May 2018
May 1 - MRWA - What is All This Data for Anyway?, Sabattus, DEP 4 TCH
May 1 Thru 3 - NEIWPCC - O&M of Wastewater Collection Systems with Optional NEWEA Exam, Bangor, DEP 15 TCH
May 1, 3, 8, 10, & 15 - MRWA - Principles & Practices of Water Treatment Class III/IV Certification Preparatory Course, Bangor, WOB 25 TCH
May 7 & 8 - NEWEA - Stormwater Specialty Conference, Tour, & Workshop, Portsmouth NH, TCH TBD
May 8 - MWUA - Introduction to Management, Presque Isle, DEP 6 TCH
May 8 - MRWA - Tractor-Loader-Backhoe, Old Town, Safety 6 TCH, WOB 6 TCH
May 8 & 9 - JETCC - Activated Sludge Process Control, Northeast Harbor, DEP 12 TCH
May 9 - MRWA - What is All This Data for Anyway?, Limestone, DEP 4 TCH
May 10 - NEIWPCC - Biological Nutrient Removal Wikipedia, Portsmouth NH, DEP 6 TCH
May 15 - JETCC - Collection System Diagnosis & Maintenance Series: Part 3 - Asset Management, Fairfield, DEP 6 TCH
May 21 - EPA - Introduction to Cybersecurity, Portland, DEP 6 TCH
May 22 - EPA - Build Resilience to Extreme Weather Events, Brewer, DEP 6 TCH, WOB 6 TCH
May 24 - EPA - Build Resilience to Extreme Weather Events, Gardiner, DEP 6 TCH, WOB 6 TCH
May 24 - MRWA - Lagoon Day, Thomaston, DEP 4.5 TCH
June 3 Thru 6 - NEWEA - Spring Meeting & exhibit, Newport RI, Variable TCH
June 13 - JETCC - Lab Overview for Occasional Lab Personnel, Paris, DEP 6 TCH, WOB 6 TCH
June 21 - MRWA - Weather 101, Caribou, DEP 3 TCH, WOB 3 TCH
1. Calculate the volume, in gallons, of a tank that is 75 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 10 feet deep.
a. 15,000 gallons
b. 112,200 gallons
c. 150,000 gallons
d. 224,400 gallons
2. An empty atmospheric storage tank is 8 feet in diameter and 32 feet high. How long will it take it fill 90% of the tank volume if a pump is discharging a constant 24 gallons per minute into the tank?
a. 7 hours 31 minutes
b. 8 hours 21 minutes
c. 8 hours 23 minutes
d. 9 hours 17 minutes
3. Two columns of water are filled completely at sea level to a height of 88 feet. Column A is 0.5 inches in diameter. Column B is 5 inches in diameter. What will two pressure gauges, one attached to the bottom of each column read?
a. Column A: 3.8 psi, Column B: 38.0 psi
b. Column A: 8.8 psi, Column B: 8.0 psi
c. Column A: 20.3 psi, Column B: 20.3 psi
d. Column A: 38.0 psi, Column B: 38.0 psi
4. A ditch that is 4.5 feet wide, 6 feet deep, and 120 feet long has to be dug for a water line. How many cubic yards of material must be removed?
a. 120 cubic yards
b. 240 cubic yards
c. 850 cubic yards
d. 1200 cubic yards
5. How many cubic feet of water will a rectangular tank that is 20 feet long by 15 feet wide and 10 feet high hold?
a. 2000 cubic feet
b. 3,000 cubic feet
c. 4,000 cubic feet
d. 5,000 cubic feet
6. Calculate the chlorine demand using the following data
• Raw water flow 0.75 MGD
• Chlorinator feed rate 4.0 mg/L
• Chlorine residual is 1.8 mg/l
a. 0.8 mg/L
b. 2.2 mg/L
c. 4.0 mg/L
d. 5.8 mg/L
Recently the Maine Office of the Attorney General filed and resolved a criminal complaint against a certified wastewater operator who was the Operator in Responsible Charge/Chief Operator (ORC) at a Maine wastewater treatment facility. The ORC plead guilty to charges of falsification and tampering and agreed to the mandatory minimum fine of $5000, twenty days in jail (all suspended), and loss of the ORC’s wastewater operator certification for 12 years. In a separate agreement, another operator at the same facility admitted to tampering with a monitoring device and agreed to completing additional lab training to resolve that charge.
