Ottumwa Water & Hydro - Executive Summary |
|
1. Accidental release prevention and emergency response policies. The Ottumwa Water & Hydro handles chlorine that is considered to be a hazardous material by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our policies adhere to all applicable Federal and state rules and regulations. The Ottumwa Water & Hydro operates a water treatment plant that serves a community with population of 25,000 people. For non-incidental releases of chlorine, the Waterworks will rely on community emergency responders. The emergency response plan includes procedures for notification of local fire authority and S.E. Iowa Response Group (HAZMAT). The plan also includes notification of any potentially affected neighbors. 2. The stationary source and regulated substances handled. The primary purpose of the Ottumwa Water & Hydro treatment facility is to clean and disinfect water to be used by the City of Ottumwa and rural neighbors for potable purposes. Chlorine is shipped by truck to the plant in 2,000-pound cylinders (one ton). The chlorine cylinders are offloaded into the chlorine room adjoining to the rest of the plant building. The regulated substance handled at this facility is chlorine. The maximum amount of Chlorine that can be stored at this plant is 20,000 pounds. 3. The worst-case release scenario(s) and the alternative release scenario(s), include administrative controls and mitigation measures to limit the distances for each reported scenario. Worst-Case Scenario: The worst-case scenario has been definded as a catatrophic failure of a 2,000 pound cylinder due to corrosion, impact, or construction defects. The distance to the toxic endpoint of 0.0087 mg/l (8.7 mg/cubic meter) for the worst-case scenario is .9 miles or 1.4 kilometers. Alternative Scenario: The alternative-case scenario has been defined for one-ton chlorine containers with gas feed. The scenario includes failure of a 3/8" pigtail. The amount of the release is 30 ponds. The maximum average sustained release rat e is 5 pounds per minute over a 6 minute duration. In average weather conditions, the model predicts that the release rate int the alternative case scenario will be limited by the flow through 5/16-inch valve openings at the chlorine co ntainers. 4.The general accidental release prevention program and the specific prevention steps. The Ottumwa Water & Hydro has worked to comply with EPA's Accidental Release Prevention Rule and with state codes and regulations. This facility was designed and constructed between 1963- 1964 and contains separate chlorine storage and feed rooms. The ventilaton system in the chlorine storage room maintains both rooms under negative pressure preventing released chlorine from migrating directly to other internal portions of the water treatment plant. Chlorine detectors have been installed in the feed rooms. When activated the detector sounds an alarm in the laboratory. In the event of alarm or some other emergency the emergency action plan is initiated. 5. Five-year accident history. The Ottumwa Water & Hydro has not had an accidental release of chlorine from the covered process that resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant property damage on site, or known offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damage. 6. The emergency response program. The facilities emergency response program has been developed to respond to emergencies conditions. The Ottumwa Fire Dept. will be called (dial 911) in the event outside emergency assistance is warranted. This program has been discussed with the Ottumwa Fire Department and the South East Iowa Response Group(HAZMAT) team. A representative of the Ottumwa Fire Department and the S.E. Iowa Response Group (HAZMAT) team have visited this plant. 7. Planned changes to improve safety. Safety and health is constantly changing. The Ottumwa Water & Hydro is striving to make safety and health a dynamic, progressive endeavor. This facility currently utilizes a chlorine detector in the chlorine feed room. The detector sets off an audible alarm in the laboratory room. The facility is manned 24 hours per day: consequently, someone is always around to initiate emergency response procedures should the alarm sound. |