March 2015
DEP Commissioner Patricia Aho and world-renowned microbiologist
and author Michael Gerardi are among the scheduled speakers at the biennial
North Country Convention held this year on April 1 and 2 in Presque Isle.
Commissioner Aho has led the DEP since September 2011,
previously serving as Deputy Commissioner and will deliver the Keynote on April
1. Mr. Gerardi holds an M.S. in Biology from James Madison University and has
taught at Penn State University. On April 1 Mr. Gerardi will discuss the
use of ORP data for Process Control. On April 2 he will cover Bio
Augmentation and its applications, from enhancing floc-formation to odor
control. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to hear these speakers
right here in Maine! http://jetcc.org/ncconvention.php
April 1 & 2 - North Country Convention - contact hours
vary by session - Presque Isle, ME -NEIWPCC/JETCC
April 6 & 13 - Class III & IV Certification Prep - 8.5 contact hours - York, ME - MWUA
April 7 & 14 - Class III & IV Certification Prep - 8.5 contact hours - Thomaston, ME - MWUA
April 7 - Maine Utility Rodeo - 6 contact hours - Wiscasset, ME - MRWA
April 8 - Maine Utility Rodeo - 6 contact hours - Milo, ME - MRWA
April 8 - PVC Valves Connections & Joining - 6 contact hours -
Topsham, ME - NEIWPCC/JETCC
April 14 - 3rd Annual Soil Erosion Control Field Day - 3 contact hours - Richmond, ME - MRWA
April 14 - Math Basics for Operators - 6 contact hours - Calais, ME
- NEIWPCC/JETCC
April 14-16 - Climate Adaptation Training for Coastal Communities -12 contact hours - Wells, ME - Coastal Training Program
April 17 - MEWEA Spring Conference - Auburn, ME - MEWEA
April 20-24 - Backflow Prevention Tester: Training &
Certification - 8 contact hours - Augusta, ME - MRWA
April 29 - Introduction to your Microscope - 6 contact hours -
Waterville, ME - NEIWPCC/JETCC
May 5 - Math Basics for Operators - 3.75 contact hours - Fairfield,
ME - NEIWPCC/JETCC
May 6,7 & 8 - O&M of Wastewater Collection Systems - 15 contact hours - Portland, ME - JETCC with optional NEWEA Exam in cooperation
with NEIWPCC.
May 13 - Gas Line Siting, Installation, & Safe Work Practices
- 6 contact hours - Portland, ME - NEIWPCC/JETCC
For more information on these programs, please contact the
training provider directly:
JETCC: www.jetcc.org, NEIWPCC: www.neiwpcc.org, MEWEA
(formerly Maine Wastewater):www.mewea.org, MRWA: wwwmainerwa.org, NEWEA:
www.newea.org,, MWUA: www.mwua.org
1. One kilowatt is the same as
a. 1.34 horsepower
b.
15 amps
at 120 volts
c. 1000 MHz
d.. 1.38
kilowatt hours
2. Which of the following
chemicals is the best disinfectant?
a. Dichloramine
b. Hypochlorous Acid
c. Monochloramine
d. Nitrogen Trichloride
3. The purpose of an air-gap device is to:
a. Put more
oxygen in the waste in sewers to avoid odors
b.
Lessen
vibration in pipes
c. Prevent cross connections between
wastewater and potable water.
d. Ventilate wet wells at pump
stations
4. A
BOD test was run using three dilutions of the same sample. Which dilution gives the most valid results?
Sample Initial DO
Final DO BOD Volume
a. 3 mL 8.0 mg/L
6.7 mg/L 130 mg/L
b. 5 mL 7.9
mg/L 4.0 mg/L 234
mg/L
c. 8 mL 8.1 mg/L 0.9 mg/L 270
mg/L
5. If the return sludge rate increases and the
influent flow and BOD concentration remain constant, the F/M ratio in the
aeration basin will most likely…
a. Remain the same
b.
Increase
c.
Decrease
d.
