SEPTEMBER 2024
In June of this year the Maine DEP’s CSO Group published the Maine Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) 2023 Status Report. This report is a review of how the state’s CSO communities fared in 2023 and details the progress that has been made since the start of the CSO abatement program. The report, which can be found at https://www.maine.gov/dep/water/cso/index.html, includes an introductory section that describes what combined sewer systems and CSOs are, discusses the impacts of CSOs, looks at where we started, what is being done to abate CSOs, and where we are now. Following the introduction there are a number of tables and charts providing historical CSO data, comparing CSO data by community and watershed, and detailing the overall level of treatment achieved by each CSO community.
Despite 2023 being a wetter than average year, the total number of CSO event days decreased to 276, which is the third lowest on record, and both the City of Portland/PWD and the City of Biddeford had their lowest number of CSO event days on record. CSO permittees that treated more than 99% of their total flow volume to secondary standards include Belfast, Brewer, Machias, Madawaska, Mechanic Falls, Orono, Paris UD, South Portland/Cape Elizabeth, and PWD/Westbrook. Additionally, another four CSO outfalls were closed or converted to emergency overflows, bringing the total number of CSO locations statewide down to 111 from a total of 338 at the start of the CSO abatement program. Thank you to all CSO communities for your dedication and continued CSO abatement progress.
If you have any questions regarding the Maine CSO 2023 Status Report, please contact Mike Riley at Michael.S.Riley@maine.gov.
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Drinking water and wastewater systems are an essential community lifeline. It is important to protect your system from cyberattacks to maintain its vital operations. You can reduce the risk of a cyberattack at your utility by externally scanning your networks for vulnerabilities caused by publicly facing devices. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) can help your drinking water and wastewater system identify and address vulnerabilities with a no cost vulnerability scanning service subscription. CISA, the Water Sector Coordinating Council, and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators encourage drinking water and wastewater utilities to use this service.
Benefits
CISA’s vulnerability scanning can help your utility identify and address cybersecurity weaknesses that an attacker could use to impact your system. The benefits of this service include:
- Identifying internet-accessible assets
- Identifying vulnerabilities in your utility’s assets connected to the internet, including Known Exploited Vulnerabilities and internet-exposed services commonly used for initial access by threat actors and some ransomware gangs
- Weekly reports on scanning status and recommendations for mitigating identified vulnerabilities
- Significant reduction in identified vulnerabilities in the first few months of scanning for newly enrolled water utilities
- Ongoing detection and reporting with continuous scanning for new vulnerabilities
How it Works
CISA uses automated tools to conduct vulnerability scanning on your external networks. These tools look for vulnerabilities and weak configurations that adversaries could use to conduct a cyberattack. CISA’s scanning provides an external, non-intrusive review of internet-accessible systems. The scanning does not reach your private network and cannot make any changes. CISA will send you weekly reports with information on known vulnerabilities found on your internet-accessible assets, week-to-week comparisons, and recommended mitigations. You will also receive ad-hoc alerts for any urgent findings.
CISA does not share any attributable information without written and agreed consent from the stakeholder.
How can I get started?
- Email vulnerability@cisa.dhs.gov with the subject line “Requesting Vulnerability Scanning Services.” Include the name of your utility, a point of contact with an email address, and the physical address of your utility’s headquarters.
- CISA will reply with a Service Request Form and Vulnerability Scanning Acceptance Letter to obtain the necessary information about your utility and your authorization to scan your public networks. Scanning typically begins within 10 days of receiving all completed forms.
Cybersecurity resources for the water/wastewater sector can be found at these links:
On August 16th, 2024, CDX transitioned to Login.gov for all user verification, including the NetDMR and NeT reporting tools.
Detailed instructions, trainings and FAQs are available here: CDX Login Transition Step by Step Guide
Summary of Action required after August 16th, 2024
New Login.gov Users:
- You will be prompted to create a Login.gov account when you access your CDX account. Make sure to use the User ID associated with your CDX account.
Users with Existing Login.gov Accounts:
- 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.
The Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) is offering upcoming webinars covering a variety of PFAS topics:
PFAS: Improving Risk Communication with the Public - September 4, 2024 from 2-3 PM.
Claire Nitsche, Washington State DOH: Be Less “Government-y!”: Community-Centered PFAS Risk Communication in Washington State.
More information and registration: https://www.newmoa.org/event/pfas-risk-communication-webinar/.
