It’s that time again!

Come join us at the

38th Annual NHWPCA

Trade Fair

NHWPCA Board

President:

Tim Vadney

V. president:

Kurt Robichaud

Treasurer:

Noelle Osborne

Secretary:

David Mercier

1st director:

Ken Conaty

2nd director:

Mike Carle

3rd director:

Robert Robinson

1st Director-at-large:

Amy Pollack

2nd Director-at-large:

Ryan Pebbles

Editor’s Words

NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

Stephanie Rochefort, Todd Gianotti, Mary Jane Meier, Steve Clifton, Gene Weeks, Kurt Robichaud. We welcome additional members. We are looking for meaningful articles for the Wastewater Operator in a timely fashion. Send submission articles for THE COLLECTOR to: Stephanie Rochefort via email at srochefort@somersworth.com.

Editor - Stephanie Rochefort “THE COLLECTOR” is the Official Newsletter of the NHWPCA

For more information about the NHWPCA visit our website at www.nhwpca.org

Printed by

155 River Rd. Unit 15, Bow, NH 03304 - 603-225-5529 - evans1@evansprint.com

I always smile when I see ducks swimming in the clarifier. I’m sure that the

only thing that the ducks are smiling about is a chance to grab a tasty snack.

And that’s my reason for never eating duck. To be honest, there’s lots of

other great food options out there so it’s really not a problem. Right now

I’m on a mission to find a veggie-burger that’s as good as or better than the

one that I had at our Association’s 50th anniversary event in Hampton.

Please let me know if you have any recommendations!

Lots of people have jobs without any reason to smile all day. I’m really lucky that I can see the

ducks swimming in the clarifier from the lab door at the WWTF. I have some wonderful memo-

ries of my grandfather’s duck pond which is why the ducks make me smile.

Inside this newsletter you’ll find some pie graphs that illustrate the current and impending short-

age of certified wastewater treatment plant operators in our State. We need to get some dialogue

started about this issue. I’m doing my part by talking up my job to whoever is within earshot.

My daughter’s boyfriend is a commercial fisherman and his employer doesn’t offer medical in-

surance. Part of “meeting the family” involves a tour of the WWTF. And of course I had to

mention the great benefits that I have as a municipal employee. Unfortunately the ducks weren’t

here that day, or maybe I would have convinced him…

Stephanie, Somersworth WWTF

Upcoming Events

April 13, 2018 NHWPCA Trade Fair at the Radisson Hotel Nashua in Nashua, NH.

June 22, 2018 NHWPCA Summer Meeting at Ellacoya State Park in Gilford, NH.

August 2, 2018 NHWPCA Annual Golf Tournament at the Beaver Meadow Golf Course in

Concord, NH.

September 14, 2018 NHWPCA Fall Meeting at the Hall St. WWTF in Concord, NH.

September 29, 2018 WEFTech in New Orleans, LA.

December 14, 2018 NHWPCA Winter Meeting. More Details to Come.

Special Thanks to this Issue’s Contributors

Mark Roper, Stephanie Rochefort and Charlie Tyler.

In This Issue

Blurbs, Blurbs and More Blurbs.

Membership Changes for the 2018 Certification Committee.

Safety Corner.

Thoughts from the Bench.

Pre-Treatment Tales.

2017 Winter Meeting Photos.

Microbiology Practice Test Questions.

Get to Know Our NHWPCA Board.

1

Blurbs, Blurbs & More Blurbs

New Hampshire’s Newest Certified WW Operators

Congratulations to the following NH Wastewater operators for

passing the December 2017 exams!

