April 2014

TECHNOLOGY DEEP DIVE:

Drum thickener from Alfa Laval

Page 14

wsoWATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

April 2014 www.wsomag.com

Managing Our Most Valuable Resource

TM

Inside the Walls

MARK RIGGSBY HELPS INMATES PREPARE FOR WATER INDUSTRY CAREERSPage 10

BRIGHT IDEAS:

Pumping and distribution controlPage 16

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE:

Quality standards in Palm Bay, Fla.Page 34

Mark Riggsby Chief OperatorDenmar Correctional CenterHillsboro, W.Va.

QUALITY LEADERSAgency: Highly Decorated Page 6An Alabama water utility succeeds with experienced operators, exceptional maintenance and pride in producing a quality product.BY TRUDE WITHAM

Plant: From the Ground Up Page 28Team members in Spring Hill, Tenn., have had the privilege of being with their plant since the beginning. The results show in quality water and efficient performance.BY JIM FORCE

Operator: Inside the Walls Page 10Besides clean drinking water, Mark Riggsby helps produce inmates with critical skills for a productive career when their debt to society is paid.BY JACK POWELL

ON TAP Page 3 Building a BridgeSome prisons offer water treatment training programs. What happens to the trainees when they are released and look for work in the clean-water field?BY TED J. RULSEH, EDITOR

@WSOMAG.COM Page 5 Visit daily for news, features and blogs. Get the most from WSO magazine.

TECHNOLOGY DEEP DIVE Page 14More Water OutDrum thickeners from Alfa Laval offer substantial improvement in volume reduction and major savings on handling and transportation.BY TED J. RULSEH

BRIGHT IDEAS Page 16End to EndA complete automation system helps a Philippines city improve control over water pumping and distribution and drive down operating and maintenance costs.BY CRAIG CORREIA

ACE14 PRODUCT PREVIEW Page 18A Look at Everything WaterThe American Water Works Associations ACE14 will showcase the most innovative products and services from all aspects of the water industry.BY CRAIG MANDLI

TECH TALK Page 26Those Blue-Green StainsWater supply systems that exceed the U.S. EPA action level for copper must take a number of corrective measures.BY JOHN ROWE, PH.D.

INDUSTRY NEWS Page 33

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE Page 34Its a SystemThe Palm Bay (Fla.) Utilities Department uses an ISO standard as a framework for continuous improvements that cut costs and lessen environmental impact.BY ANN STAWSKI

WORTH NOTING Page 36People/Awards; Education; Events

WINNING THEM OVER Page 38Just Ask Any Fourth-GraderEducation is the future of water quality for one of the driest communities in the Southwest. In Rio Rancho, youre never too young to learn.BY LINDA J. EDMONDSON

Coming Next Issue: May 2014FOCUS: Sampling and Laboratory Analysis/ACE14 Show Issue

On Tap: The economy and recruiting strategy

Quality Leaders Operator: Andy Hall, Rio Rancho, N.M., and CH2M HILL

Quality Leaders Plant: Operational excellence in Huntsville, Ala.

Quality Leaders Plant: Membrane performance at South Coast (Calif.) Water District

Winning Them Over: Groundwater parfaits in Blaine, Wash.

Sustainable Practice: Source water protection in Greenville, S.C.

Technology Deep Dive: Low-profile filter underdrain system

Contents April 2014

ON THE COVER:As chief operator of the water treatment plant at the Denmar Correctional Center in Hillsboro, W.Va., Mark Riggsby teaches inmates the skills they need to prosper in the water profession after they serve their sentences. Riggsby was selected for the 2013 Perkins-Boynton Award from the West Virginia Section AWWA. (Photography by Joel Hawksley)

Imagine youre in charge of hiring a new operator for your water plant. Your choice comes down to two applicants. Both have the necessary licensing. They have similar schooling and the work experience you require. The only obvious difference is: One of them is fresh out of prison.Which one would you hire? Maybe the answer is obvious but

should it be? Are former inmates a potential pool of talent for an industry thats badly in need of new blood? I know, this sounds radical, but stay with me for a while.

Beyond the walls

WSO magazine finds its way into some prisons that have their own water treatment systems and run training programs for operators one of them, and its non-inmate chief operator, is profiled in this issue. I get letters now and then from inmates thanking the staff of WSO (and its sister publication on the wastewater side, Treatment Plant Operator) for the information we provide. Because of their confinement, inmates have trouble getting such information.

The prison-based training programs can be quite extensive and pre-pare the participants well for careers. Ive had several letters from inmates saying their training has helped redirect their energies and motivate them toward productive lives. But they worry about whether theyll be able to find work after serving their sentences. As in just about any pro-fession you care to name, who hires an ex-con?

Suspicion of people who have been to prison for felonies is under-standable, especially when there are always applicants who have not done time. But what about the concept that a person who committed a crime and then served out a sentence deserves a fair shake and a fresh start? Ill let a recent inmate from a water/wastewater training program make the case, because he did so better than I could.

Opening doors

I know of multiple fellow inmates who have seized this opportunity

to secure the prospects of the future in this industry, wrote James Blackford, now at Martin County (Fla.) Correctional Institution. This program opens doors for a vast array of industry that branches off the standard water and waste-water operations. From mechanical equipment maintenance to the repair of sophisticated electrical instruments, these avenues provide a variety of career choices for those who aspire to more than operations.

I myself am about 100 hours away from becoming a licensed C waste-water operator, and I passed my C water exam in February. I am prepar-ing for my release and have plans to pursue a career in wastewater and water operations. The transition will be a challenge, but challenge gives room for growth.

I, like many other inmates, have made amends for past decisions and have chosen to be a responsible, productive member of society. But even though we have paid our debts to society, we are constantly haunted by

the stigma of being felons.

Fresh start?That critical question on job applica-

tions that asks, Have you ever been con-victed of a felony? produces a tremendous disadvantage for those of us who want to leave the past behind. I personally feel that

question is a prejudice that needs to be addressed in order to give ex-offenders an equal opportunity in society. The question hinders growth for those who truly aspire to grow.

How about you? Would you be willing to look beyond the answer to that job application question and give someone with a prison record, but with all other qualifications intact, a chance at least for an interview? Have you ever had to consider hiring a former inmate? Have you ever hired one? How did it work out?

Please share your opinions and your experiences along these lines if you have them. Send a note to [email protected]. I promise to respond, and well publish comments on the topic in a future issue. wso

Building a BridgeSome prisons offer water treatment training programs. What happens to the trainees when they are released and look for work in the clean-water field?

ONTAP

BY TED J. RULSEH, EDITOR

I, like many other inmates, have made amends for past decisions and have chosen to be a responsible, productive member of society. But even though we have paid our debts to society, we are constantly haunted by the stigma of being felons.JAMES BLACKFORD

FREE subscription at wsomag.com

wsomag.com April 2014 3

QUALITY LEADERSAgency: Highly Decorated Page 6An Alabama water utility succeeds with experienced operators, exceptional maintenance and pride in producing a quality product.BY TRUDE WITHAM

Plant: From the Ground Up Page 28Team members in Spring Hill, Tenn., have had the privilege of being with their plant since the beginning. The results show in quality water and efficient performance.BY JIM FORCE

Operator: Inside the Walls Page 10Besides clean drinking water, Mark Riggsby helps produce inmates with critical skills for a productive career when their debt to society is paid.BY JACK POWELL

ON TAP Page 3 Building a BridgeSome prisons offer water treatment training programs. What happens to the trainees when they are released and look for work in the clean-water field?BY TED J. RULSEH, EDITOR

@WSOMAG.COM Page 5 Visit daily for news, features and blogs. Get the most from WSO magazine.

