors, engineers, equipmentmanufacturers and suppliers, and operatorsinvolved in utility operations and emergencyresponse and planning. Every year the topic isdifferent; the Technical and EducationCommittee is tasked to come up with relevanttopics. The seminar serves to engage themembers of FSAWWA by offering continuingeducation and is also an opportunity forengineers to obtain necessary professionaldevelopment hour (PDH) credits. Theworkshop is followed by a networking eventopen to all young and seasoned professionals.

Regional Events� Each region sponsors and engages in their

own events to foster growth of their youngprofessionals. Events can range fromtechnical workshops to networking events oreven community outreach occasions.

Committee members:� Jordan Walker, Region IV YP chair and

Florida Section YP chair� Jose Cueto, Region VII, former Florida

Section YP chair� Kunal Nayee, Region III YP chair� Toral Shah, Region VI YP chair� Nelson Perez-Jacome, Region VII � Melissa Velez, Region VII YP cochair� Larry Lammers, Region VIII YP chair� Kyle Kellogg, Region X YP chair� Ryan Popko, Region II YP chair� David Yonge, University of Central Florida

YP liaison� Mike Gerdjikian, University of South Florida

YP liaison� Stephanie Negrete, University of Florida YP

liaison� Tyler Tedcastle, AWWA YP Committee� Peggy Guingona, FSAWWA executive director � Casey Cumiskey, FSAWWA membership

specialist� Donna Metherall, FSAWWA training

coordinator ��

FWRJ COMMITTEE PROFILE

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

Young Professionals Committee

Region IV 2015 YP Social and Happy Hour

FSAWWA Conference “Fresh Ideas” Poster Contest Participants

FSAWWA Conference “Fresh Ideas”Poster Contest Winner

Region VII 2014 Summer Seminar

FWPCOA TRAINING CALENDARSCHEDULE YOUR CLASS TODAY!

* Backflow recertification is also available the last day of BackflowTester or Backflow Repair Classes with the exception of Deltona

** Evening classes

*** any retest given also

January4-8 ........Reclaimed Water Field Site Inspector ..Deltona ..........$350/380

11-14 ........Backflow Tester* ......................................St. Petersburg ..$375/405

22 ........Backflow Tester Recert*** ......................Deltona ..........$85/115

25-29 ........Water Distribution 3, 2 ..........................Deltona ..........$225/255

25-29 ........Reclaimed Water Distribution C ............Deltona ..........$225/255

February15-19 ........Wastewater Collection C, B ....................Deltona ..........$225/255

8-11 ........Backflow Tester ........................................Deltona ..........$375/405

26 ........Backflow Tester recert*** ......................Deltona ..........$85/115

March14-18 ........Spring State Short SchoolSpring State Short School ..................Ft. Pierce

28-31 ........Backflow Tester* ......................................St. Petersburg ..$375/405

April4-6 ........Backflow Repair* ....................................St. Petersburg ..$275/305

29 ........Backflow Tester recert*** ......................Deltona ..........$85/115

You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools

and most other courses.

Course registration forms are available at http://www.fwpcoa.org/forms.asp. For additional information on these courses or other training programs offered by the FWPCOA, please

contact the FW&PCOA Training Office at (321) 383-9690 or [email protected].


Phosphorus is a significant pollutant inwastewater and has proven difficult to re-move to low levels in a practical and eco-

nomical manner. However, a chemical processfor removing phosphorus from water throughcontrol of equilibria and solubility has been de-veloped and demonstrated at a laboratorythrough pilot scale via continuous-mode on-sitetesting at municipal water resource recovery fa-cilities and lakes. The process is based on coag-ulation and precipitation and utilizesconventional water treatment chemicals andequilibrium-based chemistries to a heretoforepreviously unpracticed level of control. It usestraditional solid/liquid separation technology,making it a readily deployable, cost-effective,and safe technique to bring total phosphorusconcentrations to below 100 parts per billion(ppb) extremely economically with one stage,and to below 20 ppb with two-stage processing.Furthermore, the process provides sanitary ben-eficiation and significantly reduces biochemicaloxygen demands (BODs) and coliform bacteriaby 33 percent and 99 percent, respectively.

