Lemoore North Well Field Chlorination Facility - Executive Summary

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1.  Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies 
 
The City of Lemoore uses gas chlorine stored at the North Well Field, Well Location #10, and Well Location #8 and 9 chlorination facilities, for the purpose of treating the ground water pumped to the City of Lemoore's water distribution system to be used by the City's water users.  The facility discussed in this report is the City of Lemoore's North Well Field Chlorination Facility (LNWELL). 
 
The chlorine stored at LNWeLL is liquified gas under pressure, therefore it is considered a hazardous material and is a regulated substance under the California Accidental Release Program (CalARP).  The Kings County Health Department's Division of Environmental Health services recognized the LNWELL facility as a Stationary Source under the CalARP regulations and requested this Risk Management Plan (RMP).  The City of Lemoore's policy is to adhere to all applicable Federal and State of California rules and regulations.  Safety depen 
ds upon proper construction design and safety features of the facility, accurate operating and emergency procedures, and effective training of personnel. 
 
2.  Stationary Source and Regulated Substances 
 
The LNWELL is housed in a steel frame shed with a concrete slab at Well location #1 within the 85-acre North Well Field near the intersecting lines of Elder Avenue and 17-1/2 Avenue in Lemoore, California.  As a Stationary Source, there is one regulated substance and process that includes the chlorine gas storage, the chlorinator, and the chlorine well-water injector.  When chlorine gas is dissolved in water, it is no longer a regulated substance under the Cal ARP regulations. 
 
Chlorine is used to help resolve hydrogen sulfide which is a problem or issue with the localized ground water.  The water is pumped from the underground aquifers through the well into the well header line and past the chlorinator intake or suction line.  Water is pulled from the well header line by a chlorine boo 
ster pump which pumps water through a chlorine injector that creates a vacuum that pulls chlorine gas from a one-ton storage cylinder.  There are four one-ton cylinders stored at LNWELL; two of the one-ton cylinders are connected to the chlorinator and two are kept in reserve. 
 
3a.  Worst Case Release Scenario 
 
The Worst Case release scenario for interconnected equipment must consider the largest quantity of a regulated substance handled on site in a single vessel at any time, taking into account administrative controls on the vessel's contents and usage as per the CCR Title 19 Division 2 Chapter 4.5 Article 2 Section 2750.3(b). 
 
One of the four 2,000-lb chlorine cylinders is considered the largest vessel in the chlorine feed system.  The one-ton cylinder is, at most, filled with 2,000 lb of liquid chlorine which is 67% of the cylinder's capacity.  The Worst Case release scenario for a chlorine chylinder is the release of the entire capacity at a rate of 200 lbs per minute for a ten mi 
nute duration. 
 
The distance to the endpoint of 3 ppm (0.0087 mg/L) is 3 miles.  This release would extend over a large area beyond the boundaries of the stationary source. 
 
3b.  Alternative Release Scenario 
 
The Alternative Release Scenario for the one-ton cylinder is complete failure and separation of a quarter-inch fuse plug in the end of the cylinder.  All 2,000 lbs of chlorine is assumed to flash to vapor. 
 
The distance to the endpoint of 3 ppm (0.0087 mg/L) is 0.6 miles and would extend beyond the boundaries of the stationary source. 
 
3c.  Administrative Controls 
 
Administrative controls to limit the distances for each reported scenario exist to restrict, to a minimum, the amount of chlorine lost from a one-ton cylinder if an accidental release were to occur; and preferably to not have a release occur.  These administrative controls are inherent in the operational procedures for the chlorine unloading process system and the training provided to the operators.  Administrative cont 
rols are also in place for the ammonia unloading system. 
 
3d.  Mitigation Measures 
 
Mitigation measures to limit the distances for each reported scenario exist to restrict the amount of chlorine released to a minimum, if a release were to occur; and preferably to not have a release occur.  The mitigation measures are based on the design, inspection, testing, and maintenance of the chlorine unloading process system and their related equipment and components.  Mitigation measures are also in effect for the ammonia unloading system. 
 
4.  General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical Specific Prevention Steps 
 
The facility complies with all applicable Federal and State codes and regulations.  There are safety meetings and safety training.  The Process Safety Management (PSM) program implemented at the facility for the chlorine and the ammonia unloading systems and the related activities and equipment represent the facility's main active commitments to an accidental release pre 
vention program. 
 
5.  Five-Year Accident History 
 
There have been no accidental releases of chlorine in the last five years. 
 
6.  Emergency Response Program 
 
The Emergency Response Program is based upon the alerting of personnel at the facility to evacuate or shelter-in-place and await the arrival of responders from the City of Lemoore Fire Department at the assembly location if a release occurs that causes the evacuation or the shelter-in-place to be initiated. 
 
7.  Planned Changes to Improve Safety 
 
Current applicable codes and regulations are reviewed as part of the Process Hazard Analysis element of the Process Safety Management (PSM) program to determine if commitments need to be made to achieve increased operational safety for the regulated chlorine process.  These commitments address prevention and mitigation measures for accidental releases of the regulated substance.  The completion schedules for these commitments are included in the PSM.
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