Florida Water Resources Journal - May 2014

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4 Comparison of Revenue Bonds, Florida Department of Environmental Protection-Administered Drinking Water, and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans—Jennifer Ivey, Lynn Spivey, and Sharon Simington 14 Technology Spotlight 42 News Beat

President: Richard Anderson (FSAWWA) Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Vice President: Greg Chomic (FWEA) Heyward Incorporated Treasurer: Rim Bishop (FWPCOA) Seacoast Utility Authority Secretary: Holly Hanson (At Large) ILEX Services Inc., Orlando

TECHNICAL ARTICLES 20 Money From Nothing: Value Engineering Utility Regulatory Burden to Substantially Lower Costs—Kerstin L. Kenty, Atef Hanna, Glenn A. Greer, and Rafael Vázquez-Burney

30 A Manager’s Paradigm: Too Much Water and Limited Water Supplies—

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DEPARTMENTS 44 49 52 54

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Volume 66

ON THE COVER: The state-of-the-art Tavares Utility Administration and Training Facility, which opened in November 2013, can accommodate up to 70 individuals for operations and management training. (photo: Burney Vaughn)

May 2014

Number 5

Florida Water Resources Journal, USPS 069-770, ISSN 0896-1794, is published monthly by Florida Water Resources Journal, Inc., 1402 Emerald Lakes Drive, Clermont, FL 34711, on behalf of the Florida Water & Pollution Control Operator’s Association, Inc.; Florida Section, American Water Works Association; and the Florida Water Environment Association. Members of all three associations receive the publication as a service of their association; $6 of membership dues support the Journal. Subscriptions are otherwise available within the U.S. for $24 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Clermont, FL and additional offices.

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3

Comparison of Revenue Bonds, Florida Department of Environmental ProtectionAdministered Drinking Water, and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans Jennifer Ivey, Lynn Spivey, and Sharon Simington A central Florida municipal County Environmental Services Department (County) is planning to expand its water reclamation facility (WRF) and corresponding service area infrastructure. The estimated cost of this project is approximately $45 million. The County applied for, and was granted, a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan. The total available loan amount, with three issued amendments, is currently $50 million. To ensure they were utilizing the most economical method of financing for the project, County staff requested an evaluation comparing revenue bonds and the awarded FDEP SRF loan for equal loan terms. This evaluation includes the blended FDEP SRF loan interest rate of 1.92 percent, and the comparison of revenue bonds at current interest rates for equal loan terms for 20, 30, and 40 years (Tables 5a-c).

The loan proceeds have been revised in subsequent correspondence to reflect escalated labor cost associated with the FDEP SRF loan to $51,762,650.

The FDEP SRF loan proceed amount includes an approximate $1.5 million escalation in price to cover potential increase in costs due

to the Davis-Bacon wage requirement, which only impacts the potential labor cost associated with the project. Therefore, the potential increase in project construction cost is only impacted by the potential increase in the overall project labor cost; that is, the cost of equipment and materials are not impacted by the loan or Davis-Bacon requirements.

The labor costs on utility projects typically range from 10-30 percent, based on the complexity of the project. This estimated average labor cost is based on guidelines contained in the RS Means® construction cost estimating reference series and conversations with local contractors. This comparison uses the information from the County’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement, including the amendments to the loan.

The evaluation compares the life cycle cost savings with the time and cost of internal and external personnel and resources to secure funding, administer activities during construction, and comply with ongoing reporting requirements. The comparison was conducted looking at various lengths of loan terms: first, with a typical scenario of a 20-year FDEP SRF loan versus a 30-year revenue bond, and then funding options at equal loan terms.

The debt finance options evaluated include: 1. General obligation bonds, secured by the “full faith and credit” of the County.

Table 1. Summary Comparison of Revenue Bond and FDEP Life Cycle Costs

4 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

2. Revenue bonds, secured by the pledged revenues of the utility.

3. FDEP-administered drinking water and clean water SRF loans.

The comparison summarized key aspects of debt options, including: 1. Debt issuance process.

2. Requirements during construction.

3. Continuing reporting requirements through life of the debt obligation.

4. Total costs and life cycle interest costs.

The comparison illustrates major differences between these two forms of utility debt financing using estimates and general “rules of thumb.” Interest rates, issuance costs, and other transactional costs can vary based on the market conditions, creditworthiness, and other unique circumstances for each community.

This comparison shows that at the current revenue bond best case, the savings using the FDEP SRF loan process would be $26,201,962, and at a worse-case bond rate, the FDEP loan process would save the County $28,810,031.

General Obligation Bonds General obligation (GO) bonds are one of two types of municipal bonds; the other type is revenue bonds. The GO bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing municipality, which means that the municipality commits its full resources to paying bondholders, including general taxation and the ability to raise more funds through credit4. Because the issuing municipality may need to increase ad valorem taxes to repay the debt, GO bonds typically must be approved by the voters who would pay the taxes that support the bonds.

The GO bonds are often used by governmental entities to fund projects that will not provide a direct source of revenue or projects that are initiated by general fund departments.

As an enterprise fund of the County, the utility has a direct source of revenue from which to pay its debt obligations. Therefore, revenue bonds are a better debt financing option for this project because the funding source and Continued on page 6

Continued from page 4 funded project are contained within the enterprise fund and no interfund transfers are needed. Therefore, GO bonds were no longer considered as a feasible financing option.

Revenue Bonds Tax-exempt revenue bonds are a common debt funding source for municipal utilities. The process involves selling bonds to institutional and individual purchasers and involves the following major steps: 1. The governmental entity determines which projects will be financed by the bonds.

2. The governmental entity assembles a team that typically includes financial advisors, bond counsel, and disclosure counsel to assist in planning and managing the overall transaction.

3. Underwriters are selected to assist the governmental entity in gaining access to the market and selling bonds at a guaranteed minimum price.

4. An official statement is prepared by disclo-

sure counsel and/or bond counsel to assist in marketing the bonds. The official statement includes extensive information about the community, management team, utility, project, revenue, and other outstanding debt obligations.

5. The governmental entity typically requests a bond rating from at least one of three rating agencies to improve the marketability and reduce the overall interest cost of the bonds.

6. An engineering feasibility consultant may be retained to certify the project cost estimate and review utility system condition and operations.

7. A financial feasibility consultant may also be retained to certify that project system revenues are available to fund ongoing operations and meet conditions of current and future debt obligations.

8. The bond resolution is adopted, committing the entity to the repayment and conditions of the issuance, closing of the bond, and completion of the bond sale.

9. A trustee is retained to manage funds during construction and complete various ad-

Table 2. Summary Comparison of Revenue Bond and FDEP Loan Elements67

ministrative and continuing reporting requirements of the bond agreement between the community and bond holders.

Once the bonds are sold and issued, there are restrictions on the use of the bond proceeds during construction and additional steps followed by the community as outlined in the bond agreement until the funds are spent. An example of these restrictions is limiting the use of the bond proceeds to only the projects specified in the official statement.

Another typical restriction of revenue bonds is that bond proceeds are required to be fully expended within two years of disbursement to eliminate any potential arbitrage rebate requirements5. If the bond proceeds are still invested and not spent after two years, the governmental entity risks earning positive arbitrage in excess of the tax-exempt cost-offunds or “rebate yield limit” that must be rebated to the federal government.

FDEP State Revolving Fund Loans Preconstruction Loan (funding for project design) 1. The governmental entity submits a request for inclusion of eligible projects.

2. FDEP places the project on a priority list.

3. The FDEP awards funds based on available funding and priority determination of eligible projects.

4. A preconstruction loan application is submitted 5. A preconstruction loan agreement is established with milestones to accomplish prior to reimbursement.

Construction Loan (funding for construction cost after construction prebid) 1. Submits a facilities plan that includes a capital financing plan or business plan, and provides project, community, and utility financial information; the design, permitting, and site information are also submitted.

FDEP places the project on a priority list.

2. The governmental entity submits a loan application.

3. The FDEP awards funds based on available funding and priority determination of eligible projects.

4. A loan agreement is completed that outlines multiple conditions and covenants of the loan, sets the interest rate, details repayment of loaned funds, and recurring reporting requirements.

5. During the construction phase of the loan, the authorized community representative submits disbursement requests to FDEP for reimbursement until the projects are completed.

Continued on page 8

6 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Continued from page 6 6. The FDEP completes a final review after the project is completed and finalizes the loan amount, loan service fee, capitalized interest during construction, and debt service payments for the term of the loan.

Issuance Costs There are issuance costs associated with both debt funding alternatives, which are often financed with the principal amount of the debt. The typical issuance costs are summarized and estimated in Table 3.

Process Comparison Capitalized Interest Revenue bonds and FDEP SRF loans were further evaluated as potential funding sources for an airport WRF expansion project. The two alternative forms of debt financing share many common elements as well as differences.

For example, both options require: Capital project engineering design and cost estimates.

Historical and projected system and financial information.

Capacity of system revenues to meet requirements of current and new debt obligations while maintaining the current system.

Table 2 summarizes major elements of each process.

Typical Costs Associated with Each Financing Option There are many costs associated with debt financing capital projects. The interest or financing costs are typically the highest, but the other costs can also be significant. Most of these costs are one-time costs related to the debt issuance process and are incurred when the debt is issued. However, there are also costs that are incurred throughout the life of the debt. These issuance and life cycle costs are discussed further.

Revenue Bonds Revenue bonds do not typically include capitalized interest because repayment of the loan is not delayed until construction is complete. Semiannual payments, including principal and interest, begin approximately six months after loan proceeds are received by the governmental entity. Loan proceeds are not disbursed when needed, as with the FDEP SRF loans, but are disbursed in one lump sum.

FDEP Loan Capitalized interest is the finance charges that accrue on the FDEP SRF loan during construction of the project. The charges begin accruing at the loan interest rate on outstanding loan proceeds from the time of the first disbursement until six months before the first semiannual loan payment is due. As additional disbursements are made, the interest continues to accrue on the total disbursement amount. Once the project is complete, the capitalized interest is financed with the loan principal.

Loan Service Fee Revenue Bonds A loan service fee is not charged for revenue bonds.

Table 3. Summary Comparison of Revenue Bond and FDEP Loan Issuance Costs8

FDEP SRF Loan The loan service fee is an origination fee paid on FDEP SRF loans. For this loan, the loan service fee is 2 percent of the loan principal amount, not including capitalized interest.

Capitalized interest accrues on the fee at the interest rate established in the final amendment, calculated based on timing and the amount of loan disbursements.

Debt Service Reserve Revenue Bonds Prior to the credit crisis in 2008, bond issuers often purchased insurance to improve the credit rating of the bonds and obtain a lower interest rate on them. However, the insurance companies that provided this insurance no longer have the credit rating required to provide this. Now many loans require a debt service reserve, typically equal to 10 percent of the borrowed amount or 100 percent or more of the average annual debt service payment, as “insurance” for repayment. Although the debt service reserve is not paid out, these funds are restricted for the life of the debt. If the governmental entity does not have the necessary cash available to set aside in a debt service reserve fund, this amount can be financed with the principal loan amount.

In some cases, the bond contract allows the issuer to purchase a surety bond to guarantee repayment of revenue bonds instead of funding a debt service reserve. The price of a surety bond typically ranges from 0.30 to 0.50 percent of the loan principal amount.

FDEP Loan The FDEP SRF loans do not require the establishment and funding of a debt service reserve or purchase of a surety bond.

Financial Advisor Revenue Bonds Governmental entities often retain a financial advisor to advise them regarding the issuance of debt. Financial advisors review all documentation from the underwriter, underwriter’s counsel, and bond counsel. They also manage the bond issuance process. Financial advisors are typically paid a flat fee to assist with the issuance of revenue bonds, which could be as high as $50,000 and up to $100,000.

FDEP Loan Support services were provided to the utility related to the FDEP SRF loan process, similar to those services that a financial advisor provides when issuing revenue bonds. For the FDEP SRF construction loan, compliance services were provided during the construc-

8 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

tion phase and project close-out. For the airport WRF and associated service area projects, the ARCADIS fee is currently estimated at $725,000.00; this cost is shown in Tables 2 and 3, and would be a one-time cost that covers the entire construction phase, even if the incurred FDEP loan debt/project cost exceeds $40 million.

bonds. The underwriter hires these municipal bond attorneys to review the bond resolution, official statements, and all documents related to the underwriting of the bonds.

Takedown

Bond Counsel

Revenue Bonds The takedown is the selling concession for a bond paid to the underwriting syndicate, expressed in dollars per thousand dollars of bonds. The takedown is included in the issuance costs for revenue bonds and is estimated to be $4.00 to $4.25 per $1,000 of bonds for a 30-year term. If the term of the bonds is less than 30 years, the takedown may decrease.

Revenue Bonds The bond counsel is an independent attorney who provides an objective legal opinion on the validity and tax exemption of the revenue bonds and the authorization of the issuer to issue the revenue bonds. The cost of bond counsel is included in the required issuance costs for revenue bonds.

FDEP Loan Any FDEP loans do not require takedown.

FDEP Loan This cost is not incurred for FDEP SRF loans.

FDEP Loan The Bond counsel is not necessary for FDEP SRF loans.

Disclosure Counsel

Underwriter’s Counsel Revenue Bonds The cost of the underwriter’s counsel is part of the required issuance costs for revenue

Revenue Bonds Disclosure counsel is retained by the governmental entity issuing revenue bonds to advise the issuer regarding disclosure obligations.

The disclosure counsel prepares the official statement and continuing disclosure agreement.

FDEP Loan Disclosure counsel is not required for FDEP SRF loans.

Florida Attorney General Review Loan documents are required to be reviewed by the state attorney general to ensure consistency with the state constitution. The governmental entity typically pays a fee to the attorney general’s office for this review and legal opinion. The cost of this review is incurred for both FDEP SRF loans and revenue bonds.

Credit Ratings Revenue Bonds In order to issue revenue bonds, it is necessary to solicit credit ratings from at least one of the three rating agencies (Moody’s, Fitch Ratings, or Standard & Poor’s). Ratings determine the interest rate that an issuer must pay on its debt. Revenue bonds may only require one rating, but two ratings are preferred. The fee to obtain a credit rating Continued on page 10

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

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Continued from page 9 ranges from 0.035 to 0.05 percent of the debt principal amount.

FDEP Loan For Florida, the FDEP performs its own financial review based on information provided in the loan application and the audited financial statements of the individual municipalities. No official credit rating is required from any of the rating agencies.

Life Cycle Costs In addition to the costs incurred when the debt is issued, there are ongoing costs throughout the life of the debt. These costs are summarized here.