PFAS: Investigating Inputs to Wastewater Treatment Plants - September 17, 2024
Logan Hayes, California DTSC: Cosmetics Contribute to PFAS at Wastewater Treatment Plants in California’s Dense Urban Environments
Anne Tavalire, Michigan EGLE: Reducing PFAS Discharged to Wastewater Treatment Plants: the Michigan Experience
More information and registration: https://www.newmoa.org/event/pfas-wastewater-treatment-plants-webinar/
PFAS: Sampling & Analytical Method Developments - September 25, 2024
Troy Strock, US EPA: Analytical Method Developments for Soil and Water
Stephen Jackson, US EPA: Stationary Source Measurement Methods for PFAS Air Emissions
More information and registration: https://www.newmoa.org/event/pfas-analytical-methods-webinar/
PFAS: Thermal Technologies - October 2, 2024
Rebecca DiStefano, Calgon Carbon: Thermal Destruction of PFAS During Full-scale Reactivation of PFAS-laden Granular Activated Carbon
Robert Martin, Clean Earth: Developments in the Remediation of PFAS Contaminated Soil by Thermal Desorption
PFAS: Definitions for Policymaking & Federal Regulations Update - October 9, 2024
Linda Gaines, US EPA: To Be Or Not To Be A PFAS
Dianne Phillips, Holland & Knight: Buckle Your Seatbelts: 2024 Federal Regulatory Updates for PFAS
More information and registration: https://www.newmoa.org/event/pfas-definitions-regulations/
PFAS in Ski Wax: Human Health & Environmental Impacts - October 16, 2024
Kathryn Crawford, Middlebury College: Evaluating PFAS Exposure from Fluorinated Waxes Among US Snow Sport Participants
Gail Carlson, Colby College: Environmental Contamination from Fluorinated Ski Wax Use
More information and registration: https://www.newmoa.org/event/pfas-ski-wax/
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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.
MEWEA Annual Fall Convention
Join MEWEA and hundreds of Water/Wastewater professionals for the Annual Fall Convention, on 9/18-9/20/2024 at Sunday River in Newry.
The Fall Convention kicks off on Wednesday, September 18th with our almost legendary golf tournament. Thursday afternoon will also have a Meet & Greet period with a vendor raffle coordinated by the New Professionals Committee followed by the 8th annual Collection Systems Committee cornhole tournament. The convention includes a full slate of technical sessions and an exhibition hall featuring the latest in waste/ wastewater technologies.
The full conference program can be found at this link:
https://mewea.memberclicks.net/assets/FallConvention/2024/2024-Attendee%20Packet%20-%202nd%20Draft.pdf.
To register, go to this link: MEWEA Fall Convention.
Save the date for these Upcoming Meetings and Trade Shows
- MRWA Administrative Summit on Wednesday, October 2nd. Location TBD. https://www.mainerwa.org/news/save-the-date-for-the-2024-administrative-summit.
- WEFTEC, 10/5 -10/9/2024 in New Orleans. weftec.org.
- NERPCA Annual Workshop, October 30-31 in Nashua, NH. Registration NERPCA: New England Regional Pretreatment Coordinators Association.
- 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/.
- NEWEA Industrial Committee Specialty Conference, December 10 in Portland.
- MWUA 99th Annual Conference, February 5 & 6, 2025 at the Augusta Civic Center
- JETCC’s North Country Convention (NCC), 4/2 to 4/3/25 in Presque Isle, jetcc.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.
DMR-QA Study 44 closed on August 30th and graded results must be sent to the DMR-QA coordinators by October 25th.
The latest version of the announcement packet can be found here: DMR-QA Study 44 Announcement
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.
The Maine Rural Water Association (MRWA) is excited to announce its 44th Annual Conference and Trade Show, taking place from December 10th to 12th at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, ME. This event is a must-attend for professionals in the water and wastewater industry, offering a unique blend of educational sessions, networking opportunities, and industry insights.
The event will kick off on Tuesday, December 10th, with registration opening at 4:00 PM, coinciding with our Premier Trade Show. The evening will feature a keynote session focusing on climate change, followed by a dinner starting at 5:30 PM. This engaging session will provide valuable insights into the ongoing climate challenges and their impact on the water and wastewater sectors.
On Wednesday, December 11th, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of classes from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. These sessions are designed to provide practical knowledge and skills relevant to the industry. Lunch will be served in the early afternoon, offering further opportunities to explore the Trade Show and connect with industry peers. The day will conclude with an Industry Meet and Greet from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM, an excellent chance to mingle, reconnect, or forge new professional relationships.
The conference will wrap up on Thursday, December 12th, with morning classes, a delicious brunch, and one final chance to visit the Trade Show. In addition to the wealth of knowledge and connections to be gained, attendees will also have the opportunity to earn valuable training contract hours, making this event not just informative but also beneficial for ongoing professional development.
