AUGUST 2024
The Biddeford clean water facility is using Maine-made green technology to reduce their impact on the climate.
In 2022, Biddeford became the first municipality in Maine to implement DiriGoH20, a system developed by Maine-based engineering and manufacturing company, Maine Manufacturing Partners (MMP).
The device is used at the Biddeford Pool clean water facility and is powered by wastewater. According to Superintendent Alex Buechner, the new technology has the potential to reduce the use of chemicals, generate clean energy, and save money.
“We see ourselves as stewards of the environment,” Buechner said. “Our work is critical to clean water in Maine.”
Senator Susan Collins recently visited the Biddeford Pool clean water facility to commend their use of Maine-made green technology to reduce the impact on climate change.
The device is installed in the Biddeford Pool facility and is powered by wastewater. During the treatment process, DigiGoH20 produces a naturally occurring disinfectant (hypochlorous acid) and generates clean hydrogen gas. Cost savings are found by harnessing hydrogen gas for fuel, and reducing chlorine usage, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. The process has been shown to be effective for reducing fecal coliform bacteria to low concentrations.
The city of Saco is using a similar technology developed by MMP to neutralize odor and clean the air at the Water Resource Recovery Department. MMP is installing the new technology at no cost to municipalities that adopt early.
For more information on the DigiGoH20 technology, visit https://mmph2.com/.
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EPA has made some changes to the important dates for DMR-QA Study 44. EPA was delayed in sending out a copy of the announcement to DMR-QA participants, so they have given permittees additional time to complete the study and submit results. The latest version of the announcement packet can be found here: DMR-QA Study 44 Announcement
The DMR-QA study now closes on August 30th and graded results must be sent to the DMR-QA coordinators by October 25th.
As a reminder, if your laboratory happens to receive a “Not-Acceptable” score for one or more parameters, you must complete a corrective action and perform retests for all parameters with Not Acceptable results. A copy of the corrective action report and retest results must be sent to the State DMR-QA coordinator by December 6th.
If you have any questions regarding DMR-QA study 44 please contact Brett Goodrich at 207-450-5590 or Brett.A.Goodrich@maine.gov.
Through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), RCAP is providing free training and technical assistance (TA) services to rural communities that were impacted by federally declared disasters (https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations) in calendar year (CY) 2022. Services will be available through January of 2026.
Services include:
- Helping communities develop and prepare loan and grant applications. Funding requests can be made retroactively, meaning if you already addressed the issues, you may be eligible to recoup the cost for your response to these disasters on a case-by-case basis.
- On-site technical assistance to support post- disaster mitigation as well as emergency preparedness and recovery assistance.
- Identifying and evaluating solutions to address disaster-impacted systems’ challenges.
Resiliency is an important part of this program. Funding is available for improvements that can make your system more resilient to avoid, or more effectively address, climate-change issues in the future.
Note: This program is for CY 2022. Assistance for storm events that took place in CY 2023 will be available next year.
For more information on eligibility and available assistance, contact Laurie Stevens, lstevens@rcapsolutions.org, (978) 350-6601.
The EPA is changing the way users will log into their CDX accounts when submitting NetDMR reports. The purpose is to increase security using two-factor authentication.
Note: Once you are in the system, the way you fill out your NetDMR reports will not change.
Starting on August 2nd, 2024, CDX will transition to using Login.gov for all user verification, including the NetDMR and NeT reporting tools.
The Login.gov implementation aligns with OMB Memo M-22-09 “Moving the U.S. Government Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles” and provides best practices for defense against sophisticated phishing attacks. Login.gov is a standard, secure government authentication tool used by more than 47 agencies and States. If you currently have a Login.gov account, you can merge this with your CDX account after August 2nd.
Detailed instructions, trainings and FAQs are available here: CDX Login Transition Step by Step Guide
Summary of Action required after August 2, 2024
New Login.gov Users:
- You will be prompted to create a Login.gov account when you access your CDX account starting August 2, 2024. Make sure to use the User ID associated with your CDX account.
Users with Existing Login.gov Accounts:
- When you login to CDX after August 2nd, you will be prompted to sync your existing Login.gov account with your CDX account.
If you have any questions, please contact the NPDES eReporting Helpdesk at 877-227-8965 (toll-free), submit an “Ask a question” or email NPDESeReporting@epa.gov with “CDX Login.gov” included in the subject. You can also contact the NetDMR coordinator at Brett.A.Goodrich@maine.gov.
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Exam Testing Site Update
Bangor – Testing is at the Courtyard Hotel by Marriott at 236 Sylvan Rd. in Bangor while a permanent site is being established. Upcoming test dates include:
- Friday, August 9
- Saturday, August 10
- Monday, August 26
- Tuesday, August 27
Other testing locations include Farmington, Portland, Presque Isle, and Portsmouth, NH.
Questions? Contact Spring Connolly, certification@neiwpcc-jetcc.org for more information.
2024 MWUA Summer Outing
Join MWUA and MEWEA for the Annual Summer Outing held on August 8 at the Cumberland Fairgrounds. Activities include exhibitors, training events, and networking followed by a cookout with hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, lobster, and steak with all the fixings and a corn hole competition. Don’t miss this year’s chance to network and have some summer fun!