Grade 1 Grade 1-OIT:

Nathaniel Guerette, Carl Herz, Christopher Lavigne, Brian Le-

Blanc, Russell McMahon, Lucie Muhlfelder, Terrill Rent-

meester, Joseph Tedeschi, Chris Uggerholt, and Wyatt Ulman

Grade 2 and Grade 2-OIT:

Darren Candello, Matthew Caporale, Michael Desaulniers,

Brian Goodman, Geoffrey Gyles, Adam Lewis, Casey Mitch-

ell, Dylan Murphy, Chad Pierce, Dan Putorek, Jesse Robillard,

Rob Rosselli, Stephen Simeone, and Ray Valdes

Grade 3-OIT

Ariel Wright

Grade 4 and 4-OIT

Peter Conroy and Joseph Piccolo

Recent Reciprocity Applicants:

David Bush- Grade 2 from MA, and Paul Brown- Grade 2

from CT

2017 EPA Awards

The USEPA New England Office has selected Peter LaBonte,

Chief Operator of North Conway WWTF as a 2017 Regional

EPA Wastewater Operator of the Year Excellence Award Re-

cipient. Mr. LaBonte was nominated by the NHDES to

acknowledge the outstanding work that has been performed

over the past year. The award and acknowledgement from the

NHDES and the EPA are well deserved.

The USEPA New England Office has selected the Town of

Northumberland WWTF as a 2017 Regional EPA Operations

and Maintenance (O&M) Excellence Award recipient. The

Facility was nominated by the NHDES to acknowledge the

outstanding work that has been performed by the staff. The

award and acknowledgement from the NHDES and the EPA

are well deserved.

James LaLiberte of the New England Interstate Water Pollu-

tion Control Commission in Lowell is being honored by the

US Environmental Protection Agency for his work training

wastewater operators throughout the country.

LaLiberte, who lives in Nashua, was given recently a “2017

Regional Wastewater Trainer of the Year Excellence Award”

by EPA. LaLiberte develops, coordinates, and instructs the non

-profit commission’s wastewater and safety training programs.

He has been training wastewater operators throughout New

England for 15 years. His courses include basic and advanced

wastewater math, basic and intermediate operation of munici-

pal wastewater treatment plants, basic industrial wastewater

treatment, pumps and hydraulics, and safety in wastewater

treatment plants.

Laliberte has been an integral part in preparing new and expe-

rienced operators for evolving changes in the wastewater field.

He has also had a major role in coordinating the Massachusetts

wastewater operator training and management candidate pro-

grams.

The EPA Regional Wastewater Awards Program recognizes

personnel in the wastewater field who have provided invalua-

ble public service managing and operating wastewater treat-

ment facilities throughout New England. The Massachusetts

Department of Environmental Protection was instrumental in

LaLiberte’s nomination.

“The professionals operating these wastewater treatment

plants, as well as the municipalities and the state environmen-

tal agencies that support them, are essential to keeping our en-

vironment healthy by protecting water quality,” said Alex

Dunn, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. “I

am proud to acknowledge Mr. LaLiberte's outstanding contri-

butions to help protect public health and water quality for so

many years and to give him the credit he deserves.”

EPA’s New England office formally acknowledged LaLiberte

for his fine work during the annual New England Water Envi-

ronment Association Conference at the Boston Copley Mar-

riott Hotel in January.

The Town of Peterborough's Industrial Pretreatment Program

was honored recently with an award from the US Environmen-

tal Protection Agency recognizing the commitment of its staff

to improving water quality.

Peterborough received the "2017 Regional Industrial Pretreat-

ment Program Excellence Award" from EPA''s New England

regional office.

The pretreatment program staff in Peterborough, led by Antho-

ny Carland, was recognized for exceptional work inspecting,

permitting and sampling industrial users that discharge indus-

trial waste into the Town's collection system. Since the Town

does not have an approved pretreatment program, these accom-

plishments are even more noteworthy.

(Continued on page 2)

2

The EPA Regional Industrial Pretreatment Program Excellence

Award was established to recognize and honor employees of

publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for their commit-

ment to improving water quality through outstanding oversight

of its industrial users discharging to the municipal sewer sys-

tem.

"The professionals operating wastewater treatment plants play

a very important role in keeping our communities and environ-

ment healthy by protecting water quality," said Alexandra

Dunn, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office.

"We are proud to acknowledge this staff's outstanding contri-

butions to help protect public health and water quality and to

give them the credit they deserve."

The Town of Peterborough Pretreatment Program was present-

ed the Excellence Award at the 19th Annual EPA New Eng-

land Industrial Pretreatment Program Conference and was also

acknowledged at the Annual New England Water Environment

Association Conference in Boston.