Interest or Financing Charges Revenue Bonds The interest or financing rate is applied to the unpaid principal of the debt and paid as part of the semiannual debt payments. Issuers of revenue bonds typically pay the market interest rate, which is estimated to be in the range of 4.2 to 4.7 percent, for the purpose of this analysis.

It is also possible to issue revenue bonds with a variable interest rate, where the interest rate is set based on a market index or predetermined formula and typically reset daily or weekly, although they are sometimes reset less frequently. This option greatly reduces the initial interest rate, although there are risks associated with variable rate bonds, such as interest rate increases and “put” rights. A “put” right is the right of a bond buyer or investor to require the bond issuer or its remarketing agent to repurchase the bond at its full face

value prior to the maturity date. These risks make it difficult to budget annual expenses related to variable rate revenue bonds. Currently, the indices that are used to set variable interest rates are very low, but many of them average 3 to 4 percent.

FDEP Loan The FDEP SRF loans are made at a subsidized or below-market interest rate. For clean water loans, the amount of the subsidy is based on an “affordability index” that measures the relative wealth of the community, with a maximum of 80 percent of the market interest rate assessed. The market interest rate is set quarterly by FDEP based on the average of the Thomson Publishing Corporation’s 20-Bond General Obligation Bond Index. Currently, the FDEP loan interest rate offered to the County for the last installment of $10 million is 1.63 percent, after a reduction for Davis-Bacon wages. This would generate a blended interest rate of 1.92 percent (weighted average) for the total loan amount of $50 million since the original and second installments were at higher interest rates.

Reporting and Compliance Costs Revenue Bonds Revenue bonds often carry ongoing reporting requirements; however, the information that must be reported is typically included in general financial reports prepared by the governmental entity and does not require preparation of a separate report for the specific bond issue.

FDEP Loan Governmental entities also incur additional direct costs to manage and comply with

the FDEP SRF loan requirements. These activities may include preparing disbursement requests and managing reporting and compliance during construction. Post-construction activities may include Davis-Bacon interviews and spot checks, certification of revenues, loan debt service account balance and required insurance, maintenance of accounting records, and management of annual audits, as required.

Rate Covenant and Debt Service Coverage Many debt alternatives require the borrower to certify that rates and charges for their services will be set at an amount sufficient to provide revenue equal to, or in excess of, the sum of the annual operation and maintenance (O&M) expense and annual debt service payment. The multiplier used to determine the amount of net revenue required is called the coverage. Coverage of 1.25 requires net revenue to exceed the average annual or maximum annual debt service payment by at least 25 percent, where net revenue is the total revenue less the O&M expense and annual debt service payments of all outstanding senior obligations.

Although the coverage amount is never paid out as an expense, the governmental entity’s revenue requirements must include coverage. As a result, issuing additional debt often requires a revenue increase equal to at least the proposed additional debt service payment times the required coverage. Table 3 includes a comparison of the revenue increase that each debt alternative would require.

Revenue Bonds Revenue bonds often include a rate covenant with a coverage requirement. Coverage requirements are typically in the range of 1.20 to 1.25 times the annual or maximum annual debt service payment; however, some covenants require coverage as high as 1.50.

Table 4. Summary Comparison of Revenue Bonds and FDEP Loan FDEP Loan The FDEP rate coverage requirement is 1.15 times the sum of the semiannual loan payments due in each fiscal year.

Comparison of Revenue Bonds and FDEP Loan Table 4 provides a summary of the comparison of the revenue bonds and the FDEP loan.

This comparison shows that at the current revenue bond best case, the savings using the FDEP SRF loan process would be $15,376,530, and at a worse-case bond rate, the FDEP loan process would save the County $19,055,915.

Continued on page 12

10 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Table 5a. 40-Year Term: Summary Comparison of Revenue Bonds and FDEP SRF Loan

Table 5b. 30-Year Term: Summary Comparison of Revenue Bonds and FDEP Loan

Continued from page 10 Equal Loan Term Comparison The debt term for the revenue bond finance option was listed as 30 years, as opposed to the FDEP SRF loan debt term of 20 years.

The difference in payback periods is a reflection of real-world conditions. More specifically, it is not feasible to obtain a revenue bond with a debt payback term of 20 years. Inability to obtain a 20-year bond was also confirmed by the County finance staff. However, even if available, a best-case 20-year bond would still be approximately $5 million higher than a comparable (20-year) loan payback period.

Tables 5a-c compare the two funding options on equal loan terms.

This comparison shows that at the current revenue bond best-case scenario, the savings using the FDEP SRF loan process would be $33,287,368, and at a worse-case bond rate, the FDEP loan process would save County $35,365,312.

This comparison shows that at the current revenue bond best-case scenario, the savings using the FDEP loan process would be $20,132,404, and at a worse-case bond rate, the FDEP SRF loan process would save the County $22,740,473.

This comparison shows that at the current revenue bond best-case scenario, the savings using the FDEP SRF loan process would be $9,825,419, and at a worse-case bond rate, the FDEP loan process would save the County $11,499,737.

Prepayment Penalties Prepayment penalties were also taken under consideration.

Table 5c. 20-Year Term: Summary Comparison of Revenue Bonds and FDEP Loan

Revenue Bonds The prepayment penalty that is sometimes contained within municipal bond indentures could come into play depending on the bond agreement. However, it is generally the municipality and the financing team that establishes the penalty clause to improve the marketability of the bonds. Therefore, if the municipality plans to pay off the bonds early, then it would likely not have a penalty clause included in the bond agreement.

FDEP Loan Prepayment penalties are not applicable to FDEP loans.

Further Comparison of Interest Rates During a status meeting with County staff, a question was asked as to what interest rate the revenue bond needed to be to match the savings presented with the FDEP SRF loan.

The ARCADIS financial staff performed the comparison assuming the best-case scenario

12 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

30-year bond versus 30-year SRF loan (for the $50 million loan proceeds), and concluded that the revenue bond interest rate would need to be 2.45 percent or lower to bring its life cycle cost down to $72 million (the life cycle cost of the 30-year FDEP SRF loan). The comparison was performed for each loan term, where the best case assumes the lower issuance costs and the worst case assumes a higher issuance cost.

It should be noted that if the comparison is performed on the most likely situation of a 30year bond versus a 20-year FDEP SRF loan, the bond interest rate would need to be 1.8 percent or lower to match the FDEP SRF life cycle cost.

Other Considerations Additional Costs Covered in Bonds Tables 5-6 were updated to include the FDEP SRF loan compliance costs into the overall total loan amount. The question was posed to the ARCADIS financial staff if the bond can also pay for the planning, design, and construction administration costs, or is it strictly for construction related costs. The answer is that the all of these costs can be covered in the bond proceeds. For this evaluation, the bond tables were not updated to roll these costs into the total bond amount.

invests the proceeds in instruments with a yield above the bond issue’s cost-of-funds.”

Source: http://nationalarbitrage.com 6 County, Florida, Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds Series 2004 Official Statement, Dated February 27, 2004 ($41,045,000).

7 County Florida, Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement, Dated February 7, 2012 ($10,377,000).

8 County Florida, Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement ($40 million).

9 From Table 2. For FDEP loan, only capitalized interest and Loan Service Fee are assumed to be financed.

10 FDEP loan payments are semiannual 11 Additional annual rate burden is the revenue increase needed to support the debt issuance. This is the sum of the annual debt service payment and the annual rate coverage.

12 From Table 2. For FDEP loan, only capitalized interest and Loan Service Fee are assumed to be financed.

13 FDEP SRF loan payments are semiannual 14 Additional annual rate burden is the revenue increase needed to support the debt is-

suance. This is the sum of the annual debt service payment and the annual rate coverage.

15 From Table 2. For FDEP loan, only capitalized interest and Loan Service Fee are assumed to be financed.

16 FDEP loan payments are semiannual 17 Additional annual rate burden is the revenue increase needed to support the debt issuance.

This is the sum of the annual debt service payment and the annual rate coverage.

18 Additional annual rate burden is the revenue increase needed to support the debt issuance. This is the sum of the annual debt service payment and the annual rate coverage.

19 FDEP loan payments are semiannual 20 Additional annual rate burden is the revenue increase needed to support the debt issuance.

This is the sum of the annual debt service payment and the annual rate coverage.

Jennifer Ivey and Lynn Spivey are principal engineers and Sharon Simington is a senior program administrator with ARCADIS U.S. Inc. in Tampa.

Table 7. Comparison of Revenue Bonds and FDEP Loan for Matching Life Cycle Cost

Junior Debt Versus Senior Debt The concept of junior debt versus senior debt affecting credit ratings was considered for this evaluation. The ARCADIS financial experts confirmed that FDEP SRF loans are typically considered junior debt in relation to revenue bonds. Rating agencies look at a large number of factors in establishing a credit rating, including the total indebtedness, debt service coverage, cash positions, management quality, median income of the community, and economic diversity of the region. While rating agencies may look slightly more favorably on a utility with less senior debt and more junior debt, the impact on credit rating may be minimal because of the comprehensiveness of the other factors that are evaluated.

References 1

From Table 2. For FDEP loan, only capitalized interest and Loan Service Fee are assumed to be financed.

2 FDEP loan payments are semiannual 3 Additional annual rate burden is the revenue increase needed to support the debt issuance.

This is the sum of the annual debt service payment and the annual rate coverage.

4 Source: http://news.morningstar.com 5 “Arbitrage may occur when an issuer raises money through the sale of a bond issue and Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

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T E C H N O L O G Y

S P O T L I G H T

Security and Preparedness: Intrusion Detection System for Water Storage Facilities Last month marked the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing, an act of terror the country was not prepared for that sadly took the lives of many and forever changed the lives of many more. As we venture into the future, incidents like this, while never completely preventable, remind us that vigilance and preparedness should be a key focus for operation procedures dealing with the public.

It was with forethought like this that John Ashton, assistant manager of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC), a regional water and wastewater provider that currently serves more than 120,000 customers in a five-county area of Pennsylvania, approached the need for security for their facilities. The solution was a technologically advanced expandable system, capable of providing security in remote areas where electrical power is not available yet, remaining efficient and comparable in price to typical security systems. He found such a system in the summer of 2010 with the CNIguard Intrusion Detection System (IDS). Unique to an IDS is its ability to detect incidents such as intentional contamination, vandalism, terrorist threat, and any other harmful act before they occur— not just alarm after it has happened.

The system detectors contain a number of vibration sensors and are sealed to a water-resistant NEMA 6-rated enclosure. A harness connects to the detector and has a battery box, with a pair of magnetic limit switches to detect the opening of the hatch. The battery has an 18month life span and a battery-condition alarm will sound when it needs to be replaced. The harness also provides the connection to the antenna that communicates with another unit called the controller. Up to 254 detectors can be managed by a single controller, which typically operates from mains derived of power.

What Is Being Protected The IDS was installed In December 2010 at the MAWC storage tank in McKeesport, Penn. A detector was installed covertly under the access hatch on the top of a 1×106-gal tank, and another under the hatch, providing access to the associated pump vault located

about 100 yards from the tank. A controller is located inside the pump vault and it is connected to the water authority’s SCADA. The controller can also send a GSM text message to two phones or other devices. The controller communicates wirelessly with the two detectors using a 128bit-encrypted 915 MHz license-free radio signal that is continuously polled so that if for some reason communication is interrupted, an alarm is generated.

The tank is surrounded by a 6-ft high chain link fence, and the ladder leading to the top of the tank is protected by a padlocked trap door, but that is the extent of the security at the site. The top of the tank is littered with stones and other debris that have been thrown there. Controlling access to critical assets is a key element of the AWWA Standard for Security Practices for Operation and Management (ANSI/AWWA G430-09) and MAWC felt that installing an IDS was an appropriate solution for this storage facility.

The system was developed at the request of the United Kingdom (U.K.) security services in response to a vulnerability assessment that identified contamination of potable water as a very high risk. The concern was if someone breaches an access point such as a hatch or door, that person can easily introduce a contaminant that could disrupt supply or harm customers. The industry wanted a costeffective wireless system that could distinguish between a real attack and a normal environmental condition like rain or hail. It was also critical for the IDS to operate with minimal human intervention or decision making. Because the response to an alarm could be from the operator or police, the goal was to be as close to zero false alarms as possible.

In response, CNIguard developed its product using commercial, off-the-shelf sensors, coupled with patented software that automatically determines an alarm condition.

The U.K. government test installations were challenged with a wide variety of environmental conditions, temperatures, and humidity. The installations were also attacked using various cutting, grinding, and thermal tools to ensure the system would respond with an alarm when appropriate. After several years of design and testing, the system was approved by the U.K . As a result, CNIguard installed a

base of several thousand units. The system is also approved by the US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act as a qualified anti-terrorism technology. For this reason, the MAWC decided to add this type of protection to its alpine storage tank high on a hill in a residential section of McKeesport.

Results of System Installation Since the system’s installation, temperatures have ranged from 10ºF to 90ºF and it has experienced conditions ranging from snow and ice to blazing sunshine. Through all of this, the system has operated flawlessly.

About a week after the installation, the tank hatch was inspected and the detector was found to be completely covered by frost, but working perfectly. The system has also responded correctly during routine maintenance checks when the hatch has been opened.

A few weeks after the installation, wiring from the detector at the tank hatch was being secured to the antenna by installing some cable clamps. This operation required drilling holes in the railing of the tank. When the drill started, the system alarmed as it should because it sensed the vibrations of the tool.

In addition, tests were conducted during which the hatches were purposely attacked using sacrificial metal sheets to absorb the destructive attacks. A ¾-in. drill and an angle grinder were applied to the sheets. In each case, the attack was detected within 30 seconds and before the tool penetrated the metal. Similarly, nuisance attacks using a paintball gun, stones dropped onto the hatch individually and in a bunch, and simply walking around on the hatch did not cause an alarm.

The System Proves Itself Effective The MAWC has been satisfied with the performance of the IDS and is considering rolling the system out across all of its facilities. Aside from the security function, the utility has found it useful as a management tool to report on-site operations. The authority is also exploring the expanded use of the product as a remote-monitoring system to detect flooding, temperature, and pressure levels as sensors of various types can be added to the CNIguard platform.

Technology Spotlight is a paid feature sponsored by the advertisement on the facing page. The Journal and its publisher do not endorse any product that appears in this column. If you would like to have your technology featured, contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006 or at mike@fwrj.com.

14 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

15

FWEA FOCUS Greg Chomic President, FWEA

n this, my last FWEA Focus column as FWEA president, I would like to focus on the topic of leadership. First I will describe how FWEA trains and develops leaders, and then I will give my own perceptions of what it takes to be an effective FWEA leader.