Depend
on the air temperature
6. If
the supernatant from an aerobic digester has a high solids content, how will it
most likely affect the activated sludge aeration basin?
a. Increase
the DO level
b. Increase
the MCRT
c. Increase
the F/M ratio
d. Increase
the removal efficiency
7. The
concentration of dissolved oxygen that may be held in water
a. Increases
as temperature increased
b. Decreases
as temperature decreases
c. Is
independent of temperature
d. Increases
as temperature decreases
8. These
types of solids are most easily oxidized in a biological treatment process:
a. Inorganic
suspended
b. Inorganic
dissolved
c. Organic
suspended
d. Organic
dissolved
9. The best description of activated sludge that
has an MCRT of more than 20 days is:
a. Young,
poor settling, under-oxidized
b. Young,
good settling, clear effluent
c. Old,
rapid settling, over-oxidized
d. Old,
poor settling, under-oxidized
The Department recently issued
an Administrative Consent Agreement to a southern Maine community for
discharging pollutants without a license and for failing to adequately address
the collection system in the Operations & Maintenance Plan. The discharges consisted of untreated
wastewater from a cross-country sewer and from a pump station. The licensee provided no evidence that the
cross-country sewer had ever been inspected.
The licensee has since eliminated the discharges and has submitted an
adequate O&M Plan. Penalties
included a monetary penalty of $4,252 and a Supplemental Environmental Project
of $17,009.
This enforcement
case demonstrates that municipal and quasi-municipal waste discharge licensees
should pay particular attention to their collection systems in regard to the
following MEPDES/WDL conditions:
Standard Condition - B.1.b. - General
facility requirements:
The permittee shall
at all times maintain in good working order and operate at maximum efficiency
all waste water collection, treatment and/or control facilities.
Special Condition – O&M Plan:
This facility shall
have a current written comprehensive Operation & Maintenance (O&M)
Plan. The plan shall provide a
systematic approach by which the permittee shall at all times, properly operate
and maintain all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related
appurtenances) which are installed or used by the permittee to achieve
compliance with the conditions of this permit.
Recent
changes to federal law are reshaping the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(CWSRF) loan program. This article is
intended to notify potential loan applicants, their consultants, and other
interested parties of the recent law changes, new program requirements for
borrowers, and additional program eligibilities.
Law Enactment
The House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee proposed H.R. 3080, An Act “To provide for improvements to the rivers
and harbors of the United States, to provide for the conservation and
development of water and related resources, and for other purposes.”
a.k.a. “Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014” (WRRDA).
This bill was passed by the 113th Congress, 2nd
Session and signed into law by the President on June 10, 2014 as
Public Law 113-121. The complete text of
the law can be found at: https://www.congress.gov/113/plaws/publ121/PLAW-113publ121.pdf Although
the law focuses mostly on transportation, the Army Corp of Engineers and
harbors/ports, it also created the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
Act loan program and made amendments to Title VI of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (FWPCA) that affect the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
loan program.
On
January 6, 2015 EPA published the final Interpretive
Guidance for Certain Amendments in the Water Resources Reform and Development
Act to Titles I, II, V, and VI of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The Interpretive Guidance can be found at: http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/grants/srfparag.html
EPA’s document provides guidance on the amendments that impact the CWSRF
program. Based on EPA’s guidance, the
Department has formulated State guidance and procedures on the implementation
of the program changes that are currently in effect. Although most of the amendments became
effective on October 1, 2014, some of them are being phased in through
October 1, 2015. What follows
is a summary of the changes in program requirements and eligibilities.
New CWSRF Program Requirements in
Title VI of the FWPCA
1.
Fiscal Sustainability Plan,
Section 603(d)(1)(E)
– Starting October 1, 2014, a Fiscal
Sustainability Plan (FSP) will be required of loan recipients for a project
that involves the repair, replacement, or expansion of a treatment works. This requirement does not apply to a loan if,
prior to this date, the project was listed on a CWSRF Intended Use Plan or the
loan recipient submitted an application for CWSRF funding assistance.
The FSP
is basically an asset management plan of the planning area that takes into
consideration an evaluation of water and energy conservation efforts of
projects. The FSP has four major
components:
a.
An
inventory of the critical assets located in the FSP planning area (The scope of
the FSP will be determined by the Department with input from the loan recipient
and agreed upon prior to loan commitment.