Water commonly contains soluble ions asimpurities resulting from natural processes, suchas dissolution of natural minerals and materialsand from human activities, including agriculture,mining, manufacturing, chemical processing, anddomestic and industrial water use. Dissolved ionsare potentially disruptive to the normal steady-state of ecological systems, such as encouragingthe undesired overgrowth of cyanobacteria(algae), encouraging eutrophication, and causingdeleterious effects on the systems that extend be-yond the water systems themselves, as well asbeing undesirable for ecological release andhuman use in potable water systems.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) currently regulates phosphorus dischargeon a concentration-emitted basis. Permits aregenerally issued on a site basis and vary widelyacross the United States. Some states have no reg-ulated limits, whereas others have implementedregulations in the sub-100, sub-75, or sub-50ppb range. There is a clear, concerted ongoing ef-fort to reduce phosphorus emissions through

regulation, and regulations are tightening andare expected to continue to tighten as phospho-rus-removal technology and cost efficiencies forremoval improve and are thereby more readilydeployable to reduce the directly assignable im-pacts of phosphorus on the environment.

Efficient, economical means of removal ofdissolved ions are sought to provide cleanerwater for the sustainment of ecological systems,prevention of human activity-induced environ-mental changes, eutrophication, and negativetoxicological effects, as well as for further cleanpotable water use. There are no known docu-mented economically viable full-scale processesby which <20 ppb total phosphorus is practi-cally attainable due to cost constraints. Variousmeans of phosphorus reduction are commonlypracticed and have been for decades, includingchemical treatment by Al and Fe chemicals(Bowker and Stensel, 1990); however, the levelsachieved do not approach those described here.

Equilibria for the various species in solu-tion have been previously studied (Stumm andMorgan, 1996), and the relationships are com-plex and made more so by the variability ofcomposition of the dissolved ions in solution.Removal of phosphorus and other nutrients andimpurities by coagulation and flocculation hasbeen extensively investigated, reported, andpracticed (Edzwald, 2011). Research progresshas not resulted in a process suitable for large-scale deployment, and work has suggested thatadsorption, rather than coagulation, may play amore significant role in phosphorus removal(Yang et al, 2010) in the current deployedprocesses.

There is no prior technological deploymentthat uses the specific control of pH as a speci-fied means of control of the process and utilizesa process-controlled two-stage process with po-tentially different complexation agents in eachstage that effectively removes phosphorus (notexclusively orthophosphate, but oligomeric or-ganic/inorganic phosphorus, present in sus-pended solids and dissolved species). There isno reported or implemented process thatachieves the level of removal to <20 ppb phos-

phorus, regardless of the influent compositionand concentration, as does this process. Fur-thermore, this process provides multiple stagesof complexation and controlled pH adjustmentto remove impurities based on solubility toachieve heretofore unprecedented levels of nu-trient and impurity removal.

Methodology

It is well established that ionic salts of phos-phorus, primarily phosphate, have pH-depen-dent solubilities, and have equilibria dependenton the other dissolved species concentration andcomposition in solution. The pH dependencecan be exploited in two ways: first, with appro-priate water-safe, EPA-approved reagents, thepH regions of highest solubility can be used toprovide the largest amount of dissolved phos-phorus; and second, the solubility minima canbe used to remove the largest fraction of pre-cipitated phosphorus solids. The processes re-ported here utilize the adjustment of pH, thecontrol of specific pH gradients in solution, andthe conventional-based water treatment chem-icals to affect the pH and the formation of phos-phorus complexes as precipitate.

In terms of solids removal, and thereforesolids produced, this resultant product can bedewatered and distributed as a soil nutrient en-hancement, further refined via chemical pro-cessing to a salable product, amended to anaggregate, or landfilled. The fate of the solid islargely contingent upon the impurities presentin the influent to the process.

To evaluate the phosphorus removalprocess, streams of water were passed throughthe system via a positive displacement pump,and the exit stream was decanted from an over-flow clarifier. The system employs chemicals

Phosphorus Removal From Wastewater via Chemical Process With

Stoichiometric and pH Solubility ControlDavid A. Aubry

David A. Aubry, Ph.D., MBA, is the technicaldirector with ecoProducts Limited inLakeland.

F W R J




containing aluminum, calcium, magnesium,flocculating polymer, and pH-adjusting acid.Total phosphorus concentrations were deter-mined using the EPA acid persulfate digestionmethod from the Standard Methods for the Ex-amination of Water and Wastewater, 4500-P-Band E, as Hach Method 8190. Independent lab-oratory results from a contracted third-partylaboratory are reported (Foundation AnalyticalLaboratory; Cherokee, Iowa). Secondary confir-mation, as well as minor impurities, were de-tected via inductively coupled plasma opticalemission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and con-firmed through a third-party laboratory (Spec-

tro Analytical Instruments, Ametek MaterialsAnalysis Division; Mahwah, N.J.).

