Academy Creek Water Pollution Control Plant - Executive Summary |
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The City of Brunswick Risk Management Plan for safe handling of chlorine and sulfur dioxide involves a unified approach that integrates technologies, procedures, and management practices to monitor potential chlorine and sulfur dioxide hazards and minimize the risk of accidental chlorine and sulfur dioxide releases. Procedures in the plan seek to provide employee safety, public health and response agency interactions. The City of Brunswick owns and operates the wastewater treatment plant known as Academy Creek Water Pollution Control Plant. This plant utilizes chlorine to disinfect treatment plant discharge and utilizes Sulfur Dioxide to neutralize residual chlorine prior to discharge. Chlorination processes include chlorine and sulfur dioxide cylinders, chlorination equipment, and instrument room, electrical equipment, and process safety equipment. The worst-case release scenario, as defined by EPA, states that "the owner or operator shall assume that that the maximum quantity in the largest vessel is released as a gas over 10 minutes." The "alternative scenario" is defined as "more likely to occur than the worst-case scenario". In each case the modeling program "RMP Comp" was used to determine the distance traveled by the chlorine and sulfur dioxide released before its concentration decreases to a theoretical "toxic endpoint". The worst-case release scenario for the Academy Creek wastewater treatment plant involves a failure of a one-ton cylinder yielding a cumulative release of 2,000 lbs of chlorine or sulfur dioxide. When using the RMP Comp modeling program, the distance to toxic endpoint is .9 miles. The alternative scenario for the Academy Creek plant involves a failure at flanges joints, welds, valves and valve seals, and drains and bleeds in the chlorine or sulfur dioxide piping system. Using a hole diameter of 1/2 inches and release rate of 620 lbs/min the distance to toxic endpoint is .3 miles. This is based on RMP Comp modeling. The City of B runswick's Risk Management Program includes the following key elements to mitigate the effects of potential chlorine and sulfur dioxide release hazards: * Operator Training * Preventive Maintenance Program * Process Safety Equipment * Safe and effective standard operating procedures, written with operator participation * Hazard review of equipment and procedures and * Auditing and inspection programs * Respiratory protection (SCBA) program * Chlorine detectors and alarms * Sulfur dioxide detectors and alarms * Personal protective equipment program The City of Brunswick emergeny response program includes the evacuation of the plant, evaluation of release sources, and notification of City of Brunswick Fire and Police Department, Glynn County, and Local Emergency Planning Committee. This will be done using the 911 emergency telephone number. The emergency response program includes notification of responsible individuals of th e releases and procedures for notifying the general public within the release areas. No accidential releases have occured from 1994 through 1998 involving death, injury, or response or restoration for an exposure of an environmental receptor. |