See Requirements and Guidance for a Fiscal Sustainability Plan for
additional information);
b.
An
evaluation and prioritization of the assets;
c.
A
certification that the loan recipient has evaluated and will be implementing
water and energy conservation efforts as part of the FSP; and
d.
A
plan and schedule for the maintenance, rehabilitation and/or replacement of assets
and a plan for funding the activities.
For more
details on development of a fiscal sustainability plan please refer to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
Requirements and Guidance for a Fiscal Sustainability Plan (FSP) at: http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/grants/srfparag.html
2.
Architectural/Engineering
Services Selection, Section 602(b)(14)
– This requirement applies to loans funded on the 2015 CWSRF Intended Use Plan
(IUP) or later. It doesn’t apply to all
loans, but instead applies to loans totaling an amount equal to the State’s
capitalization grant. In loans totaling
this amount, any A/E selection in these loans must be procured through a
Qualification Based Selection (QBS) process as defined in 40 U.S.C 1101 et
seq. In this process the engineering
services are ranked based on qualifications (cost component not allowed) and
the borrower then negotiates the fee with the most qualified firm.
The
requirements of 40 U.S.C 1101 et seq. are:
Public
announcement of the solicitation (e.g., a Request for Qualifications);
Evaluation
and ranking of the submitted qualifications statements based on established,
publicly available criteria (e.g., identified in the solicitation);
* Evaluation criteria should be
based on demonstrated competence and qualification for the type of professional
services required (e.g., past performance, specialized experience, and
technical competence in the type of work required)
Discussion
with at least three firms to consider anticipated concepts and compare
alternative methods for furnishing services;
Selection
of at least three firms considered to be the most highly qualified to provide
the services required; and
Contract
negotiation with the most highly qualified firm to determine compensation that
is fair and reasonable based on a clear understanding of the project scope,
complexity, professional nature, and the estimated value of the services to be
rendered;
* In the event that a contract
cannot be negotiated with the most highly qualified firm, negotiation continues
in order of qualification.
The
law does not require all CWSRF loans to use a QBS process, only a sum of loans
totaling an amount equal to the State’s capitalization grant amount.
(I.e. the State’s FY 2015 capitalization grant is $10.9 million,
therefore only $10.9 million of the est. $40 million in CWSRF loans for FY 2015
would have to comply with this requirement.)
Borrowers that do not want to use the QBS process can still qualify for
a CWSRF loan. The exact process for this
will be worked out during the development of the 2015 CWSRF IUP, however it is
anticipated that loans for a project(s) up to $1 million would be exempt from
this requirement and loans for a project(s) in excess of $1 million would be
required to comply with this provision or take out a second/separate CWSRF loan
for the A/E services.
3.
Davis-Bacon Related Act
Provision, Section 602(b)(6)
– Davis-Bacon wage rates are currently required for CWSRF funded treatment
works projects. This section removes the
yearly inclusion of Davis-Bacon from the federal appropriations process and permanently
applies the prevailing wage (Davis-Bacon) provision of the FWPCA section 513 to
any projects for treatment works (e.g. treatment plant, pumping stations,
sewers, etc.) that are funded by the CWSRF.
To be eligible for CWSRF funding, all treatment works construction
projects must contain a prevailing wage rate and comply with the Davis-Bacon
Act requirements.
4.
American Iron and Steel, Section
608 – The use of
American iron and steel is currently required for CWSRF funded treatment works
projects. This section removes the
yearly inclusion of American iron and steel requirement from the federal
appropriations process and permanently places the American Iron and Steel (AIS)
provision in the FWPCA and requires assistance recipients, absent of a waiver,
to use iron and steel products that are produced in the United States in
projects for the construction, alteration, maintenance, and repair of treatment
works. For more information on the AIS requirements
go to: http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/aisrequirement.cfm
5.
Cost and Effectiveness Analysis,
Section 602(b)(13)
– Starting October 1, 2015
municipalities and districts must certify to the CWSRF that they have studied
and evaluated the cost and effectiveness of the processes, materials,
techniques, and technologies for the funded project and that they have
selected, to the maximum extent practicable, a project that maximizes the
potential for efficient water and energy conservation, taking into
consideration capital cost, operation and maintenance, and replacement cost.
