Industrial Sewage Lift Station - Executive Summary

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FEDERALLY MANDATED RMP SUBMISSION 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
 
1. Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies 
 
This City of West Sacramento, Industrial Sewage Lift Station, located at 3930 Industrial Boulevard in West Sacramento, Ca., handles chlorine, which is considered a hazardous material that is a regulated substance and is considered in the Risk Management Plan (RMP).  The properties of chlorine make it necessary to observe safety precautions in handling to prevent human exposure, and to reduce the threat to the facility's workers and nearby members of the community.  It is the facility's policy to adhere to all applicable Federal and State of California rules and regulations.  Safety depends upon the safe procedures used to handle chlorine; the safety devices and systems designed and constructed into the facility; and the training of the pertinent personnel. 
 
2. Stationary Source and Regulated Substances Handled 
 
The City of West Sacramento Industrial Sewage Lift Statio 
n (SLS) is designed to chlorinate the raw wastewater at the SLS before it is pumped to the Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 1991 South River Road.  Chlorine is delivered by a commercial chlorine supplier in one-ton containers for use at the Industrial SPS.  Off-loading of the one-ton container from the commercial delivery vehicle is accomplished with a hoist. All the one-ton containers are placed in the chlorine storage area. One of the chlorine containers is on-line and placed on the load-cell scale.  The other chlorine container is on stand-by. 
 
The Industrial SLS has administrative procedures in place to limit the amount of chlorine at the pump station, no more than 2 one-ton containers for a total of 4,000 pounds.  Delivery of chlorine one-ton containers is during normal working hours.  The driveway provides adequate room for the delivery and parking of the delivery vehicles during the off-loading of the full one-ton containers and loading of the empty one-ton containers. The  
buildings are not exposed to vehicular traffic. 
 
The building is locked after normal working hours.  No unauthorized personnel are allowed entry into the building.  A chain link security fencing and intrusion alarms the risk of vandalism and or sabotage of equipment. The container storage and handling is conducted pursuant to per Sections 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8 of the Chlorine Institute's Chlorine Manual.     
 
The Industrial SLS operates twenty-four hour per day, seven days per week.  The chlorine gas is withdrawn from the one-ton containers by vacuum.  This vacuum opens the vacuum regulator diaphragm and withdraws the gas from the one-ton containers at a controlled feed rate set by the operators with the use of the rotometer at the chlorinator unit. The chlorine gas is injected into the feed water line, where it becomes a chlorine/ water solution and is feed where it is needed in the treatment process. The container storage building has inlet and outlet exhaust fans for fresh air entry, c 
hlorine leak detectors which is connected to the telemetry system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.  In the event of a chlorine leak the alarm is activated and the operator at the Wastwater Treatment Plant responds by notifying the appropriate agencies and personnel. 
 
The vacuum regulators are vented to the outside. The treatment plant was designed and constructed for leak prevention, detection and containment according to state and federal guidelines. Automatic switchover units minimize connection/disconnection of the chlorine cylinders. 
 
The receipt, storage, and handling of the subject substances are considered as part of one complete process. 
 
3a.  Worst Case Release Scenario 
 
The one ton (2,000 pounds) chlorine containers are the only size vessel used in the chlorine system located at the Industrial SLS. The Worst Case release scenario to be modeled for the one ton chlorine container assumes that the full 2,000 pounds of chlorine is released over a ten minute period resulting in  
a release rate of 200 pounds per minute. The distance to the endpoint of 0.0087 mg/l (3 ppm) for the Worst Case scenario is 1.3 miles.  This chlorine release will extend beyond the boundaries of the stationary source. 
 
3b.  Alternative Release Scenario 
 
The Alternative Release scenario for chlorine for the one ton container located at the Industrial SLS assumes a release from a valve packing, resulting in an estimated release of no more than 2 pounds per hour.  The period of release is taken to be one hour in duration, resulting in a total release quantity of 2 pounds for each regulated substance. The distance to the endpoint of  0.0087 mg/l (3 ppm) for the Alternative Release scenario is 0.1 mile.  This chlorine release will extend beyond the boundaries of the stationary source. 
 
3c.  Administrative Controls 
 
Administrative controls to limit the distances for each reported scenario exists to restrict to a minimum the amount of chlorine released, if a release were to occur, and prefera 
bly to not have a release occur.  This administrative control is inherent in the operational procedures for the chlorine systems and the training provided to the operators.   
 
3d.  Mitigation Measures 
 
Mitigation measures to limit the distances for each reported scenario exists to restrict to a minimum the amount of chlorine released, if a release were to occur, and preferably to not have a release occur.  The mitigation measures are based upon the design, inspection, testing, and maintenance of the chlorine system and its related equipment and components. 
 
4. General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical Specific Prevention Steps 
 
The facility complies with all applicable federal and state codes and regulations.  There are safety meetings and safety training.  The Process Safety Management (PSM) program implemented at the facility for the chlorine related activities and equipment represents one of the facility's main active commitments to an accidental release prevention  
program. 
 
5. Five Year Accident History 
 
There have been no incidents involving the release of chlorine within the past five years at the facility. 
 
6. Emergency Response Program 
 
The Emergency Response Program is based on alerting personnel at the facility of the need to evacuate the facility and await the arrival of responders from the City of West Sacramento Fire Department at the evacuation assembly location if a release occurs that causes the evacuation to be initiated.  The Yolo County Office of Emergency Services can incorporate this response into the County Area Plan for the Local Emergency Planning Commission.  
 
7. Planned Changes to Improve Safety 
 
There are commitments made under the Process Hazard Analysis element of the Process Safety Management (PSM) that are being implemented at this time for the next year.  Current applicable codes and regulations are reviewed as part of the PSM to determine if other commitments need to be made to achieve increased operational safety fo 
r the regulated chlorine system.  These commitments will be prevention and mitigation measures for accidental releases of the regulated substances.
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