City of Quincy, Water Department Filtration Facili - Executive Summary

| Accident History | Chemicals | Emergency Response | Registration | Source | Executive Summary |

The City of Quincy, Illinois (Quincy) operates a water filtration plant that uses chlorine.  A maximum of seventeen 1-ton containers are stored at the facility to meet the disinfecting needs of the city's drinking water system.  When more than 2,500 pounds (lb) of chlorine are stored, the facility is subject to the requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), Section 112(r).  These requirements are stipulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Accidental Release Prevention regulations (40 CFR, Part 68), also known as EPA's Risk Management (RM) regulations. 
 
This RM plan fulfills the requirements of EPA's RM regulations.  This plan presents the management plan the City of Quincy uses to ensure compliance; the potential offsite impacts of releases (worst case and alternate case scenarios); how releases are prevented; and how the emergency response program works in the event of a chemical release.  In addition, this plan presents the specific data elements  
that are electronically reported to EPA Region V as required by the EPA regulations. 
 
Management Plan 
The Director of Utilities is responsible for overall compliance with RM regulations.  The water treatment facility supervisor assists the Director of Utilities.  The facility supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the facility complies with the RM program regulations.  The facility supervisor is supported locally by the maintenance supervisor, operators, and staff level personnel for completion of the RM program compliance duties. 
 
Chemical Release Prevention Program 
Elements of the RM program have been developed with this document.  Key provisions of the Quincy, water filtration facility release prevention program are as follows: 
 
7 Employees who operate the chlorine system must receive training initially and periodically on safe startup/shutdown, operations, and emergency shutdown. 
7 Release incidents are investigated, and the results are used to improve the safety of the proces 
s. 
7 Release incident investigation results are shared with all employees who could be affected by the process. 
7 Employees participate in a hazard review that identifies potential hazards and ways to improve the safety of the process every five years, or when significant changes are made to the process. 
 
Worst Case and Alternate Case Release Scenarios 
Several potential chlorine release events were modeled for the Quincy water filtration facility.  EPA guidance (EPA November 1998) was used to identify worst case release scenarios (WCS) and alternate case release scenarios (ACS) as defined by the RM regulations.  Toxic endpoints were identified using EPA-approved methods. 
 
The worst case chemical release (chlorine, 2,000 lb in 10 minutes) could potentially affect a radius of 1.3 miles.  An estimated population of 5,380 is located within this radius. 
 
The ACS for chlorine consists of =-inch valve shear from the chlorine tank, releasing liquefied chlorine under pressure for 30 minutes.  T 
he endpoint distance for this scenario is 0.45 miles.  An estimated population of 193 is located within this radius. 
 
Five-Year Accident History 
In the past five years, no releases that resulted in offsite property damage or offsite health consequences requiring medical treatment for chemical releases or fire occurred.  In addition, no incidents requiring emergency response have been reported in the past five years. 
 
Emergency Response Program 
The emergency response program at the Quincy water filtration facility consists of a facility leak response plan that incorporates the Quincy Comprehensive Disaster Plan (CDP).  The two plans reflect coordination between the facility supervisor and the City of Quincy fire department, local and state hazardous materials units, emergency medical service, police department, regional emergency planning authorities, and other organizations.  The facility leak response plan covers the responsibilities of plant employees and supervisors.  The CDP covers 
a wide range of emergency and non-emergency situations.  Incorporated within the CDP are elements addressing emergency response to toxic and flammable material releases that might affect people or the environment near the water filtration facility.
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