EL RENO WATER WORKS - Executive Summary |
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THE CITY OF EL RENO WATER TREATMENT PLANT IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH EDGE OF THE CITY OF EL RENO APPROXIMATELY 1/3 MILE FROM THE MAJOR START OF A POPULATED AREA. AS OF THIS DATE WE HAVE HAD NO MAJOR LEAKS OR LEAKS REQUIREING A NOTIFICATION OF A POPULATED AREA. HOWEVER, IF SUCH A LEAK WERE TO OCCURE WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A RESPONSE PROCEDURE WHICH IS CIURRENTLY BEING INTRODUCTED TO THE OPERATORS THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN THE TREATMENT PLANT. IN ALL ASPECTS TO THIS PROCEDURE, WE ARE WORKING IN HAND WITH THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. CURRENTLY THE ONLY CHEMICAL THAT WE HAVE IN OPERATION AND STORAGE IS CHLORINE GAS IN 1 TON CYLINDERS. THIS MEANS THAT AT ONE GIVEN TIME WE COULD HAVE 6,000 LBS OF CHLORINE ON SITE. DUE TO THE CHANGE IN THE DISTRIBUTER WHO WE PURCHASE FROM, INCREASED DISTANCE FROM DISTRIBUTER, AND LONGER DELIVERY DATES WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS AMOUNT ON HAND. THESE CYLINDERS ARE LOCATED IN AN CENTRAL AREA WITHIN THE PLANT FACILITY, NOT LOCATED WITHIN A BUILDING. WE ARE IN T HE FINAL STAGES OF COMPLETELY OVER HAULING OUR FACILITY AS SOON AS THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT APPROVES THE LOAN. INCLUDED IN THIS CHANGE AT THE TRATMANT PLANT, WE PLAN TO MOVE THE CHLORINE CYLINDERS AND FEEDING SYSTEM WITHIN A 200 YARD RELOCATED AREA AND INSTALL AN INCREASED MONITORING SYSTEM, WHICH WILL INCLUDE AN UP TO DATE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM (WITH ALARM) AND EMERGENCY AUTO SHUT OFF SYSTEM. UNTIL THAT DOES OCCURE WE ARE TRAINING OUR OPERATORS WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM. IN THE EVENT OF A WORST CAST SCENARIO THE AREA TO THE SOUTH OF THE PLANT WOULD RECEIVE THE MOST IMPACT, HOWEVER WITH THE LOCATION OF FOUR MILE CREEK, THIS WOULD CREATE A PIT AREA WHERE MOST OF THE CHLORINE GAS WOULD STAY, CREATING A BARRIER RESTRICTING THE GAS FROM ENTERING THE POPULATED AREA OF THE NORTH EDGE OF THE CITY. THIS WOULD ALSO GIVE EMERGENCY PERSSONNEL EXTRA TIME TO WARN THE PUBLIC AND EVUCATE THE AREAS IF NEEDED. TO THE NORTH, EAST, AND WEST OF THE PLANT THERE IS RURAL AREA WITH LITTLE OR NO POPULAT ION. ALL OF THESE AREAS ARE LOCATED AND MARKED ON OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE MAP LOCATED AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, CITY HALL, FIRE STATION, AND POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN THE EVENT OF A CHLORINE GAS LEAK THE OPERATOR IS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW THE CHAIN OF NOTIFICATION SHEET, AFTER HE HAS PUT ON APPROPRIATE SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND CLEARED THE AREA IF NEEDED. WE HAVE INSTALLED CORDLESS PHONES THROUGH OUT THE TREATMENT PLANT SO OPERATOR CAN LEAVE AREA AND STILL MAINTAIN IN CONTACT WITH EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONEL. THE OPERATOR ON DUTY WILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE ORDER OF EMERGENCY PERSONNEL IN WHICH TO CALL FIRST AND SO ON. THIS TRAINING IS AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT IS BEING CONDUCTED IN EVERYDAY HANDS ON EXPERIENCE AND THROUGH ONGOING TRAINING DURING MONTHLY SAFETY MEETINGS BEING CONDUCTED AT THE TREATMENT PLANT. THE OPERATORS ALSO HAVE EXCESS TO ACCIDENT REPORT FORME THAT THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO FILL OUT IN THE EVENT OF ANY SIZE CHLORINE LEAK. THESE WILL BE KEPT ON FILE AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. TO IMPROVE SAFETY CONDITIONS AT THE WATER PLANT AND THE AREA PLANS ARE BEING MADE TO INCREASE TRAINING TO THE OPERATORS, INCREASED MONITORING EQUIPMENT, AND A MORE ACCURATE SET OF REPORTING, ACCIDENT, AND TRAINING RECORDS. |