Results and Discussion

The process provides water cleaning, saniti-zation, and phosphorus removal. The effluentfrom a water recovery facility, properly operatingwell within discharge limits, is shown in Figure 1on the left. A similar sample of water was contin-uously processed by this phosphorus removalprocess and the effluent is shown on the right; thewater is water-white, odorless, and colorless.

The results of several demonstrations ofthe process for illustration are presented: twowater resource recovery facilities (WWTP1 andWWTP2) and a retention pond requiring re-mediation (Pond1). The phosphorus concen-tration results are depicted in Figure 2 for theinfluent (influent for the WWTPs only), efflu-ent (the effluent of the WWTPs, or the pumpedeffluent from the pond), for a conventionalalum addition (at Al = 10 x P), and for the waterproduced by the process described.

Figure 3 indicates the results, with y-axis toscale to allow visualization of the effluent phos-phorus levels from the described process. Theresults suggest that the pH-controlled solubilityequilibrium of phosphorus complexes formedas the result of the coagulant addition providesremoval to <20 ppb of all detectable phospho-rus species results that cannot be obtainedthrough conventional treatment alone.

Table 1 contains the observed results of theeffluents from one of the water resource recoveryfacilities and the results of the phosphorus-re-moval process. The intended phosphorus removalwas achieved, as was sanitary beneficiation. Col-iform bacteria was significantly reduced to levels<1 percent of the original levels. Interestingly, thelevel of BOD was reduced by >33 percent as well,indicating that the coprecipitation/clarificationprocess captures additional molecules.

Conclusions

This new process demonstrates that thereis a readily deployable, cost-effective, and safetechnique to bring total phosphorus concentra-tions to below 100 ppb, as well as reduction ofBODs by >33 percent and coliform bacteria by99 percent. Future work will provide informa-tion relating to the expected impact of theprocess on removing other impurities and nu-trients. Additional demonstrations and studieswill be conducted to evaluate its applicability todifferent influent compositions and to demon-strate the economics and how the process canbe incorporated into existing wastewater and in-dustrial site operations.

Figure 1. Water Recovery Facility Effluent, Pre-treatment and Post-Treatment

Figure 2. P Concentration

Figure 3. P Concentration (y-axis truncated to show low values)



Acknowledgements

The author thanks Terry Meyer and staff, Cityof Prairie du Chien (Wis.) Wastewater Department;Ron Jacobsen, Wastewater Plant, City of StormLake, Iowa; and Jim Patrick, City of Storm Lake,Iowa.

References

• Bowker, R. P. G. ; Stensel, H. D. (1990). Phospho-rus Removal from Wastewater, Pollution Technol-ogy Review, No. 189, Park Ridge, N.J., Noyes DataCorporation, pp54-59.

• Edzwald, J.K., editor (2011). Water Quality andTreatment, 6th edition. McGraw Hill, New York,N.Y., 8.1-8.81.

• Stumm, W.; Morgan, J.J. (1996). Aquatic Chem-istry: Chemical Equilibria and Rates in NaturalWaters, 3rd edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York,N.Y., 404-412.

• Yang, K.; Li, Z.; Zhang, H.; Qian, J.; Chen, G.(2010). Environ. Tech., 31, 601-609. ��

Table 1. Effluent Results

The Association of Metropolitan WaterAgencies (AMWA) honored the Miami-DadeWater and Sewer Department (WASD) withits top utility management award on Oct. 12,2015, at last year’s Executive ManagementConference in Savannah, Ga. The SustainableWater Utility Management Award recognizeswater utilities that have made a commitmentto management that achieves a balance of in-novative and successful efforts in areas of eco-nomic, social, and environmental endeavors.

Recognized for its water use efficiencyprogram, WASD improves management oftraditional water supplies, encourages devel-opment of alternative water supplies, and im-proves water use efficiency. The Departmenthas an aggressive supply-side managementwater loss reduction program, including im-provements in the distribution system, a vig-orous leak detection program, and advancedmeter infrastructure. Its methane sequestra-tion project increases self-generated electric-ity for use at wastewater treatment plants. Anasset management system minimizes the totallife cycle cost of its capital assets, and the cap-ital improvement plan provides long-termfunding to complete upgrades. The WASDemployee recognition program has producedmore than $38 million in savings.

“We are committed to sustainability andenvironmental protection, and public educa-tion and outreach programs are key compo-

nents in our success,” said WASD directorLester Sola. “It’s an honor to be recognized forthe work we do in the department and its pos-itive impacts on the environment.”