TECHNOLOGY DEEP DIVE Page 14More Water OutDrum thickeners from Alfa Laval offer substantial improvement in volume reduction and major savings on handling and transportation.BY TED J. RULSEH

BRIGHT IDEAS Page 16End to EndA complete automation system helps a Philippines city improve control over water pumping and distribution and drive down operating and maintenance costs.BY CRAIG CORREIA

ACE14 PRODUCT PREVIEW Page 18A Look at Everything WaterThe American Water Works Associations ACE14 will showcase the most innovative products and services from all aspects of the water industry.BY CRAIG MANDLI

TECH TALK Page 26Those Blue-Green StainsWater supply systems that exceed the U.S. EPA action level for copper must take a number of corrective measures.BY JOHN ROWE, PH.D.

INDUSTRY NEWS Page 33

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE Page 34Its a SystemThe Palm Bay (Fla.) Utilities Department uses an ISO standard as a framework for continuous improvements that cut costs and lessen environmental impact.BY ANN STAWSKI

WORTH NOTING Page 36People/Awards; Education; Events

WINNING THEM OVER Page 38Just Ask Any Fourth-GraderEducation is the future of water quality for one of the driest communities in the Southwest. In Rio Rancho, youre never too young to learn.BY LINDA J. EDMONDSON

Coming Next Issue: May 2014FOCUS: Sampling and Laboratory Analysis/ACE14 Show Issue

On Tap: The economy and recruiting strategy

Quality Leaders Operator: Andy Hall, Rio Rancho, N.M., and CH2M HILL

Quality Leaders Plant: Operational excellence in Huntsville, Ala.

Quality Leaders Plant: Membrane performance at South Coast (Calif.) Water District

Winning Them Over: Groundwater parfaits in Blaine, Wash.

Sustainable Practice: Source water protection in Greenville, S.C.

Technology Deep Dive: Low-profile filter underdrain system

Contents April 2014

ON THE COVER:As chief operator of the water treatment plant at the Denmar Correctional Center in Hillsboro, W.Va., Mark Riggsby teaches inmates the skills they need to prosper in the water profession after they serve their sentences. Riggsby was selected for the 2013 Perkins-Boynton Award from the West Virginia Section AWWA. (Photography by Joel Hawksley)

Imagine youre in charge of hiring a new operator for your water plant. Your choice comes down to two applicants. Both have the necessary licensing. They have similar schooling and the work experience you require. The only obvious difference is: One of them is fresh out of prison.Which one would you hire? Maybe the answer is obvious but

should it be? Are former inmates a potential pool of talent for an industry thats badly in need of new blood? I know, this sounds radical, but stay with me for a while.

Beyond the walls

WSO magazine finds its way into some prisons that have their own water treatment systems and run training programs for operators one of them, and its non-inmate chief operator, is profiled in this issue. I get letters now and then from inmates thanking the staff of WSO (and its sister publication on the wastewater side, Treatment Plant Operator) for the information we provide. Because of their confinement, inmates have trouble getting such information.

The prison-based training programs can be quite extensive and pre-pare the participants well for careers. Ive had several letters from inmates saying their training has helped redirect their energies and motivate them toward productive lives. But they worry about whether theyll be able to find work after serving their sentences. As in just about any pro-fession you care to name, who hires an ex-con?

Suspicion of people who have been to prison for felonies is under-standable, especially when there are always applicants who have not done time. But what about the concept that a person who committed a crime and then served out a sentence deserves a fair shake and a fresh start? Ill let a recent inmate from a water/wastewater training program make the case, because he did so better than I could.

Opening doors

I know of multiple fellow inmates who have seized this opportunity

to secure the prospects of the future in this industry, wrote James Blackford, now at Martin County (Fla.) Correctional Institution. This program opens doors for a vast array of industry that branches off the standard water and waste-water operations. From mechanical equipment maintenance to the repair of sophisticated electrical instruments, these avenues provide a variety of career choices for those who aspire to more than operations.

I myself am about 100 hours away from becoming a licensed C waste-water operator, and I passed my C water exam in February. I am prepar-ing for my release and have plans to pursue a career in wastewater and water operations. The transition will be a challenge, but challenge gives room for growth.

I, like many other inmates, have made amends for past decisions and have chosen to be a responsible, productive member of society. But even though we have paid our debts to society, we are constantly haunted by

the stigma of being felons.

Fresh start?That critical question on job applica-

tions that asks, Have you ever been con-victed of a felony? produces a tremendous disadvantage for those of us who want to leave the past behind. I personally feel that

question is a prejudice that needs to be addressed in order to give ex-offenders an equal opportunity in society. The question hinders growth for those who truly aspire to grow.

How about you? Would you be willing to look beyond the answer to that job application question and give someone with a prison record, but with all other qualifications intact, a chance at least for an interview? Have you ever had to consider hiring a former inmate? Have you ever hired one? How did it work out?

Please share your opinions and your experiences along these lines if you have them. Send a note to [email protected]. I promise to respond, and well publish comments on the topic in a future issue. wso

Building a BridgeSome prisons offer water treatment training programs. What happens to the trainees when they are released and look for work in the clean-water field?

ONTAP

BY TED J. RULSEH, EDITOR

I, like many other inmates, have made amends for past decisions and have chosen to be a responsible, productive member of society. But even though we have paid our debts to society, we are constantly haunted by the stigma of being felons.JAMES BLACKFORD

FREE subscription at wsomag.com

4 WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

Booth 705


Published monthly by COLE Publishing, Inc.1720 Maple Lake Dam Rd., PO Box 220, Three Lakes, WI 54562

Call toll free 800-257-7222 / Outside of U.S. or Canada call 715-546-3346Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

Website: www.wsomag.com / Email: [email protected] / Fax: 715-546-3786

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: A one-year (12 issues) subscription to WSOTM in the United States and Canada is FREE to qualified subscribers. A qualified subscriber is any individual or company in the United States or Canada that partakes in the consulting, design, installation, manufacture, management or operation of water treatment systems. To subscribe, return the subscription card attached to each issue, visit wsomag.com or call 800-257-7222.

Non-qualified subscriptions are available at a cost of $60 per year in the United States and Canada/Mexico and $150 per year to all other foreign countries. To subscribe, visit wsomag.com or send company name, mailing address, phone number and check or money order (U.S. funds payable to COLE Publishing Inc.) to the address above. MasterCard, VISA and Discover are also accepted. Include credit card information with your order.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Submit to WSO, P.O. Box 220, Three Lakes, WI, 54562; call 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346); fax to 715-546-3786; or email [email protected]. Include both old and new addresses.

Our subscriber list is occasionally made available to carefully selected companies whose products or services may be of interest to you. Your privacy is important to us. If you prefer not to be a part of these lists, please contact Nicole at [email protected].

ADVERTISING RATES: Call 800-994-7990 and ask for Kim or Phil. Publisher reserves the right to reject advertising which in its opinion is misleading, unfair or incompatible with the character of the publication.

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: Address to Editor, WSO, P.O. Box 220, Three Lakes, WI, 54562 or email [email protected].

REPRINTS AND BACK ISSUES: Visit www.wsomag.com for options and pricing. To order reprints, call Jeff Lane at 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346) or email [email protected]. To order back issues, call Nicole at 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346) or email nicolel@cole publishing.com.