The action was the result of the ORC’s submission of data on discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) that the ORC knew to be inaccurate due to faulty equipment. Specifically, the BOD incubator and E.coli water bath were unable to maintain the correct temperatures for months. Yet the facility continued to run the tests without an operational incubator and water bath and submitted the data to the DEP as valid.
The lab operator noted the issue on the bench sheets and notified the ORC of the equipment failure. At that point the ORC could have notified the DEP, obtained replacement equipment, or sent the samples out to a contract lab. Instead, the equipment failure was discovered by a DEP inspector during a routine inspection when he saw that the BOD incubator door was propped open and there was a sample inside. At that time, the ORC explained that they were using the lab wall thermostat to maintain the method specified temperature. After DEP staff reviewed the bench sheets and confronted the ORC about the invalid data, the ORC submitted an amended DMR for one month. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the equipment had failed 5 months prior and so 5 months of invalid data had been submitted on the DMRs. It should be noted that the facility financial manager was notified of the equipment failure and made the decision not to purchase a new incubator and water bath immediately.
All ORCs who submit discharge related paperwork like applications, and DMRs have seen the following certification language many times.
“I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.” 06-096 CMR 521(5)(d)
But have you really considered what that means? In a nutshell, it means if you are the ORC, YOU are certifying that the information in the application or report accurately and truthfully represents the facts. In the case of the DMR, it means that those values accurately represent the effluent going out the outfall. If staff did not follow the method, or if the lab equipment was faulty, or if there were math errors, the person signing the form is ultimately responsible. If an operator signs the certification and submits data that they know was not performed in accordance with the method, or is inaccurate for other reasons, there can be very serious repercussions, as evidenced by these cases.
One of the foundations of the Clean Water Act, and Maine law, is honest and accurate self-reporting of effluent data by licensed dischargers and their professional certified operators. Impeccable operator ethics ensure that treatment plants operate in accordance with laws, rules and permits; plant workers are safe; and our natural resources and public health are protected. We all rely on YOU to be the standard bearers for the industry.
The DEP wants to take this opportunity to commend all the operators who routinely maintain the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. Your daily hard work protects Maine’s public health and water quality, the DEP and people of Maine thank you.
If you have any questions about this case, or would like to discuss this issue further please contact me at 207-485-3038 or pamela.d.parker@Maine.gov.
Pam Parker, Enforcement Unit Manager, Maine DEP
Many of you are well underway with your Study 38 testing. Results are due to DEP by July 6, 2018.
For those of you who are new to DMR-QA, or others who have been doing this awhile, there are some excellent guidance documents and videos out there to help you. Check out your PT’s website for more information. I have also found useful training videos provided by the PT labs available for free on YouTube. Most of the PT labs offer technical assistance, both on the phone and online, for their customers, so don’t hesitate to contact them if you need guidance.
A few other recommendations for DMR-QA success:
- Read the instructions before you perform the test! The procedures may have changed since the last time you ran the analysis.
- Run the tests as you normally do on a day-to-day basis. Don’t vary your routine or have a different person run the test if they normally do not perform the analysis.
- Don’t share test results with other labs! This is a performance test and the results should be kept confidential.
- Follow all quality procedures as stated in your QA/QC manual.
- If you are new to DMR-QA, make sure you have your EPA Lab Code when ordering your samples.
Let me know if you have any questions or require further information.
Judy Bruenjes, judy.k.bruenjes@maine.gov, 207-287-7806.