This
requirement does not apply to a loan if, prior to October 1, 2015, the project
was listed on a CWSRF Intended Use Plan or the loan recipient submitted an
application for CWSRF funding assistance.
Prior to October 1, 2015, the Department will be finalizing the cost and
effectiveness analysis requirements and guidance; and will post them on the
CWSRF website.
6.
Refinanced Projects – The CWSRF has the ability to
refinance certain water quality loans.
Generally, these have been U.S.D.A. Rural Development wastewater or
landfill closure loans because of the similar environmental review requirements
of both programs. The recent amendments
to the FWPCA now require prevailing wage rates (Davis-Bacon Act) and American
Iron and Steel in treatment works construction contracts funded by the
CWSRF. As such, to be eligible for CWSRF
refinancing, a treatment works construction project constructed on or after
October 30, 2009 the contract documents must have included and the contract must
have complied with the Davis-Bacon Act requirements; and also the American Iron
and Steel provision requirements if constructed on or after June 10, 2014.
New CWSRF Program Loan Term
30 Year Loan Terms, Section 603(d)(1)(A)&(B) –The maximum loan term has been increased
from 20 years to 30 years, or the projected useful life of the project to be
financed, whichever is less. Generally, the
CWSRF program will consider force mains, and equipment upgrades at wastewater
treatment plants and pumping stations to have a useful life of 25 years; and
structures and collection system work (concrete structures, sewers, manholes,
etc.) to have a useful life of 50 years.
The useful life of other projects not covered in the above categories,
or containing a combination of categories (i.e. a project that contains pumping
station upgrades and collection system work, etc.), will be determined on a
case-by-case basis.
New CWSRF Program Eligibilities
(Please note: Only the amended sections
of the law that affected a change are listed below. Amendments not listed did not affect a
change, but simply clarified existing program eligibilities.)
1.
Decentralized Systems, Section
603(c)(4) – The
construction, repair, or replacement of public or privately owned decentralized
wastewater treatment systems that treat municipal wastewater or domestic sewage
are eligible. The change in this area is
that the decentralized project can be for construction of a new system and does
not have to resolve an existing NPS problem.
2.
Stormwater Management, Section
603(c)(5) – Publicly
and privately owned, permitted and unpermitted projects that manage, reduce,
treat, or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage water are eligible. The change in this area is that these types
of stormwater projects are free of the section 319 program restrictions. Specifically, it allows for the funding of projects
required by a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit, regardless
of ownership. It also allows for stormwater
projects at Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). In addition, it allows for the eligible
funding of stormwater pipes designed to manage, but not treat, stormwater
(previously there had to be a treatment component for the project to be
eligible).
3.
Water Conservation and Decreased
POTW Demand, Section 603(c)(6)
– Projects that reduce the demand for publicly owned treatment works (POTW)
capacity through water conservation, efficiency, or reuse are CWSRF eligible
regardless of whether the activity takes place at publicly or privately owned
properties. Previously only publicly
owned projects were eligible. The loan
must still be with a public entity, however the public entity could, for
example, separate a privately owned roof drain from the sewer as a CWSRF
eligible project.
4.
Watershed Projects Meeting
Section 122, Section 603(c)(7)
– Projects that develop and implement a watershed pilot project related to at
least one of the six areas identified in section 122 of the FWPCA are eligible:
watershed management of wet weather discharges, stormwater best management
practices, watershed partnerships, integrated water resource planning,
municipality-wide stormwater management planning, or increased resilience of
treatment works. Assistance recipients
may be public or private entities.
5.
Energy Consumption Reduction at
POTWs, Section 603(c)(8)
– Projects that reduce energy consumption needs for the POTW are eligible. Only public entities are eligible for
assistance, however, project activities may take place at public or private
properties as long as they reduce energy consumption at the POTW. Planning activities, such as energy audits
and optimization studies are also eligible.
6.
Wastewater, Stormwater, or
Subsurface Drainage Water Reuse or Recycling, Section 603(c)(9) – Projects include the equipment
and piping required to reuse or recycle wastewater, stormwater, or subsurface
drainage water. Assistance recipients
may be public or private entities.