CIRCULATION: Average circulation is 33,038 copies per month.

2014 COLE PUBLISHING INC. No part may be reproduced without permission of publisher.

AllMax Software, Inc. ............... 27

Blue-White Industries ............... 4

Imperial Industries, Inc. ........... 17

Pollardwater ........................... 40

ProComSol, Ltd ........................ 39

SWAN Analytical USA .............. 15

Advertiser Index April 2014

www.facebook.com/WSOmag

www.twitter.com/WSOmagazine

www.plus.google.com

www.youtube.com/WSOmagazine

GetSocialwith

Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Showwww.pumpershow.com

Education Day: Feb. 23, 2015 n Exhibits: Feb. 24 - 26, 2015Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Ind.

@wsomag.comOVERHEARD ONLINE

Commute times, family demands and electronic devices can all lead to stress and disengagement of employees. And sometimes, people may feel they just need a day off.How to Handle Employees Calling in Sickwww.wsomag.com/featured

Join the Discussionwww.facebook.com/WSOmag www.twitter.com/WSOmagazine

Visit www.WSOmag.com and sign up for newsletters and alerts. Youll get exclusive content delivered right to your inbox, and youll stay in the loop on topics important to you.

Emails & Alerts

Visit the site daily for new, exclusive content. Read our blogs, find resources and get the most out of WSO magazine.

OUNCE OF PREVENTION

Tank Inspection 101No one wants to hear about storage tank ruptures or leaks. And preventing these potential catastrophic occurrences is fairly straightforward: Maintain a rigorous tank maintenance program that includes periodic tank cleanings and inspections. Find out whats recommended for water and chemical tanks, and learn about the latest inspection methods. Divers, anyone? www.wsomag.com/featured

STUDY GUIDE

Backwash Rate Sample QuestionsAre you studying for a state operator license? If so, quiz yourself with this

practice question on backwash rates. Youll also find a helpful explanation of how to calculate the correct answer. So when test time comes around, dont be nervous. Weve got your back. www.wsomag.com/featured

HIRING PRACTICE

10 Tips for Conducting InterviewsMention the words job inter-view, and most people break into a cold sweat. No doubt, interviews can be unnerving for job candidates and managers alike. If youre the manager behind the desk, learn how to cut through the stress and find the perfect employee. Hint: Toss the job description and listen to your peers. www.wsomag.com/featured

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER

Its your magazine. Tell your story.

At Water System Operator, were looking for water treatment facilities with an interest-ing story to tell. If youd like to share your story, send us a note at [email protected].



Published monthly by COLE Publishing, Inc.1720 Maple Lake Dam Rd., PO Box 220, Three Lakes, WI 54562

Call toll free 800-257-7222 / Outside of U.S. or Canada call 715-546-3346Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

Website: www.wsomag.com / Email: [email protected] / Fax: 715-546-3786

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: A one-year (12 issues) subscription to WSOTM in the United States and Canada is FREE to qualified subscribers. A qualified subscriber is any individual or company in the United States or Canada that partakes in the consulting, design, installation, manufacture, management or operation of water treatment systems. To subscribe, return the subscription card attached to each issue, visit wsomag.com or call 800-257-7222.

Non-qualified subscriptions are available at a cost of $60 per year in the United States and Canada/Mexico and $150 per year to all other foreign countries. To subscribe, visit wsomag.com or send company name, mailing address, phone number and check or money order (U.S. funds payable to COLE Publishing Inc.) to the address above. MasterCard, VISA and Discover are also accepted. Include credit card information with your order.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Submit to WSO, P.O. Box 220, Three Lakes, WI, 54562; call 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346); fax to 715-546-3786; or email [email protected]. Include both old and new addresses.

Our subscriber list is occasionally made available to carefully selected companies whose products or services may be of interest to you. Your privacy is important to us. If you prefer not to be a part of these lists, please contact Nicole at [email protected].

ADVERTISING RATES: Call 800-994-7990 and ask for Kim or Phil. Publisher reserves the right to reject advertising which in its opinion is misleading, unfair or incompatible with the character of the publication.

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: Address to Editor, WSO, P.O. Box 220, Three Lakes, WI, 54562 or email [email protected].

REPRINTS AND BACK ISSUES: Visit www.wsomag.com for options and pricing. To order reprints, call Jeff Lane at 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346) or email [email protected]. To order back issues, call Nicole at 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346) or email nicolel@cole publishing.com.

CIRCULATION: Average circulation is 33,038 copies per month.

2014 COLE PUBLISHING INC. No part may be reproduced without permission of publisher.

AllMax Software, Inc. ............... 27

Blue-White Industries ............... 4

Imperial Industries, Inc. ........... 17

Pollardwater ........................... 40

ProComSol, Ltd ........................ 39

SWAN Analytical USA .............. 15

Advertiser Index April 2014

www.facebook.com/WSOmag

www.twitter.com/WSOmagazine

www.plus.google.com

www.youtube.com/WSOmagazine

GetSocialwith

Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Showwww.pumpershow.com

Education Day: Feb. 23, 2015 n Exhibits: Feb. 24 - 26, 2015Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Ind.

@wsomag.comOVERHEARD ONLINE

Commute times, family demands and electronic devices can all lead to stress and disengagement of employees. And sometimes, people may feel they just need a day off.How to Handle Employees Calling in Sickwww.wsomag.com/featured

Join the Discussionwww.facebook.com/WSOmag www.twitter.com/WSOmagazine

Visit www.WSOmag.com and sign up for newsletters and alerts. Youll get exclusive content delivered right to your inbox, and youll stay in the loop on topics important to you.

Emails & Alerts

Visit the site daily for new, exclusive content. Read our blogs, find resources and get the most out of WSO magazine.

OUNCE OF PREVENTION

Tank Inspection 101No one wants to hear about storage tank ruptures or leaks. And preventing these potential catastrophic occurrences is fairly straightforward: Maintain a rigorous tank maintenance program that includes periodic tank cleanings and inspections. Find out whats recommended for water and chemical tanks, and learn about the latest inspection methods. Divers, anyone? www.wsomag.com/featured

STUDY GUIDE

Backwash Rate Sample QuestionsAre you studying for a state operator license? If so, quiz yourself with this

practice question on backwash rates. Youll also find a helpful explanation of how to calculate the correct answer. So when test time comes around, dont be nervous. Weve got your back. www.wsomag.com/featured

HIRING PRACTICE

10 Tips for Conducting InterviewsMention the words job inter-view, and most people break into a cold sweat. No doubt, interviews can be unnerving for job candidates and managers alike. If youre the manager behind the desk, learn how to cut through the stress and find the perfect employee. Hint: Toss the job description and listen to your peers. www.wsomag.com/featured

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER


HIGHLY DECORATEDSTORY: TRUDE WITHAMPHOTOGRAPHY: SANFORD MYERS

An Alabama water utility succeeds with experienced operators, exceptional maintenance and pride in producing a quality product

Lonnie Boles, chief operator, in the pipe gallery at the Harvest-Monrovia Water & Sewer Authoritys Burwell Water Treatment Plant.

Excellence is a way of life at Alabamas Harvest-Monrovia Water & Sewer Authority. The authoritys 10 mgd Burwell Water

Treatment Plant and 2 mgd Mt. Zion Water Treatment Plant have been recognized repeatedly for quality operations, and its distri-bution system also ranks with the states best.