The City of Clearwater has finished thedesign, construction, and permitting for itsnew $30 million brackish, reverse osmosis(RO) water treatment facility (WTF). Thenew facility is the first large-scale RO munic-ipal system in Florida to use ozone to treat hy-drogen sulfide in RO permeate. Prior tocompletion of the new facility, the city usedwater from the Florida aquifer and purchasedwater in bulk from a regional supplier to meetits customer needs.

In an effort to manager the cost of water,protect the environment, and conserve water re-sources, the city implemented an integratedwater management strategy. One of the priori-ties for the city was to expand its existing potablewater system, including an upgrade of the exist-ing WTF to the brackish water RO facility.

The new facility was funded in part by theSouthwest Florida Water Management Districtin Tampa. The facility exceeds federal and statestandards and will serve 100,000 customers.

�The South Florida Water Management

District (SFWMD) has approved a water sup-ply plan for Central Florida that charts a long-term course of more aggressive water

conservation, expanded and more efficientwater reuse projects, and alternative watersupply project options to ensure adequatewater supplies for the region through 2035.

The plan was developed as part of theCentral Florida Water Initiative (CFWI),which includes Orange, Osceola, Polk, Semi-nole, and south Lake counties.

“This is an important step forward tomeet the long-term water supply needs of res-idents, businesses, and agriculture in CentralFlorida,” said Daniel O’Keefe, SFWMD gov-erning board chair. “With input from an arrayof stakeholders, the plan represents a combi-nation of strategies to effectively address thechallenges of protecting water resources forthe region.”

Water supply plans identify future watersupply needs for a 20-year planning horizon,and the programs and projects needed to en-sure sustainable supplies; however, the plansdo not require that specific projects be imple-mented. Decisions to choose project optionsare made at the local level by water supplyutilities.

The CFWI is a collaborative effort thatengages three water management districts, theFlorida Department of Environmental Pro-tection, the Florida Department of Agricul-ture and Consumer Services, central Floridautilities, and stakeholders representing agri-

News Beat


cultural interests, the business community, localgovernments, and the environmental commu-nity. The CFWI process identified project op-tions that can meet the region’s future watersupply needs.

The plans represent more than five years ofa coordinated effort led by the CFWI involvingmany experts in the fields of water supply andwater management. More than 6,000 stake-holders participated in the process by attendingpublic meetings and providing comments thathelped shape the plans.

In other news, SFWMD has approved twoconstruction contracts to maintain significantmomentum for Florida’s restoration strategiesplan to improve Everglades water quality. Bothprojects will expand the size and function oftreatment wetlands, known as stormwater treat-ment areas (STAs).

Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West (STA-1W) in western Palm Beach County will growfrom 6,700 acres to 11,300 acres. The $79.2 mil-lion investment nearly doubles the STA’s abilityto clean excess phosphorus from stormwater be-fore it reaches the Arthur R. Marshall Loxa-hatchee National Wildlife Refuge and thegreater Everglades.

“In a short time, key projects in Gov. RickScott’s restoration strategies plan are underwayor nearly complete,” said O’Keefe. “This is thenext critical piece of the plan to achieve cleanerwater for America’s Everglades.”

Formalized in 2012, the restoration strate-gies plan is a suite of projects scientifically de-signed to achieve the ultra-low phosphoruslevels needed in the Everglades. Under the plan,the District is creating more than 6,500 acres ofnew STAs and 116,000 acre-ft of additionalwater storage.

Expansion of STA-1W involves an array ofwork, including construction of:� 49,000 ft of perimeter embankment� 34,000 ft of collector canals to convey flow� 10 inflow gated concrete box culverts� 6 overflow weirs

Once the infrastructure is complete, plantsare expected to grow in naturally, removing ex-cess nutrients from stormwater. As part of theplan, a second expansion of 1,800 acres in STA-1W will be accomplished in the future to fur-ther increase treatment capacity.

Construction work will also include build-ing a structure that increases the flow capacityin the nearby Stormwater Treatment Area 1East. Increasing water flow from 1,580 cu ft persecond (cfs) to 3,600 cfs will improve the abilityto distribute water during storms and otherhigh-flow events into the STA, where it can becleaned. ��

News BeatContinued from page 45


ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Tank Engineering And ManagementConsultants, Inc.

Engineering • Inspection

Aboveground Storage Tank SpecialistsMulberry, Florida • Since 1983

863-354-9010www.tankteam.com

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY



CentralFloridaControls,Inc.