(Continued from page 1)

The Certification committee extends its sincere thanks to out-

going committee member Ray Gordon of NH DES, for his

hard work and thoughtful input with the committee over his

6.5-year tenure.

During Ray’s term, the committee has benefitted from his ex-

pertise. Ray was instrumental in the committee’s outreach ef-

forts to educate operators and owners on their responsibilities.

Thank you Ray on a job well-done.

Longstanding member Daniel Peterson of Durham WWTF is

currently serving Our Beautiful Country in the Air Force Na-

tional Guard. During his deployment his role on the committee

requires coverage. Our thoughts and respect go out to Dan as

we pray for his safe return. Godspeed Dan.

For 2018, the Wastewater Operator Certification Committee

has two new members to announce. Timothy Sweatt of DES

and Robert Pierce of Hampton WWTF have joined Mary Jane

Meier and Kenneth Noyes, of NH DES and Kevin MacLean,

of Hanover WWRF, to complete the five person committee.

The committee membership is defined by the Wastewater Op-

erator Certification Rules Env-Wq 304. The committee con-

sists of three NH DES employees and two individuals not em-

ployed by NH DES, who are elected by the NHWPCA. The

NH DES committee members are designated by the Director of

the Water Division.

The NHWPCA Constitution Article V requires the certification

committee members elected by NHWPCA must hold current

wastewater operator certifications - one will hold a Grade 3 or

lower; and one will hold a Grade 4 license. These NHWPCA

members represent the regulated community as licensed opera-

tors from municipalities, who each spend a two-year term on

the committee.

Here’s some background on the new committee members for

2018:

Robert Pierce - first certified in wastewater treatment in 2008

and has been certified as a Grade 2 operator since 2012. Rob

has worked for the Town of Hampton since 2005 where he

currently serves as a Laboratory Technician. Rob looks for-

ward to being involved in the committee and meeting many of

the operators from around the state as their careers progress in

the wastewater field.

Timothy Sweatt, of NH DES, began employment at the Winni-

pesaukee River Basin Program regional WWTF in Franklin, in

1991. He completed the Water Quality Technology program

offered through the White Mountains Community College,

Berlin, N.H. Tim earned his NH wastewater certification in

1991 and has been certified as a Grade 3 operator since 1995.

Tim transferred to NH DES Concord Office Subsurface Sys-

tems Bureau. In 2002, he transferred to the Residuals Manage-

ment Section, as an Environmentalist III.

Announcing Membership Changes for the Operator

Certification Committee 2018

3

Safety Corner Wastewater Facility Safety Survey Results for 2016 Work Year

NEWEA Safety Committee

Early in 2017, the NEWEA Safety Committee emailed its an-

nual Wastewater Facility Safety Survey for the 2016 work year

to facilities throughout the six New England states. The pur-

pose of the annual survey is to:

· Collect regional incident and injury statistics

and publish them for use by all wastewater

professionals to benchmark their safety pro-

gram,

· Identify those areas and activities where inju-

ries are occurring so that facility managers can

better focus their safety efforts, and

· Gather information regarding the status of

safety programs at wastewater treatment facili-

ties throughout New England.

For the 2015 work year, 41% of those facilities returning sur-

veys reported at least one incident. For 2016, that rate de-

creased to 33%. There were a total of 31 injuries reported,

with 11 of those causing lost workdays. This means that al-

most one third of all incidents reported were severe enough

that the employee incurred lost workdays. Those 11 injuries

resulted in 180 total lost workdays.

The body part most frequently injured in 2016 was the hand.

The majority of those injuries were lacerations caused by

“struck against” injuries (e.g. cleaning pump or machine, mov-

ing equipment, opening hatchway, improper use of tools, etc.).

Arms/elbows/wrists were the second most common and the

majority of those were strains and sprains injuries (e.g. slip-

ping on ice, improper lifting technique, improper material han-

dling, etc.).