Roger Raby, general manager, says the credit belongs to highly

experienced operators and maintenance personnel who thrive on team-work, attention to detail and pride in a job well done.

Rural water board

The water authority, serving the rural communities of Harvest and Monrovia in Madison County, was formed in 1965 with a three-member board appointed by the county commission. The water system started with 700 meters, two wells, a 350,000-gallon storage tank and 40 miles of water mains. The water was pumped from the Tuscumbia-Fort Payne Aquifer, disinfected with chlorine gas, and sent to customers.

The system grew along with the population and today serves 45,000 people. It has 15,500 metered connections, seven wells, seven storage tanks and 350 miles of pipeline. In 2000, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) classified the system as groundwa-ter under the influence.

With growth in the area and all homes on septic tanks, there was a prob-lem with coliform showing up at the well sites, says Mike Oliver, director of operations and engineering. A water treatment plant had to be built.

The Burwell direct filtration plant was built in 2003 with 6.5 mgd

capacity; after a year, it was tested and uprated to 10 mgd. The plant uses Hach instruments and lab equipment, Watson-Marlow chemical feed pumps, Peerless vertical turbine high-service pumps, U.S. Motors verti-cal motors (Nidec), Allen-Bradley PLCs (Rockwell Automation), and United blowers for air scour.

The finished water turbidity has been 0.1 NTU or less for seven straight years, says Lonnie Boles, chief operator, in his 11th year at the plant.

Raby adds, Weve had some of the same operators since the plant was built, and the facility looks as good today as the day it started up. Good main-tenance makes all the difference; if something breaks, we fix it right away.

In 2008, the authority built the Mt. Zion direct filtration plant five miles from Burwell to handle the growing population. The authority chose a membrane package plant (Pall Corporation) for the Mt. Zion facility for its smaller footprint. Also, we didnt need pre-sedimentation, since we were treating well water with turbidity of less than 1 NTU and very little organics to settle out, says Raby.

Harvest-Monrovia Water & Sewer Authority, Harvest, Ala.FOUNDED: | 1965POPULATION SERVED: | 45,000 (15,500 metered customers)SERVICE AREA: | Harvest, MonroviaSOURCE WATER: | Tuscumbia-Fort Payne AquiferTREATMENT PROCESS: | Direct filtrationDISTRIBUTION: | 350 miles of pipelineSYSTEM STORAGE: | 11.5 million gallonsKEY CHALLENGE: | Upgrading plant control systemsANNUAL BUDGET: | $8.5 million (plants and distribution)WEBSITE: | www.hmwater.org

QUALITYLEADERSAGENCY

The team at the Burwell Water Treatment Plant includes, from left, Keith Webster, Grade II operator; Wade Hodges, facilities and fleet maintenance I; Mike Oliver, director of operations, Matt Webster, facilities and fleet maintenance I; Lonnie Boles, chief operator; Charles Mitchell, Grade IV operator; and Chad Reed, facilities and fleet maintenance supervisor.


Two plants, one teamSeven full-time operators and three maintenance staff members sup-

port both water treatment plants. Besides Boles, who holds a Grade IV water operator license, they are:

Grade IV operators Charles Mitchell (11 years), Greg Chappell (11 years), Troy Laxson (eight years), Burt Inman (six years), Matt Parvin (six years) and Richie Naves (five years), and Grade II oper-ator Keith Webster (17 years)

Facilities and fleet maintenance supervisor Chad Reed (Grade IV, seven years) and facilities and fleet maintenance I employees Wade Hodges (five years) and Matt Webster (two years)

The Burwell plant is staffed around the clock. One operator staffs the Mt. Zion plant (two in summer) during an eight-hour shift, with SCADA system monitoring during off-hours. They rotate the day and night shift, and work seven 12-hour days, and then theyre off for seven days, says Boles.

On a typical day, operators communicate with the previous shift team about any concerns, check tank levels with the SCADA system, check incoming and outgoing plant flow, and determine whether flow changes are needed throughout the day.

They check chemical storage tank levels, verify chemical feed rates, check chemical pumps and pipes for leaks, and service pumps for vibra-tion and overheating. They also check pipes and valves in the pipe gallery and chemical injection sites for any problems. They monitor raw and fil-

tered turbidity and pH levels and perform filter washes and lab tests on raw and finished water samples.

Team members lead plant tours for elementary and middle school stu-dents and take part in the Madison County Drinking Water Festival, held each year in May to educate children about surface water and groundwater with hands-on activities.

Operators take on-site classes twice a year for their continuing educa-tion credits, and the plant holds memberships in AWWA, the Alabama Water and Pollution Control Association (AWPCA) and the Alabama Rural Water Association.

A few challenges

Boles and Mitchell were challenged with construction and startup of the Burwell plant. They were both hired to oversee the plants construc-tion and become familiar with the area before the plant was placed in operation, recalls Raby. After startup, they received hands-on training from the equipment suppliers. We learned enough to get started, and learned the rest as we went, says Boles.

Pall Corporation provided on-site training before the Mt. Zion pack-age plant started up. After startup, we created a schedule that allowed the floating operator to work at the Burwell plant during the day, so we could rotate the day shift operator to work at Mr. Zion with the operator who trained with Pall, says Boles.

Both plants are performing with no issues. We dont have very high turbidity most of the time, but it can happen if the well levels drastically change, as in drought years, says Oliver. Disinfection byproducts are rare because of the low level of organics in the groundwater. We keep disin-fection byproducts in mind but have only seen a spike when we purchased water from an adjoining system, which we do in emergency conditions.

WINNING WAYS

The water operations and distribution teams at the Harvest-Monrovia

Water & Sewer Authority have reason to be proud: 27 awards in the past

18 years. When they win, the authoritys board gives staff members a

small bonus.

Achievements include:

1999-2001 AWPCA Award of Excellence for operations at its wells, 15,001-25,000 population

2002 and 2010 Award of Excellence, 25,001-50,000 population, for the Burwell Water Treatment Plant

2008 U.S. EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Award for Sustainable Public Health Protection based on the Burwell plant

operation

2010-2012 AWPCA Best Operated Package Plant for the Mt. Zion Water Treatment Plant

2006-2013 Optimized Plant Award from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for both treatment plants

2009-2010 AWPCA Best Operated Distribution System award 2011-2012 AWPCA Award of Excellence, 5,001-15,000 meters, for

the distribution system

The utility team hopes to keep the awards coming. Its a year-round

job to keep the plants up to the standards required to keep winning,

says Roger Raby, the authoritys general manager. We just say, this is

what we need to do and where we need to be.

Lonnie Boles, chief operator, agrees. The operators take pride in

working at a plant that is tops in the state, and they have bought into the

idea of working each year to be the best they can be.

Raby believes the distribution systems success results from attention

to the little things. We keep pumping facilities in top shape, stay on top

of maintenance and keep excellent records, including a paper and

electronic mapping system. Any new additions are inspected by our

own people, not an outside engineering firm. We have a good grasp on

what we have, where it is and how it was installed.

Lonnie Boles, chief operator

A major drought in 2007 caused lower-than-normal water levels in the wells. The drought lasted around 18 months, and major con-ditions lasted six months, says Boles. We implemented manda-tory conservation in the summer of 2007, and in 2008, we drilled an additional well.

Tough times

The greatest weather challenge came in April 2011 when an EF5 tornado the highest rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale damaged the main feed from the local electric utility, leaving the Burwell plant without power for a week.