Instrumentation Calibration

Troubleshooting and Repair Services

On-Site Water Meter Calibrations

Preventive Maintenance Contracts

Emergency and On Call Services

Installation and System Start-up

Lift Station Controls Service and Repair

Instrumentation,Controls Specialists

Florida Certified in water meter testing and repair

P.O. Box 6121 • Ocala, FL 34432Phone: 352-347-6075 • Fax: 352-347-0933

www.centra l f lor idacontrols .com

CEC Motor & Utility Services, LLC1751 12th Street EastPalmetto, FL. 34221

Phone - 941-845-1030Fax – 941-845-1049

[email protected]

• Motor & Pump Services Test Loaded up to 4000HP, 4160-Volts

• Premier Distributor for Worldwide Hyundai Motors up to 35,000HP

• Specialists in rebuilding motors, pumps, blowers, & drives

• UL 508A Panel Shop, engineer/design/build/install/commission

• Lift Station Rehabilitation Services, GC License # CGC1520078

• Predictive Maintenance Services, vibration, IR, oil sampling

• Authorized Sales & Service for Aurora Vertical Hollow Shaft Motors

Motor & Utility Services, LLC

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORYShowcase Your Company in the

Engineering or Equipment

& Services Directory

[email protected]

Contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006

Posi t ions Avai lable

Reiss Engineering, Inc.Are you looking for an opportunity with a company that is poised forgrowth? Reiss Engineering stands as one of the most prominent Civil andEnvironmental engineering firms in the State of Florida and the Bahamas.Our main focus is water and wastewater, serving both public and privatesector clients with integrity, technical excellence and a commitment toperformance. At Reiss Engineering, we are committed to making successhappen for our clients, our employees and our firm.

Reiss Engineering offers a competitive compensation and benefits pack-age, as well as a stimulating and fast paced work environment. Reiss En-gineering is continuously searching for highly talented individuals andwelcomes resumes from those with an interest in joining our team. For alist of our current openings, or to submit a resume for a potential oppor-tunity, please visit our website at www.reisseng.com.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator “C”Salary Range: $45,379. - $65,800.

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority’s WASTEWATER DIVISION ISGROWING, and we need a WWTP Operator with a Florida “C” license orhigher. You will perform skilled/technical work involving the operationand maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant (the majority of ourplants are brand new, state of the art plants). Must have the technicalknowledge and independent judgment to make treatment process ad-justments and perform maintenance to plant equipment, machinery andrelated control apparatus in accordance with established standards andprocedures. Benefit package is extremely competitive! Must completeon-line application at www.fkaa.com EEO, VPE, ADA

Utilities PositionsCity of Haines City is accepting applications for Wastewater Operators,Plant Maintenance, Pipeline & Pump/Motor Repair and Lead positions.Visit www.hainescity.com

CH2M Collections and Distributions Supervisor -Pembroke Pines, FL

The challenge? Provide a range of custom-tailored operations and main-tenance solutions of all public and private utility systems for our client inPembroke Pines, Florida. The City of Pembroke Pines, located in south-west Broward County, is a full service municipality serving a populationof 155,000 citizens. The City owns and operates a water and wastewaterutility that is fiscally sound with infrastructure that has mainly been con-structed within the last twenty years. The project encompasses water treat-ment systems, wastewater treatment plants, and collection anddistribution systems. The Collections and Distribution Supervisor over-sees all preventive and corrective maintenance of the collection and dis-tribution system.

Basic Qualifications:High school diploma or GED3-5 years' experience in Water and/or Waste Water facility maintenancewith minimum 1-2 years at a manager or supervisor levelPossess a valid driver's license with no major infractions in past 5 years

CH2M is an Equal Opportunity EmployerApply: http://ch2m.adtrk.tw/6kgCF

Water Quality Compliance SupervisorManatee County, Florida

This classification assumes responsibility for inspections and sampling ofindustrial and commercial facilities (to ensure compliance with theCounty’s Sewer Use Ordinance); responsibility for sampling and moni-toring in support of the Wastewater Division; and provides coordinationand administrative support for the County Wastewater Division’s com-pliance requirements with local, state and federal regulations and/or per-mits.Full time, excellent benefit packageOnline applications only: www.mymanatee.org/jobs

C L A S S I F I E D S


City of WildwoodWater Treatment Plant Lead Operator:

