East Grand Forks Water Treatment Plant - Executive Summary

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WATER SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 
 
Source Water 
 
Raw water for the East Grand Forks Treatment Plant is drawn 
through two intake lines located in the Red Lake River to a wet 
well.  Three pumps, two with capacities of 1400 gallons per 
minute (gpm) and one with a capacity of 2800 gpm, deliver the 
raw water from the wet well through a transmission line to the 
water treatment plant.  Water qualities for the Red Lake River 
under extreme conditions are shown below: 
 
 
Red Lake River      Turbidity                                     6-900  
                             TOC (mg/l)                                    9-25  
                             Temperature                           0.5-25.0  
                             pH                                             7.6-8.3  
                             Hardness (mg/l as CaCO3)     130-440  
 
 
The high turbidity and hardness of the source force the plant to 
use aluminum sulfate (alum) coagulation, lime/soda ash 
softening, and rapid-rate dual medi 
a filtration year round in 
order to produce a suitable quality of drinking water. 
 
Treatment Plant 
 
The East Grand Forks Water Treatment Plant is a rapid rate, dual 
media filtration plant with solids enhanced pretreatment, solids 
enhanced lime/soda ash softening, fluoridation, stabilization, 
chlorination, and chloramine disinfection. 
 
The East Grand Forks Water Treatment Plant has a maximum 
treatment capacity of 2780 gpm which corresponds to 
approximately 4 million gallons per day (MGD).  To meet consumer 
demands, the East Grand Forks Water Treatment Plant at times 
operates its maximum treatment capacity during the summer and 
winter for an operating period of 16 to 24 hours per day. 
 
Treatment at the plant begins in the influent line to the 
pretreatment basin, where alum is added as a coagulant to help 
remove turbidity and color from the raw water, potassium 
permanganate or carbon is added for taste and odor control and a 
cationic polymer is added seasonally to aid in the settling 
proc 
ess. 
 
Following pretreatment, the water flows to the softening basins. 
In the softening basins, lime and soda ash are added to remove 
the hardness, with sodium aluminate and/or a cationic polymer 
added as coagulant aids. 
 
The pH of the water after softening ranges between 10.5 and 11.0 
following softening, is lowered to approximately 9.0 with the 
addition of carbon dioxide in the recarbonation basins.  
Chlorine is injected into the filter influent line ahead of 
filtration.  At this point in the treatment process, poly 
phosphate is also added to stabilize the water (limited 
corrosion inhibition is also provided by the poly phosphate) and 
fluoride is added for dental health purposes. 
 
Filtration of the softened and recarbonated water is performed 
in two double bay, dual media filters.  The media in the filters 
consists of 12 inches of anthracite, 12 inches of sand, and 16 
inches of various grades of gravel below the sand and anthracite 
for support.  The filters at the East Grand Forks W 
ater 
Treatment Plant are loaded at approximately 2.0 gal/min/ft2.  
The filters are backwashed on a regular basis and the filter 
backwash water is held in a storage basin before being pumped to 
the sanitary sewer. 
 
Storage at the East Grand Forks Water Treatment Plant consists 
of a 129,000 gallon clearwell and a 1,000,000 gallon finished 
water reservoir (FWR).  Water is pumped, using transfer pumps, 
from the clearwell to the FWR by two 1400 gpm and one 2800 gpm 
centrifugal pumps.  The finished water reservoir is served by 
two 2800 gpm and one 1400 gpm high service pumps. 
 
Treated water leaves the East Grand Forks Water Treatment Plant 
through a series of transmission lines ranging in size from 12 
to 18-inches in diameter depending on service area and flow 
required.  The City of East Grand Forks currently utilizes three 
elevated water towers, two 500,000 gallon towers, and one 
100,000 gallon tower.  The 100,000 gallon tower is used only in 
the summer months to fulfill high water demand.  
In addition to 
the elevated storage, the city also utilizes a 2 million gallon 
(MG) underground storage reservoir within the distribution 
system. 
 
 
 
 
Letter from Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association..... 
 