We had backup generators at the plant and wells, but no power at the tanks for our SCADA system, recalls Raby. We were running blind. With no cellphone service in the area, field employees had to rely on truck radios to report back to the plant with tank levels and other operational information.

We went old school and operated from pressure readings throughout the system, says Raby. Even with houses destroyed and damaged cus-tomer connections, we did not experience any loss of pressure on the sys-tem. We all went above and beyond during that time. The team members are self-motivated. They know what to expect and are willing to go the extra mile, says Boles.

Even though the community is growing more than 500 meters were added in 2013 there are no plans to upgrade the water plants. A lot of older plants have to upgrade, but newer technology was already available when we built our plants, says Raby. All our new well sites have vari-able-frequency drive pumps, so theyre energy efficient.

The Authority plans to build a 35-acre lake to mitigate future droughts. We have the property available, and have done the preliminary engi-neering on it, but there is no definite construction date yet, says Raby.

In the meantime, the authority is searching for new well sites. But the

main goal is to keep providing the community with award-winning ser-vice. Says Raby, We credit the employees for their hard work and pride in providing this service, and we also give credit to our customers for holding us to a high standard. wso

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United Blower Inc.770/479-3111www.unitedblower.com

Watson-Marlow Pumps Group800/282-8823www.wmpg.com

Even with houses destroyed and damaged customer connections, we did not experience any loss of pressure on the system. We all went above and beyond during that time. The team members are self-motivated.ROGER RABY

Charles Mitchell and other opera-tors share duties that include running routine lab tests.


Two plants, one teamSeven full-time operators and three maintenance staff members sup-

port both water treatment plants. Besides Boles, who holds a Grade IV water operator license, they are:

Grade IV operators Charles Mitchell (11 years), Greg Chappell (11 years), Troy Laxson (eight years), Burt Inman (six years), Matt Parvin (six years) and Richie Naves (five years), and Grade II oper-ator Keith Webster (17 years)

Facilities and fleet maintenance supervisor Chad Reed (Grade IV, seven years) and facilities and fleet maintenance I employees Wade Hodges (five years) and Matt Webster (two years)

The Burwell plant is staffed around the clock. One operator staffs the Mt. Zion plant (two in summer) during an eight-hour shift, with SCADA system monitoring during off-hours. They rotate the day and night shift, and work seven 12-hour days, and then theyre off for seven days, says Boles.

On a typical day, operators communicate with the previous shift team about any concerns, check tank levels with the SCADA system, check incoming and outgoing plant flow, and determine whether flow changes are needed throughout the day.

They check chemical storage tank levels, verify chemical feed rates, check chemical pumps and pipes for leaks, and service pumps for vibra-tion and overheating. They also check pipes and valves in the pipe gallery and chemical injection sites for any problems. They monitor raw and fil-

tered turbidity and pH levels and perform filter washes and lab tests on raw and finished water samples.

Team members lead plant tours for elementary and middle school stu-dents and take part in the Madison County Drinking Water Festival, held each year in May to educate children about surface water and groundwater with hands-on activities.

Operators take on-site classes twice a year for their continuing educa-tion credits, and the plant holds memberships in AWWA, the Alabama Water and Pollution Control Association (AWPCA) and the Alabama Rural Water Association.

A few challenges

Boles and Mitchell were challenged with construction and startup of the Burwell plant. They were both hired to oversee the plants construc-tion and become familiar with the area before the plant was placed in operation, recalls Raby. After startup, they received hands-on training from the equipment suppliers. We learned enough to get started, and learned the rest as we went, says Boles.

Pall Corporation provided on-site training before the Mt. Zion pack-age plant started up. After startup, we created a schedule that allowed the floating operator to work at the Burwell plant during the day, so we could rotate the day shift operator to work at Mr. Zion with the operator who trained with Pall, says Boles.

Both plants are performing with no issues. We dont have very high turbidity most of the time, but it can happen if the well levels drastically change, as in drought years, says Oliver. Disinfection byproducts are rare because of the low level of organics in the groundwater. We keep disin-fection byproducts in mind but have only seen a spike when we purchased water from an adjoining system, which we do in emergency conditions.

WINNING WAYS

The water operations and distribution teams at the Harvest-Monrovia

Water & Sewer Authority have reason to be proud: 27 awards in the past

18 years. When they win, the authoritys board gives staff members a

small bonus.

Achievements include:

1999-2001 AWPCA Award of Excellence for operations at its wells, 15,001-25,000 population

2002 and 2010 Award of Excellence, 25,001-50,000 population, for the Burwell Water Treatment Plant

2008 U.S. EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Award for Sustainable Public Health Protection based on the Burwell plant

operation

2010-2012 AWPCA Best Operated Package Plant for the Mt. Zion Water Treatment Plant

2006-2013 Optimized Plant Award from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for both treatment plants

2009-2010 AWPCA Best Operated Distribution System award 2011-2012 AWPCA Award of Excellence, 5,001-15,000 meters, for

the distribution system

The utility team hopes to keep the awards coming. Its a year-round

job to keep the plants up to the standards required to keep winning,

says Roger Raby, the authoritys general manager. We just say, this is

what we need to do and where we need to be.

Lonnie Boles, chief operator, agrees. The operators take pride in

working at a plant that is tops in the state, and they have bought into the

idea of working each year to be the best they can be.

Raby believes the distribution systems success results from attention

to the little things. We keep pumping facilities in top shape, stay on top

of maintenance and keep excellent records, including a paper and

electronic mapping system. Any new additions are inspected by our

own people, not an outside engineering firm. We have a good grasp on

what we have, where it is and how it was installed.

Lonnie Boles, chief operator

A major drought in 2007 caused lower-than-normal water levels in the wells. The drought lasted around 18 months, and major con-ditions lasted six months, says Boles. We implemented manda-tory conservation in the summer of 2007, and in 2008, we drilled an additional well.

Tough times

The greatest weather challenge came in April 2011 when an EF5 tornado the highest rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale damaged the main feed from the local electric utility, leaving the Burwell plant without power for a week.

We had backup generators at the plant and wells, but no power at the tanks for our SCADA system, recalls Raby. We were running blind. With no cellphone service in the area, field employees had to rely on truck radios to report back to the plant with tank levels and other operational information.

We went old school and operated from pressure readings throughout the system, says Raby. Even with houses destroyed and damaged cus-tomer connections, we did not experience any loss of pressure on the sys-tem. We all went above and beyond during that time. The team members are self-motivated. They know what to expect and are willing to go the extra mile, says Boles.

Even though the community is growing more than 500 meters were added in 2013 there are no plans to upgrade the water plants. A lot of older plants have to upgrade, but newer technology was already available when we built our plants, says Raby. All our new well sites have vari-able-frequency drive pumps, so theyre energy efficient.

The Authority plans to build a 35-acre lake to mitigate future droughts. We have the property available, and have done the preliminary engi-neering on it, but there is no definite construction date yet, says Raby.

In the meantime, the authority is searching for new well sites. But the

main goal is to keep providing the community with award-winning ser-vice. Says Raby, We credit the employees for their hard work and pride in providing this service, and we also give credit to our customers for holding us to a high standard. wso


Hach Company800/227-4224www.hach.com

Nidec Motor Corporation888/637-7333www.usmotors.com

Pall Corporation800/645-6532www.pall.com/water

Peerless Pump Company800/879-0182www.peerlesspump.com

Rockwell Automation414/382-2000www.rockwellautomation.com/industries/water

United Blower Inc.770/479-3111www.unitedblower.com

Watson-Marlow Pumps Group800/282-8823www.wmpg.com

Even with houses destroyed and damaged customer connections, we did not experience any loss of pressure on the system. We all went above and beyond during that time. The team members are self-motivated.ROGER RABY

Charles Mitchell and other opera-tors share duties that include running routine lab tests.