Looking for a licensed operator to join our professional team at one ofthe fastest growing cities in Florida. Must hold at least a Class “C” license.Valid Driver’s license a must. High school diploma or GED equivalent,plus Two (2) years technical training in biology, environmental science,chemistry, or a closely related field (two year college degree preferred) andThree (3) years of experience in a water utility as a supervisor/lead oper-ator capacity, or any equivalent combo. Pay Range: Class 113 ($16.83 –26.09/hour) DOE Open Until Filled. Visit our website for more informa-tion (www.wildwood-fl.gov)

City of Winter Park – Wastewater Plant Operator C

Minimum: High school diploma/GED supplemented by courses in waste-water treatment. Must have a current Florida Wastewater Treatment PlantOperator Certificate. Must have a valid Florida Driver's License.For More information Apply: Cityofwinterpark.org/employment

Orange County, Florida is an employer of choice and is perennially rec-ognized on the Orlando Sentinel’s list of the Top 100 Companies forWorking Families. Orange County shines as a place to both live and work,with an abundance of world class golf courses, lakes, miles of trails andyear-round sunshine - all with the sparkling backdrop of nightly fireworksfrom world-famous tourist attractions. Make Orange County Your Homefor Life.

Orange County Utilities is one of the largest utility providers in Floridaand has been recognized nationally and locally for outstanding opera-tions, efficiencies, innovations, education programs and customer focus.As one of the largest departments in Orange County Government, weprovide water and wastewater services to a population of over 500,000citizens and 62 million annual guests; operate the largest publicly ownedlandfill in the state; and manage in excess of a billion dollars of infra-structure assets. Our focus is on excellent quality, customer service, sus-tainability, and a commitment to employee development. Join us to findmore than a job – find a career.

We are currently looking for knowledgeable and motivated individuals tojoin our team, who take great pride in public service, aspire to create alasting value within their community, and appreciate being immersed inmeaningful work. We are currently recruiting actively for the followingpositions:

Senior Engineer $69,118.40 - $108,555.20 / yearEngineer I, II, III $43,284.80 – $81,556.80 / year Industrial Electrician I $36,732.80 – $48,464.00 / year

Apply online at: http://orangecountyfl.net. Positions are open until filled.

Water Distribution Systems Field Operator Service Technician

Hydromax USA is a professional services firm with the goal of trans-forming infrastructure data into actionable business intelligence for theowners, operators and consultants charged with the responsibility ofmaintaining the country's natural gas distribution, water distribution andwastewater collection utilities. Our team combines experience from de-sign, construction, GIS, engineering and field services disciplines. Sinceour inception, we have evolved into a dynamic company that combinesboth traditional and state-of-the-art techniques and technologies in thecollection and presentation of utility data.

Job OverviewThis non-exempt hourly position will have the responsibility of workingas part of a team that provides many different types of maintenance pro-grams for various utilities throughout the US. The Field Services Techni-cian will be responsible for the accurate collection of data and safeoperation of equipment associated with valve and fire hydrant mainte-nance as well as infrastructure repair and maintenance.

For information on the positions available or to submit an application,please visit our website: http://www.hydromaxusa.com/careers

Okeechobee Utility AuthorityOperations Director

The Okeechobee Utility Authority, an independent special district pro-viding water and wastewater services to areas within Okeechobee andGlades Counties. The OUA currently has approximately 9,500 meteredwater connections. The OUA owns and operates two water treatmentplants, one regional wastewater treatment plant and five smaller waste-water package treatment plants.The OUA is looking for a person with a strong background in various as-pects of water and wastewater utility work. The applicant could havegained experiences through associated work such as engineering, facilitiesplanning or other similar assignments.Background experiences could include personnel, operations, SCADA,treatment and or regulatory interaction. This position does interact withOUA personnel, customers, developers, vendors and others. The appli-cant should have strong communications skills, both written and verbal,computer and office skills usually necessary for planning, budgeting andcapital improvement analysis. Minimum educational requirements are ahigh school graduate or GED. Higher educational and or operator licens-ing are a plus.Applicants shall submit an application and drug free workplace consentform which can be obtained from www.ouafl.com under EmploymentOpportunities. Applicants may submit other information necessary tobetter define their personal work experiences, education and licensingachievements.This position will be open until filled. Application review and interviewswill begin the week of February 16th.

