North Water Treatment Plant - Executive Summary

| Accident History | Chemicals | Emergency Response | Registration | Source | Executive Summary |

The accidental release prevention policy at this facility is proper employee training and tank handling procedures during transfer, connection and disconnection of chlorine and sulfur dioxide one ton cylinders; also training in proper maintenance of storage and process equipment.  The emergency response policy is to immediately notify the St. Martin Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness in the case of an accidental release. 
 
The stationary source consists of fifteen (15) one (1) ton cylinders of chlorine, and two (2) one (1) ton cylinders of sulfur dioxide. 
 
The worst case release scenario would consist of a rupture of the one ton cylinder allowing all of the chlorine inside to be released in ten minutes, which would create a cloud of chlorine with a radius of 1.3 miles and an affected population of 2,300 people.  There are no passive mitigation measures in place to affect the severity of the release. 
 
The alternative release scenario consists of a fusible plug blowing out of the chl 
orine cylinder, it will take approximately an hour for emergency response personnel to respond to the release.  It will have a release rate of 2 lbs/min and will have a radius of effect of .1 miles and effect 10 people.  There are no active or passive mitigation in place at the facility. 
 
Proper training of operators and maintenance personnel helps to prevent accidental release and chemical specific hazards. 
 
There have been no accidents at the facility in the past five years. 
 
The emergency response at the facility will come from non plant personnel (fire department, etc.). 
 
Some changes that have been planned to improve safety are labeling all process equipment that contains chlorine.
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