Webster Central Wastewater Treatment Facility - Executive Summary

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

Executive Summary 
Webster Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, Webster, TX 77598 
 
The City of Webster's Wastewater Treatment Plant is committed to employee, public and environmental safety. Our monthly safety meetings covering general and specific safety issues, operating procedures, maintenance, and employee training associated with the processes at our facility demonstrate this commitment. It is our policy to implement appropriate controls to prevent possible releases of regulated substances. Unforeseeably, if such a release does occur, we are coordinated with Webster Fire Department, which provides highly trained emergency response personnel to control and mitigate the effects of the release.  
There are two regulated substances present at our facility, chlorine and sulfur dioxide. The maximum inventory of chlorine that is expected to be present in this facility based on process/operational requirements is 4,000 lbs.  The threshold quantities for chlorine listed under regulated substa 
nces is 2500 lbs and the maximum inventory of sulfur dioxide that is expected to be present in this facility based on process/operational requirements is also 4,000 lbs, but note that the threshold quantities for sulfur dioxide listed under regulated substances is 5000 lbs we do not meet or exceed this amount. 
The Worst Case scenario involves a catastrophic gaseous chlorine release. The scenario involves the release of 2,000 lbs. of chlorine in a gaseous form over 10 minutes. The release rate (lbs./min.) is calculated to be 500. A distance to endpoint of 1.3 miles is obtained which affects a residential population of 5,500 within this distance.  
The Alternative Case scenario involves a catastrophic gaseous chlorine release. The scenario involves the release of 2,000 lbs. of chlorine in a gaseous form over 10 minutes. Passive mitigation controls such as enclosures are also taken into account to calculate the scenario. The release rate (lbs./min.) is calculated to be 500 and a distance  
to endpoint of .5 miles is obtained which affects a residential population of 2000. 
 
Our facility has taken all the necessary steps to comply with the accidental release prevention requirements set out under 40 CFR part 68 of the EPA. The following sections briefly describe the elements of the release prevention program that is in place at our stationary source. 
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant maintains detailed records of information that describes the chemical hazards, operating parameters and equipment designs associated with all the processes.  
 
Our facility conducts comprehensive studies to ensure that hazards associated with our processes are identified and controlled efficiently. The methodology used to carry out these analyses is daily monitoring and sampling. The studies are undertaken by qualified personnel with expertise in process operations and are revalidated at regular intervals. Any findings related to the hazard analysis are addressed in a timely manner 
.  
 
For the purposes of safely conducting activities within our covered processes, the City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant maintains written operating procedures. These procedures address various modes of operation such as initial startup, normal operations, temporary operations, emergency shutdown, emergency operations, normal shutdown and startup after a turnaround. The information is regularly reviewed and is readily accessible to operators involved in the processes.  
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant has a comprehensive training program in place to ensure that employees who are operating processes are competent in the operating procedures associated with these processes. New employees receive basic classroom training in process operations followed by on-the-job supervision until they are deemed competent to work independently. Refresher training is provided at least annually and more frequently as needed. 
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant carries 
out highly documented maintenance checks on process equipment to ensure proper operations. Process equipment examined by these checks include among others; pressure vessels, storage tanks, piping systems, relief and vent systems, emergency shutdown systems, controls and pumps. Qualified personnel carry out maintenance operations with previous training in maintenance practices.  
 
Written procedures are in place at the City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant to manage changes in process chemicals, technology, equipment and procedures. Process operators, maintenance personnel or any other employee whose job tasks are affected by a modification in process conditions are promptly made aware of and offered training to deal with the modification.   
 
Pre-startup safety reviews related to new processes and to modifications in established processes are conducted as a regular practice. These reviews are conducted to confirm that construction, equipment, operating and maintenance procedures a 
re suitable for safe startup prior to placing equipment into operation. 
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant conducts audits on a regular basis to determine whether the provisions set out under the RMP rule are being implemented. These audits are carried out at least every 3 years and any corrective actions required as a result of the audits are undertaken in a safe and prompt manner.  
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant promptly investigates any incident that has resulted in, or could reasonably result in a catastrophic release of a regulated substance. These investigations are undertaken to identify the situation leading to the incident as well as corrective actions to prevent the release from reoccurring.  
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant truly believes that process safety management and accident prevention is a team effort. Company employees are strongly encouraged to express their views concerning accident prevention issues and to recommend  
improvements. In addition, our employees have access to all information created as part of the facility's implementation of the RMP rule, including information resulting from process hazard analyses in particular. 
 
On occasion, our company hires contractors to conduct specialized maintenance and construction activities. Prior to selecting a contractor, a thorough evaluation of safety performance of the contractor is carried out. The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant has a strict policy of informing the contractors of known potential hazards related to the contractor's work and the processes. Contractors are also informed of all the procedures for emergency response should an accidental release of a regulated substance occur. 
 
The City of Webster Wastewater Treatment Facility has had an excellent record of preventing accidental releases over the last 5 years. Due to our stringent release prevention policies, there has been no accidental release during this period. 
The local age 
ncy coordinating the ER Plan is the City of Webster Fire Department, which can be reached by phone at  281-332-2711. 
 
Several developments and findings have resulted from the implementation of the various elements of our accidental release prevention program. Converting from chlorine gas to liquid bleach is one of the major steps we want to take to improve safety at our facility. This change is expected to be implemented by the summer of 1999.
Click to return to beginning