Dickinson Water Treatment Plant - Executive Summary

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
 
 
   The Dickinson Water Treatment Plant (DWTP) is a municipal water facility, supplying potable water to the city of Dickinson, ND. and also to the Southwest Water Pipeline (SWPL). The DWTP delivers an estimated 2.6 million gallons of treated water per day to its customers. This figure continues to increase as the SWPL expands and serves a larger area. 
   Because of the amount of chlorine that is used in the water treatment process at the DWTP, we as owner, operators are required to submit a Risk Management Plan (RMP) to the EPA under 40 CRF Part 68-Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions ruling.  The DWTP stores up to 6,000 pound of chlorine and uses an average of 38 pounds of chlorine per day.  
   The DWTP also operates a chlorination facility near Dodge ND. The facility is located at the SWPL, Dodge Pumping Station (DPS). The amount of chlorine used at this location is similar to the consumption use at the DWTP. The chlorine storage at the DPS will at no time be greater 
than 2,495 pounds. Because of the quantity of chlorine stored at the DPS, we as owner, operators are not required to comply with 40 CFR Part 68. Although we are not required to comply with the ruling, we as operators will set forth a chlorine safety program in accordance with, but not restricted by, EPAs Risk Management Program. 
   The RMP requires us to formulate two chlorine release scenarios, a worst-case scenario and an alternate release scenario. For the DWTP worst-case release scenario, it is presumed that a one ton chlorine container, stored in the chlorine room, empties in 10 minutes. Because of the urban topography, it is formulated that the toxic endpoint will reach to a distance of 0.9 miles in any direction from the storage area.  
   For the alternate release scenario at the DWTP location, we presumed that a gas regulator snapped off, allowing the containers valve to emit chlorine gas to the atmosphere through the 5/16 inch valve throat for 60 minutes. It is formulated that  
the toxic end-point for the DWTP will be a radius of 0.09 miles. Both scenarios we formulated using the EPA,s RMP Off-Site Consequence Analysis Guidance manual. 
   The DWTP is in compliance with the EPA,s Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA). Each year, since the reporting year of 1992, the DWTP has submitted to the state and local emergency response authorities, documentation of the hazardous chemicals used and stored at both our locations. 
   All operators at the DWTP are trained in chlorine safety and are well versed in the operational aspects of the chlorine process. On-going training sessions for chlorine safety will be conducted. All operators engage in the maintenance of the chlorine equipment and all are well informed as to the equipment mechanics, calibration and testing. The RMP is well received and will be an important addition to the safety program of the DWTP. 
   The DWTP has an excellent chlorine accident history. Our records show that there has never been a chlorine related acc 
ident involving injury or significant property damage. 
   In coordination with the Stark County LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee), the Dickinson Fire Department will act as the emergency response team for the DWTP. In the event of a chlorine detection, the DWTP operators will respond to the detection in accordance with the RMP. The operators will respond to the initial alarm detection and than in accordance with the RMP, alert the emergency response team if the situation calls for such action. 
     The DWTP chlorine detect alarm system at this time is only a visual alarm system. There are provisions being made to integrate our alarm system into our computer system. When complete, the computer integration will electronically connect the chlorine alarm system to the DWTP operator-on-call, 24 hours a day.
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