I

Leadership Development Workshop The FWEA has been doing leadership development for 15 years now. Our program is built around our annual Leadership Development Workshop (LDW). This year, our workshop was held on February 6-7 at The Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach Shores. The purpose of the LDW is to educate and train new FWEA leaders in a relaxed setting that offers our volunteer leaders an opportunity to network and build better personal relationships with each other as they learn. It is also meant to be a reward for the many hours of service that our leaders donate to FWEA in support of our vision and mission. Several photos from this year’s workshop are shown here.

The workshop is funded by FWEA and by corporate sponsors; this year, our sponsors were AECOM, AMEC, Heyward Incorporated, and Jones Edmunds. On behalf of FWEA I would like to thank these companies and others like them that we depend on for support.

The LDW is planned by the organization’s president-elect, with support from the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC). I planned the first workshop 15 years ago and have attended several of them since then; I must say that this

On Leadership workshop ranks among the best. Much credit is due to Brian Houston of Leidos and Alex Terrel of AECOM, chair of the SPC. They put many hours into the planning and implementation of this year’s workshop. Thank you Brian and Alex!

The presentations given by our FWEA leaders this year were exceptional. A few of the highlights included an informative presentation by FWEA Utility Council President David Richardson with GRU, whose 41 utilities members provide service to 8 million Floridians. He reviewed the current issues that our council is working on, including numeric nutrient criteria, reclaimed water supplementation, water conservation incentivization, and springs legislation.

Brian reports that our industry’s relationship with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has never been better! Suzanne Mechler of CDM Smith and chair of our newly renamed Member Relations Committee (formerly Public Relations and Communications Committee) followed with a presentation that explained how her committee assists other FWEA committees and chapters get the word out to you, our members, about their events, activities, and accomplishments. Greg Kolb of CH2M HILL, our Florida Water Festival coordinator, presented tips and lessons learned when organizing a successful festival.

Other presenters were Juan Oquendo of Gresham Smith and Partners and vice chair of the West Coast Chapter, who spoke on the characteristics of a successful chapter, and Mark Burgess of REISS Engineering, chair of

the Biosolids Committee, presented on the attributes of an effective technical committee.

There were also presentations on leadership development and communication tools offered by WEF, FWEA finances, membership development, and effective communication flow within FWEA. Our keynote speaker this year was Jim Emerick of Academy Leadership. Jim is a facilitator for this group and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He spoke on “Leading Cultural Change with a Personal Leadership Philosophy.” Jim stressed that in order to be an effective leader you need to know yourself and know those you are leading. More specifically, leaders not only need to know what they like and need, but just as importantly, what others like and need. We should let those we lead know what we desire and expect from them, and what they can expect from us.

Jim offered a nugget of wisdom that can be summed up in the Platinum Rule: Do unto others as they would like to have you do unto them. I think everyone was impressed by Jim’s message and took back some wisdom that they can use in both their professional and volunteer careers. Knowing that we are a volunteer association on a budget, Jim offered us the benefit of his skills at his cost, so I have no hesitation encouraging anyone who is reading this column and looking for leadership development consulting services to visit the Academy Leadership website at www.academyleadership.com.

Key Attributes of a Volunteer Leader I have spent a lot of time over the past year thinking of ways to improve FWEA and our leaders. I have also observed people and noted what appeared to me to be effective leadership qualities. I think that Jim Emrick’s presentation helped crystallize and confirm some of my ideas and observations, which I would like to share with you.

It seems to me that one of the most important attributes of an effective volunteer leader is personal humility. Like it or not, a volunteer leader is a servant, not a boss. A volunteer leader has to be willing to give all the credit to others when things go well, be will-

16 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

ing to accept feedback, and give praise liberally. It is also very important that a volunteer leader is committed to the vision and mission of the association, to the success of fellow leaders, and to the successful fulfillment of the goals that have been set for a committee, group of committees, or the association.

A major aspect of commitment by a volunteer leader is the willingness to commit time. An effective volunteer leader gets the job done, even if it means working late or on the weekends, which is often necessary. A volunteer leader has to understand the roles and responsibilities of the position and be committed to fulfill them. A volunteer leader has to set clear goals for the team, and be willing to ask others for help to achieve those goals. Having the courage to call fellow FWEA members to ask or invite them to join a committee, and inviting non-members to join FWEA is critical to the health and success of our association. I am sure that there are other qualities of a successful and effective volunteer leader that I am omitting, but these are the most important attributes that come to my mind as I pen these words.

Outstanding FWEA Leaders I would like to thank those FWEA leaders that I have observed espousing the qualities of effective leadership that have helped move FWEA ahead over the past year: David Richardson for leading the FWEA Utility Council so effectively. Under David’s leadership FWEA has become a real player in the formulation of environmental policy in Florida. My wish is for FWEA to someday become of greater service to the council. Perhaps that will be a goal for a future FWEA president.

Alex Terral. Her commitment to FWEA and to the achievement of FWEA’s strategic goals is unmatched within the association.

Juan Oquendo for stepping up when someone had to lead the planning committee for the West Coast Water Festival. Juan leads with the humility and enthusiasm that is a model for the rest of us.

Greg Kolb, whose has unmatched commitment to the success of the FWEA Florida Water Festivals. Greg is one of nicest guys I know and is the kind of person that is always willing to step up and help.

Tim Harley for being willing to think outside the box and to challenge the FWEA leadership when something didn’t make sense to him. I would also like to thank Tim for his willingness to step up and find solutions.

Kristiana Dragash, the winner of the 2014

FWEA Young Professional of the Year Award. Her enthusiasm and grace is a blessing to the engineering profession and our association.

And finally, I would like to thank Joe Cheatham who has regretfully felt compelled to step down from the FWEA board of directors after many years of service in order to attend to some personal health issues. Joe is among the finest gentlemen in the water quality industry, not only in Florida, but I would say the nation. Joe’s service to our association has been a blessing to the Florida water quality industry and to each and every one of us who has had the pleasure to serve alongside him. Joe, we will miss your steady, reliable hand and the dignity that your presence lent to our association.

CDM Smith: Outstanding Corporate Leader In closing I would like to thank all of the companies, municipal utilities, universities, and local and state environmental agencies

that support the FWEA vision of a clean water environment for Florida’s future generations.

The entire association is especially grateful to CDM Smith, the winner of the 2014 FWEA President’s Award, which recognizes outstanding support for FWEA by a corporation, utility, university, or environmental agency. This company has a sustained exemplary record of support for FWEA with four employees having served as FWEA president. Last fiscal year, CDM Smith had two employees that served on the FWEA board of directors, 12 employees serving as committee or chapter officers, and three employees serving as committee members. Also, CDM Smith regularly provides financial support through sponsorships of numerous FWEA events throughout the year.

The FWEA could not accomplish all that we do without the support of corporations like CDM Smith. Thank you.

To everyone who serves FWEA as a leader or as an involved member: thank you for your friendship, your encouragement, and your support during my term as president. You have made the burden of this job easier to bear and enriched my career.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

17

Certification Boulevard Test Your Knowledge of Operations and Utilities Management Topics

Roy Pelletier 1. Given the following data, what is the cost of polymer used, in dollars per dry ton processed, in this gravity belt thickener (GBT)? · Total sludge feed to the GBT is 375 gpm for 24 hrs per day · Feed sludge concentration is 0.65 percent · Total neat polymer used is 21 gpd · Polymer specific gravity (S.G.) is 1.02 · Polymer cost is $1.18 per lb A. $25.24 per dry ton B. $11.26 per dry ton C. $21.72 per dry ton D. $14.39 per dry ton 2. Given the data and correct answer from question No.1, is this an acceptable cost of polymer usage for a GBT? A. Yes, it is acceptable.

B. No, it is way too high.

C. There is not enough data to calculate this parameter.

3. Given the following data, what is the annual budget for lime in this plant? · Lime dose rate is 9.5 percent of the sludge wet weight processed · Sludge volume is 16.5 dry tons per day · Sludge cake concentration (before lime addition) is 18.5 percent total solids · Lime cost is $175.00 per ton delivered · Sludge is processed 7 days per week, 24 hours per day A. $355,998 B. $541,021 C. $148,594 D. $581,060

4. Given the data, correct calculations, and answer from question 3, what is the lime dosage based on the dry weight of the sludge processed?

A. 30.5 percent B. 9.5 percent C. 51.33 percent D. 112.25 percent 5. What is the specific oxygen utilization rate (SOUR) in an aerobic digester, given the following data? · OUR test starting dissolved oxygen (DO) is 7.2 mg/l · OUR test ending DO is 4.0 mg/l · OUR test time is 10 min · Digested sludge total solids concentration is 1.75 percent A. 2.1 mg/hr/gm TS B. 1.1 mg/hr/gm TS C. 1.6 mg/hr/gm TS D. 0.1 mg/hr/gm TS 6. Given the data and correct answer from question 5, does this aerobically digested sludge meet the 62-640 vector attraction reduction (VAR) requirements for Class B residuals?

A. Yes, it is acceptable.

B. No, it is too high.

7. What is the main purpose of greasing an anti-friction bearing?

A. To stabilize friction.

B. To comply with the warranty.

C. To increase operating temperature.

D. To protect steel from corrosion.

8. Given the following data, what is the total revenue collected annually from the industrial contributors? · Total plant flow is 2.55 mgd · Residential connections = 82 percent

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS? Check the Archives

Are you new to the water and wastewater field? Want to boost your knowledge about topics youʼll face each day as a water/waste-water professional?

All past editions of Certification Boulevard through the year 2000 are available on the Florida Water Environment Associationʼs website at www.fwea.org. Click the “Site Map” button on the home page, then scroll down to the Certification Boulevard Archives, located below the Operations Research Committee.

18 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

of the total flow · Industrial sewer charge is $3.50 per 1,000 gal A. $1,606 per year B. $586,372 per year C. $293,186 per year D. $2,671,252 per year 9. Why are flow measurements important in treatment plants?

A. They help to determine DO. B. They help to determine loading rates.

C. They help to determine nitrate levels.

D. They help to determine suspended solids removal.

10. What procedure should never be performed while entering a manhole that has been classified as a permit-required confined space?

A. Wear a body harness.

B. Test the air with a gas detector.

C. Complete a confined space entry permit.

D. Enter without an attendant.

Answers on page 48

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS Readers are welcome to submit questions or exercises on water or wastewater treatment plant operations for publication in Certification Boulevard. Send your question (with the answer) or your exercise (with the solution) by email to roy.pelletier@cityoforlando.net, or by mail to: Roy Pelletier Wastewater Project Consultant City of Orlando Public Works Department Environmental Services Wastewater Division 5100 L.B. McLeod Road Orlando, FL 32811 407-716-2971

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

19

F W R J

Money From Nothing: Value-Engineering Utility Regulatory Burden to Substantially Lower Costs Kerstin L. Kenty, Atef Hanna, Glenn A. Greer, and Rafael Vazquez-Burney asco County operates water, wastewater, and water reuse utilities. The County’s service area of approximately 352 sq mi includes the unincorporated area of the County, as well as some city areas. To operate these utilities, the County historically has maintained numerous permits with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). These permits required renewals, as well as compliance monitoring, sampling, and reporting. The County has implemented a strategy to reduce the costs associated with these permits in its utility systems. Significant savings have been realized through permit consolidations, reductions in monitoring, and extension of permit terms to maintain compliance, which lessen the overall cost of regulatory requirements.

Similarly, with construction projects, the County is mindful of regulatory costs when approaching permitting and compliance issues, as they are aware of how a restrictive or difficult permit for the contractor will ultimately result in costs to the County. For the new Boyette Reservoir, the County proactively worked with FDEP in the issuance of the environmental resource

P

permit (ERP) to ensure water quality that was sufficient for offsite dewatering, which was incorporated into the permit issued October 2012.

This innovative value-engineering review of the County’s regulatory obligations has resulted in a successful reduction of work and fees associated with maintaining the required permits for the County’s utility systems. Tenyear savings (in 2011 dollars) through this approach are estimated to be $5.3 million.

Savings are identified as follows: $225,000 in permit renewal and associated engineering costs, not including a possible additional $50,000 for extending the permit time of Wesley Center and Southeast Pasco Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF). $300,920 in analytical costs.

24,000 man-hours, for labor savings of approximately $672,000, assuming $28/hr fully burdened labor. $4.1 million in estimated construction costs for the Boyette Road Reservoir.

This article explores the techniques and existing rules that allowed the County to recognize these savings, without decreasing environmental protection and maintaining full compliance.

Kerstin L. Kenty and Rafael VázquezBurney are with CH2M HILL in Tampa, and Atef Hanna and Glenn A. Greer are with Pasco County Utilities Services Branch in New Port Richey.

Water Use Permitting The County’s first cost savings began when the County renewed a water use permit (WUP) that had exceeded its per-capita requirements. The consolidation of several water use permits allowed the calculated percapita water use to decrease. Additionally, the consolidation of 11 different WUPs into one permit now allows pumping to be distributed among more wells and eliminated the renewal costs for 10 of the 11 permits. The estimated savings is about $150,000 (in 2011 dollars) every 10 years. In addition, administrative costs to the County have been decreased, as there is only one permit to track and maintain, as compared to 11.

At the same time during this permit renewal and consolidation, the County requested reduced monitoring at its 13 public supply wells (see figure 1). The previous permit required that each well be sampled quarterly for chloride, sulfate, and total dissolved solids. Eight of the 13 public supply wells now only have to perform this work annually. Monitoring has been reduced by 75 percent, resulting in a savings of $672 and 24 man-hours per quarter, or $2688 and 96 man-hours per year for the duration of the permit.

Public Water System Consolidation

FIGURE 1.

Pasco County Regional Public Water System

20 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Continuing with this theme, the County decided to consolidate the public drinking water systems (PWSs) in anticipation of the Stage 2 Disinfection Byproduct Rule (DBPR).

The County originally operated a total of 14 PWSs to supply drinking water to more than 100,000 customers; eleven of these 14 systems

are small and isolated. However, the three remainder large systems (West, South Central, and Southeast #1) are interconnected and provide service to 97 percent of the population. Because these three systems were constructed and permitted separately with unique PWS identifications, compliance monitoring was required independently for each area.

