Lorain Water Purification Plant - Executive Summary |
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Executive Summary Lorain Water Purification Plant, Lorain, Ohio 44052 The Lorain Water Purification Plant has been treating and producing drinking water for over 100 years. Lorain takes water from Lake Erie and treats it and pumps finished drinking water to over 71,000 customers and businesses. Chlorine is used in this process to disinfect the water. Chlorine is stored in ton cylinders. The chlorine inventory varies from less than 4 tons to 11 tons. We are dedicated to plant safety and are constantly striving to increase our personnel's knowledge to plant safety. We are constantly updating our contingency plant to ensure the safest possible plans are in place in the unlikely event of a chemical mishap. We have the latest Chlorine detection devices in place to detect a chlorine leak. Our chlorine detection system has audio alarms. The latest feed equipment is in place and is constantly being monitored by a computer system. Our contingency plan is reviewed annually by all supervisors and plant personnel. The management of the Water Plant are committed to plant safety. We have monthly drills with all plant personnel. These drills include: 1) use of air packs 2) use of Chlorine "B" kit 3) safety inspections of the chlorine feed system 4) What to do in the unlikely event of an chlorine leak 5) Review of HazMat callout procedure. 6) Chlorine safety workshops attended by plant personnel 7) Testing of Chlorine safety knowledge for all personnel 8) CPR and first aid classes 9) Books and videos on chlorine safety A worst-case process hazard analysis has been performed with the following worst-case scenario: A rupture in the one ton chlorine cylinder would be limited to a maximum of 2000 lbs of chlorine released, with a discharge rate of 200lb/min. The municipal peer would be affected. The distance to endpoint would be 1.3 miles with a wind speed of 3.4 miles/hour. A discharge of this magnitude would be unlikely based on our plant procedu res. Cylinders are handled minimally. They are stored in a closed room where the only traffic is the plant personnel making inspection and safety rounds. Any discharge would be picked up by our chlorine detectors. |