MRWA invites all professionals in the water and wastewater sectors to join us for this informative and networking-rich event. We look forward to seeing you there! Please check our website frequently as we begin to finalize our registration process.
Contact: Peter Joslin Maine Rural Water Association 207-530-7944 peter.joslin@mainerwa.org www.mainerwa.org
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Below are some highlights of what’s coming up this fall. JETCC’s full fall calendar will be published soon. Registration for all of JETCC’s classes can be found on the NEIWPCC training calendar.
Introduction to Wastewater Treatment & Process Control, October 2, 16 & 30, Portland
This 3-day course is designed to be an introduction for operators who are new to the wastewater field or who need a refresher on the basics. Topics include:
- Definitions, terminology, and concepts of biological wastewater treatment.
- Collecting samples and Chain of Custody (CoC).
- Intro to process control.
- Practice exam questions and wastewater math.
- Tour of Portland Water District’s East End Treatment Plant.
Wastewater Grades 3-5 Exam Prep, December 17-19, South Portland & Presque Isle
JETCC is offering its popular preparation course for intermediate and upper-level wastewater operator certification exams, taught by Patrick Wiley, PhD. This course will be held in-person at SMCC in South Portland and will have a centralized remote session offered in Presque Isle. A Bangor location is pending. The remote session will be formatted like a regular in-person JETCC class, with a host, morning refreshments, and lunch provided. Instruction will be streamed into the space and structured to ensure participant engagement.
For more information, go to the JETCC website at https://jetcc.org/schedule.php.
1. An Imhoff cone is used to determine:
a. Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
b. Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS)
c. Settleable Solids (SS)
d. Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS)
2. How many gallons per minute is a flow of 1.0 MGD?
a. 521 GPM
b. 681 GPM
c. 694 GPM
d. 813 GPM
e. 826 GPM
3. How many pounds (lbs) of TSS does a plant receive if the flow is 72,000 GPD at a concentration of 210 mg/L?
a. 15.12 lbs
b. 126.1 lbs
c. 151.2 lbs
d. 277 lbs
4. What treatment device is commonly used to separate and remove large solids from raw wastewater?
a. A mechanically raked bar screen
b. An equalization tank
c. Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF)
d. Internally or externally fed microscreens
5. Excessive detention in a wastewater pumping station wet well may be overcome by:
a. Introducing sufficient quantities of clean water into the system
b. Throttling the pump discharge rate
c. Adjusting the pump controls so that the drawdown depth between cut-in and cut-out is lessened
d. Getting a bigger pump
6. Which of the following is a modification of the activated sludge process?
a. Aerated lagoons
b. Activated carbon filters
c. Wet oxidation
d. Contact stabilization
7. The initial DO of a 25 mL sample was 9.6 mg/L and the final DO after 5 days of incubation at 20 degrees C in a 300 mL sample bottle was 3.1 mg/L. What was the BOD in mg/L?
a. 37 mg/l
b. 78 mg/L
c. 115 mg/L
d. 152 mg/L
8. Parameters that should be measured immediately after a sample is collected include:
a. Temperature, pH and DO
b. Velocity and dissolved solids
c. Sulfur, iron and copper
d. Hardness and alkalinity
9. What is typically used whenever wastewater cannot flow to the treatment plant by gravity?
a. Forced main
b. Manhole
c. Portable generator
d. Lift station
Answers
1. c. Settleable Solids (SS)
2. c. 694 GPM
Change 1 MGD to gallons, then use the conversion 1 day = 1440 minutes:
1,000,000 gal/day / 1440 min/day = 694 GPM.
3. b. 126.1 lbs
Formula used: pounds = mg/L x 8.34 x Flow, convert gallons/day to MGD:
72,000 gal ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.072 MGD
Calculate pounds: 210 mg/L x 8.34 X 0.072 MGD = 126.1 lbs.
4. a. A mechanically raked bar screen
5. c. Adjusting the pump controls so that the drawdown depth between cut-in and cut-out is lessened
6. d. Contact stabilization
7. b. 78 mg/L
Formula used: BOD, mg/L = ((Initial DO, mg/L – Final DO, mg/L) x Bottle vol, ml) ÷ Sample, ml Calculate BOD in mg/L: BOD, mg/L = ((9.6 mg/L – 3.1 mg/L) x 300 ml) ÷ 25 ml BOD, mg/L = (6.5 mg/L x 300 ml) ÷ 25 ml = 1,950 ÷ 25 = 78 mg/L
8. a. Temperature, pH and DO
9. d. Lift station
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