The Pasco County Regional PWS and the points of entry of each system are presented in Figure 1. Water sources for the West, South Central, and Southeast #1, are a blend of groundwater owned and operated by the County and interconnections to Tampa Bay Water, which provides water from regional well fields, treated surface water, and desalinated seawater. Because the supply sources utilized in these three Pasco County PWSs include treated surface water, they are a Subpart H system. As these three systems are interconnected, and receive water from the same sources, FDEP determined that they were eligible for consolidation. The consolidation of the West PWS, the South Central PWS, and the Southeast #1 PWS, resulted in a single Pasco County Regional PWS. A number of monitoring reductions were

achieved through the consolidation. The largest reduction was in the number of bacteriological samples required for distribution system monitoring. Prior to consolidation, the County had been taking 278 monthly samples in the three distribution systems. Bacteriological sample numbers are determined by population served and the proportional number of

samples required decreases with increasing population. The final number of samples required by the consolidated Pasco County Regional PWS is only 120 per month. This is a decrease of approximately 1,900 samples per year. Savings related to bacteriological sampling reduction include approximately 1,500 Continued on page 22

FIGURE 2.

Pasco County Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

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Continued from page 21 man-hours and $13,300 in analytical costs per year.

During this consolidation, the transition from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of the DBPR was made.

For the three PWSs to comply separately, eight samples for each system would have been required quarterly (96 samples annually).

Presently, the consolidated Pasco County Regional PWS is required to submit eight samples quarterly. This is a reduction of 64 samples per year, which saves the County approximately $4,200 in analytical costs and approximately 64 man-hours annually.

Lead and copper monitoring requirements were also reduced. Like bacteriological sampling, lead and copper monitoring is based on population served and the number of samples required is proportionally reduced with increasing population. For the independent PWS to comply separately, a total of 110 lead and copper samples were required every six months. The Pasco County Regional PWS compliance is now 50 samples twice per year.

This represents a reduction of 120 samples per year, which results in savings of approximately $2,500 in analytical costs and approximately 100 man-hours.

The consolidation of the three PWSs into the Pasco County Regional PWS is projected to save approximately $20,000 per year in analytical costs, and up to 1,664 man-hours per year.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Permit Extension The County also maintains permits for seven wastewater treatment facilities (WWTF) under F.A.C. 62-600. While a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit typically is renewed every five years, permitted under Florida Statutes (FS) 403.00885, there is some flexibility allowed under F.A.C. 62-610. The requirements are laid out in 403.087, F.S., and include: The facility is not regulated under the NPDES program under Section 403.00885, F.S. The permittee requests that a permit for a term exceeding five years be issued.

The permit application is for permit renewal.

The waters from the treatment facility are not discharged to an injection well, which is required to comply with federal standards under the Underground Injection Control Program under Chapter 62-528 of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) The treatment facility is not operating under a temporary permit or a permit with an accompanying administrative order.

The treatment facility does not have any enforcement actions pending against it by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the department, or a delegated local program approved under Section 403.182, F.S. The treatment facility has operated under

an operation permit for five years and, for at least the preceding two years, has “generally operated in conformance with the limits of permitted flows and other conditions specified in the permit.”

The department has reviewed the self-monitoring reports required under department rule and is satisfied that the reports are accurate.

The treatment facility has “generally met all water quality standards in the preceding two years, except for violations attributable to events beyond the control of the treatment plant or its operator, such as destruction of equipment by fire, wind, or other abnormal events that could not reasonably be expected to occur.”

The department, or a local program approved under Section 403.182, F.S., has conducted, in the preceding 12 months, an inspection of the facility and has verified in writing to the operator (permittee) of the facility that it is not exceeding the permitted capacity and is in substantial compliance.

Six of the County’s facilities discharge into the Pasco County Master Reuse System (PCMRS), so they do not have NPDES permits for surface water discharges, and they also meet the remaining conditions, making them eligible for a permit term of up to 10 years. The County’s seven WWTF are shown in figure 2; Cypress Manor was not eligible for a 10-year permit at the time of consolidation due to previous operational issues. Four of the County‘s facilities (Embassy Hills, Shady Hills, Deer Park, and Land O’ Lakes WWTF) requested 10-year permits at renewal, and the FDEP granted the request. This cuts permitting fees in half over the next 10 years, saving not only the $5,000 renewal fee, but engineering costs associated with the renewals. Total estimated savings is about $100,000 every five years (in 2011 dollars). In addition, the County has two additional plants that are eligible for 10-year permits, Wesley Center and Southeast Pasco WWTF, which will be requested at their renewal time.

Reduced Monitoring in the Pasco County Master Reuse System

FIGURE 3. Hudson, Northwest, and Embassy Hills RRIB Systems

22 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

In 2012, the County renewed the permit for the PCMRS, which reuses about 20 mil gal a day (mgd) of water throughout Pasco County through Part III irrigation and Part IV rapid-rate infiltration basins (RRIB). The RRIBs are located in four areas of the County, with the majority of the basins located in the northwest corner of the County.

It was proposed by CH2M HILL, on behalf of the County, to reduce monitoring wells

for existing RRIB systems and golf course ponds within the PCMRS. For the RRIBs, the County had three adjacent systems that are treated as independent RRIBs (Hudson, Embassy Hills, and Northwest), as shown in figure 3. In the renewal, the Embassy Hills and Northwest RRIBs were combined into a single system with reduced monitoring wells; in addition, reduced monitoring for the system as a whole was requested. The original permit required monitoring for every golf course pond, instead of requiring representative groundwater monitoring. The final permit required monitoring at 25 fewer locations than the previous permit, eliminating monitoring at four golf courses and reduced monitoring at the combined Embassy Hills RRIB system. Sampling for these wells is now quarterly. Total savings is estimated to be $8,600 in analytical costs and 120 man-hours annually.

Boyette Reservoir Environmental Resource Permit Dewatering Conditions Reducing monitoring requirements or deferring permit renewals through longer permit issuance times are not the only ways to value-engineer a regulatory obligation. One often overlooked area is working to reduce or eliminate project permitting conditions that adversely affect construction prices.

An example of this is the Boyette Reservoir Environmental Resource Permit (ERP).

The Boyette Reservoir is an 82-acre, 500 mil gal (MG) earthen embankment reclaimed water reservoir being constructed on the site of a former borrow pit. It is estimated that the on-site excavated areas hold about 100 MG of water; this is in addition to any stormwater that may be collected in the reservoir footprint during the 18-month construction period. All of the material for the earthen embankment is to come from the site.

When originally issued, the construction permit required that water in the on-site ponds and any stormwater collected had to be managed on-site or diverted to the Pasco County Wastewater Collection System. However, the additional water from these ponds and storms could not be handled by their effluent disposal system, which left the only viable option as on-site management. This is difficult for a contractor in any situation; however, as the on-site soils are the embankment construction materials, this requirement would dramatically increase construction costs. Dry soil is easier and less expensive to work with than wet soil; staging the soil to dewater it before use is double handling. Other options, including the construction of tempo-

rary coffer dams and on-site pumping, would add to the cost.

Pasco County asked FDEP to revisit this permit condition.

During the initial permit issuance, FDEP included this condition because it was assumed that the water captured within the borrow pits was contaminated with copper from legacy orange groves, based upon a single sampling event done six years earlier. During the modification process, an opportunity to present a comprehensive clean-metals sampling plan was proposed so that the County could gather data to more accurately determine the level of contamination in the ponds. The FDEP agreed to consider a comprehensive sampling plan that included sampling various locations across the footprint of the borrow pits, and subsequently approved the submitted plan. Samples were taken and the analysis showed that copper was found to be nonFIGURE 4. Boyette Dewatering Flow Path detectable across the footprint of the borrow pit. Subsequent to this, FDEP agreed to modify the permit con- placed with new material. The additional time dition to allow for off-site dewatering. While and efforts required to prepare the wet subthe on-site ponds were limited in that they grade to specified requirements are not necescould not be drained completely due to sedi- sary, streamlining the reservoir construction. ment and turbidity concerns, they were able to Conclusion be drained below the reservoir’s designed bottom elevation of 114-ft National Geodetic VerTaking an innovative approach to value tical Datum (NGVD), which will allow for the engineering, Pasco County comprehensively majority of soils onsite to be dewatered. The reviewed its regulatory requirements to deterdewatering pathway is shown in Figure 4. mine what activities could be decreased or In-house estimating showed that when eliminated to provide ongoing savings to the off-site dewatering was allowed, the soil hanutility. As a result, the County has successfully dling costs came down about 30 percent, or reduced the workload and fees associated with $4.1 million. This is a significant cost savings, maintaining the required permits for all three which was realized for the cost of a few meetsystems. To realize these savings, Pasco ings with the FDEP and some on-site sampling.

County has reviewed its permits, sampling reThis shows the value of performing a quirements and proposed consolidations, reconstructability review by a team familiar with ductions in monitoring, extension of permit building the type of construction present on a terms, and permit modifications to maintain project. compliance and lessen the overall cost of the During construction, the contractor took regulatory requirements. advantage of the dewatering flexibility and was In addition, the County recognized that able to dewater the site to a greater degree than permit conditions can limit contractor means anticipated. This eliminated much of the anand methods, thereby driving up bid prices for ticipated “wet construction” of the embankcapital infrastructure projects. In the example ment within areas that were unable to be of the Boyette Reservoir, one construction perdried. Because of the contractor’s innovative mit condition had the potential to affect bid methods in this area, the County’s cost was prices. The County worked with FDEP to nelowered even more by minimizing the amount gotiate a more favorable permit condition to of subgrade soils that would have to be reultimately result in lower bid prices and easier moved and either dried and replaced, or reconstruction overall.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

23

C FACTOR

It’s That Time of Year— Is Your Hurricane Emergency Plan Ready?

Jeff Poteet President, FWPCOA t’s time for our fowl friends to fly back to the Great White North.

Utility staff will be taking systems offline as the seasonal flows diminish. This downtime allows us the opportunity to work on these systems to get them ready for when the flocks return.

At the same time, we need to prepare our facilities for another time of year—hurricane season! Hopefully, we will not be hit by a major storm; however, we must be ready and prepared for the worst.

This is the time to plan in an effort to protect the communities that we serve. Water and sewer professionals are considered “essential personnel” in times of emergency. Many of us are required to work prior to, during, and after storm events. Therefore, it is important that all employees have personal training in their company’s hurricane emergency plan.

This plan will help each family in your community be prepared in the event it is hit this hurricane season. The plan will also give those essential employees some relief of the worries for their family members’ safety during these emergency situations. And don’t forget about your pets—a common element that seems to get neglected from many plans.

For ideas and help setting up (or updating) your hurricane plan there is an abundance of information that can be accessed on the web; a simple browser search will deliver a wealth of information on the subject.

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Leader and Award Recognition Over the next six months FWPCOA will be recognizing some of our leaders who have helped enhance the association and the industry as a whole. This magazine will publish an article about those people chosen. If you know someone worthy of this recognition please send me their name and a brief description about why you feel they are deserving of this acknowledgement at president@fwpcoa.org.

Our Awards Committee chair Renee Moticker reported that nominations for this year’s Florida Water Resources Conference

awards program did not have as many nominations as she would have liked. Please start thinking about nominees for the awards to be presented at the August 2014 short school and next year’s conference. All award nominations should be sent to Renee as soon as possible.

There are a lot of well deserving individuals (and organizations) in all 13 of our regions who deserve to be recognized for the things that they do.

Short School Success The March board of directors meeting was held at the Indian River State College located in Ft. Pierce, which was the same location as our annual Spring State Short School.

The short school had the largest attendance we have seen in several years. A huge thank you goes out to Shirley Reaves, Jim Smith, and the entire education team that helped the event to be the success that it was.

Whenever you have a large event like one of our schools, there is always some type of drama that happens; this short school was no different in that aspect. Due to a family emergency one of our instructors could not make the school and we had to find a replacement instructor on short notice. Renee Moticker stepped up to the plate and filled in. It’s members like Renee who make our association the outstanding organization that it is. Thank you Renee for your efforts and continued support!

Examination Notification On March 14 the Operator Certification Program (OCP) of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) sent out an email to currently licensed water distribution system operators requesting help with validating questions for the state’s water distribution system operator examinations. A copy of the notification email can be found at www.fwpcoa.org.

The main objective of this project is to have licensed operators take a pilot distribution system operator exam composed of newly developed examination questions. Following the completion of each examination, all answer sheets will be scored and the data will be used to validate each question. Ultimately, a decision will be made whether to keep, revise,

24 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

or delete each particular “trial” question.

Please note: If you participate in taking one of the pilot examinations be aware that, by taking the exam, you will not receive a grade notice, nor will the examination be used for the purpose of obtaining a license.

The OCP has updated the formulas/conversion factor formula sheets that are provided whenever an exam is taken. The formulas are arranged by category, making it much easier in selecting the correct formulas to perform a calculation. Math formula “pie wheels” have been added for ease of formula calculating. The new sheets are available on the OCP web link.

The Association of Boards of Certification (ABC) has also updated its formula/conversion factor sheets. Their new formula sheets can be found at www.abc.org.

To show its appreciation for your time and assistance, the OCP will be awarding 0.5 continuing education units (CEUs) to those who participate in this project. These pilot paper-and-pencil examinations will only be administered in the FDEP office in Tallahassee on May 7 and 8, with both a morning and afternoon session each day. Session times will be from 8:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m., EDT, on both days.

A form was provided with the email notice to be completed by those interested in participating in this project. The form is also on our FWPCOA website, and the completed form should be faxed to the OCP office at 850-2458410. For additional information regarding this project, please contact Dana or Marie at 850-2457500. The OCP notified approximately 2,000 licensed distribution system operators in the hope that at least 200 operators would participate.

It is our association’s request that if you are a license water distribution system operator and received this request from FDEP that you assist in the validation process. The Distribution Systems Exam Review Committee will convene in Tallahassee on May 20 to review the pilot exam results.

In closing, I would like to recognize Ray Bordner for his contributions to this column.

Ray provided the OCP information and it is very much appreciated!

Our next board meeting will be in the Region IV area in St. Petersburg on June 7. I hope to see you there!

FWEA COMMITTEE CORNER Welcome to the FWEA Committee Corner! The Member Relations Committee of the Florida Water Environment Association hosts this article to celebrate the success of recent association committee activities and inform members of upcoming events. To have information included for your committee, send details to Suzanne Melcher at MelcherSE@cdm.com.

Suzanne Mechler

Air Quality Committee Supports Biennial WEF Specialty Conference

By Larry Hickey he FWEA Air Quality Committee traditionally holds an annual Odor Control Workshop during the first part of the year. In 2014, the committee has an opportunity to set aside its usual plans and support the efforts of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) Air Quality and Odor Control Committee and its biennial Odors and Air Pollutants Specialty Conference being held May 31-June 3 in Miami.