Just about every month, a facility accidently files a blank DMR from 2016, so make sure to check the month AND YEAR before submitting.
If someone is leaving or just coming on-board, give yourself at least a month to sign up a new user. Sometimes it can be done really quick, but other times it can take a little longer. So don’t wait until the last minute.
Many seasonal users are just returning and opening up shop. If you need help on the CDX end, contact the Help Desk at 888-890-1995. They are open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (EST/EDT). You can also get assistance via online chat at this link. Or call your inspector for assistance.
Consider Teaching a Class
As the Certification Officer, a common complaint I hear from long-time operators goes something like, “Do I really need to take another basic pump class to get my points?”
While many of you are actively involved in training, either in-house or through professional associations, others may want to consider teaching a class to incoming operators. In addition to receiving training Contact Hours (TCHs) for themselves, there are other reasons to consider presenting your own training course:
- As a long-time operator, you have plenty of experience to pass along to the “newbies” just entering the field
- When you teach a class, you really need to know your topic, so it is a good way to brush up on the basics, and explore other concepts or technologies that might be new to you.
- Everyone has a different way of learning. Teaching a class will help you understand these different ways and become creative in helping students learn.
- As a supervisor or manager, you know your employees are attending the session because they are right there in the class in front of you.
- If there is an emergency situation, you or your employees can take a break from training to “put out the fire”, then return to training when things have settled down.
- If you work for a large facility, you can invite nearby, smaller plants to attend to help share the costs. Smaller facilities with limited budgets can also benefit by pooling resources.
- A classroom setting is often a good, non-confrontational way to promote discussion and disseminate information amongst people who may work different shifts/locations/duties and not have much face time.
Remember, if you would like to receive certification TCHs for in-house training, please apply for DEP approval before the class is held. Information should be submitted to JETTC and include: course title, description, agenda or outline (including time for each topic), instructor credentials, and locations/dates. Upon completion, submit a Certificate of Completion or a copy of the Sign-In/Out Sheet. Allow at least 2 weeks for DEP review/approval.
Northern Maine Community college (NMCC) Announces New Water Treatment Technology (WTT) Program starting Fall 2018
Northern Maine Community college (NMCC) is pleased to announce a brand-new Water Treatment Technology (WTT) Program. The WTT program will be offered at the Presque Isle campus, with future plans of expanding to internet-based learning that will be available state-wide.
Beginning this fall, WTT students can begin taking classes towards either two (2) 9-month certificate programs or a two-year associate degree. The program provides classes for both drinking water and wastewater professionals.
According to program instructor John Belyea, P.E., students will learn industry theory and gain “hands-on” experience using laboratory exercises and process equipment to better understand the information across the water treatment spectrum.
Students will start with the basics of water and wastewater treatment and move to more complex biological and chemical process systems. The students will also learn to control these processes using computer software such as using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.
“We are building pilot-scale water and wastewater treatment systems that demonstrate processes the students see in real-world treatment plant field trips. Our students will be in a good position to take their certification exams and start working in their desired profession, whether it be as a water quality professional, laboratory analyst, or working with chemical processing or a sales positions with companies that support the water industry”, stated Belyea.
For more information about this exciting new program, please contact Mr. Belyea, for more information, njbelyea@nmcc.edu, 207-768-2775
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endorsement by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection of the linked
web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein.
Copyrighted material. Reprinted and edited with permission from Environmental
Leverage, www.environmentalleverage.com
Last month we discussed the presence of higher life forms, or indicator organisms, in a biological wastewater system. We discussed how learning to identify the types of relative abundance of each major category can help you understand what is happening in the biological process, and make process control decisions to increase plant efficiency.
This month we will take a closer look at each of the categories and how they correlate to your sludge age in your system.