Machine guarding and safety gloves are common ways to ap-

proach hand safety hazards such as using tools, operating

equipment, handling rough materials and chemicals, and stack-

ing and storing objects. In addition to these safeguards, make

sure to take a moment to think about the task you need to per-

form and the potential hazards involved. What if the knife

slips while I am stripping this wire? Have I been properly

trained in the operation of this powered hand tool? Am I

standing on a stable surface that is suitable for this task? Have

I completely de-energized the piece of equipment I’m about to

install or repair? Am I wearing the appropriate personal pro-

tective equipment (PPE) for the current task?

By analyzing the potential hazards you could face, you will be

better prepared to choose the appropriate means to protect

yourself.

In addition to providing incident information, many of the sur-

vey respondents also expressed common concerns regarding

their biggest safety challenges. The list below represents the

top concerns:

· Avoiding complacency and increasing situa-

tional awareness during daily job tasks

· Aging workforce

· Keeping up-to-date with required safety regu-

lations

· Funding to keep safety equipment and em-

ployee training up-to-date

This infor-

mation

helps us to

understand

where the

majority of

our losses

and chal-

lenges are

coming from, and may allow us to plan resources for these are-

as in the future. The Safety Committee is pleased to have pro-

vided this information and we hope that members find it use-

ful. As expected, the survey highlighted the fact that accidents

are a reality in our facilities, and that additional efforts are

needed to improve our safety programs and protect our person-

nel. The vast majority of these incidents are preventable. We

would like to once again thank all of the facilities that returned

2016 work year surveys and we strongly encourage all facili-

ties to return the 2017 work year survey (watch for it in the

spring of 2018) in order to help us increase the value of its re-

sults.

respectfully submitted, NEWEA Safety Committee

4

Thoughts from the Bench

By Stephanie Rochefort, City of Somersworth WWTF

On my Girl Scout calendar, the date to submit letters of recom-

mendation for adult volunteer recognitions is the same as the

date to submit articles for this newsletter. I wrote a letter of

recommendation for a volunteer to receive an Appreciation

Pin. It doesn’t sound like much, but it sure does feel good to

receive this token and know that you’re appreciated. The rec-

ommendation letters are read out loud before the Appreciation

Pin is awarded and do not include names. It is so much fun to

watch somebody’s face go from “that sounds like an awesome

person…that sounds kind of like me…WOW that IS me!”

Since I’ve just spent so much time of the topic of appreciation,

I think I’ll reflect on things to appreciate in the WWTF lab.

Because I’m a dinosaur at the WWTF, I’ve seen many changes

and improvements. If you’re new, you probably take most of

these things for granted. Heck, some days I forget what the lab

used to be like and I take things for granted too. In no particu-

lar order, here’s my list of ten things that I really appreciate in

the course of my workday:

1. Analytical Balance: I remember the days before

electronic balances. There were dials and knobs

and a lot less accuracy and precision. I also re-

member the first electronic balances that had a lot

more drift than the one that I use now.

2. Laboratory Dishwasher: The laboratory dishwash-

er saves so much time! Sample bottles and glass-

ware all go in there and magically come out clean-

er than I ever was able to get them with hand-

washing. Even BOD bottles. Enough said.

3. Pre-mixed reagents for BOD dilution water: OK,

I’m not that much of a dinosaur but I have read the

instructions for making BOD dilution water from

scratch. When I first started work here, there were

bottles of the various chemicals to make up the

buffer/mineral/nutrient concoction that we call

dilution water. Luckily, there was also a package

of pre-mixed reagents.

4. IDEXX: I used to make my own mTec plates to

run the membrane filtration method for e-coli

analysis. I understand the old adage of “a watched

pot never boils” but there should have been a cor-

ollary of “but don’t take your eyes off the boiling

media because you’ll have a big mess and need to

start over!” I could go on….

5. BOD meters and probes: Thank goodness, I never

have had to rely on Winkler titrations! I’ve never

actually done a Winkler titration. It’s NOT on my

bucket-list.

6. Environmentally friendly thermometers: Mercury

is bad for the environment. I love having non-

mercury thermometers that are accurate for my

needs. And I never have to experience an evacua-

tion because of a broken mercury thermome-

ter….again. I’d like to say that it wasn’t my fault,

but it was!

