Farmerville Waste Water Treatment Plant - Executive Summary |
|
30493 LDEQ Facility ID Number The only hazardous chemical in use at the Farmerville Waste Water Treatment Plant is chlorine. The chlorine is stored in ton cylinders. This facility is located in the edge of a resedential area of town. The site is approximately fourteen acres which is totally fenced. When no one is on duty at the plant, the gates are locked to prevent unauthorized entry. Signs are also posted which advise that chlorine is present. This facility was originally constructed in 1985, and improvements were made in 1994, part of which was done to increase safety in handling the chlorine cylinders. The unloading structure was enlarged, and the winch was replaced to make it safer to unload and move the cylinders. Usually, there are about three ton cylinders at the plant, although not all are full. The plant is designed to treat Waste Water from the Town of Farmerville to acceptable levels for release into Lake D'Arbonne. The worst-case scenario which is included i n this plan described a release of a full ton cylinder of chlorine from it's storage site. Using "Offsite Consequence Analysis Guidance", it was determined that the release would require an evacuation of at least 1.3 miles, although concern for the safety of our citizens might lead to an evacuation of the entire town, including areas, depending on weather conditions. Included in this radius is a nursing home, a jail facility, a recreation facility, and numerous business locations. In addition, the high school and elementary school are located just outside the radius, leading to the probability that evacuations would also include these facilities. The personnel of all emergency response organizations would be used to control the disaster and to carry out evacuation of all necessary citizens. The Farmerville Fire Department would be called to do any containment of a chlorine release. This would involve the possibility of making emergency repairs to the chlorine cylinder and/or use water spray to dissipate the chlorine gas. Depending on weather conditions, and the seriousness of the leak, a water spray would probably contain and absorb most of the chlorine gas. Emergency numbers are posted at the plant and at the emergency dispatch center for our chlorine supplier, which also has an emergency response team. It is standard operating procedure for our emergency dispatch center to inform the Louisiana State Police of this type of situation. There have been no releases of chlorine from this facility since it was constructed in 1985. Our chlorine supplier, Harcros Chemical Co., of Shreveport, LA, has conducted classes for town employees and fire department responders in the use of chlorine cylinder repair kits. Another class has been requested for this year. These personnel periodically practice these repair procedures to maintain familiarity with the equipment. |