Amoebae are single celled microorganisms. Amoebae move by pseudopodia, which means "false feet". There are different kinds of amoebae, but one you may see in wastewater might make you think of the movie "The Blob" as they can slowly spread out their protoplasm in any direction. They range in size from 10-200 μm and eat by engulfing their food.
Amoebae are found in many different types of wastewater, including activated sludge and trickling filters and lagoons. Amoebae grow well on particulate (small sized) organic matter and can tolerate low DO environments. When Amoebae are dominant, this indicates a young sludge age or a recent high BOD loading with high F/M conditions. They can be found during plant start-ups or often following upsets. Amoebas can be used as a process control indicator to cut back wasting to increase RAS concentration, or use bioaugmentation if limited by hydraulic capabilities.
A common amoeba in wastewater treatment is Arcella. They are usually easy to spot since they can sometimes look like a donut! They can sometimes indicate the presence of heavy metal salts.
Flagellates are single-celled protists with one or more flagella (a whip-like appendage used to swim). Flagellates can live in groups or function as single cells. Many times, flagellates are overlooked and must be viewed at 400x magnification. If flagellates are dominant, this means a young sludge, high F/M or low MCRT.
Like their relatives, the amoebae, flagellates are usually present when there are large amounts of soluble food available (high F/M or high BOD). They are found during start up when the sludge is young or after an upset, but will quickly predominate over the amoebae because they are more efficient feeders. They are often found in trickling filter, oxidation ditch, ponds, lagoons and activated sludge. Flagellates are one of the few protozoan forms present in sludge that is strongly loaded. Their presence may indicate high soluble BOD levels.
Flagellates usually are present in very large numbers during initial start- up of a wastewater treatment plant, during recovery from a toxic discharge to the treatment plant, or at low D.O. levels. If flagellates are present as the dominant protozoan group, this could indicate an unstable wastewater environment and a sludge biomass that is very young.
Ciliates are more complex organisms than amoebae and flagellates. Free swimming ciliates are covered with cilia, hair-like projections, which are uniform and aligned in rows. The ciliates move and capture food by means of the cilia. Free-swimmers swim faster due to more cilia than flagellates, so they can compete better for food. Crawling ciliates have cilia mainly on the lower surface of their bodies that make them appear to be legs. They may look like lady bugs crawling around on the floc structures.
Ciliates feed on bacteria not on dissolved organics. While bacteria and flagellates compete for dissolved organics, ciliates compete with other ciliates and rotifers for bacteria. Free swimming ciliates are important because they feed on the bacteria, rather than organics, and help to clarify the effluent. They are typically found in young to medium age sludge and usually an indicator of good quality effluent. Common types of swimming ciliates include e Paramecium, Litonotus, and Coleps. Common types of crawling ciliates found in wastewater are Aspidisca and Euplotes.
Stalked ciliates are a type of protozoa that can be branched or unbranched. Unlike free-swimming and crawling ciliates, stalked ciliates are usually attached in one place. They can be solitary or colonial. Stalked ciliates collect their food by creating a vortex in the water to capture single celled bacteria. Stalked ciliates may be found during most sludge ages, but are dominant during middle sludge ages. When found in large numbers, stalked ciliates indicate a stable wastewater environment and a healthy biomass.
Notice if there is heavy attached growth on the stalks. This is a good sign. That means your system has been stable for a long time. The stalks have probably come and gone many times around the system in the RAS so that bacteria are even-growing on the stalk.
Vorticella is a type of stalked ciliate. When performing microscopic analyses, and doing your counts per field, always “count” each head on the stalks. For example, if this were a field, you would count three when performing your biomass analyses.
Suctorians are similar to stalked ciliates, but instead of hairs they have a set of tentacles or hollow tubes extending from the cell body to spear their prey. They feed on free swimming ciliates and flagellates. Suctorian are usually sessile (stationary) and their presence indicates a good quality sludge age. They can be colonial (live in groups) but usually are solitary.
