Saint Simons Island Water Pollution Control Plant - Executive Summary |
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Glynn County Environmental Quality Department's Risk Management Plan for safe handling of chlorine involves a unified approach that integrates technologies, procedures, and management practices to monitor potential chlorine hazards and minimize the risk of accidental chlorine releases. All applicable procedures of 40 CFR 68.170 are addresses in the plan, which seeks to provide employee safety, public health, and response agency interaction. The Glynn County Board of Commissioners owns and operates the wastewater treatment facility known as the St. Simons Island Water Pollution Control Plant. This plant utilizes chlorine to disinfect treated wastewater before discharge into Dunbar Creek. Chlorination processes include (liquid) chlorine cylinders, chlorination equipment, electrical equipment, and process safety equipment. The worst-case scenario, as defined by the EPA, states that "the owner or operator shall assume that the maximum quantity in the largest vessel is released as a gas o ver 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 released before its concentration decreases to a theoretical "toxic endpoint." The worst-case release scenario for the St. Simons Island Water Pollution Control Plant involves a failure of a one-ton cylinder yielding a cumulative release of 2,000 pounds of chlorine. When using the RMP Comp modeling program, the distance to toxic endpoint is 0.9 miles. The alternative scenario for the St. Simons Island Water Pollution Control Plant involves a failure at flanges, joints, welds, valves and valve seals, and drains of bleeds in the chlorine piping system. Using a hole diameter of 1/2 inches and a release rate of 620 lbs/min the distance to toxic endpoint is 0.3 miles. This is based on RMP Comp modeling. The Glynn County Environmental Quality Dept. Risk Management Program incl udes the following key elements to mitigate the effects of potential chlorine 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 *Auditing and inspection programs *Respiratory protection (SCBA) program *Chlorine detectors and alarms *Personal protective equipment program The Glynn County Emergency Response Program includes the evacuation of the Plant, evaluation of release sources, and notification of Glynn County Police, Fire Department, and Local Emergency Management Agency (EMA). This will be done using the 911 emergency telephone number. The Emergency Response Program includes notification of responsible individuals of the releases and procedures for notifying the general public within the release areas. No accidental releases have occurred from 1994 through 1999 involving death, injury, or response, or restorative activities for exposure of an environmental receptor. |