7.
Assistance to Nonprofit Entity
for POTW Technical Assistance, Section 603(c)(11) – The CWSRF may provide
financial assistance to any qualified nonprofit entity to provide assistance to
small and medium sized POTWs for training activities, planning, design, and
associated preconstruction activities and to assist POTW in achieving
compliance with the FWPCA. Ongoing
O&M activities are not eligible.
8.
Acquisition of Land, Section
212(2)(A) –
Previously, only land that was an integral part of the treatment system (i.e.
land for spray irrigation, subsurface disposal, etc.) was eligible for CWSRF
funding. Amendments to this section
expand the eligibility to treatment works that are necessary for
construction. This includes surface and
subsurface easements, a place to store equipment and material during
construction, land needed to locate eligible projects (pumping stations, etc.),
and land integral to the treatment process.
For additional information
or questions concerning this letter, please contact John True at (207) 287-7808
or john.n.true@maine.gov
.
1. a. A kilowatt is equal to 1.34 horsepower
2. b. When chlorine reacts with water, many
compounds are formed. Chlorine reacts
with any ammonia in the water to form mono- and dichloramines and nitrogen
trichloride. The chloramines will act as
disinfectants but because the chlorine is chemically bound to the nitrogen
atom, it is less effective than the free chlorine available from hypochlorous
acid.
3. c.. An air-gap is the only acceptable method to
prevent cross-connections between wastewater and potable water.
4. b. To
be valid, all BOD samples (including seed controls) must meet the R1D2 rule: at
least 1 mg/L of dissolved oxygen remaining in the bottle after 5 days and least
a 2 mg/L depletion of dissolved oxygen after 5 days.
Sample b. is the only dilution that meets the criteria. In sample A, the depletion of DO in the
sample bottle is less than 2.0 mg/L indicating that there was not enough
biological activity for a valid test. In
sample C, the DO was depleted to less than 1.0 mg/L. There might not have been enough DO available
to complete the biological reduction of the organic material in the wastewater.
5. c. The F/M ratio is the ratio of the pounds of
food to the pounds of microorganisms. If
the flow and BOD concentration coming into the plant remain constant, the plant
will receive a constant amount of BOD or “food”. If the return sludge rate increases, there
will be more sludge (“microorganisms) for the same amount of food. Since “F” remains the same and “M” increases,
the F/M ratio decreases.
6. c. Any solids coming from the aerobic digester
will be seen as food for the microorganisms in the mixed liquor. This will increase the F/M ratio.
7. d. Cold water will hold more dissolved oxygen
than warmer water.
8. d. Dissolved organic solids are easily oxidized
by the microorganisms in a biological treatment system.
9. c. Sludge with and MCRT of more than 20 days
will usually show old, compact, highly oxidized floc that settle rapidly
leaving a turbid supernatant.
The EPA sent out by email Study 35 Packages for
2015 DMR-QA in early February.
Facilities who received the packages are required to notify DEP by March
20, 2015 of their receipt. If you have
not yet done so, please send an email to judy.k.bruenjes@maine.gov to verify
that you received the Study 35 package by email.
If you are a Major or Significant Minor Permittee who
participates in the study and have not received the emailed package, please
contact me ASAP.
The next step is for Permittees to order Proficiency Test
(PT) samples from approved providers for analytes that are normally tested at
their in-house labs for the facility’s compliance reporting. Testing must be completed by July 10, 2015.
If you have any questions, please contact Judy Bruenjes at
judy.k.bruenjes@maine.gov
Computer Based Testing (CBT) is up and running at www.goamp.com.
But first, operators must apply to NEIWPCC-JETCC for approval to sit for
a particular exam. Once approved, they
will receive by postcard and email a unique approval number that will allow them
to go online to register for CBT.
There is also one last chance on May 13, 2015 for operators
to take the Paper Based Test (PBT) at the three historic exam locations
(Portland, Bangor and Presque Isle).
After that, PBT will only be offered in Presque Isle twice per year (May
and November).
For more information on applying for Wastewater
Certification exam, go to www.jetcc.org.
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