7. pH meter: pH meters have been around a long

time. Modern pH meters that recognize buffers

and talk you through calibration procedures have-

n’t been.

8. Spectrophotometer: This is another instrument

that’s been around for quite some time but has im-

proved exponentially. I never would have

dreamed that I would have a spec that could recog-

nize what sample is being run by a code on a test-

tube!

9. Settlometer: They weren’t always made from pol-

ycarbonate with easy-to-read gradations. If you

knock over a full settlometer you’ll have a mess to

clean up, but the mess won’t include broken glass.

Not that I’ve ever done THAT – you think?

10. Fine-point black ink pens: No, I’m not scraping

the bottom of the barrel for #10 on this list. Fine-

point black ink pens used to skip and scratch and

tear the paper. Now my lab is full of a wonderful

brand that writes smoothly and is not expensive.

If you’re interested in what pens I’m using, come

see me at the next meeting and I’ll tell you. Or

give me a call. Or send an email. But I won’t

promise that I won’t try to talk you into writing

something for this newsletter…

I didn’t put it on my list, but I really appreciate each

and every one of my fellow wastewater treatment pro-

fessionals. What would the world do without us? And

when will the world realize how much they should

appreciate us?!?

5

Has this ever happened to you? You walk into a pump station

and smell petroleum. You decide to investigate further and

look at the wet well. It is completely red. Its smell and color

are unmistakable. Coming into your pump station is fuel oil,

and not just a little bit, it’s a lot! Or, maybe, you go to get your

daily Influent pH sample and you notice it has a chemical

smell. You measure the pH and it’s 12.0 SUs. Or, one day you

notice suddenly that your DO is dropping rapidly and your

blowers can’t keep up with the demand. Or, you walk out to

your aeration basin and there is five feet of white foam billow-

ing over the sides and floating down the river you discharge

into. What is happening? What am I supposed to do?

Although you probably really want to, the one thing you

shouldn’t do is put your blinders on and walk away and pre-

tend you didn’t see anything. It is likely that you have been

dumped on by an industry or another user of your system. It is

time to respond—not tomorrow, not next week—the time is

now if you want to find where it’s coming from and prevent

damage to your process or bypass of your treatment plant. But

how do you respond to these types of situations? The answer

can be found in your Industrial Slug Discharge Response Plan.

How do you get one of these plans? You have to make one.

If you look in the definitions sec-

tion of your SUO you will likely

find the definition of a Slug Load.

The definition comes from the fed-

eral pretreatment rules in 40 CFR

403 but basically, it’s something

that could cause problems to your

collection system or your treatment

plant from an accidental spill or

“non-customary batch discharge”.

Although you can require industrial

users to develop their own Acci-

dental Discharge/Slug Control Plan, I’m talking about devel-

oping a plan for your own WWTP in the event you need to

respond to a large spill from an industry or a user of your sys-

tem.

Our slug control plan is almost 20 years in the making. I was

tasked with updating one at my former place of employment

and developed another, more comprehensive one when I start-

ed in Hanover. Although you can find models for slug control

plans, your plan should be based on your own type of treat-

ment plant, collection system, industry, and the personnel at

your POTW.

EPA’s Control of Slug Loadings to POTW’s Guidance Manual

(section 3) lists four elements of a slug plan:

1) Detect and identify slugs

2) Coordinate response activities

3) Develop appropriate responses

4) Follow-up measures

The following are a few references you can Google that might

help you get started on a Slug Control Plan:

1) EPA’s Control of Slug Loadings to POTW’s Guidance

Manual

2) EPA’s Guidance to Protect POTW Workers from Tox-

ic and Reactive Gasses and Vapors

3) NH DES Waste Management Reporting of Spills Fact

Sheet

4) NH DES Model of an Emergency Response Guide.

When a slug occurs, you won’t be fingering through your slug

control plan to find out what to do. You should develop the

plan with your coworkers’ input and then review the final plan

with them so that when a slug does occur, everyone will know

what their job is.

The body of our slug control plan is about 20 pages long with

another 20 pages in attachments. Your slug control plan might

be completely different depending on the municipality you

work for. It might be a page long or it might be 100 pages

long.