Amid noise and nonstop radio traffic, Mark Riggsby quietly tutors an inmate on the finer points of water testing and treatment.

Such mentoring is part of Riggsbys mission as chief operator of the water plant at Denmar Correctional Center in Hillsboro, W.Va. His ultimate aim is to provide a career path

for those paying their debt to society.Since he joined the Denmar facility in 2000, Riggsby has helped inmates

get their Class I and Class II water and wastewater operator licenses and

go on to productive careers in the water industry. Those efforts, and his commitment to maintain a constant flow of clean water at the 20-year-old prison, earned him the 2013 Perkins Boynton Award (named for the states first certified public water service operator) from the West Virginia section AWWA.

Unexpected award

I have no idea why I won the award, says Riggsby, 54. I just come

INSIDE THE WALLSBesides clean drinking water, Mark Riggsby helps produce inmates with critical skills for a productive career when their debt to society is paid

STORY: JACK POWELLPHOTOGRAPHY: JOEL HAWKSLEY

to work every day and do what I do. When we went to the dinner I thought we were going for classes. Nobody said anything until I got called up on stage. It really stunned me.

The reality is that Riggsby was chosen for exemplary ability as an operator, exceptional responsibility and a desire to increase his knowl-edge of water treatment. While the plant he operates is small (serving fewer than 1,000 customers), his impact has been big. He has mentored numerous convicted felons who have gone on to gainful employment in

Mark Riggsby, Denmar Correctional Center, Hillsboro, W.Va. POSITION: | Chief Operator, Denmar Water PlantEXPERIENCE: | 13 yearsCERTIFICATIONS: | Class II Water Operator; Class I Wastewater OperatorEDUCATION: | Rancho High School, Las Vegas, Nev.MEMBERSHIPS: | AWWA West Virginia Section, West Virginia Water Environment AssociationGOALS: | Continue mentoring inmates for balance of career

Mark wants to make sure you learn, not just memorize a bunch of facts. Hes a super instructor, very patient and concerned that you really understand the material.DOSHIA WEBB

Mark Riggsby, chief operator, Denmar Correctional Center water treatment plant

Inmates taught and mentored by Mark Riggsby have gone on to productivecareers in the water treatment sector.

QUALITYLEADERSOPERATOR


water and wastewater operations nationwide.

Although born in West Vir-ginia, Riggsby, whose father was in the Air Force, spent most of his time in Arizona and Nevada, and in Zweibrucken, Germany, where he attended high school and excelled in wrestling, football and baseball.

He graduated from Rancho High School in Las Vegas, joined the Air Force and was stationed at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for four years. After being hon-orably discharged, he went to New York working for Louisiana Chemical dismantling fertilizer plants, then did construction work, running bulldozers and backhoes, which he continued to do when he came to West Virginia in 1986.

He did maintenance work at a tannery, was a mechanic for BFGoodrich, did auto mechanics for a Toyota dealership, and did construction and building repair at other area businesses. For four years, he worked as a jack-of-all-trades for Stephen Coonts, the best-selling author of Flight of the Intruder and Minotaur, handling building maintenance, backhoe work and other tasks on Coonts 1,780-acre Deer Creek Farm in Pocahontas County.

When Coonts started to close up the farm, Riggsby took a maintenance and construction job in Arbovale, but saw no future in it. When he learned of an opening at Den-mar, he went to White Sulphur Springs and took the state test for a build-ing maintenance mechanic position there.

I needed a steady job with good benefits and retirement, he recalls. I had been working construction and other jobs for many years and I wanted something permanent where I could build a good career. At the time, I didnt realize that Id end up running the water plant.

Bumpy start

Riggsby joined Denmar in July 2000. At first he was assigned to the maintenance department. Then he met Curtis Pyles, who was the chief water plant operator and a great teacher.

Intimidated by how complex the water plant seemed, Riggsby asked Sylvia Haney, associate warden, if he could stay in maintenance, claiming he was never that great in school and was worried he couldnt handle the responsibilities. Haneys response: You were hired for the water plant and thats where youre going.

On top of that, Pyles was getting ready to retire, so Riggsby needed to learn the job pronto. So, somewhat reluctantly, he learned the business, and two years later earned his operators licenses for water and wastewa-ter. At the time, Denmar had an inmate who had been incarcerated 19 years and had failed the operators test once.

He could relate to me, says Riggsby, who became chief operator in

2004. So I brought all my notes back from the classes I took, and I helped him pass the test, which wasnt easy, since West Virginia has one of the toughest testing processes around.

From that point on, Riggsby, who has Class II water and Class I wastewater licenses, has focused on building his own expertise and developing inmates skills. Sometimes that can be a chal-lenge. For example, the Division of Corrections (DOC) requires all employees to go through the DOC Academy, a six-week offsite program that covers every aspect of the correctional system, includ-ing self-defense. In addition, everyone must take 40 hours of classroom training every year in administrative, human resource and legal issues.

Innovation matters

Riggsby also needs 24 hours every two years in water and wastewater classes to keep his licenses up courses held in nearby Ripley or other locations around the state. Those require-ments raised a potential stum-bling block: How could a prisoner take classes outside of Denmar for several days at a time? Thats where Riggsbys ingenuity and determination kicked in.

I obtained a waiver from the state in 2008 allowing me to teach the class, he says. I teach them what I know and work from prepared manuals, and they get hands-on experi-ence by helping me run our water plant. Then I give them a certificate saying they have so many hours, and I take them to the test and bring them back once theyre finished.

That process has worked great, according to Riggsby. Denmars suc-cess stories include:

An inmate who got his Class II license in 2013 and moved back to New Mexico in search of a water plant operators job

One who works at a water plant at the Snowshoe Mountain (W.Va.) ski resort area

One who works at a plant in Fort Gay in Wayne County, W.Va. Yeah, a couple of guys who left as Class I operators lapsed back into

drugs and crime, Riggsby acknowledges. But the other fellows have been real diligent about studying and learning how the plant works. Im proud that they left here with something they can use on the outside.

Careers, not jobs

Warden Mark Williamson, who has headed the Denmar Correctional Center since 1998, sees Riggsby as a major asset: Marks mentoring helps the inmates go out and make a career for themselves, rather than the typ-ical path of working at a car wash or flipping burgers. He gives them the tools to succeed in jobs in water systems throughout the country because theres always a need for good operators.

Mark Riggsby with Doshia Webb, maintenance supervisor.

Beyond his mentoring, Riggsby clearly qualifies as a good operator no mean feat considering that the water plant dates back to the 1950s. Denmar was built in 1917 as the state tuberculosis hospital; in 1957 it was converted to a state hospital for the chronically ill. It closed in 1990 and was then converted to a prison in 1993. A building project completed in 2000 included an industries/vocational building. The water plant pumps between 70,000 to 80,000 gpd, and uses a fairly simple system of pumps and conventional gravity-fed, multimedia (anthracite, sand, garnet and gravel) filters.

Riggsby and Doshia Webb, who joined Denmar three years ago as a maintenance supervisor and now works as his assistant, pump water from the Greenbrier River into a mix chamber. From there, it goes into a sedi-

ment basin where they add a polyaluminum chloride coagulant, DelPAC 2020 (USALCO).