Written Correspondence: Electronic Correspondence:Okeechobee Utility Authority [email protected]

Attn: Janet McKinley100 SW 5th Avenue

Okeechobee, FL 34974 (863) 763-9460 Office Ext. 212



THE CITY OF DAYTONA BEACHMANAGER – FIELD OPERATIONS

UTILITIES/ADMINISTRATIONWeekly Salary Range $1,052.53 - $2,004.50

December 16, 2015 – January 31, 2016

The purpose of this classification, under general direction, is to developand implement programs to improve effectiveness and the efficiency ofthe department and supervise the operation and maintenance of the Util-ity’s water, wastewater, stormwater and reuse pipelines, meters, meter read,etc. Employees in this classification perform advanced supervisory andtechnical work. Performs related work as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFACTIONS (Education, Training, and Experience):High school diploma or GED; prefer Bachelor’s degree in Business, Man-agement or Engineering or closely related field; supplemented by three(3) to five (5) years previous experience as a supervisor in Utility field op-erations of water, wastewater, reuse and/or stormwater. Requires validState of Florida Driver’s License.

For application, information, and submittal requirements, go towww.codb.us/jobs Job Opportunities

EOE/AA/ADA/VET Employer

Utilities Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor$55,452 - $78,026/yr.

Utilities System Operator II$37,152 - 52,279/yr.

Apply Online At:http://pompanobeachfl.gov Open until filled.

City of Temple TerraceTechnical work in the operation of a water treatment plant and auxil-

iary facilities on an assigned shift. Performs quality control lab tests andother analyses, monthly regulatory reports, and minor adjustments andrepairs to plant equipment. Applicant must have State of Florida D.E.P.

Class “A”, “B”, or “C” Drinking Water License at time of application.SALARY RANGES: $16.59 - $24.89 per hour • w/”C” Certificate $18.25- $27.38 per hour • w/”B” Certificate (+10% above “C”) $20.08 - $30.12per hour • w/”A” Certificate (+10% above “B”). Excellent benefits pack-

age. To apply and/or obtain more details contact City of Temple Ter-race, Chief Plant Operator at (813) 506-6593 or Human Resources at

(813) 506-6430 or visit www.templeterrace.com. EOE/DFWP.

Wastewater Plant Operator Wanted Full TimeWastewater Utility in Key West is looking for a licensed wastewater plantoperator. Pay range between $28 -$34/hour. Class “C” or higher andBAT/AWT experience is a plus. Compensation package includes Health,Dental, and Retirement Benefits. Please send all inquiries and resumes [email protected]

For SaleAnaerobic Biomass

Anaerobic biomass for sale $0.25/gallon. Buyer must arrange and pay fortransportation. Please contact 941-742-3464 for more information

Posi t ion WantedJOHN L. BILL - has passed the DWC State Test with a 95% , and is look-ing for a C Trainee Position, preferably within 30 miles of Lake Worth.Available immediately. Contact @ 561 317 2351, or [email protected] Lake George Pl. Lake Worth, Fl. 33463

ANTHONY JONES – Has completed Wastewater course level C and isseeking a trainee position. Has enrolled in C Water Distribution courseand will be available for employment in February 2016. Prefers St. Pe-tersburg area of the state. Contact at: Anthony Jones R53801, Lake Cor-rectional Institution, 19225 US Hwy 27, Clermont, Fl. 34715

DEVON DAVIES – Has passed the C Wastewater test and is scheduled tosit for C Water test and is seeking a Trainee Position to add to 220 currentin plant hours. Available for employment in January 2016. Prefers St. Pe-tersburg, Tampa Bay, Pasco, Bradenton or Sarasota Counties. Contact atDevon Davies T20824, Reality House, 1341 Indian Lake Road, DaytonaBeach, Fl. 32124

RetractionThe article published in the

November 2015 issue of the magazine,

"Strategies for Improving Water Quality

of Florida Key Beaches: A Case Study,"

has been retracted by the authors.

LOOKING FOR A JOB? The FWPCOA Job Placement Committee Can Help!

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

Classified Advertising Rates - Classified ads are$20 per line for a 60 character line (including spaces andpunctuation), $60 minimum. The price includes publication in boththe magazine and our Web site. Short positions wanted ads arerun one time for no charge and are subject to editing.

[email protected]

From page 37

1. C) 8.34 pounds per mil galOne part of anything in relationship to one million parts of the same thing is1 ppm, like 1 gal of water to 1,000,000 gal of water. So, one gal, which weighs8.34 lbs, in 1,000,000 gal is equal to 1 ppm. For example, 1 in. in about 15.78mi is equal to 1 ppm. Also, one mg per liter (mg/L) is the same as one partper mil (ppm). The conversion is long and drawn out, but it’s the same!

