Western Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant - Executive Summary |
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Western Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant EPA/RMP Executive Summary 6/21/99 I. THE WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is a quasi-government agency established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1918 as a regional (bi-county) organization under Article 29 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, to provide water and sewer services for Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, Maryland. Currently WSSC provides service to 396,000 customer accounts and an area of nearly 1,000 square miles. II. THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE WSSC The WSSC Vision - Since we are entrusted by our communities to provide safe drinking water, to ensure reliable service, and to safeguard the environment, we will demonstrate, through our daily performance in meeting these responsibilities, the importance of earning the trust and advocacy of our customers. We will be recognized as pioneers in our field and will be looked up to by our peers. Our leadershi p role in community involvement will forge working partnerships that place trust in our customers interests as they place trust in our tested experience. We inspire among our employees sensitivity and responsiveness to customers needs, with a commitment to excellence at every level in the organization. We will develop an empowered and diverse work force representative of the public we serve, and one that will exhibit a sense of individual values that translate into teamwork, pride, and personal responsibility. Our Mission - We are entrusted by our community to provide safe and reliable water, lifes most precious resource, and to return clean water to our environment, all in a financially responsible manner. III. FULFILLING OUR VISION AND MISSION To fulfill our mission of providing safe, reliable water that meets or exceeds all standards for purity and of returning clean water to the environment--all in an efficient, financially responsible manner--WSSC operates and ma intains an extensive array of highly automated facilities. Its two water filtration plants, drawing from the Potomac and Patuxent rivers, produce an average of 166 million gallons of potable water per day, and over 5,000 miles of water mains deliver that product to homes and businesses in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. The Commission operates three reservoirs, with a total capacity of 14 billion gallons, to ensure a reliable water supply for all seasons and conditions. Six wastewater treatment plants operated by WSSC provide sewage treatment. Every day an average of 181 million gallons of wastewater from Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties move to facilities through 4,900 miles of sewers maintained by WSSC. The six WSSC wastewater treatment plants have a combined capacity of over 73 million gallons per day (mgd). Under the Inter-municipal Agreement, WSSC is allocated 169 mgd of Blue Plains 370 mgd capacity. WSSC, in turn, pays a share of the Blue Plains operating and capital expenses. IV. POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES A six-member commission governs WSSC--three members from each county. The Commissioners are appointed to four-year terms by their respective county executives, and confirmed by their county councils. The Commissions powers and responsibilities are set forth in State law and in subsequent legislative amendments. The Maryland General Assembly conferred these powers upon the WSSC to enable it to fulfill its principal functions. The Commissions major functions are to: - provide for the construction, operation, and maintenance of water supply and sanitary sewerage systems in Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties, - approve the locations of, and issue permits for, utilities installed in public ways, and - establish water consumption rates, sewer usage rates, connection charges, front foot benefit charges, and permit fees, and if required, cause ad valorem taxes to be levied. The Commission also: - reviews prelimi nary subdivision plats as to suitability of water and sewer design, and reviews street grades for those streets in which there are Commission facilities, - formulates regulations, issues permits for, and inspects, all plumbing and gas-fitting installations, and - conducts examinations for master and journeyman plumbers and gas fitters, and issues licenses to those qualified to perform plumbing and gas-fitting work. V. THE BUREAU OF OPERATIONS The Bureau of Operations is responsible for providing overall supervision, management, coordination, and administration of the Water and Wastewater Divisions. The Bureau Office formulates operating policy and procedures, provides technical advice to the Commission and staff, and participates in inter and intra-agency meetings. The Bureau Director serves as Chairman of the Blue Plains Regional Committee, and the Principal Civil Engineer serves as Chairman of the Blue Plains Technical Committee. These Committees are charged with administ ration of the Inter-municipal Agreement, or IMA, which governs regional coordination on Blue Plains issues. The Bureau Director also serves as WSSCs representative to the Council of Governments Environmental and Public Works Directors Committee (a committee which develops environmental policy recommendations for the Board of Directors), the Montgomery County Water