Once chlorinated, the water is gravity fed over the filters and through the media. It is emptied into another clearwell and then pumped up to two tanks on top of a nearby hill. Each week, Riggsby and Webb do two manual backwashes with rakes, pushing the water through the filters and removing debris.

The water they produce for Denmars 216 male inmates, 87 staff and 20 female federal prisoners (housed in a separate leased facility) meets state and federal requirements for lead and copper, VOCs, TOC, nitrates and other parameters. It has 0.02 NTU turbidity, when 0.3 NTU is the exceedance level mandated by the U.S. EPA.

The plant has had no violations since Riggsby has been chief operator, nor have there been any water-borne disease issues like those that have affected correctional centers in California, Florida and New York, where inmates have sued under the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitu-tion, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

Riggsby, Webb and an inmate also handle wastewater treatment. That includes quarterly testing for BOD, fecal coliform and solids, chlorinating and dechlorinating, and operating a lagoon that has a 50,000 gpd capacity. They keep the lagoon clean; Riggsby persistently sprays an herbicide to address a persistent duckweed problem the lagoon encountered in 2013.

SMALL-TOWN CONNECTIONS

Mark Riggsby enjoys his career as a water operator at Denmar

Correctional Center and his ability to contribute to its host community of

Hillsboro, W.Va., population 260. Named after pioneer John Richard Hill,

Hillsboro is best known as the birthplace of Nobel Prize-winning author

Pearl S. Buck.

With deep roots in the community, Riggsby has helped out at the

communitys wastewater treatment facility and its small water plant,

which pumps out of a well. His wife, Louanne, is secretary to the warden

at the prison; his mother lives in nearby Arbovale. His brother is a

registered nurse in the emergency room at Pocahontas Memorial

Hospital, and his sister-in-law is a registered nurse at an area nursing

home. His son, Chad, and family live in Toano, Va.

Beyond teaching, Riggsbys duties include basic plant operations, maintenance and housekeeping tasks.

Water flows in to the mix chamber.

(Continued on page 15)


Sludges are a fact of life in water treatment; the key is to handle them efficiently and cost-effectively. A major part of that is volume reduction, which can substantially reduce handling, storage and transportation costs.Alfa Laval now offers the ALDRUM G3 drum thickener, designed to

provide more thickening capacity in the same footprint as the previous version and with lower operating costs. Representatives of the companys Environment Market Unit Alfredo Fernandez, business manager for the Americas, and Keith Williams, vice president of municipal waste talked about the technology in an interview with Water System Operator.

wso: What was the motivation for this new thickener design?Fernandez: The G3 is an improvement on the first edition of the

ALDRUM thickener.

The new design increases solids load capacity by up to 30 percent within the same footprint. There are three models of the G3 in capacities from 15 gpm to 700 gpm. They fit the exact same footprint as the previous versions, the largest of which has 500 gpm capacity. Both the new and previous versions can achieve volume reduction up to 90 percent.

wso: What determines the actual volume reduction these units

can achieve in a given application?Fernandez: That is largely determined by the type of sludge. The

results can differ with sludge from a drinking water plant, a wastewater treatment plant or an industrial process.

Williams: How quickly the product drains and how much volume reduction you get depends on factors like whether the material comes from surface water or groundwater, and on the solids concentration going in. If you feed at 2 or 3 percent solids, getting 90 percent volume reduc-tion is more challenging than if you feed at a half to one percent.

wso: For what kinds of sludges is this equipment suitable?Williams: It is suitable for almost any material that you can treat with

a coagulant or flocculant to enable separation. Its for any relatively dilute slurry where there is a need to reduce the volume before storing, further treating or transporting.

wso: Mechanically speaking, how does this technology remove

water from sludge?Williams: There is a horizontally oriented, cylindrical drum made of

a high-density polyethylene mesh. Internal to that is a conveyance device. As you feed the sludge in and rotate the drum, liquid drains the length of the drum through the polyethylene screen. The solids travel inside the drum to the other side and are discharged as thickened sludge.

Fernandez: The typical screen mesh size is 0.6 to 1 mm. The screens need no operator attention. A spray bar controlled with a timer sprays water on the screen to keep it clean when needed. The spray frequency is set at the time of commissioning; the customer can also adjust it to suit changing conditions. The screens last for many years, and if they do need replacing, the cost is very low.

wso: What other advantages does this equipment have?Fernandez: It is easy to service and is essentially maintenance-free.

The cover is hinged so that it is very easy to open for service maintenance. All sprays and splashing are contained within the unit. It operates qui-etly. Power consumption is very low at about 7 amps for a medium-sized

TECHNOLOGYDEEP DIVE

More Water OutDrum thickeners from Alfa Laval offer substantial improvement in volume reduction and major savings on handling and transportation

BY TED J. RULSEH

2

1

1. The horizontally oriented cylindrical drum made of high-density polyethylene mesh allows liquid to drain as the solids travel through.

2. The drum thickener can achieve volume reduction up to 90 percent.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALFA LAVAL

with 150 gpm capacity. We have also seen polymer consumption reduced on the order of 5 to 10 percent as compared to previous designs.

wso: What accounts for the lower polymer consumption?Fernandez: The unit is designed for gentle treatment of the sludge.

When you prepare the sludge with polymer, you create flocs. If you shear those flocs or mix them in a violent manner, they break, and the polymer used to form the flocs is partially lost. Our technology treats the flocs very gently, and so polymer consumption is reduced.

Williams: The new design takes a lot of turbulence out of the feed zone. Basically, we increased the volume of the feed chamber and slowed the velocity down. We also modified the intake in the drum and took the agitator out of the floc tank. We now use inline mixing to blend the slurry and the polymer. Thats gentle treatment, and it also reduces power con-sumption and overall cost.

wso: Are demonstrations of this technology available?Fernandez: Yes. Customers appreciate how effective these machines

are when they see them in operation. We have pilot units that we can use to demonstrate the technology on the prospective customers actual slurry. Most orders for the equipment are generated by demonstrations. wso

It is suitable for almost any material that you can treat with a coagulant or flocculant to enable separation. Its for any relatively dilute slurry where there is a need to reduce the volume before storing, further treating or transporting.KEITH WILLIAMS


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Super instructorWebb, who has a masters degree in aquatic biology from Marshall

University and a Class II water license, calls Riggsby a super guy to work with and praises his knowledge and conscientiousness. She also credits his ability to teach water management as big help to her and to the inmates he mentors.

Mark wants to make sure you learn, not just memorize a bunch of facts, says Webb, who was a magistrate and a game warden earlier in her career. Hes a super instructor, very patient and concerned that you really understand the material. Thats important, since operating a water plant isnt as easy as people think. When you get your certification, its not just for this little plant. It may be for a big plant where you treat for certain chemicals or take certain chemicals out of the water. Were lucky we dont have to do that because the Greenbrier River is pretty clean.

More impressive is that Riggsby works under challenging conditions. Soon after he arrives at 8 a.m., he contacts Control and asks them to send down the inmate who is helping him. Security does that and pats the inmate down. Inmates are rigorously screened for what the warden calls aptitude and attitude to make sure theyre interested in working at the water plant and can master the math, science and mechanical skills.

Riggsby then drives the inmate over to the water plant. They get it up and running and log data into the computer. Every 15 minutes they record finished water turbidity. They also perform a battery of tests chlorine (pre and post), iron, pH (raw, finished and settled) and alkalinity (raw and finished) at specific times throughout the day.