The general accidental release prevention program and chemical 
specific prevention steps 
 
Our facility complies with several portions of the OSHA 
regulations relating to release prevention.  The Hazard 
Communication Standard (1910.1200) and Minnesota Statutes 
(Chapter 5206), also known as "Employee Right to Know" require 
specific training in regards to working with hazardous 
chemicals.  These regulations also require the City of East 
Grand Forks to transmit the relevant information concerning the 
hazards of chemicals to employees. 
 
OSHA 1910.176 - Material Handling and Storage requirements are 
in place that create awareness of the chemicals and their 
associated hazards. 
 
OSHA 1910.119 - Process Safety Management requirements are in 
the development stage. 
 
Minnesota Statutes 182. 
653 - A Workplace Accident and Injury 
Reduction.  The City of East Grand Forks, by law, must establish 
a written workplace accident and injury reduction program that 
promotes safe and healthful working condition.  This program 
descries: 
 
1.)    how managers, supervisors, and employees are responsible for 
implementing the program and how continued participation of 
management will be established, measured, and maintained: 
 
2.)    the methods used to identify, analyze, and control new or 
existing hazards, conditions, and operations; 
 
3.)    how the plan will be communicated to all affected employees 
so that they are informed of work related hazards and controls; 
 
4.)    how workplace accidents will be investigated and corrective 
action implemented; and 
 
5.)    how safe work practices and rules will be enforced. 
 
The employer must then conduct and document a review of the 
workplace accident and injury reduction program at least 
annually and document how procedures set forth in the program 
are met. 
 
Plann 
ed changes to improve safety 
 
The City of East Grand Forks contracts with the Minnesota 
Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA) for safety compliance 
management services.  This service provides us with safety 
training, job hazard analysis, procedures development, and other 
relevant compliance services.  Safety training occurs on a 
monthly basis, with topics that include Hazard Communication and 
AWAIR. The institution of this RMP will give us cause to 
institute additional training regarding the plan and working 
with the chemical hazards.  Portions of this training will be 
arranged with MMUA.  Other entities will also continue to 
provide specific training on the chemical hazard.  The 
development of the safety program will undoubtedly improve the 
overall safety of the plant. 
 
Recieved from: 
Joe Schmidt 
Regional Safety Coordinator 
Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association 
12805 Highway 55 
Suite 212 
Plymouth, MN 55441-3859 
612-551-1230 
 
 
 
In case of a worst case and alternative case release  
scenario of 
chlorine, a sector of the area involved due to wind direction 
and speed, atmospheric stability and also topography could be 
effected.  Chlorine is a regulated substance and must be 
reported to the EPA when exceeding 2500 pounds at the facility's 
location.  As in this case, the East Grand Forks Water Treatment 
Plant.  Model used to determine areas effected in a accidental 
release of chlorine is the ALOHA model (Area Locations of 
Hazardous Atmospheres)  The distance and concentration of a 
accidental chlorine leak is mapped out.  Refer to map (s) 
included and submitted to EPA as part of the Risk Management 
Plan. 
 
Preventive measures from a possible worst case and alternative 
case release of chlorine have been addressed.  East Grand Forks 
Water Treatment Plant Chlorine Feed System was converted from a 
pressure feed system to a vacuum system.  This update was 
completed in 1988.  Also, personnel routinely monitor for faulty 
feed equipment and chlorine leaks.  Training is provided 
.  This 
facility also has a 1 (one) ton chlorine tank repair kit that is 
available for emergency personnel.  Presently (1999) a chlorine 
scrubber is being installed to handle a major chlorine leak, if 
such an event would occur.  This project will be completed early 
fall of this year. 
 
In the past 5 (five) years, East Grand Forks Water Treatment 
Plant personnel have had no accidental releases of chlorine, or 
injuries due to exposure of chlorine.  This is a track record 
that this utility hopefully continues to keep in place. 
 
 
 
Letter from East Grand Forks Fire Department...... 
 
Haz-mat Response Water & Light 
 
1.Call comes in on 911 to notify Fire Department of Haz-Mat 
incident. 
 
2.Identify product and area affected by incident. 
 
3.Notify Police Department, Sheriff, to help evacuate. 
 
4.Call Minnesota Duty Officer to notify of incident and 
dispatch state haz-mat team if necessary. 
 
Recieved 4-2-99 from: 
 
East Grand Forks Fire Department 
 
415 4th Street NW 
 
East Grand Forks, MN  56721 
 
21 
8-773-2403
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