The conference will offer technical sessions encompassing all aspects of odor is-

T

sues including initial assessment, analysis and testing, design considerations, treatment options, capital cost comparisons, operation and maintenance comparisons, performance testing, and ownership consideration.

This event educates practitioners, facility owners and operators, researchers, and public administrators about current odor issues, regulatory requirements, and methods for analyzing problems and finding solutions.

The conference, which will include exhibits, will be held at the Hyatt Regency

Miami. For further information and to register, go to the WEF website at www.wef.org.

The committee encourages Florida’s professional engineering community, leaders from local municipalities, and other interested water and wastewater personnel to support and attend this exciting conference.

Larry Hickey is president of Equipment Plus Solutions Inc. in Ocala.

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26 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

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FSAWWA SPEAKING OUT

The Sky’s the Limit!

Carl R. Larrabee Jr. Chair, FSAWWA

’m starting out this month with a question; actually, a set of questions. Make sure you’re well rested, well hydrated, and have a good blood sugar level before you start. If this is just a little too heavy for you, flip the page and come back later. My intention isn’t to make you feel bad or make you wish you were someone else. My intention is to get you to think; to question who you are and how you’re doing.

Ready? Here you go.

Are you using all of your talents and abilities? Do you know what they are? If you’re working, does your supervisor know what your talents and abilities are? Is your supervisor enabling you to use some or all of those talents and abilities?

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Look around you. No two people are alike. Even twins who look identical generally pursue entirely different interests. One common thing you’ll find among all people is that we have our own set of talents and abilities that are uniquely our own. They go with our unique appearance.

Years ago, I spoke at a Career Day held at a middle school in Melbourne. Being in the water and wastewater field like most of you, I chose to bring some samples of water as props. They were in tightly sealed, clear mason jars, thoroughly cleaned on the outside. The three labeled jars contained samples of drinking water, reclaimed water, and raw sewage. I had volunteers hold the jars up for everyone to get a good look at the contents.

Before I spoke about what was in the jars and the treatment methods used to make drinking water and turn raw sewage into reclaimed water, I made a statement to the audience. I told these eighth graders that each of them was created with certain talents and abilities and the interests that they have will mirror them. I said they should find out what they are and pursue them in earnest.

Study them. Ask questions about them. Seek out others with the same interests. Enjoy the subject matter with their peers.

We’ve all heard the quote, “Find something you love to do, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” That particular quote is attributed to Confucius. There are many other variations of it spoken over the years. I think it’s great advice.

I’m going to offer another variation, but with an added wrinkle: “Whatever you are doing in life, learn to love it!” If you have a steady job that you’re well equipped to do, why not love what you do? Enjoy the work.

Enjoy your co-workers. Enjoy producing the goods or services that your employer provides. Enjoy knowing that your customers are well served, more so because you’re a part of the team that serves them. Look for opportunities to do your job even better. Encourage or assist your co-workers to help them do their jobs better.

Are words of encouragement and praise given to you periodically? Everyone loves to hear such words. Turning that around a bit, do you speak words of encouragement and praise to others in your workforce? Your coworkers, and even your supervisor, would likely benefit greatly from some positive

28 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

words coming from you. (Caution: If this isn’t your normal modus operandi, make sure certain subjects are in a secure sitting position before commencing delivery!)

Back to our eighth graders. I told them where the water first comes from, what treatment is done to it, and how it travels to their homes. After customers are finished using it, additional treatment is required before disposal or use for the second time as reclaimed water. The young lady holding the raw sewage jar was just a bit squeamish holding a clear container of “disgusting” water. However, at the conclusion of the presentation, all of the students were very impressed that, with proper treatment, it could look as good as the drinking water.

A great deal of talent is needed to first make drinking water and then to treat sewage to near drinking water standards.

Those of us in the water and wastewater industry have and use those talents, making sure those services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But we shouldn’t “rest on our laurels.” Strive to learn something new each day or teach a co-worker something new each day. Like any subject, the more you know, the more you know you don’t know.

Read. Actively participate in training classes.

Volunteer to teach a training class. Join a professional association. Tour other treatment facilities. Lead tours of your facility.

Apply for awards. Lead a brainstorming session to tackle an ongoing problem at work.

Champion your ideas. Become a member of an association committee (and chair the committee). Achieve higher licensing. Plan a career path for yourself with your supervisor. Establish goals. Present a paper at a conference. Write an article for this magazine!

I would venture to guess that you don’t fully know how wonderfully made you really are and the potential you have for doing some pretty neat things. . . yet. If you’re still breathing, you aren’t at the finish line, so take the next step. Start today. Set out on a course to use all of your talents and abilities in ways you haven’t started dreaming of— until now!

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F W R J

A Manager’s Paradigm: Too Much Water and Limited Water Supplies Frederick Bloetscher, Nadia Locke, Trent VanAllen, and Albert Muniz n the future, the coastal and low-lying areas of Florida will be flush with water due to sea-level rise and increased storm intensity. Stormwater utility managers are looking for a solution to deal with increased flooding frequency. Water supply managers are looking for reliable water supply solutions. The traditional barriers, or “silos,” among water, wastewater, and stormwater entities may prevent the potential for a unique solution to address both issues concurrently: infiltration galleries as stormwater control tools. Infiltration galleries will reduce groundwater levels, which make soil capacity

I

to absorb an increase in rainfall, and flooding will decrease. The systems will run continuously, which sounds like a water supply solution.

Much work on the exact mathematics of recovery and treatment needs should be undertaken. This article presents a concept where horizontal wells are used for both flood protection and water supplies. This solution has the potential to help protect many low-lying areas and island communities from flooding damage by reduce flood risks. At the same time, it may capture water to treat for water supplies.

Figure 1a. This shows the results of the bathtub model (current condition), while 1b-d show soil storage capacity under the current condition.

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Frederick Bloetscher, Ph.D., P.E., DWRE, is associate professor at Florida Atlantic University. Nadia Locke, P.E., is an associate, and Trent VanAllen, E.I., is a staff engineer at E Sciences Inc. Albert Muniz, P.E., is vice president at Hazen and Sawyer, PC.

Climate Change Factors There has been significant discussion about the potential impacts of climate change on the world. Climate change is expected to

Figure 2a. This shows the bathtub results model (current condition), while 2b-d show soil storage capacity with 1-ft sealevel rise.

cause more intense rainfall events, such as more severe thunderstorms and tropical cyclones (IPCC, 2007; Karl, et al, USCCSP, & NOAA, 2009), including in Florida, which may overwhelm its current stormwater infrastructure. In addition, along the coast, the climate issue that is most likely to create significant risk is sea-level rise due to topography. Florida often is water-supply-limited as low elevation and topography limits the ability to store excess precipitation for use during the anticipated extreme dry periods. Extremes in weather phenomena and occasional flooding are not new to Florida.

The challenge for water managers in the state, especially in southeast Florida, is to control the groundwater table, because control of the water table is essential to prevent flooding of the low terrain. The highly engineered stormwater drainage system of canals and control structures has effectively enabled management of water tables and saltwater intrusion.

The advent of sea-level rise will present new challenges, because the water table is currently

maintained at the highest possible levels to counter saltwater intrusion, while limiting flood risk in southeast Florida’s low-lying terrain and providing for water supplies (Bloetscher, 2008). However as the sea rises, flooding is more likely to occur, disrupting the balance struck between flood risk and water supply availability. But, flooding is more likely to occur as sea levels rise.

Currently, during periods of excessive rainfall or in anticipation of major rainstorms or hurricane landfall, levels in the canals and the water table are lowered to increase stormwater storage capacity in the soil. The effect of sea-level rise on groundwater and surface water flow through the canals to the ocean is estimated as follows: Assuming that the current average differential head is 2 ft at the coastal flood control structures, sea-level rise of 0.5 ft would reduce the hydraulic head differential by about 25 percent; 1 ft of sea-level rise would reduce the head differential by about 50 percent. According to Darcy’s Law, flow through an aquifer is proportional to the

Figure3a. This shows the bathtub results model (current condition), while 3b-d show soil storage capacity with 2-ft sea-level rise.

pressure or head differential. Groundwater flow would be reduced and surface water discharge through the canals and structures would have to make up the difference. Sealevel rise of 1 ft would result in about a 5 percent increase in the canal discharge rates from 53.9 to 56.5 bil gal per year per 100 sq mi (Heimlich, 2009). As sea level approaches the level of the water table, groundwater seepage would approach zero and could even reverse when the sea level rises above the water table (Todd & Mays, 2008). This will increase the burden on the canals and coastal control structures. At the same time, the capacity of the coastal control structures will be reduced by sea-level rise.

Current hydrologic modeling of the effect of sea-level rise to date has assumed that the water table would be held constant at current levels to protect current development by active management of the flood control system. This strategy may encourage significant migration of saltwater inland. Furthermore, most flood risk Continued on page 32

Figure 4. This shows the 3-ft sea-level rise vulnerability using soil storage capacity.

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Continued from page 31 models assume that the aquifer is flat (bathtub model), and/or exists at mean sea level (as opposed to mean high tide), neither of which is true. To address these shortcomings, the bathtub model must be adjusted for the groundwater surface to determine the potential vulnerability of infrastructure and land areas due to sea-level rise. The protocol was applied to Miami-Dade and Broward counties because of their high level of preconceived vulnerability due to having a low-elevation ground surface.

Analysis on Miami Beach indicated mean high tide was the appropriate planning water level.

Methodology A map of vulnerable areas using the bathtub approach is shown in Figure 1a. The results reflecting the groundwater surface elevation methodology is shown in Figures 1b-

d. When comparing the results of the bathtub model to the groundwater-enhanced model, no significant difference is noticed for the model in the month of April. The results make sense in that, when the water table is low, the effects of the groundwater surface do not exhibit an influence on infrastructure vulnerability. When viewing the current time period maps in Figure 1, the influence of the groundwater table between the different seasonal groundwater surface elevations can be seen.

The results for the 1-ft-influenced bathtub were created by changing the symbology within ArcGIS. The results of the 1-ftbathtub model reflect less vulnerability than either of the current condition models showed for the high-level month of October. One ft of sea-level rise using the soil storage capacity method is shown in Figure 1 a-d; Figure 2 shows the bathtub model with 2-ft rise results.

The results for the adjusted bathtub model

show greater vulnerability compared to the bathtub model as shown in Figure 1, notably in the southwestern region. Finally, Figure 4a reflects the 3-ft rise expected around 2100.

Modeling performed at Florida Atlantic University indicates that the groundwater table is not flat, and that western areas may flood more quickly than current projections.

Rising water tables will lead to greater risk of flooding. The results for the adjusted bathtub further increase the amount of vulnerability given the 3 ft of sea-level rise, as shown in Figure 4 b-d. The comparison results of the bathtub model verses using the soil storage capacity indicate high areas of unrealized vulnerability. The results, considering the October 50th-percentile groundwater table surface elevation, produced different results, indicating vulnerability in the western region, as shown in Figure 5. In particular, the western portion of the study region has a higher predicted vulnerability to sea-level rise than the bathtub model predicts. The results further illustrate that sea-level rise vulnerability is not just a coastal feature for the study region in that the inundation is shown to move from inland areas towards the eastern coast of Florida.

The results indicate that the inclusion of the groundwater table into the calculations of vulnerable infrastructure due to sea-level rise will have a significant impact on the results. A summation of potential inundation for the different models is given in Table 1. The area calculations were created by multiplying the number of cells inundated by the area of the cells to determine the inundation areas; adjusting the model for groundwater conditions creates a different result. A table of the results in terms of percent increase between the base bathtub model prediction and each of the different groundwater applied methods are given in Table 2 (Romah and Bloetscher 2013).

Miami Beach Application Figure 5. Broward County all-roads bathtub and groundwater-adjusted model results.

Table 1. Inundation results prediction

32 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Florida Atlantic University partnered with E Sciences Inc. to monitor existing monContinued on page 34

Table 2. Bathtub model increases percent increase from bathtub model

Figure 6. Locations of monitoring wells.

Figure 7. Tides from Oct. 1, 2012 to Oct. 31, 2013. Note the highest three-day total is 2 ft. Normal low-water table tide three-day events are above 1 ft.

34 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Continued from page 32 itoring well stations throughout the City of Miami Beach. Six existing well locations were selected to conduct continuous groundwater elevation monitoring, as shown in Figure 6.

An attempt was made to select appropriate locations based upon the proximity of wells to the coast, to each other, and spatially, and the hydrogeologic/hydrologic characteristics of their locations. Data loggers that collect water depth were placed in each of the monitoring stations in October 2012; salinity was also measured at two of the stations. Rainfall data was provided by the City. The data was collected for a period of 12 months (October 2012 through October 2013). The results of the data have been compared with data collected and reported by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other agencies. The data was downloaded monthly.

Figure 7 shows the sea level over the course of the investigation collected from NOAA. The sea level rises and falls every six hours, but also rises and falls given the proximity of the moon to the Earth. In the spring, the moon is farther away and provides a smaller pull on the tides; the reverse is true in the fall, resulting in a high, high tide. Coinciding with the end of the wet season makes the situation worse. The graph shows that the three-day average high, high tide for Miami Beach was 2 ft. What this suggests is that any portion of the island that is less than 2 ft, North American Vertical Datum 88 (NAV88), or 2ft above average sea level, will be inundated.

Figures 8-12 show the results of the six monitoring sites. The figures indicate that the groundwater levels at five of the six sites varied with the tides: The Miami Beach Police Station site shows that the groundwater level basically matched the high tide, but fluctuated 0.5 ft downward as tides went out (Figure 8).

The irrigated Normandy Beach Golf Course site shows that, for the first six months, the groundwater level fluctuated between 0.5 and 1 ft with tides, but while irrigating, remained 0.5 feet above high tide.

In October, the end of the rainy season, the tides and groundwater levels matched (Figure 9).

The Miami Beach Marina site shows that the groundwater level fluctuated 0.3 ft with the tidal cycle, with the peaks at or within 0.5 ft of high tide (Figure 10).

The Miami Beach Golf Club site was also irrigated. Groundwater levels remained at or above high tide for the majority of the

time. The tidal fluctuations were 0.1 ft, meaning the soils are far less transmissive than some other sites (Figure 11).

From November 2012 to March 2013, the convention center site groundwater levels varied at about 0.5 times the tidal amount, the most for any site. However, the high groundwater levels fluctuated with tides, but were about 1 ft above the tidal elevations (Figure 12).

Because the groundwater varies with tides, rainfall exacerbates the tidal influent.

During the wet season, the groundwater levels are higher than the dry season, while the levels come together when rainfall is absent. Hence, stormwater flooding is exacerbated in the wet season, so predicting where water flooding will occur can be determined by looking at the light detection and ranging (LiDAR) topography and groundwater levels on Miami Beach.

