Jupiter Water Treatment Plant - Executive Summary |
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II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Executive Summary is presented in accordance with the requirements of the RMP*SUBMIT users manual, Chapter 2, page 1. The following information is provided in the same sequence and format as outlined under the Data Element Instructions for the Executive Summary. 1.01 "The accidental release prevention and emergency response policies at your facility" The overall approach to chemical safety at the Jupiter WTP is in accordance with the EPA RMP and OSHA PSM requirements. Senior management commitment to safety has been established as a top-down function that includes employee involvement and associated agencies and appropriate vendors and contractors. The Town of Jupiter policies include local response to small spills, 911 responses to releases and an on-going maintenance and training efforts that include appropriate documentation. 1.02 "Your facility and the regulated substances handled" The Town of Jupiter WTP provides potable drinking water to the resi dents of the Town of Jupiter, Tequesta, Juno, Palm Beach County unincorporated areas and Martin County, and uses chlorine gas injection for disinfection purposes. This process has been in use for approximately 25 years. The process is stable as no releases have occurred over this period. The WTP produces an average of 13.5 MGD of water daily for a service area of 63,000 residents @ 2.46 people per residential connection. The WTP uses and estimated 1,900 lbs. of chlorine daily depending on the season of the year of chlorine with a total storage capacity of 64,000 lbs. or 32 cylinders. Other substances are used but are well below the EPA threshold limits for regulation. 1.03 "The worst case release scenario(s) and the alternative release scenario(s)" The two release scenarios of chlorine at the Jupiter WTP were considered. The worst case release was one-ton cylinder of gaseous chlorine at a release rate of 200 pounds per minute in a total of 600 seconds. This has a potential of a 2.66-mile radius "plume" dispersion. The alternative release scenario consisted of 317 pounds of chlorine at a release rate of 10.5 lb./min. over a one-hour period. The alternate release could have a .56-mile radius plume dispersal. These plume dispersions were obtained from Table 5-2 of the Compliance Guidance and Model Risk Management Program for Water Treatment Plants, prepared by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, 1998. 1.04 "The general accidental release prevention program and chemical-specific prevention steps" The details of the Town of Jupiter WTP Prevention Programs are contained in "Part VI Prevention Programs" of this document. There are a full range of prevention activities ranging from daily and routine maintenance, maintenance documentation, training, employee awareness and involvement, and managerial policies, procedures and documentation. Vendor activities are controlled, and employee, public, and environmental safety are paramount in a ll plant activities. 1.05 "The five year accident history" The Jupiter WTP personnel have conducted a thorough record search and have not discovered any releases in the history of the WTP. This covers a period much longer than the five-year period. 1.06 "The Emergency Response Program" The Jupiter WTP Emergency Response Program (ERP) and the Emergency Spill Response Program (ESRP) are presented in this RMP. The Town of Jupiter policies are in effect that allows employee response to small releases. Large releases are directed to the Palm Beach County Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team (PBCRHMRT) with 911 calls, and evacuation of the facility. Personnel training and drills are conducted for WTP personnel. Alert systems are already in place, but will be upgraded. The Fire Department and Local Emergency Planning Commission (LEPC) handle public notification in a larger, more encompassing regional response plan, outside the jurisdiction of the WTP. 1.07 "Planned changes to improve safety" There are several changes contemplated to improve on-site and public safety by the Town of Jupiter. These are listed in the Safety Critical Action Item List included in this RMP, and a few of these items are listed here in summary form: 7 Improved training and awareness classes 7 Employee involvement opportunities 7 Improved documentation 7 Improved vendor control and documentation 7 Increased emphasis on quality inspection of delivered equipment 7 Speed limits in the facility 7 Decreasing inventory where possible 7 Installing an enclosed facility with a scrubber system for chlorine gas 7 Continuing management attention and audits 7 Installing a new, enhanced security system. |