2. B) FermentationThe fermentation zone of a Bardenpho process receives raw wastewater(usually after preliminary treatment) and returns activated sludge (fromsecondary clarifiers). The MLSS is mixed and not aerated in the fermentationzone for a time period of about one to three hours. This zone, absent of allsources of oxygen, basically activates a group of phosphorus-accumulatingorganisms (PAO), which trades phosphorus for CBOD5. These bugs releasephosphorus from their cells and “grab onto” food for later decomposition. Asuccessful fermentation zone will have phosphorus levels in the outlet abouttwo to four times higher than the inlet to the tank.

3. B) Organic contentThe CBOD5 basically identifies the pollutional strength of the raw wastewater.It determines the amount of oxygen required to breakdown the organicmaterial in the wastewater, measured as mg/L (ppm).

4. C) DenitrificationDenitrification is an anoxic reaction and will be typically accomplished at thehighest rate in an anoxic zone with adequate food supply (CBOD5). Theanoxic reaction is elevated to its highest potential when the bugs are hungryand active, the CBOD5 is plentiful, the tank is mixed without any oxygentransfer, and the dissolved oxygen level is as close as possible to zero.

5. A) Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS)The VSS test requires the use of an analytical balance, a drying oven, filterpapers, a muffle furnace, and a desiccator. The balance is for weighing thesample, the drying oven is for evaporation of moisture, the filter paperscapture suspended solids on the media, the muffle furnace is to burn volatilesolids and allow fixed solids to remain, and the desiccator cools the filter paperand prevents moisture from adding weight to the filter paper.

6. B) Five days at 20°CThe CBOD5 test is conducted by incubating the conditioned sample at atemperature of 20oC (68ºF) for a period of five days.

7. B) Volume of a circular tank in gallonsThe formula to calculate the volume in gallons of a circular tank: π r2 x cone depth, ft x 7.48 gals/ft3

8. C) RotiferBeginning with the lowest life form, the microorganism indicators areamoebas, small flagellates, large flagellates, free-swimming ciliates, stalkciliates, rotifers, nematodes and water bears. So, of the three indicators listed inthe question, the rotifer is the highest life form in the activated sludge process.

9. A) Aeration mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) andinfluent CBOD5

The F/M ratio compares the food value as applied to the volatile bugpopulation. The food value is indicated with the CBOD5 content in theinfluent wastewater, and the volatile bug content is identified by testing theaeration system mixed liquor for its volatile fraction, which is mixed liquorvolatile suspended solids.

10. C) To gather onto the surface of a substanceThe term adsorption refers to one substance gathering (or sticking) onto thesurface of another substance, like flies sticking to flypaper. Another definitionfor adsorption is the process of trapping gas and vapor molecules within thepores of a microporous solid, such as activated carbon.

Editorial CalendarJanuary ......Wastewater Treatment

February ....Water Supply; Alternative Sources

March ........Energy Efficiency; Environmental Stewardship

April............Conservation and Reuse

May ............Operations and Utilities Management;

Florida Water Resources Conference

June ..........Biosolids Management and Bioenergy Production

July ............Stormwater Management; Emerging Technologies;

FWRC Review

August........Disinfection; Water Quality

September..Emerging Issues; Water Resources Management

October ......New Facilities, Expansions, and Upgrades

November ..Water Treatment

December ..Distribution and Collection

Technical articles are usually scheduled several months in advance andare due 60 days before the issue month (for example, January 1 for theMarch issue).

The closing date for display ad and directory card reservations, notices,announcements, upcoming events, and everything else includingclassified ads, is 30 days before the issue month (for example,September 1 for the October issue).

For further information on submittal requirements, guidelines forwriters, advertising rates and conditions, and ad dimensions, as well asthe most recent notices, announcements, and classified advertisements,go to www.fwrj.com or call 352-241-6006.

Blue Planet..................................55

CEU Challenge ............................31

Crom ..........................................46

Data Flow....................................29

Drop Savers ................................43

Evoqua........................................19

FSAWWA Awards ......................33

FSAWWA Thank You Members ....38

FSAWWA Training........................39

FWEA Collections Sytems............21

FWPCOA Region VIII ....................15

FWPCOA Training ........................41

FWRC

Announcement ..........................7

Team Spirit ................................8

Exhibitors ..................................9

Registration..............................10

Floor Layout ............................11

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

Hudson Pumps............................27

McKim & Creed ..........................25

Stacon ..........................................2

Treeo ..........................................47

Xylem..........................................56

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February 2014

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