Salinity at Miami Beach showed somewhat of an inverse relationship with groundwater, but the results are less clear than might be expected (Figure 13).

In conjunction with water levels, a goal was to develop a means to help identify areas of potential short- and long-term flooding. To accomplish this task, a geographic information system (GIS) layer was created for topography and surface-water levels from high-quality LiDAR data. Previous approaches to modeling inundation from simulated sea-level rise have been limited by coarse-resolution elevation datasets (surveys, field spot elevations, and U.S. Geological Survey maps). However, the geospatial data user community has recognized the usefulness of LiDAR as a means to provide the highly detailed and accurate topographic data needed for sea-level-rise projections, which has increased interest in developing a national LiDAR database. Lowresolution LiDAR is available in many areas, but the coarse vertical definition (+/- 2 ft) is not useful for coastal areas where inches matter.

High-resolution elevation data are needed for investigating the influence of topographic complexity on landscape processes, including drainage canals and levees. Due to the narrow and compact organization of drainage channels, such improvements may be detectable in raster elevation datasets at less than high resolution. However, while higher-resolution elevation data represent a significant advance for modeling sea-level rise impacts, there can be a large variability in inundation estimates (Romah, 2012).

The LiDAR data format used was the American Standard Code for Information In-

Figure 8. The Miami Beach Police Station site shows that the groundwater level basically matched the high tide, but fluctuated 0.5 ft downward as tides went out.

Figure 9. The Normandy Shores Golf Course site is artificially irrigated. This site shows that for the first six months of monitoring, the groundwater level fluctuated between 0.5 and 1 ft with tides, but while irrigating, remained 0.5 ft above high tide. In October, the end of the rainy season, the tides and groundwater levels correspond.

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Figure 10. The Miami Beach Marina site shows that the groundwater level fluctuated 0.3 ft with the tidal cycle, with the peaks at or within 0.5 ft of high tide.

Continued from page 35 terchange (ASCII). This data format is easily handled by ArcGIS software. The ASCII format is comprised of the raw LAS LiDAR datatype format, translated into a geographically referenced X, Y, and Z global coordinate plane system. Of the different topographical data repository sources, NOAA offered the data natively in ASCII format, and it has LIDAR that allow use of 3 x 3-ft LiDAR pixels with 7 in. of vertical accuracy for the City.

Using the NOAA data, a digital elevation model (DEM) sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the optimal-size resolution for use on the project. Though the native 3-ft resolution would bring the best results, the high resolution created issues in data management in calculating model results and rendering the data results. The DEM data points were resampled from the native 3-ft resolution into different cell-size resolution using different resampling techniques in the ArcGIS resample toolset. The three methods of resampling considered were using nearest-neighbor, bilinear, and cubic methods. The nearest-neighbor method works by determining an average value using a rectangular neighborhood grid (Romah and Bloetscher 2013). Mapping the City with LiDAR and topographic maps verified that the mapping could identify flooding areas (see Figure 14).

Meeting the Stormwater Challenge

Figure 11. The Miami Beach Golf Club site was also irrigated. Groundwater levels remained at or above high tide for the majority of the time. The tidal fluctuations were 0.1 ft, meaning the soils are far less transmissive than some other sites.

The challenge in low-lying areas with increasing rainfall intensity and sea-level rise will be too much water, not too little. The balance between water supply and flood protection will be adjusted by a natural force that pays little mind to human demands. The production and delivery of drinking water, protection from flood waters, and the treatment of wastewater are recognized as vital functions of society. As a result, it falls on governments, leaders, and water industry managers to develop longterm strategies to sustain long-term economic viability and public health, despite competing interests. Securing reliable water supplies for future generations and protecting land from flooding areas are important factors in the face of changes in climatic patterns.

However, water supplies can become more reliable and sustainable through a comprehensive approach to water planning, which includes using alternative water sources and planning future infrastructure needs with long-term trends in mind. In keeping with these categories of protection and adaptation, as defined by Deyle et al (2007), the question is whether infrastructure can serve multiple Continued on page 38

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FWPCOA TRAINING CALENDAR SCHEDULE YOUR CLASS TODAY! MAY 6 ......Backflow Recert ....................................Lady Lake ..........$85/115 5-9 ......Wastewater Collection C, B ................Deltona ..............$325/355 12-15 ......Backflow Tester ....................................St. Petersburg ....$375/405 19-21 ......Backflow Repair ....................................Deltona ..............$275/305 23 ......Backflow Tester Recert*** ....................Deltona ..............$85/115

JUNE 2-5 ......Backflow Tester ....................................Deltona ..............$375/405 9-13 ......Water Distribution Level 3, 2 ..............Deltona ..............$275/305 23-26 ......Backflow Tester ....................................St. Petersburg ....$375/405 27 ......Backflow Tester Recert*** ....................Deltona ..............$85/115

JULY 8 ......Backflow Recert ....................................Lady Lake ..........$85/115 7-11 ......Stormwater A ........................................Deltona ..............$275/305 7-11 ......Water Distribution Level 1 ..................Deltona ..............$275/305 7-11 ......Wastewater Collection A......................Deltona ..............$275/305 14-16 ......Backflow Repair ....................................Deltona ..............$275/305 14-16 ......Backflow Repair ....................................St. Petersburg ....$275/305 25 ......Backflow Tester Recert*** ....................Deltona ..............$85/115 Course registration forms are available at http://www.fwpcoa.org/forms.asp. For additional information on these courses or other training programs offered by the FWPCOA, please contact the FW&PCOA Training Office at (321) 383-9690 or training@fwpcoa.org. * Backflow recertification is also available the last day of Backflow Tester or Backflow Repair Classes with the exception of Deltona ** Evening classes

You are required to have your own calculator at state short schools and most other courses.

*** any retest given also Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

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Figure 12. From November 2012 to March 2013, the convention center site groundwater levels varied at about 0.5 times the tidal amount, the most for any site.

However, the high groundwater levels fluctuated with tides, but were about 1 ft above the tidal elevations.

Continued from page 36 purposes; from a stormwater/water supply perspective, the answer can be yes. Because of the potential for saltwater intrusion and the uncertainty of sea-level rise, coastal water supply wells will likely be threatened further. Because the alternatives for new water supplies are limited (mostly saltwater sources), a small utility can be confronted by significant costs to build new water treatment facilities. However, many of those same communities will be dealing with increased flooding frequency because groundwater levels have consumed the soil storage capacity. Most of these communities are familiar with exfiltration trenches for drainage purposes, but as groundwater levels rise, these will cease to exfiltrate; they will infiltrate.

The use of horizontal well technology to reduce groundwater levels along streets and in neighborhoods would appear to be a solution to stormwater that could be a potential water supply option. Horizontal wells are used in conjunction with riverbank filtration and on island communities where water is limited.

Horizontal wells have not been used in Florida because vertical wells have always been so productive. Horizontal wells could spread the cone of depression and minimize drawdowns to permit additional skimming of fresh water just below the surface where it can also increase soil capacity. Since these systems will run continuously, they make perfect water supplies.

Vertical well modeling and mathematics are related to the thickness, head, and transmissivity of the aquifer. The thickness is not relevant to a horizontal well and the head is constant over the entire well screen. Horizontal wells must be screened, but can be much shallower than vertical wells as a result. Larger contact with the aquifer is also provided with a horizontal well. Figure 15 shows how vertical wells capture water. The horizontal well withdraws uniformly from the groundwater surface, and as a result, the pumpage/capture can be matched to the seepage rate. No preferential flow paths result.

The production form, a horizontal well, is related to screen length, grain size of the sand, transmissivity of the sand, head, open space in the screen, and other factors. A test program would need to be pursued to determine the wells specific capacity. Once these values are known, the length of a horizontal well is easily calculated and long-term development of additional horizontal wells is easily accomplished.

Theory Behind Horizontal Wells Figure 13. Salinity at Miami Beach showed somewhat of an inverse relationship with groundwater, but the results are less clear than might be expected.

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Much of south Florida is familiar with exfiltration trenches for stormwater, but horiContinued on page 40

Equation 1. Equations to solve for yield.

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Continued from page 38 zontal wells employ the reverse concept. As opposed to exfiltrating water, horizontal wells have screened sections that can be positioned parallel to the static water table to permit the groundwater to infiltrate into the pipe. There are several advantages to horizontal wells: more even flow to the well screen; more uniform proximity to the formation; and longer well screens, which permit horizontal wells to have a larger contact zone to the aquifer (Zhan, 2002).

Analytical solutions for the drawdown from a vertical well (in two dimensions) are readily understood equations, dependent on Darcy’s Law. Likewise, numerical solutions for groundwater flow were developed nearly 40 years ago, with a modular flow model (MODFLOW) being the most common base model.

However, the solution for horizontal wells is more challenging. Hantush and Papadopolus (1962) suggested an analytical solution in their collector-well paper. This solution assumed an aquifer of uniform hydraulic properties, a small radius of collector wells when compared to the aquifer thickness, and a small caisson diameter when compared to the length of the collector lateral. They developed a series of equations to solve for yield (Equation 1).

despite the fact that precipitation patterns vary naturally from year to year, and over decades.

There is strong evidence that global climate change is having an impact upon the world’s water resources, which may exacerbate current trends. As a result, flooding from intense rains will increase with time, especially in urban areas with altered surface conditions.

Stormwater utility managers are seeking a solution to manage increased flooding frequency observed by residents. Water supply utility managers are looking for reliable water supply solutions. The traditional barrier between utilities may prevent the potential for a unique solution to address both issues concurrently: infiltration galleries as stormwater control tools. Infiltration galleries will reduce groundwater levels, which increases a soil’s capacity to absorb increased rainfall, and flooding will decrease. The systems will run continuously, creating a water supply solution.

Much work on the exact mathematics of recovery and treatment needs should be undertaken. A proposed protocol was included here and this solution has the potential to help many low-lying areas and island communities extend the life of their communities from flood damage by reducing flood risks. At the same time, they may capture water to treat for water supply.

Conclusions The hydrologic cycle is well understood in most areas, but it is currently changing. At the same time, rainfall intensity is changing,

References • Bloetscher, F. Berry, L, Jarice RodriguezSeda, Nicole Hernandez Hammer, Thomas

Figure 15.

Horizontal versus vertical well flow path.

40 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Romah, Dusan Jokovic and Barry Heimlich, 2013 Methodology for the Identification of Transportation Physical Infrastructure Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise (SLR), Journal of Infrastructure Systems, Vol. 5, No 12 (2012).

• Bloetscher, F. (2008), The Potential Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Recharge, Groundwater Protection Council Annual Forum Proceedings - Cincinnati, GWPC, Oklahoma City, Olka.

• Deyle, R.E.; Bailey, K.C.; and Matheny, A. (2007), Adaptive Response Planning to Sea Level Rise in Florida and Implications for Comprehensive and Public Facilities Planning, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla. • Hantush M.S. and Papadopulos, I.S., 1962.

Flow of ground water to collector wells. J. Hydraul. Div., Proc. Am. Soc. Civ. Engrs HY 5, pp. 221–244.

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - IPCC (2007) – Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis.

• Karl, T.R.; R. Thomas, J.M. Melillo, T.C. Peterson (Eds.), Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, U.S. Global Change Research Program, Cambridge University Press, 2009, available online at: http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/usimpacts/full-report.

• Kompani-Zare, M., Zhan, H., and Samani, N., Analytical study of capture zone to a horizontal well in a confined aquifer, Journal of Hydrology, 307.

• NOAA (2007), Observing Climate Variability and Change http://www.research.noaa.gov/climate/t_observing.html, accessed 3/24/2007.

• Romah, T. 2012. Advanced Methods in SeaLevel Rise Vulnerability Assessment, Master Thesis, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fla. • Romah, T., and Bloetscher, F. 2013 Tools For Assessing Sea Level Rise Vulnerability, Journal of Water and Climate.

• U.S. Climate Change Science Program (2008), “Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States” http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/s ap4-3/final-report/default.htm, accessed 8/8/08.

• Zhan, H (1999), Analytical study of capture time to a horizontal well, Journal of Hydrology, 217 pp. 46–54.

• Zhan H. and V.A. Zlotnik, Groundwater flow to horizontal or slanted wells in unconfined aquifers, Water Resour. Res. 38 (2002) (7), p.

1108.

Operators: Take the CEU Challenge!

Members of the Florida Water & Pollution Control Association (FWPCOA) may earn continuing education units through the CEU Challenge! Answer the questions published on this page, based on the technical articles in this month’s issue. Circle the letter of each correct answer. There is only one correct answer to each question! Answer 80 percent of the questions on any article correctly to earn 0.1 CEU for your license. Retests are available.

This month’s editorial theme is Operations and Utilities Management. Look above each set of questions to see if it is for water operators (DW), distribution system operators (DS), or wastewater operators (WW). Mail the completed page (or a photocopy) to: Florida Environmental Professionals Training, P.O. Box 33119, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420-3119. Enclose $15 for each set of questions you choose to answer (make checks payable to FWPCOA). You MUST be an FWPCOA member before you can submit your answers!

___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBER NAME (please print)

Article 1 ________________________________________ LICENSE NUMBER for Which CEUs Should Be Awarded

Article 2 ________________________________________ LICENSE NUMBER for Which CEUs Should Be Awarded

If paying by credit card, fax to (561) 625-4858 providing the following information: ___________________________________________ (Credit Card Number)

___________________________________________ (Expiration Date)

Money From Nothing: Value-Engineering Utility Regulatory Burden to Substantially Lower Costs Kerstin L. Kenty, Atef Hanna, Glenn A. Greer, and Rafael Vazquez-Burney (Article 1: CEU = 0.1 DW/DS/WW) 1. The original permit for construction of the Boyette Reservoir required onsite management of dewatering product because a. off-site surface water discharge would cause silting. b. discharge to sanitary sewer would hydraulically overload the system. c. preservation of wading bird habitat was required. d. copper concentration was thought to be elevated.

2. In which of the following areas is the projected 10-year savings produced by this program the greatest? a. Permit renewal b. Man-hours c. Construction cost d. Analytical cost 3. Because water supply sources utilized in the three named Pasco County Public Water Systems include ________ water, the combined system is considered a Subpart H system. a. ground b. surface c. saline d. reclaimed 4. After drinking water distribution systems were consolidated, _____________ sampling was reduced to 50 samples twice per year. a. bacteriological b. lead and copper c. remote chlorine residual d. disinfection byproduct 5. Six of Pasco County’s wastewater treatment plants were eligible for 10-year permits because effluent is a. 100 percent reused. b treated to high level disinfection standards. c. not discharged to surface water. d. demonstrated to have low nutrient concentration.