Early in his shift, Riggsby goes up on the hill and checks the water tanks, then heads over to the wastewater lagoon. In between tests, he tries to get in some teaching from the manuals or do some hands-on work with the filters or pumps. He leaves the plant at 3:50 so he can take the inmate back up to the prison for head count by 4:30.

A different environment

Working for the prison is different, Riggsby says. We have to account for every little thing. For example, when I get chemicals in, I have to enter them into a logbook. And if I move the chemicals from the cabinet in the filter room, I have to record that. Every movement is documented, per American Correctional Association standards. We need to make sure materials are accounted for from one location to another at all times.

Its the mentoring he finds most rewarding. That includes working with an inmate, 56, who let his Class II license lapse 10 years ago, which means he has to pass the operators test again. Riggsby refreshes him on math and water operations. Hes confident the man will get his license back and have a decent life when he gets out in a few years.

Water is a great career, Riggsby says as the radio sounds. You never think about it, but you cant live without it. I hope to be here for a long time to come. Everybody is great to work with. Its a good atmosphere and people I like work-ing with. I dont even think about retiring. wso

(Continued from page 13)


USALCO410/354-0100www.usalco.com

Yeah, a couple of guys who left as Class I operators lapsed back into drugs and crime. But the other fellows have been real diligent about studying and learning how the plant works. Im proud that they left here with something they can use on the outside.MARK RIGGSBY

Sludges are a fact of life in water treatment; the key is to handle them efficiently and cost-effectively. A major part of that is volume reduction, which can substantially reduce handling, storage and transportation costs.Alfa Laval now offers the ALDRUM G3 drum thickener, designed to

provide more thickening capacity in the same footprint as the previous version and with lower operating costs. Representatives of the companys Environment Market Unit Alfredo Fernandez, business manager for the Americas, and Keith Williams, vice president of municipal waste talked about the technology in an interview with Water System Operator.

wso: What was the motivation for this new thickener design?Fernandez: The G3 is an improvement on the first edition of the

ALDRUM thickener.

The new design increases solids load capacity by up to 30 percent within the same footprint. There are three models of the G3 in capacities from 15 gpm to 700 gpm. They fit the exact same footprint as the previous versions, the largest of which has 500 gpm capacity. Both the new and previous versions can achieve volume reduction up to 90 percent.

wso: What determines the actual volume reduction these units

can achieve in a given application?Fernandez: That is largely determined by the type of sludge. The

results can differ with sludge from a drinking water plant, a wastewater treatment plant or an industrial process.

Williams: How quickly the product drains and how much volume reduction you get depends on factors like whether the material comes from surface water or groundwater, and on the solids concentration going in. If you feed at 2 or 3 percent solids, getting 90 percent volume reduc-tion is more challenging than if you feed at a half to one percent.

wso: For what kinds of sludges is this equipment suitable?Williams: It is suitable for almost any material that you can treat with

a coagulant or flocculant to enable separation. Its for any relatively dilute slurry where there is a need to reduce the volume before storing, further treating or transporting.

wso: Mechanically speaking, how does this technology remove

water from sludge?Williams: There is a horizontally oriented, cylindrical drum made of

a high-density polyethylene mesh. Internal to that is a conveyance device. As you feed the sludge in and rotate the drum, liquid drains the length of the drum through the polyethylene screen. The solids travel inside the drum to the other side and are discharged as thickened sludge.

Fernandez: The typical screen mesh size is 0.6 to 1 mm. The screens need no operator attention. A spray bar controlled with a timer sprays water on the screen to keep it clean when needed. The spray frequency is set at the time of commissioning; the customer can also adjust it to suit changing conditions. The screens last for many years, and if they do need replacing, the cost is very low.

wso: What other advantages does this equipment have?Fernandez: It is easy to service and is essentially maintenance-free.

The cover is hinged so that it is very easy to open for service maintenance. All sprays and splashing are contained within the unit. It operates qui-etly. Power consumption is very low at about 7 amps for a medium-sized

TECHNOLOGYDEEP DIVE

More Water OutDrum thickeners from Alfa Laval offer substantial improvement in volume reduction and major savings on handling and transportation

BY TED J. RULSEH

2

1

1. The horizontally oriented cylindrical drum made of high-density polyethylene mesh allows liquid to drain as the solids travel through.

2. The drum thickener can achieve volume reduction up to 90 percent.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALFA LAVAL

with 150 gpm capacity. We have also seen polymer consumption reduced on the order of 5 to 10 percent as compared to previous designs.

wso: What accounts for the lower polymer consumption?Fernandez: The unit is designed for gentle treatment of the sludge.

When you prepare the sludge with polymer, you create flocs. If you shear those flocs or mix them in a violent manner, they break, and the polymer used to form the flocs is partially lost. Our technology treats the flocs very gently, and so polymer consumption is reduced.

Williams: The new design takes a lot of turbulence out of the feed zone. Basically, we increased the volume of the feed chamber and slowed the velocity down. We also modified the intake in the drum and took the agitator out of the floc tank. We now use inline mixing to blend the slurry and the polymer. Thats gentle treatment, and it also reduces power con-sumption and overall cost.

wso: Are demonstrations of this technology available?Fernandez: Yes. Customers appreciate how effective these machines

are when they see them in operation. We have pilot units that we can use to demonstrate the technology on the prospective customers actual slurry. Most orders for the equipment are generated by demonstrations. wso

It is suitable for almost any material that you can treat with a coagulant or flocculant to enable separation. Its for any relatively dilute slurry where there is a need to reduce the volume before storing, further treating or transporting.KEITH WILLIAMS


It is only about 12 miles from Angeles to the Philippines volcano Pina-tubo. If an eruption is imminent, the citys 200,000 inhabitants usually can tell days before by the smoke columns rising into the sky. But until recently, another fact, less threatening but important to the citys infra-structure, was not visible from a distance the status of the water supply.

To determine the status of its feed pumping stations, distributed over a radius of 14 miles, the central control room of the state water supplier, Angeles City Water District (ACWD), had to send staff every day around the clock to switch the pumps on and off and inspect them. This cost sig-nificant time and money, and it meant the central water reservoir often filled to overflowing.

To solve the problem, the ACWD installed a process automation solu-tion from Festo that increased water supply reliability for the city of Angeles. The technological heart of the system is real-time communica-tion between the feed and distributor pumps and the central process con-trol room. Festo handled the entire project, from development through to purchasing, installation and commissioning.

Right idea

The first step was to understand overall and in detail the districts main concerns about the water supply, emphasizing a technical solution that would optimally meet all requirements. Festo planning engineers knew the engineering phase would define the entire projects efficiency.

An analysis of the situation led to the concept of real-time condition monitoring and a fully automatic water supply system that would supply field signals about the status of the pumps and their water pressure wire-lessly via remote I/O units to the central control room. The same system would be used for the fully automatic control of the feed pumps.

After the ACWD agreed with the concept details, Festo started imple-mentation. The first question was how the field signals would be trans-ferred from the feed pumps. Cables were not feasible because of the distances involved and the cost. The answer was therefore wireless com-munication. But which transmission method?

To avoid delays in data transmission, essential to real-time condition monitoring, the choice fell to WLAN technology with RFID. The wire-less link makes all relevant data from the periphery available in the cen-tral process control system at all times.

A commun

April 2014

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