Quality Advisory Group (which advises the Council on water policies) and the Chairman of the WSSC Plumbing Board (which makes policy recommendations regarding the Plumbing Code). The Bureau Director provides the supervision, management, and administrative control of the Water and Wastewater Divisions. VI. WASTEWATER OPERATIONS DIVISION This Divisions mission is to produce quality effluent which meets all discharge standards, beneficially utilize the biosolids, and operate the sewage pumping stations to collect and transport wastewater without overflows. This is to be done safely, cost effectively, and in a responsi ble manner, thus protecting the environment. The Division is responsible for the operational readiness of treatment plants currently not in service so that they are capable of being placed back in service when needed. The Division also provides support for other organizations within the Commission, such as the Systems Maintenance Division, and the Industrial Discharge Control Section, by assisting in developing research projects and testing. Support is also given to organizations outside the Commission, such as the US Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Maryland Environmental Services, and the Maryland Department of the Environment. The Division operates six wastewater treatment plants, with an average daily flow of 73 mgd. In addition to the seven plants there are thirty-nine (39) wastewater-pumping stations operated by the Division. Five (5) of the wastewater treatment plants are covered by the CAAA 112 (r) requirements; two of the plants do not use the EPA threshold chemicals. WESTERN BRANCH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT Western Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant is an advanced wastewater treatment facility that serves an area of about 113 square miles in Prince George's County, Maryland. This drainage basin includes parts of Bowie, Glenn Dale, and Largo in its northern sector and stretches down to Upper Marlboro in its southern sector. The drainage basin has a population of approximately 150,000 people. The plant processes over 6 billion gallons of wastewater a year, an average of over 16 million gallons a day. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission built the Western Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant in the late 1960's. It began treating wastewater in January 1970 as a 5 million gallon per day (mgd) plant. However, within a couple of years, it became evident that expansion and upgrading of the plant would be necessary due to rapidly increasing flows to the plant. In 1973, the project that is today known as Phase I be gan. Phase I was a new plant built west of the original 5 mgd plant. It began operations in August 1977. It increased the capacity of the plant to treat 15 mgd of wastewater. Phase I used biological treatment systems, clarifiers, polishing filters, and chlorine contact basins to treat the wastewater. The solids taken out of the water were dewatered and then incinerated. However, the population in the drainage basin continued to increase. Further expansion was deemed necessary, so Phase II was built, an exact duplicate of Phase I. It was built next to Phase I and increased the capacity of the plant to 30 mgd. Phase II went into operation in April 1980. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the State of Maryland issues discharge permits to all state wastewater plants. The regulations vary according to type, location, and size of the plant. Over the last several years the Chesapeake Bay has been undergoing a major clean-up effort. Part of the clea n-up involved the issuing of very stringent discharge permits to plants discharging into the Bay or into its tributaries. The Western Branch discharge permit is one of the most limiting in the State of Maryland. The treated water from this plant flows into the Western Branch, which flows into the Patuxent River. The Patuxent River is the largest tributary flowing into the Chesapeake Bay that is wholly contained within the State of Maryland. Western Branch is an advanced wastewater treatment plant because of its ability to remove large amounts of pollutants from the wastewater. Some of the substances regulated at the Western Branch WWTP are Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Suspended Solids (SS), Phosphorous (P), Ammonia (NH3) and Total Nitrogen (N). Western Branch WWTP has been highly efficient in removing these substances. The plant regularly achieves 99% removal for BOD, SS, and NH3. Also over 80% of Phosphorous is removed. In addition, over 90% of Total Nitrogen is removed between April 1 and October 31 (as required by the permit) of each year. In September 1991, processes to provide nutrient removal (Phosphorous and Nitrogen) went into service. Phosphorous and Nitrogen are substances that tend to promote excessive plant life. The more plants grow, die off and sink, the more oxygen they take away from the water. Subsequently, fishes and other aquatic animals will slowly disappear due to a low dissolved oxygen in the water. Another problem with overabundance of nutrients is production of surface algae, which in turn interferes with sunlight reaching submerged aquatic vegetation. The construction of the Nutrient Removal Processes at Western Branch was the first of its kind in this area. The cost was approximately $38 million. To assist with operating these processes, a computer monitoring and control system was provided. The operators staff the plant around the clock, 