Our slug plan index looks like this:

1) Introduction

2) Discovery of a Slug – Initial Response

-Initial Responders

(Continued on page 10)

Pre Treatment Tales “Industrial Slug Discharge Response Plan”

By Mark Roper, Town of Hanover, Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator

1991 EPA guidance manual is

where it’s at.

6

2017 NHWPCA Winter Meeting - Newmarket, NH WWTF

Photos by Charlie Tyler

7

2017 NHWPCA Winter Meeting - Newmarket, NH WWTF

Photos by Charlie Tyler

8

1. Electron microscopes are commonly used to observe

living microorganisms.

A. True

B. False

2. Which conditions will typically allow filamentous bac-

teria to grow and become dominant in activated

sludge?

A. Low D.O. and high F/M

B. High D.O. and low F/M

C. High D.O. and high F/M

D. Low D.O. and low F/M

3. What will microorganisms typically do when subject-

ed to an excessive supply of food (CBOD5)?

A. Grow and multiply

B. Slow their growth process

C. Die

D. Nitrify

4. Which microorganisms can typically ingest many

types of small organic particles, but bacteria are their

main food source?

A. Amoebas

B. Rotifers

C. Stalked Ciliates

D. Free Swimming Ciliates

5. Which microorganisms are most responsible for stabi-

lization of organic material?

A. Rotifers

B. Stalk Ciliates

C. Bacteria

D. Worms

6. Which indicator organisms will be more dominant

when the SRT is low and the sludge is young?

A. Rotifers

B. Stalk Ciliates

C. Water Bears

D. Free Swimming Ciliates

7. Which is an aerobic process where certain groups of

microorganisms convert Ammonia-N into Nitrite-N

and then to Nitrate-N?

A. Fermentation

B. Anoxic

C. Anaerobic

D. Nitrification

8. Which growth phase typically produces the highest

degree of cannibalism among the microorganisms?

A. Log Growth

B. High Rate

C. Endogenous Respiration

D. Declining Growth

9. Which bacterial group typically produces a higher

sludge yield as a result of assimilation?

A. Heterotrophic

B. Autotrophic

C. Nitrifiers

D. Anaerobic

10. Which type of bacteria can use oxygen either in a free,

dissolved form or a combined form?

A. Aerobic

B. Anaerobic

C. Facultative

D. Fermenters

(Answers on page 9)

Some Microbiology Practice Test Questions

from RoyCEU.com

9

(Answers to page 10 test questions)

1.A

2.D

3.A

4.B

5.C

6.D

7.D

8.C

9.A

10.C

“Like we say in the sewer, time and tide

wait for no man.”

- Ed Norton - Ralph Kramden, Inc

“As we say in the sewer, here’s mud in

your eye.”

- Ed Norton - Head of the House

“When the tides of life turn against you

And the current upsets your boat

Don’t waste those tears on what might

have been;

Just lay on your back and float.”

- Ed Norton - The Safety Award

“If pizzas were manhole covers, the sew-

er would be a paradise.”

- Ed Norton - Pardon My Glove

“You can take the man out of the sewer,

but you can’t take the sewer out of the

man.”

- Trixie Norton - Mind Your Own Busi-ness

“A sewer worker is like a brain surgeon.

We’re both specialists.”

- Ed Norton - Mind Your Own Business

“As we say in the sewer, if you’re not

prepared to go all the way, don’t put your

boots on in the first place.”

- Ed Norton - Confusion Italian Style

RALPH: “It’s rush hour. “We’ll never be

able to get across town in this traffic.”

ED: “Trust me, we’ll go by sewer.”

- Beat the Clock

RALPH: (annoyed with Norton for help-

ing himself to the barber’s after-shave

lotion): “How would you like him to

come down to the sewer where you work

and help himself to anything down

there?”

ED: “Help himself to what?”