For more information, visit MWUA & MeWEA Summer Outing - MWUA.
Free Cyber 102 Training
The U.S. EPA's Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience Division will be offering a free, Cyber 102 training for water and wastewater systems on September 4, 2024 at 2:00 PM.
This course builds upon the previously offered Cyber 101 training, providing deeper insights into cybersecurity for those with basic knowledge in the field as it applies to Operational Technology (OT). Whether you are an IT professional, business owner, or simply interested in protecting yourself online, this training equips you with practical skills to navigate today’s digital threats. Webinar Duration: 1.5 hours
To register, go to Registration.
Upcoming Conferences
Save the Date for these exciting conferences coming up in 2024 and 2025:
- MEWEA Annual Fall Convention, 9/18-9/20/2024 at Sunday River, registration at : MEWEA Fall Convention
- MRWA 44th Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, 12/10 to 12/12/24, registration at https://www.mainerwa.org/.
- MRWA Administrative Summit on Wednesday, October 2nd. Location TBD. More info at: https://www.mainerwa.org/.
- WEFTEC, 10/5 -10/9/2024 in New Orleans. weftec.org.
- JETCC’s North Country Convention (NCC), 4/2 to 4/3/25 in Presque Isle, jetcc.org.
MEWEA Peer to Peer Training
Ever wonder what it is like to be at a plant that is bigger/smaller, different technology than where you work? How other organizations handle issues that crop up at your facility? Now you have the opportunity to visit another facility, plus earn continuing education hours in the process through MEWEA’s Peer to Peer (P2P) training program.
P2P features customized, in-person training. The goal of the P2P training program is to encourage wastewater operators, mechanics, lab techs, and managers to visit wastewater facilities for a day to learn from the skills and experiences of others. The program is sponsored by MEWEA’s Treatment Plant Operators Committee. Areas of focus include:
- Operations
- Laboratory
- Collections
- Management
- Other (GIS, SCADA, IPP, etc.)
Note that credits will not be issued for just touring a facility. There must be a focused topic for training to be approved. While not a requirement for the host facility or person conducting the training, the person receiving the training must be a MEWEA member to participate and receive credits. All MEWEA members are eligible for up to 3 credit hours per year, and 6 credit hours per license cycle.
For additional information, contact the TPO Committee: meweaTPO@gmail.com or visit: Operator Training (mewea.org).
Monthly Training Calendar and Training/Certification Resources.
The monthly training calendar, which lists training by not-for-profit organizations, is emailed to certified operators each month. It can be found at the DEP’s certification website https:/www.maine.gov/dep/water/wwoperator/ under the Additional Materials section.
The NEIWPCC/JETCC website, https://jetcc.org/index.php provides information on signing up for an exam, training classes, and certification renewal. Contact Spring Conolly at certification@neiwpcc-jetcc.org or call 207-253-8020 for more information.
1. A measurement is, by definition
a. An estimate of a value
b. A qualitative comparison
c. A feedback loop
d. The comparison of a quantity with a standard unit of measure
2. Accuracy of an instrument relates to the closeness of a measurement to
a. An actual value
b. An estimate
c. The precision
d. The standard deviation
3. A digital readout display provides
a. An indirect reading
b. A direct, numerical readout of the measured value
c. Calibration of a signal
d. The effective range of a signal
4. A process variable in wastewater treatment refers to:
a. Math calculations
b. The daily operations logbook
c. Logging into SCADA from a notebook or cellphone
d. A physical or chemical quantity, such as flow rate or DO, which is measured and/or controlled in a wastewater process
5. Analog refers to:
a. Direct numerical readouts
b. The readout of an instrument by a pointer against a dial or marked scale, such as simple level or pressure gauges
c. An analogy
d. A measure of current in an electrical system
6. An example of a Controller includes:
a. A thermometer
b. A Fecal coliform water bath that controls the temperature
c. An electrical panel that controls the starting and stopping of an electric motor
d. A standardized control chart
7. H-O-A switch stands for:
a. Hands-Off-Automatic
b. Hands-On Automatic
c. Header-Out-Activity
d. Heat-Only-Activated
8. A Control Loop is:
a. The organization chart showing who is in control of specific duties and personnel
b. The time period between the moment a process change is made and when the change is looped by the measuring instrument
c. A device which conducts periodic or continuous measurement of some factor, such as control of photocells, conductivity or complex instruments
d. The path between the sensor that measures a process variable, and the controller, which controls or adjusts the process variable
9. A Feedback Control Loop refers to:
a. Feeding back the activated sludge process during wet weather flow when the influent BOD is very dilute and needs to go back to the influent tank
b. The circulating action between a sensor measuring a process variable and the controller which controls or adjusts the process variable.
c. A control system where the input of some mechanism or system controls the output and is used to respond in advance of an expected output effect
d. A device or meter that continuously feeds information and calculates (adds) a process rate variable in cumulative fashion.
10. A chlorinator calls for a chlorine concentration of 2.0 mg/L for a flow of 1.2 MGD. How many pounds of chlorine will be needed for 5 days?
a. 20 lb
b. 100 lb
c. 12,000 lb
d. 19,944 lb
Answers:
1. d.
2. a.
3. b.
4. d.
5. b.
6. c.
7. a.
8. d.
9. b.
10. b.
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