7 days/week. All operators must pass two written exams administered by the S tate of Maryland to be a licensed Wastewater Plant Operator. The minimum plant staffing at any time is 3 operators. The average years of experience for Western Branch operators are over 15 years. Because of this well trained, experienced staff, very few emergencies are encountered due to preventive measures. When an emergency or unusual situations develops, plant management is on-call to the plant. In addition, an Emergency Duty Engineer is available for assistance. The Electrical/Mechanical and Instrumentation Technicians are also available on an "on-call" basis to handle after normal work hours problems. The plant is designed to provide reliable operations year round. Power to the plant originates from two different electrical sources, providing electrical redundancy and thereby reducing the potential occurrence of a total power outage. The plant is designed with redundant equipment at every phase of the treatment process. Thus, when an equipment failure occurs, the process c an continue producing a high quality final effluent and provide maximum protection to our environment. PREVENTION PROGRAM The Commission accidental release prevention program is part of the agencys overall Safety & Health Program and involves a unified approach that integrates technologies, procedures, and management practices to ensure our workers and the public a safe environment. The RMP requirement is essentially an expansion of the OSHA Process Safety requirement and the Employee and Community Right to Know programs that have been in existence for a number of years. Hazardous material has always been recognized as a unique hazard for our employees and the public; therefore, we have made every possible effort to ensure the proper and safe use of all hazardous materials. WSSCs chemical safety prevention program includes: the availability of personal protective equipment; obtaining and use of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS); designing facilities for safety and accident p revention; training and educating employees on chemical systems and processes; planning and practicing for emergency situations; requiring consultants and contractors to abide by established safety practices; sharing of information with employees, contractors and consultants; conducting periodic inspection and audit reviews of chemical process systems; and formulating policies and procedures for an effective chemical handling processes. Western Branch places great emphasis on safety. Everyone is taught safety first, and that no job can be completed without following proper safety procedures. Extensive safety training is required of all employees. Each year, operators must attend the following courses: 0 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus 0 Chlorine Repair Kit 0 Chlorine Leak Drill 0 CPR 0 Slips and Falls Prevention 0 Right-to-Know 0 Lockout/Tagout 0 Confined Space These courses were developed by Wastewater Division personnel, and are taught by the plant's Safety Coordinator. Course content is a mixture of lecture, video, and hands-on training. Recently, we studied the effectiveness of these courses. We determined that better instructor development coupled with more hands-on training will improve comprehension. The Safety Coordinator position is rotated among qualified, Fully Certified Operators. Before becoming a Safety Coordinator, an operator must complete a 3-day training class. In addition to conducting training classes, Safety Coordinators perform inspections, investigate accidents, conduct weekly safety meetings, coordinate vehicle repairs, and correct plant safety problems. The yearly rotation of an operator into Safety Coordinator position gets more operators directly involved in safety, promotes the concept of safety being everyone's job, and provides a fresh approach to Safety. The plant safety program is a part of the overall WSSC program. WSSC safety professionals provide assistance on many safety matter s. They assist with developing training courses, investigating accidents, correcting unsafe conditions, providing physicals and random drug and alcohol tests for CDL drivers, and ensuring chemicals are handled properly. Each year a safety specialist (in conjunction with the plant Safety Coordinator) performs a detailed inspection of the plant to ensure we meet all safety requirements. All of the needed safety equipment is supplied by the WSSC. This includes coveralls, rain suits, chemical-handling suits, hard hats, breathing apparatus, various types of gloves, eye protection equipment, manhole retrieval equipment, atmosphere testing meters, and well maintained vehicles. Our position is that all needed safety equipment and training is provided to each employee. Therefore, we accept no excuses for failure to work safely. The Safety program is clearly a success. Accidents and injuries are at very low levels. Four out of the last five years we have been free of lost-time acci dents. A plant record of 1,412 consecutive days without a lost-time accident was set recently. The rare lost-time accident was minor, did not involve serious injury, and did not involve chemical handling. Western Branch shines in another category. The plant has worked over 5 years since the last preventable vehicle accident. This is an on-going plant record. In 1992, the Chesapeake Water Environment Association awarded Western Branch it's George W. Burke Safety Award for an excellent safety record. Once again, training and an