-The Baby-sitter

(Continued on page 12)

Jokes from

the Honeymooners

Source – The History of Sanitary

Sewers - www.sewerhistory.org

-Local Emergency Numbers

3) Safety

4) POTW Operational Response

-Collection System

-Petroleum Slugs

-Color Slugs

-Sand, Grit, Settleable Solids

-Oxygen Demand Slugs

-Chemical spills and Toxic Slugs

-Other Process Control Possibilities for Activated

Sludge

5) Identifying an Unknown Slug

6) Reporting

7) Attachments

-Map

-Slug Response Checklist

-Industry Telephone Numbers

-Emergency Hauler Numbers

-Location of Safety Equipment

-Chemical Information

-Sampling Protocol

-Public Works Phone List

-Industries with Slug Control Plans

Regardless of what your slug plan looks like, the important

thing is that your staff are aware of what they need to do and

what their role is in the event of a slug discharge.

Unfortunately, I have run out of fingers and toes to count the

amount of times I have responded to slug discharges and have

encountered some of the scenarios listed in the first paragraph.

Here is an example of one spill in Hanover where teamwork

and knowledge of the slug discharge response practices result-

ed in a successful outcome:

I was at my desk when I heard my name over the Public Works

radio. “#20 Mark, #20 Mark?” I got on the radio. “This is #20

go ahead.” It was Dennis Smith, one of the operators. “Um,

Seth and I are at Pump Station 5 and it smells like fuel oil, and

it’s red in the wet well, and I think we got dumped on with

some fuel oil.” “How much?” I said. Dennis said, “Ah, it looks

like a lot.” I had just recently completed Hanover’s slug re-

sponse plan and gone over it with my coworkers.

The Pretreatment Coordinator is the one who is supposed to be

knowledgeable about the collection system and what industries

have for potential discharges, so my initial responsibility is to

track down the source of the spill and stop it. Time is of the

essence when trying to track down a spill, so your response

should be immediate, and everything needed to respond to

these incidences should be ready to go. For this spill it was up

to the other operators to deal with the situation at the pump

station until I found the source and stopped it. I got to the

pump station and took a quick look at the wet well. It did look

like a lot of oil and it looked like a small amount was still com-

ing in. I asked the operators to go ahead and implement what

was in the slug control plan, but they were already way ahead

of me.

I went outside the pump station to try and figure out what di-

rection to start looking for the fuel oil. I opened the manhole

directly outside of the pump station which receives flow from

two different directions. I could see that it was coming from

the direction which encompasses a much larger area of town,

so I knew I had my hands full trying to find the source. The

smell was strong, so I decided to use my nose and go to key

preplanned manholes (identified in the slug plan) to start nar-

rowing down in the collection system the direction of town the

fuel oil spill was coming from. I worked fast because in my

experience, these types of discharges don’t last long and find-

ing the source becomes harder when the spill has stopped.

In the first three manholes I smelled and saw nothing, but the

fourth one was the charm. I began working my way upstream

using my nose as a guide because at this point the amount of

oil viewed in my sample container was becoming less and less

visible. Odor travels in a gravity collection system so I got off

track a couple times, but eventually I found my way to a man-

hole in the parking lot of several large buildings belonging to a

college here in Hanover. Looking into the manhole invert and

seeing a slight sheen on the water’s surface made it clear

which building the oil was coming from. The building where

the oil was discharging from happened to be directly across

from the college’s Environmental Health and Safety office, so

I ran in and grabbed one of the staff I knew and had them

come with me to the building to allow me to gain access. We

(Continued from page 5)

(Continued on page 11)

10

11

met up with the building maintenance manager and when I

mentioned fuel oil, his smile turned upside down. I could tell

he might have an idea of what happened. We went straight to

the maintenance room where the boiler was located, and there

on the floor was oil flowing towards a floor drain. The oil had

been pumping from a day tank and leaking from the failed gas-

ket of a fuel filter and discharging into the mechanical room

floor drains. I informed them that they were in violation of the

Town’s SUO and to stop the fuel oil from discharging….

LIKE NOW!