Earn CEUs by answering questions from previous Journal issues!

Contact FWPCOA at membership@fwpcoa.org or at 561-840-0340.

Articles from past issues can be viewed on the Journal website, www.fwrj.com.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

41

News Beat Seven Seas Water has been nominated for the Desalination Company of the Year Global Water Award.

In 2013, the company successfully executed three desalination projects in the Caribbean region, collectively providing more than 11 mgd of potable water capacity and helping to improves social and economic conditions: A 5.5-mgd seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination facility in Trinidad.

The plant, developed and constructed under a build-own agreement with the Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, provides fresh water to the resident of Point Fortin.

A 2.2-mgd SWRO facility in St. Croix.

A 3.3-mgd SWRO plant in St. Thomas.

These facilities replace costly thermal desalination units and now generate significant savings for the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and its customers.

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has released a tool to help water and wastewater utilities develop and implement ten key attributes for effective utility management.

“Performance Benchmarking for Effectively Managed Water Utilities” provides information to help utilities conduct assessments and strategically develop organizational attributes to meet specific management goals. The report builds on recommendations presented in “Effective Utility Management: A Primer for Water and Wastewater Utilities,” which was developed by American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, American Public Works Association, National Association of Water Companies, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Environment Federation, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The ten key attributes are: Product Quality Customer Satisfaction Employee and Leadership Development Operational Optimization Financial Viability Infrastructure Stability Operational Resilience Community Sustainability Water Resource Adequacy Stakeholder Understanding and Support “The Water Research Foundation recognized that water utilities were compelled to work toward more effective utility management, but could benefit from detailed guidance on the implementation of more

42 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

sustainable methods of operation,” said Robert Renner, executive director of WRF. “This resource provides utilities direction as to the important practice areas that can support effective management and gives a structured process to track performance.”

The resource includes an Excel-based tracking tool, user guide, and guidance document that can help utilities meet their management goals.

The Foundation worked with nearly 30, water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities of various sizes and in several locations in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It identified two major gaps that hampered efforts when utilities try to implement the ten attributes: an explicit identification of practice areas that utilities can use to support these efforts, and a structured process benchmarking exercise to guide the development and implementation of these attributes. _______________ Another WRF project is helping water utilities improve their understanding of monitoring and controlling biological filtration (BF).

The project, “A Monitoring and Control Toolbox for Biological Filtration,” culminated in a guidance manual that describes and evaluates current BF monitoring and control techniques.

An affordable and effective, but not commonly used, water treatment process, BF reduces multiple contaminants and increases the biological stability in distribution systems, while minimizing the production of waste streams and the formation of disinfection byproducts. Other water treatment techniques must first isolate and then remove contaminants, which results in waste and can be more costly and energy intensive.

Drinking water utilities in North America have historically underutilized BF because of the prevailing perception that it is more suitable for wastewater treatment. Water utilities that did utilize BF did so without the support of industry-accepted design, operations, and treatment guidelines, and with limited monitoring and control tools. The manual contains practical, innovative, and standard monitoring tools for utilities looking to boost the technological understanding and application of BF, and includes typical measurement ranges, recommended monitoring frequencies, and related costs.

More information about both items can be found at www.waterrf.org.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

43

New Products Welded steel aboveground storage tanks and standpipes from Fisher Tank Co. provide economical water storage solutions for cities and municipalities. Each tank is custom designed and fabricated to AWWA D-100 standards and is constructed on-site. Tanks can be designed to include aeration and mixing systems, ladders and handrails, exterior piping, and other appurtenances as required. Welded steel tanks offer flexibility in design, exterior painting options, and allow for future modifications. This turnkey tank solution provides decades of safe, reliable performance with minimal maintenance costs.

Go to www.fishertank.com for more information.

The AQUACOUNTER® Karl Fischer Volumetric Titrator (AQV-2200S) by JM Science is rugged, reliable, long lasting, and environmentally friendly, with small-volume titration cells requiring only 20 mL of titration solvent for accurate measurements.

The titrator is suited for a wide range of concentrations, from 100 ppm to 100 percent water content, with maximum capacity for automation and upgrades. Combining one addi-

tional station with either a volumetric of coulometric module allows two different measurements to be performed simultaneously. Users can add various peripherals, such as a second channel, and the system recognizes the new channels and begins working with them immediately.

Details can be found at www.jmscience.com.

The Solinst Canada Ltd. Model 102 Water Level Meters use narrow cable and segmented probes to measure water levels in tight spaces. The meters offer greater flexibility in angled piezometers and assist in bypassing down-hole restrictions or pumps when measuring drawdown. Each meter’s 0.375-in. P2 brass probe includes 10 segmented weights for use in greater depths. For narrow applications, the 0.25-in. P1 stainless steel probe with 12 segmented weights is available.

The meters are available in lengths to 1000 ft. The Model 102M Mini Water Level Meter comes with 80 ft. of cable on a small portable reel.

Visit www.solinst.com to learn more.

The SFT Phase Monitor II from Supercritical Fluid Technologies Inc. determines the solubility of various compounds and mixtures in supercritical and high-pressure fluids. The monitor provides direct visual observations of materials under conditions controlled by the researcher. Experiments may be performed in liquids, supercritical carbon dioxide, or other liquefied gases. The monitor also gives the user direct observation of the dissolution, precipitation, and crystallization of compounds over various pressures and temperatures.

Advanced studies may be done to determine melting point depressions and the degree of polymer swelling in supercritical fluids, carbon dioxide, or traditional solvents. Experiments can be performed at pressures up to 10,000 lb/in.2 and from tempertaures up to 150°C. Log onto www.supercriticalfluids.com for further details.

The Henry Pratt Co. Series 300 Plunger Valve is designed with a valve-actuator mechanism that provides nonlinear closure with precise surge resistance and controls ranges as high as 96 percent. The plunger’s O-ring seal, which is located outside the cavitations zone, and four hard-faced cylinder support guides work together to help minimize wear and provide the valve with a longer operational life span.

The valves input shaft features a dual inboard seal that helps protect the shaft and the shaft bore from corrosion.

Got to www.henrypratt.com for more information.

Badger Meter is expanding its E-Series Ultrasonic Meter offering with the addition of the new Cold Water Engineered Polymer Meters available in two initial sizes: 5/8 in. x ¾ in. x ¾ in.

Constructed with lead-free, engineered polymer housing and an engineered polymer and stainless steel metering insert, the cost-effective, corrosionresistant metering solution complies with current and upcoming lead-free regulations. It captures ultra-low-flow measurement and offers a high level of metering accuracy. When used in conjunction with advanced metering analytics solutions, the E-Series provides the ability to convey information that can detect leaks or other alarm conditions, a feature not typically available through traditional mechanical meters.

Details are available at www.badgermeter.com.

WaterSmart Software helps water utility residential customers save water with its

44 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

turnkey Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, which improves efficiency without expensive hardware upgrades.

By communicating household water use, comparing a household’s consumption to that of similar homes, and suggesting personalized recommendations om how to save water, the WaterSmart Home Water Reports and interactive WaterInsight Web Portal have proven to reduce water consumption by up to 5 percent in as little as six months.

Visit www.watersmartsoftware.com for additional information.

ResinTech Inc. is a supplier of ion exchange resins, specialty media, and activated carbon for the treatment of water and wastewater. A full line of products is offered for the removal of arsenic, nitrate, chromate, perchlorate, uranium, radium, boron, fluoride, and other groundwater contaminants. The MIST-X performance simulator provides ion breakthrough predictions, as well as capacity projections for any water treatment scenario.

More information is available at www.resintech.com.

assembled filtration components, and fully automated controls.

More information can be found at www.sjerhombus.com.

The Hach Co. RTC101 P-Module phosphorus control system is a turnkey solution providing real-time control of chemical dousing that helps to maintain consistent phosphorus levels in effluent waters. The system can be used for both open (feed-forward) and closed-loop (feedback) control of a chemical dose. The chemical feed pump is controlled continuously by a 4— 20-mA signal or a dry-contact relay, and both outputs can be used together.

See www.hach.com for more details.

The TrojanUVSigna™ from Trojan Technologies is designed for large-scale wastewater disinfection applications. The system will disinfect an average of 52 mgd of water, with a peak capacity of 150 mgd. Other features include system suitability, the lowest number of ultraviolet lamps, and ease of operation and maintenance.

Go to www.trojanuv.com for further information.

The InPro 5000i, available from MettlerToledo International Inc. is the latest in the intelligent sensor management family of sensors and transmitters. It is a fully sterilizable and autoclavable in-line carbon dioxide sensor. It provides a barrier against volatile organic acids to ensure errorless measurement. The diagnostic tools in the sensor constantly monitor its “health” to determine if it can be safely used for the next fermentation run. Electronic documentation capabilities provide full traceability of calibration and maintenance for regulatory compliance.

The signal between sensor and transmitter is digital and is unaffected by cable length, electrical interference, or moisture in the environment. The combination of design and technology makes the sensor ideally suited for continuous, real-time dissolved-carbon-dioxide measurement in biofermentation.

Other details can be found at www.mt.com.

The AG LF series membrane system from GE Water & Process Technologies is designed to purify hard-to-treat wastewater from inContinued on page 46

The OLCT 80 wireless field detector and transmitter from Oldham S.A.S. are designed to monitor oxygen and combustible, toxic, and refrigerant gases in remote locations. The model reduces installation costs by eliminating cabling and wiring. Up to 49 of the devices, each of which has three built-in relays and a maximum line-of-sight range of 3 km, can be linked via a secure network.

Other features include an infrared remote controller and onboard display for nonintrusive, one-person calibration; flameproof or intrinsicsafety sensors; a design suitable for explosive areas; low power requirements; universally accepted frequency of 2.4 GHz/900MHz; and flexible input/output options, including analog, Tor, and Modbus RS-485.

Go to www.oldhamgas.com to find out more.

The Engineered Filtration System from SJE Rhombus is designed to be fully automated and includes the option for remote reading. The system can be used in such applications as membrane bioreactors, wastewater polishing, industrial process wastewater treatment, prefiltration before reverse osmosis, groundwater treatment, landfill leachate treatment, oil- and gas-produced water treatment, and many other filtration applications. Other features of the system include ceramic flat-sheet membranes, preFlorida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

45

FWRJ READER PROFILE

Jon H. Meyer U.S. Water Services Corporation Work title and years of service.

I have been regional manager with the company for four years and have been in the water industry for 32 years.

Job description; what does your job entail?

My job includes the oversight of management, operation, and maintenance for over 130 water and wastewater systems from Key West to Sarasota. I am also involved in business development, including request-for-proposal (RFP) responses and presentations.

What education and training have you completed?

Fort Meade High School, diploma Florida Department of Environmental Protection Class A Water Plant Operators License Florida Department of Environmental Protection Class A Wastewater Plant Operators License Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association Class C

Continued from page 45 dustrial processes. The system features a lowfouling reverse-osmosis membrane that resists degradation from water containing bacteria, colloids, and other materials that foul and shorten membrane element life.

The membranes require fewer cleaning cycles, compared to conventional brackish membranes, in such applications as steel production, power plants, and plating processes.

The new low-fouling membrane increases the time between cleanings up to 50 percent and features a coating technology that improves

Collection System Operator Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association Class III Distribution System Operator Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator Certification Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association C Reuse System Operator Georgia Class I Wastewater Operators License Polk County Community College Michigan Management Correspondence Course Association of Boards of Certification Grade IV Wastewater Operator License (expired) Certification as part-time vocational instructor for the wastewater preparatory course Many management and operations seminars and programs Homeland security training What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy the daily challenge of customizing a coaching strategy to fit the team members and work situations. I attempt to get the members of my teams to strive for win-win outcomes in every situation.

What organizations do you belong to?

1998-1999: Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association secretary treasurer 1998: FWEA Steering Committee 1998-2000: Five technical discussions published in Operations Forum 2001: Wastewater Competition judge at WEFTEC 2000-2002: Operations Research Committee 2002-2004: FWPCOA Region VIII

cleaning cycles, reduces pressure, and reduces friction on the surface of the membrane, making it resistant to organic fouling.

Log onto www.gewater.com to find out more.

The ABB ACS 2000 active front-end medium-voltage drive for general purpose applications is designed with higher power capabilities up to 3000 hp. Developed with the latest drive technologies, the drive is ideal for general-purpose applications requiring a

46 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

director 2006-Present: WEF Municipal Wastewater Design Committee 2007- Present: WEF Wastewater Plant Operations and Maintenance Committee 2007-Present: WEF Air Emissions and Odor Control Committee 2008-Present: FWPCOA Region VIII director (again) 2013-Present: FWEA Wastewater Process Committee How have the organizations (FWPCOA, FSAWWA, or FWEA) helped your career?

I have benefited greatly by my involvement in the various organizations: knowledge sharing, networking, and having access to outstanding publication such as this magazine. I believe in the value of the organizations so much that I have encourage my son, Derek, who is a Class C wastewater treatment plant operator with the City of Fort Myers, to become involved so he can benefit as much as I have.

What do you like best about the industry?

From what I know, not too many industries have such a wide variety of vocations rolled up into one. These include electrical, instrumentation, biology, hydraulics, purchasing, public speaking, teaching, mentoring, coaching, customer service, design, engineering, reengineering, troubleshooting, and in some cases, absolute artistry.

What do you do when you’re not working?

I enjoy being with my family doing activities such as camping, going on cruises, and attending live music performances. We also enjoy sharing the Good News with people we meet.

medium-voltage installation, such as pumps, fans, blowers, and conveyors.

The water and wastewater industries can benefit from the drive’s compact, lightweight design. Other features include multilevel voltage source inverter topology; high-voltage insulated-gate bipolar transistor power; semiconductors; a direct-torque-control motor-control platform; and withdrawable phase modules, which give front access to all components for ease of maintenance.

See www.abb.com for more details.