experienced staff are the keys to this success. Management decided years ago that formal recognition of safe working employees was a good idea. For each injury-free quarter, the plant receives an award. For each injury-free year, the plant receives a plaque. Individuals are also recognized. Every two consecutive injury-free years are rewarded with a safety jacket. It is felt that recognition demonstrates the management commitment to Safety. The small amount of money spent on these recognitions is a cost savings to our overall prevention of accidents and injuries. The employees of Western Branch are very proud of the plant's award winning performance. Every year but two since 1986, Western Branch has received the Gold Award from the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies. This Award signifies a perfect compliance record with the plant NPDES discharge permit. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation designated Western Branch as Marylands best wastewater treatment plant in 1987. In 1989, 1991, and 1996, Western Branch received Operations & Maintenance Excellence Awards from EPA Region III. EPA selected Western Branch for a National Award in 1997 for being the best large, advanced wastewater treatment plant in the country. The plant also received a Governor's Award of Excellence for Biological Nutrient Removal efforts. Because of the plant's excellent operating record, Western Branch has become a well-known wastewater treatment p lant. Numerous local, state, national, and international visitors have toured the plant. Especially gratifying is the number of educational groups who come to Western Branch to learn more about wastewater treatment. Additionally, all Commission facilities are designed and built to conform with the industries recognized codes, such as: National Electric Code, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American National Standards Institute, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes, BOCA codes, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Condition Engineers, American Water Works Association, etc A review of the hazards associated with the chlorine and dechlorination processes and procedures are performed annually. The Commission plant management has developed written procedures that provide clear instructions and steps for safely conducting activities associated with our chlorination and dechlorination processes. The procedures include initial startup, normal operation s, temporary operations, emergency shutdown and operation, equipment inspections, and emergency planning and response. Employees currently operating and maintaining the chlorination and dechlorination processes have been trained and tested competent to perform their work duties. New assigned workers will also receive the appropriate training to perform their assigned duties. EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PLANNING The Western Branch WWTP has an written emergency response and planning program. A written emergency plan is maintained by on site plant personnel with the support of the WSSC Safety Section. The plan is consistent with the EPA 40 CFR, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 of the Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act and includes: delegation of authority; notification of officials; emergency procedures; and procedures for working with local officials should an emergency create the need for an evacuation of the plant and/or surroundi ng community. Plant personnel are regularly trained on the plan requirements and conduct periodic emergency response drills for a variety of plant emergencies. The plant personnel and the Safety Section document training. Some training courses related to emergency response are requirements for Operators to maintain their plant certifications by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Close relations with the local fire department have been established. Fire fighters regularly visit the plant and are familiar with plant components. Some cross training between organizations has taken place. They have trained us on use of various fire extinguishers, and we have trained them on Chlorine and Sulfur Dioxide leak procedures. Several years ago, the Prince George's County Fire Department conducted their annual FEMA disaster drill at Western Branch using a simulated massive chlorine leak as the disaster event. Emergency plant evacuation drills are conducted every six months to reinforce emergency procedures. A WSSC staff member from the Safety Section is a member of the Montgomery County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and attends the LEPC meetings in Prince Georges County, the site of Western Branch WWTP. He assists the plant and fire department in coordinating emergency response planning and training procedures for the plant. WSSC will share with the Prince Georges and the local fire departments our Risk Management Plan for this facility and any future amendments. Our goal is to provide amendments or updates to the LEPCs within 30 days of the final action. Additionally, if any future offsite consequence analysis identifies potential exposure to residents outside of the Prince Georges County LEPC jurisdiction, the WSSC Safety Manger shall ensure that the impacted LEPC is advised of the potential offsite consequence. Ann Arundel County will be provided a copy of WSSCs Risk Management Plan. Safety Manager (6/99) Washington Su burban Sanitary Commission 14501 Sweitzer Lane Laurel, Maryland 20707 301-206-7060 |