2019 Fall Newsletter

SWWA 2019 CONFERENCE Technical Sessions
TS #1 Take a little More of the Top:
How to Optimize Your Plant
Using Primary Treatment
Presenter: Dalen Crouse, Nexom
TS #2 Hydrovac -
Presenter: Tyler Nickolson
Opportunity to explain what a hydro
vac is and the different ways hydro
vacing can reduce cost, keep workers
safe and protect the environment.
Discuss each point below.
100% Verification of the
underground utilities is
accomplished by the following;
n Communication with All Parties
n Following State and Province
“One Call” laws
n Using Vacuum Excavation to
identify all underground utilities
n Protects all underground utilities
n Gas Pipelines
n Sewer and Water
n Telecommunications
n Electric
The presentation will cover the need
for safety and compliance, CGA dirt
results, environmental impact,
locating, verification, vacuum
evacuation and environmental
impact. These points are all taken into
consideration all the while gaining
100% verification of the underground
utilities.
I will also discuss the curb stop
replacement advantage with a hydro
vac and lead a group discussion on
other examples where hydro vacs
protect the worker, the equipment
and save the municipality money.
TS #3 Smart Cities, Smart Water -
How loT Devices are Transforming the City of the Future
Presenter: Michele Harvey
As “smart cities” becomes a buzzword in the industry, many utilities want to know
if this trend is just that, or if it will have any meaningful impact on their utilities and
cities. This presentation will discuss the Smart Cities movement, what it is, and how
it might be impacting your utility. It will also look at the technology around smart
cities; IoT (or Internet of Things). We’ll look at what constitutes an IoT device, what
vendors are making them, how they interface with existing systems, and why you
might want to consider them in your next purchase decision.
TS #4 Plant Performance Improvements at Town of Gravelbourg
Presenter: - Enisa Zanacic
Water treatment system at the Town of Gravelbourg processing Thomson Lake
water is comprised of UF and NF system. The water quality produced is very good,
meeting all of the regulatory requirements. However, continuously changing
source water quality is hard on the equipment in the plant impacting operation
and maintenance of the plant. Source water serving as a water supply for Town of
Gravelbourg is Thomson Lake. The water quality of the lake is of high ionic
strength, experiences frequent algal blooms and varies with season. Number of
studies and analyses, by SaskWater staff and consultants, have been undertaken in
2018/19 to reduce operation and maintenance cost of the operation as well as
improve efficiency. Operational modifications resulted in reduced chemicals use
and improved efficiency of the overall system.
never stop learning;
for when we stop
learning, we stop
growing.
Loyal “Jack” Lewman
TS #5 What's going on in your
system?
Using Electronic Tools for
Utility Management-
Presenter: Rui(Ray) Li
The Management of a utility is a
complicated endeavor that requires
information from many sources so
that you can make good decisions and
demonstrate that you are providing a
high quality product and great service
with highly efficient operations.
Reporting of results is an increasingly
important part of transparent
operations and typically includes
documentation of key performance
indicators (KPI’s) that are measured
and tracked. These performance
measures are crafted to summarize
the details required in knowing how
the system is operating, how you are
taking care of the systems and
equipment including the
refurbishment, replacement, repair
and planning of these activities as well
as the smart use of resources such as
financial expenditures and manpower
allocations.
How do you roll this all together in a
manner that makes sense? The Asset
Management approach that will be
reviewed will include not just asset
information but also how the
feedback loop goes one step further
so that it includes tradesperson’s time,
parts and supplies in the warehouse
for maintenance planning purposes.
Other systems and practices that will
be discussed are how the team
integrated SCADA, operational and
laboratory data to help Managers
make operational decisions and
reporting easier. The presentation will
also provide an overview of the robust
document control system that is
essential to knowing how to find this
information, as having great
documentation is not helpful if
employees can’t find it.
TS #6 I ZINC WE HAD A TOXIC EVENT
Presenters: Shauna Karakochuk & Kayla Gallant
In October of 2018, the Regina Wastewater Treatment Plant experienced a significant
toxic event. This event resulted in a substantial shift in biological populations, and
the degradation of the effluent quality – which includes Total Phosphorus, E. coli, and
Total Suspended Solids. The presentation highlights the investigative process used
to determine the cause of the event, the immediate impacts within hours, the
moderate impacts within weeks, and the lasting impacts within months of the toxic
event.
As a result of the toxic event, there were 13 different process functions that were
analyzed as a part of the investigation. The investigative measures taken were
necessary to provide our client, the City of Regina, a comprehensive report outlining
the details of why the event impacted the final effluent quality. Throughout the
investigation, extensive laboratory data was collected, analyzed, and reviewed,
literature reviews were conducted, and outside experts were consulted.
During the investigation, it became apparent that there was insufficient experience
and published information available regarding a full scale toxic event within a
biological nutrient removal plant. Other than hearsay information, we did not find
any precedent for an event like ours. To determine the cause, impact, and details of
this toxic event, we were required to complete extensive research using information
from multiple technical and research sources.
In conclusion, each individual reaction to the event was thoroughly understood, and
this was significant enough to draw the firm conclusion of Zinc toxicity.
. . . having great documentation is not helpful
if employees can’t find it.