Rotifers are the most abundant macro invertebrates (larger-sized with no backbone) found in the activated sludge process. Rotifers can be found in many different shapes and sizes. Important structural characteristics used to classify rotifers are body shape (sac, spherical or worm), size, jaw, foot development, number of toes and protective covering. Most rotifers are colorless, except for the eyespot. However, ingested food may sometimes give the organism the appearance of having color. Rotifers move by swimming freely or crawling.
Rotifers are characterized by the possession of a ciliated area or a funnel-shaped structure at the anterior (front) end that may look like rotating wheels and a specialized pharynx (throat-section) that is part of many pieces that act as jaws. The mouth opening of the rotifer is surrounded by two bands of cilia. The beating of the cilia creates water current for locomotion and food gathering. They feed on stabilized floc and consume both microbes and particulate matter.
Rotifers range in size from 40 to 500 μm and have an average life span of 6 to 45 days. Rotifers are found in low F/M, high MCRT or high MLSS. Rotifers can reduce turbidity and BOD, control slime growth that can lead to anaerobic conditions by grazing on sludge and increasing oxygen penetration. Rotifers are found only in a very stable activated-sludge environment and are highly sensitive to high BOD loadings and toxic shocks.
Free-living Nematodes are non-segmented, terrestrial macro invertebrates. They often look segmented due to the thickening of the cuticle or epidermis. Their bodies are cylindrical with tapering ends. Nematodes range in size from 0.5 to 3.0 mm in length to 0.02 to 0.05 mm in width. Aquatic earthworms have bristles along the body, which allows them to tunnel through the floc particles. Nematodes secrete a sticky substance to anchor themselves to a substrate (media) or floc particles so that they can feed without interference by currents or turbulence.
Worms indicate a very old sludge age, high MLSS, low F/M or high MCRT. They are present in large numbers in secondary wastewater effluent, trickling bio-filters or rotating biological contactors (RBC's) where an older biofilm develops. They thrive in aerobic wastewater treatment processes when the DO concentrations are high and bacterial food is abundant They are usually the last to come (as far as age) and the first to go (as far as increases in toxicity or BOD loading) from an "indicator organism" standpoint. Dead and hollow nematodes can be one of the bio-indicators of a toxic condition that may be developing in the treatment process.
There are many macroinvertebrates associated with a seriously older sludge. These include tardigrade (water bear), ostracod, daphnia, and water mites. Usually a system has to be very old, or have solids build-up somewhere to observe these species.
Next month: using an “Indicator Organism” sheet for ongoing monitor and control programs.
1. B
2. A
3. D
4. A
5. B
6. B
1. Volume = Length X Width X Depth = 75 ft X 20 ft X 10 ft X 7.48 gal/cu ft = 112,200 gal
2. First find the volume of the tank:
Volume = 0.785 X (Diameter squared) X height = 0.785 X 8 ft X 8 ft X 32 ft 7.48 gal/cu ft = 12,025 gal.
Next find the volume if the tank is 90% full: 12,025 X 0.9 = 10,823 gal
Now use the pump capacity to find the time: 10,823 gal / 24 gal/min = 451 minutes
Change to hours: 451 minutes/60 min/hr = 7.52 hours = 7 hours, 31 minutes
3. Since the height of water in the two columns is the same, the pressure is equal, even though the diameters are different.
Use the conversion 1 ft of head = 2.31 psi
88 ft X 2.31 psi/ft = 38 psi
4. Volume = 4.5 ft X 6 ft X 120 ft = 3,240 cu ft
Since 1 yd = 3 ft, then 1 cu yard = 3 ft X 3 ft X 3 ft = 27 cu ft
Convert the volume to cubic yards: 3,240 cu ft X 1 cu yard/27 cu ft = 120 cu yards
5. Volume = 20 ft X 15 ft X 10 ft = 3000 cu ft
6. Chlorine feed – Residual = Demand
Demand = Feed – Residual 4.0 mg/L – 1.8 mg/L = 2.2 mg/L
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