Waycross Water Plant - Executive Summary |
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The City of Waycross Management Plan for safe handling of chlorine involves a unified approach that integrates technologies, procedures, and management practices to monitor potential chlorine and sulfur dioxide hazards and minimize the risk of accidentall chlorine and sulfur dioxide releases. Procedures in the plan seek to provide employee safety, public heallth and response agency interactions. The City of Waycross owns and operates the water treatment plant known as Waycross Water Plant. This plant utilizes chlorine to disinfect treatment plant discharge . Chlorination processes include chlorine, chlorination equipment, an instrument room, electrical equipment, and process safety equipment. The worst-case scenario, as defined by EPA, states that "the owner or operator shall assume that the mazimum quantity in the largest vessel is released as a gas over 10 minutes." The "alternative scenario" is defined as "more likely to occur than the worst-case scenario". In each case, the modeling program "RMP concentration decreases to a theoretical "toxic endpoint". The worst-case release scenerio for the Waycross Water Plant involves a failure of a one-ton cylinder yielding a cumalive release of 2,000 lbs of chlorine. When using the RMP Comp modeling program, the distance to toxic endpoint is 0.9 miles. The alternative scenario for the Waycross Water Plant involves a failure at flanges joints, welds, valves and valve seals, and drains and bleeds in the chlorine or sulfur dioxide piping system. Using a hole diameter of 1/4 inch and release rate of 8.23 lbs/min the distance to toxic endpoint is less than 0.1 miles. This is based on RMP Comp modeling. The City of Waycross's Risk Management Program includes the following key elements to mitigate the effects of potential chlorine release hazards: * Operator Training * Preventive Manitenande Program * Process Safety Equipment * Safe and effective standard operating procedures, written with operator participation * H azard review of equipment and procedures * Respiratory protection (SCBA) program * Chlorine detectors and alarms * Personal protective equipment program The City of Waycross emergency response program includes the evacuation of the plant, evaluation of release sources, and notification of City of Waycross Fire and Police Departments, Ware County, and Local Emergency Planning Committee. This will be done using the 911 emergency telephone nuimber. 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 occured from 1994 through 1999 involving death, injury, or response or restoration for an exposure of an environmental receptor. |