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

47

Certification Boulevard Answer Key = 8.47 tons per day lime used Cost per day lime used = 8.47 tons per day x $175.00 per ton = $1,482.25 per day lime used Cost per year lime used = $1,482.25 per day x 365 days per year = $541,021 lime per year

From page 18 1. D) $14.39 per dry ton Formula: Total Cost of Polymer Used, $ ÷ Total Dry Tons of Sludge Processed, dtpd Cost of Polymer = 21 gpd x 8.34 lbs/gal x 1.02 S.G. = 178.64 lbs polymer used = 178.64 lbs polymer x $1.18 per lb polymer = $210.80 polymer used gpd Processed = 375 gpm x (24 x 60) = 540,000 gpd divided by 1,000,000 = 0.54 mgd Dry Tons Processed = 0.54 mgd x 6,500 mg/L x 8.34 lbs/gal = 29,373.4 lbs dry solids divided by 2,000 lbs/ton = 14.64 dry tons processed Total Cost of Polymer Used $210.80 ÷ Total Dry Tons of Sludge Processed 14.64 dtpd = $14.39 per dry ton processed

4. C) 51.33 percent Sludge Dry Weight = 16.5 dry tons per day (given in the data) Lime used per day = 8.47 tons per day … 16.5 dtpd sludge ÷ 0.185 x .095 lime dose by wet wt Lime Dosage by Dry Weight = 8.47 tpd lime divided by 16.5 dtpd sludge = 0.5133 x 100 = 51.33 percent lime dosage by dry weight

5. B). 1.1 mg/hr/gm TS SOUR, mg/hr/gm TS = OUR, mg/L/hr ÷ gm/L TS OUR, mg/L/hr = Start D.O. - End D.O. ÷ Test minutes x 60 mins/hr = 7.2 mg/L - 4.0 mg/L ÷ 10 mins x 60 mins/hr = 19.2 mg/L/hr gm/L TS = TS, mg/L ÷ 1,000 ml/L = 1.75% x 10,000 ÷ 1,000 = 17.5 gm/L TS SOUR, mg/hr/gm TS = OUR 19.2 mg/L/hr ÷ TS 17.5 gm/L = 1.097 mg/hr/gm TS

2. Yes, it is acceptable.

An acceptable cost of polymer used per dry ton (dt) processed in a GBT depends on the type of sludge, sludge volume index (SVI), and the age of the activated sludge process. Typically, with conventional or biological nutrient removal-activated sludge, acceptable polymer consumption in a properly operated GBT is anything less than about $15 per dt processed.

3. B) $541,021 Total wet tons of sludge per day = 16.5 dry tons divided by 0.185 (18.5 percent) (wtpd) = 89.19 wtpd Lime used per day = 89.19 wtpd sludge x 0.095 (9.5 percent)

6. A) Yes, it is acceptable.

48 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

The requirement in 62-640 for aerobically digested sludge to meet the Class B standards for vector

attraction reduction (VAR) using the SOUR method is to be no greater than 1.5 mg/hr/gm TS. However, there are a few caveats: 1) the sludge concentration must be no greater than 2.0 percent total solids, and 2) the sludge temperature should be stable at 20ºC.

7. A) To stabilize friction.

Greasing an anti-friction bearing stabilizes friction and improves the bearing's performance. Bearing lubricants form a microscopically smooth molecular bond that permanently adheres to the entire contact area. It also helps to fill in surface imperfections, pits, gaps and even helps to repairs some corrosion.

8. B) $586,372 per year Flow contribution from industrial users: Flow is 2.55 mgd; residential flow is 82 percent; industrial flow is 18 percent Industrial flow is 2.55 mgd x 0.18 = 0.459 mgd x 1,000,000 = 459,000 gpd Daily industrial user charge is 459,000 ÷ 1,000 x $3.50 per 1,000 gals = $1,606.50 per day Annual industrial user charge is $1,606.50 per day x 365 days per year = $586,372.50

9. B) They help to determine loading rates.

Loading rates are important to determine how close the facility may be getting to the original design loading values, and, loading rates cannot be accurately calculated without flow measurement devices (flow meters).

10. D) Enter without an attendant.

While following all permit-required confined space entry procedures, there must be a trained attendant available before entering the space—no exceptions to this rule!

ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Tank Engineering And Management Consultants, Inc.

Engineering • Inspection Aboveground Storage Tank Specialists Mulberry, Florida • Since 1983

863-354-9010 www.tankteam.com

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

49

ENGINEERING DIRECTORY

Fort Lauderdale 954.351.9256

Jacksonville 904.733.9119

Miami 305.443.6401

Orlando 407.423.0030

Gainseville 352.335.7991

Key West 305.294.1645

Navarro 850.939.8300

Tampa 813.874.0777 813.386.1990

West Palm Beach 561.904.7400

Naples 239.596.1715

Showcase Your Company in the Engineering or Equipment & Services Directory Contact Mike Delaney at 352-241-6006 ads@fwrj.com

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

50 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

Motor & Utility Services, LLC

Instrumentation,Controls Specialists Instrumentation Calibration Troubleshooting and Repair Services On-Site Water Meter Calibrations Preventive Maintenance Contracts Emergency and On Call Services Installation and System Start-up Lift Station Controls Service and Repair

Central Florida Controls,Inc. Florida Certified in water meter testing and repair P.O. Box 6121 • Ocala, FL 34432 Phone: 352-347-6075 • Fax: 352-347-0933

CEC Motor & Utility Services, LLC 1751 12th Street East Palmetto, FL. 34221 Phone - 941-845-1030 Fax – 941-845-1049 prademaker@cecmotoru.com • Motor & Pump Services Test Loaded up to 4000HP, 4160-Volts • Premier Distributor for Worldwide Hyundai Motors up to 35,000HP • Specialists in rebuilding motors, pumps, blowers, & drives • UL 508A Panel Shop, engineer/design/build/install/commission • Lift Station Rehabilitation Services, GC License # CGC1520078 • Predictive Maintenance Services, vibration, IR, oil sampling • Authorized Sales & Service for Aurora Vertical Hollow Shaft Motors

w w w. c e nt r a l f l or i d a c ont rol s . c om

Florida Water Resources Journal • May 2014

51

EQUIPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTORY

CLASSIFIEDS Positions Av ailable

We are currently accepting employment applications for the following positions: Water & Wastewater Licensed Operator’s – positions are available in the following counties: Pasco, Polk, Highlands, Lee, Marathon Maintenance Technicians – positions are available in the following locations: Jacksonville, New Port Richey, Fort Myers, Lake, Marion, Ocala, Pembroke Pines Construction Manager – Hillsborough

Client Services Manager Reiss Engineering, Inc., a growing consulting engineering firm specializing in potable water and water reclamation consulting engineering, is currently hiring for an experienced Client Services Manager in the Tampa Bay area. For more information about career opportunities or to apply for this position, please visit www.reisseng.com.

City of Tampa Water Production Manager $74,339.20 - $116,500.80 a year. Bachelor's degree in chemical, civil or environmental engineering or a business, technical or sciences field and (7) years of progressively responsible experience in the management of water treatment processes; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Apply online: http://www.tampagov.net/appl_ personnel_job_openings/job_detail.asp?posting_id=3238

The Town of Hillsboro Beach is accepting applications for a Class C or higher Water Treatment Plant Operator or a trainee who has completed the DEP approved coursework. For application, please visit www.townofhillsborobeach.com.

52 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Customer Service Manager - Pasco Employment is available for F/T, P/T and Subcontract opportunities Please visit our website at www.uswatercorp.com (Employment application is available in our website) 4939 Cross Bayou Blvd.

New Port Richey, FL 34652 Toll Free: 1-866-753-8292 Fax: (727) 848-7701 E-Mail: hr@uswatercorp.com

Water and Wastewater Utility Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Management

Project Manager and Project Engineer Reiss Engineering, Inc., a growing consulting engineering firm specializing in potable water and wastewater consulting engineering, is currently hiring for an experienced Project Manager and for an experienced Project Engineer in our Winter Springs, Tampa or Winter Haven office. For more information about career opportunities or to apply for one of these positions, please visit www.reisseng.com.

Wastewater Operator Hourly Min.- Max: $13.81-$21.98

Bonita Springs Utilities Chief Waste Water Operator

Technical work in the operation and maintenance of Wastewater Treatment Facilities and associated equipment.

Salary: $51,065 to $76,595

· High school graduation or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma. · Valid Florida Driver’s License · A valid Florida class “C” certification in wastewater treatment Pleases visit our website for more details: www.cityofclermontfl.com EOE, DFWP

Purchase Private Utilities and Operating Routes Florida Corporation is interested in expanding it’s market in Florida.

We would like you and your company to join us. We will buy or partner for your utility or operations business. Call Carl Smith at 727-8359522. E-mail: csmith@uswatercorp.com

Directs and supervises the daily operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plant(s); Directs and coordinates work assignments of subordinate staff; evaluates employees’ performance; Maintains compliance with all regulatory bodies; Develops budget proposals and capital project plans; Reviews plans for plant upgrades; meets with consultants and contractors when necessary; Thorough knowledge of the operating principles and practices of a wastewater treatment plant; operation and maintenance standards, methods, materials, and equipment; Skill in utilizing computer for monitoring telemetry system, alarms, and maintenance management program; Ability to plan, assign, supervise, and evaluate the work of subordinates; Knowledge of Class AA biosolids handling; State of Florida Class “A” Wastewater Plant Operator’s license; 5 years’ experience of direct supervision in a Waste Water Facility; Membrane experience a plus Submit applications to Nathalie Galvan, HR Manager @ ngalvan@bsu.us or apply online at www.bsu.us

Positions Wantetd Wastewater Field Operations Supervisor

ENTRY LEVEL CIVIL ENGINEER - (Luis Olguin) B.A. in Civil Engineering from UF, focus on water resources, 3 years Water/ Wastewater engineering utility experience. Former Peace Corps volunteer. lolguin2@gmail.com 407-779-3155

Ready for an exciting new chapter in your career? Join our team of Utility professionals at the City of Tavares, America’s Seaplane City, in beautiful Central Florida and enjoy these advantages!

Salary range: $37,750 - $56,625 Excellent health, dental, life, disability and Florida Retirement System benefits.

Generous time off and holiday plans.

Positive and progressive work environment, with active focus on staff development.

The qualified candidate will possess: • High school graduate or equivalent, with Associate Degree preferred • Eight (8) years of experience in the field, with at least three (3) years of supervisory experience • Valid and insurable Florida Driver’s License • Class “A” Collection Operators license from FWPCOA, or ability to obtain within one year of hire For more detailed information and electronic access to our employment application, please visit our website at www.tavares.org.

APPLY TODAY! We welcome your resume or application in person or by mail to City of Tavares Human Resources, 201 East Main Street, Tavares, FL 32778, or by fax to 352-742-6351.

We are an EOE, ADA, VP, Women, Minorities, E-Verify and Drug-Free Workplace!

Looking For a Job? The FWPCOA Job Placement Committee Can Help!

Contact Joan E. Stokes at 407-293-9465 or fax 407-293-9943 for more information.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Classified ads are $18 per line for a 60 character line (including spaces and punctuation), $54 minimum. The price includes publication in both the magazine and our Web site. Short positions wanted ads are run one time for no charge and are subject to editing.ads@fwrj.com

February 2014

Glossary of Common Terms in This Publication ASR ....................aquifer storage and recovery AWT....................advanced water treatment AWWT ..............advanced wastewater treatment AWWA ..............American Water Works Association BOD ..................5-day biochemical oxygen demand BODx..................BOD test based on other than 5 days CBOD ................5-day carbonaceous BOD COD ..................chemical oxygen demand cfm ....................cubic feet per minute cfs ......................cubic feet per second CWA ..................Clean Water Act DEP ....................Fla. Dept. of Environmental Protection EIS......................Environmental Impact Statement EPA ....................U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FAC ....................Florida Administrative Code fps ......................feet per second FSAWWA............Florida Section of AWWA FWEA ................Florida Water Environment Association FWPCOA ..........Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association GIS ....................Geographic Information System gpcd ..................gallons per capita per day gpd ....................gallons per day gpm ..................gallons per minute hp ......................horsepower I/I ........................Infiltration/Inflow mgd ..................million gallons per day mg/L ..................milligrams per liter MLSS ................mixed liquor suspended solids MLTSS................mixed liquor total suspended solids NPDES ..............Nat. Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NTU ....................nephelometric turbidity units ORP....................oxidation reduction potential POTW ................public-owned treatment works ppm ....................parts per million ppb ....................parts per billion PSC ....................Public Service Commission psi ......................pounds per square inch PVC ....................polyvinyl chloride RO ......................reverse osmosis SCADA................supervisory control and data acquisition SJRWMD............St. Johns River Water Mangement Dist.

SFWMD ..............South Florida Water Management Dist.

SRWMD..............Suwannee River Water Management District SSO ....................sanitary sewer overflow SWFWMD ..........Southwest Fla. Water Management Dist.

TDS ....................total dissolved solids TMDL..................total maximum daily load TOC ....................total organic carbon TSS ....................total suspended solids USGS ................United States Geological Survey WEF....................Water Environment Federation WRF ..................water reclamation facility WTP....................water treatment plant WWTP ................wastewater treatment plant

54 May 2014 • Florida Water Resources Journal

Editorial Calendar January . . . .Wastewater Treatment February . . . .Water Supply; Alternative Sources March . . . . . .Energy Efficiency; . . . . . . . . . . .Environmental Stewardship April . . . . . . .Conservation and Reuse; Florida Water Resources Conference May . . . . . . .Operations and Utilities Management June . . . . . . . .Biosolids Management and Bioenergy Production; . . . . . . . . . . .FWRC Review July . . . . . . . .Stormwater Management; . . . . . . . . . . .Emerging Technologies August . . . . .Disinfection; Water Quality; 65th Anniversary September . .Emerging Issues; . . . . . . . . . . .Water Resources Management October . . . . .New Facilities, Expansions and Upgrades November . . .Water Treatment December . . .Distribution and Collection Technical articles are usually scheduled several months in advance and are due 60 days before the issue month (for example, January 1 for the March issue).

The closing date for display ad and directory card reservations, notices, announcements, upcoming events, and everything else including classified ads, is 30 days before the issue month (for example, September 1 for the October issue).

For further information on submittal requirements, guidelines for writers, advertising rates and conditions, and ad dimensions, as well as the most recent notices, announcements, and classified advertisements, go to www.fwrj.com or call 352-241-6006.

Display Advertiser Index CEU Challange ................41

Hudson Pump ..................19

CNIguard ........................15

ISA Symposium ..............33

Crom ..............................42

Oldcastle ........................21

Data Flow ........................29

Quality Control ................45

FSAWWA Call 4 Papers ....48

Rangeline ........................55

FSAWWA Conference ......26

Reiss Engineering ..............7

FSAWWA Mentoring ........27

Stacon ..............................2

FWPCOA Region 4 Golf ....13

TREEO ............................44

FWPCOA Training ............37

USA Blue Book ................11

Garney ..............................5

US Water ........................43

GML ............................9, 25

Xylem ..............................56

70- Wade trim 71- Stantec FWEA 1/4 page 72 - Move directories C- factor start on 70 & jump ad log arcadis and ISA