When I got back to the

pump station I was pretty

proud of what I saw. Den-

nis and Seth were operat-

ing the pump station

pumps in hand keeping the

wet well level high enough

to prevent oil from bypass-

ing. The Fire Department

was there, and Clean Har-

bors was pulling in. Oil

sorbent socks were set up

in the pump station wet

well, environmental repre-

sentatives from the college

were showing up to assess the situation, and back at the plant,

the remaining operator was monitoring the influent and giving

updates over the radio. All of this happened so efficiently and

quickly because of experienced operators knowing what to do,

but it also happened pretty much as practiced in the Slug Plan.

In light of the

fact that there

was a bad spill,

this was a com-

plete success in

my opinion. The

source was

found, the spill

was contained,

and the material

was removed

before it could

made it downstream to the WWTP.

Once a spill is cleaned up the work has just begun. There is

reporting and follow-up both for you and the industry. You

will give a verbal notice of violation to the user and possibly a

written one later. Depending on the size and type of spill you

might be reporting to NH DES or EPA. You will be requiring

the user that created the spill to follow up with a five-day letter

reporting how the spill occurred and what will be done in the

future to prevent it from happening again. All this reporting

information should will be spelled out in your slug plan.

Whether you have an approved pretreatment program or not, a

Slug Discharge Response Plan is something that I believe is

beneficial for all WWTPs. By writing one, you are thinking

about situations that could occur and how you will deal with

them. In the event a serious slug does occur, your response

could end up saving your process, a NPDES violation, or even

a loss of life.

If you have any questions regarding this topic feel free to e-

mail me at mark.roper@hanovernh.org.

(Continued from page 10)

Since this drain was needed they installed a berm around

it.

This was one of the drains fuel oil was leaking

into. Mechanical room floor drains that aren’t

needed can be plugged.

12

Get to Know Our NHWPCA Board

Name: Robert J. Robinson

Position on Board: 3rd Director

1. Nobody wants to grow up and work in a WWTF.

How did you find yourself in this field?

I received a flyer from the University of Lowell back

in 1991 touting how the wastewater field needed em-

ployees and that this field was not only growing, but

was stable and secure. They had a list of classes. I en-

rolled in the BS Industrial Technology Wastewater

Option degree program that fall. I switched into the BS

Civil Engineering degree program in 1995 when that

program was offered.

2. What is your current employer?

I am employed with the City of Manchester, Environ-

mental Protection Division.

3. How long have you been in the wastewater field?

I have been employed in the wastewater field since

October 1993.

4. What kind of cell phone is in your pocket – Apple

or Android? Android

5. What’s your favorite social media – Facebook or

Twitter?

I currently do not use any form of social media. I may

create a LinkedIn account.

6. What kind of computer is on your desk – Apple or

Microsoft? Microsoft

7. What’s the last movie you watched in a theater?

I watched Star Wars: The Last Jedi with my son.

8. What’s your favorite book of all time?

Michael Schumacher, The Edge of Greatness.

9. When you’re not working, what are you hobbies?

I enjoy kayaking, boating, mountain biking, hiking and

camping.

10. What is the one thing about our association that

you’d like to accomplish / change?

I would like to change the public perception of our

industry. We all know what we do on a daily basis

benefits the environment; I would like to get the word

out to the general public to help them better under-

stand.

RALPH: (sarcastically explaining to Norton why his water

pipes don’t work): “I hope that you realize that water al-

ways seeks its level.”

ED: “Yes, we’ve heard rumors to that effect down in the

sewer.”

- Dial J for Janitor

RALPH: “What do you know about golf?”

ED: “I’ve been working in the sewer for ten years. If that

don’t qualify me as an expert on holes, I give up.”

- The Golfer

RALPH: “I’ve always followed that old adage: Be kind to

people you meet on the way up, because you’re going to

meet the same people on the way down.”

ED: “Happens to me every day in the sewer.”

- On Stage

(Continued from page 9)

Deborah Mahoney

617-574-4747

Robert McCoy

603-623-4400

Charley Hanson

603-536-8900

Annie Wheeler

315-433-2782

Trina Picardi

978-482-7914

David Mercier, P.E.

603-230-9898

Tim Vadney, P.E.

603-430-3728

Source: Engineering News and American Railway Journal, Volume XLI, No. 13 (30 March 1899) insert facing p. 200.

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