City of Wellington, KS Water Treatment Plant - Executive Summary |
|
The City of Wellington's Water Treatment Plant went "on-line" in March, 1996. The Plant stores a maximum of three one-ton chlorine cylinders at any one time (6000 pounds). These one-ton cylinders of chlorine gas are stored in a room isolated from the rest of the Treatment Plant by a 2-hour fire wall. The room is connected to a chlorine scrubber unit. The chlorine scrubber unit is connected to the Plant's emergency power generator. The storage room also contains an overhead sprinkling system and an audible and visual alarm system that is also connected to the Plant's emergency power generator. Plant operators follow a safety procedure to never enter the chlorine storage room without a second operator observing through an observation window. The operators are trained to handle any oncidental" release of the chlorine. An oncidental" release is defined as a release that can be absorbed, neutralized, or otherwise controlled at the time of release by employees in the immediate release area or where there is no potential safety or health hazard (i.e., fire, explosion or chemical exposure). Any uncontrolled releases will be handled by the Wellington Fire Department and the Sumner County LEPC. Their phone, radio and pager numbers are visibly posted at the Plant in case there would be an emergency. The "worst-case" release scenario had a 2.2 mile radius impact area. The "realistic" release scenario had a 0.2 mile radius impact area. Information supplied by the Sumner County Appraiser's office indicated about 104 residences in the "worst-case" radius impact area, which is about 300 affected persons and there are about 50 affected persons in the "realistic" release scenario. The City's prevention program is centered around continual training, sticking to safety procedures, preventive maintenance on the chlorine handling equipment and yearly inspections by the Wellington Fire Department and Sumner County LEPC. There have been no uncontrolled releases at the Wellington Wate r Treatment Plant within the last five years. The City of Wellington is committed to operating this Treatment Plant in the safest manner possible to protect its employees, surrounding neighbors to the Plant and to provide safe drinking water to the citizens of Wellington. |