stockholm junior water prizeftp.weat.org/texaswet/wet2004-07.pdf · in friendswood, texas. contact...

Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Plus.....! Tech Talk

Ammonia: More Than a Number on a Permit

Ammonia and Chlorine Demand

! More About Major Rivers: Texas Water Education! Call For Papers

! WERF Words

! First WEAT WEAT a Success

Biosolids The Wave of the Future

Plus.....! Tech Talk

Ammonia: More Than a Number on a Permit

Ammonia and Chlorine Demand

! More About Major Rivers: Texas Water Education! Call For Papers

! WERF Words

! First WEAT WEAT a Success

Stockholm Junior Water Prize

July 2004 Texas WET

Texas WET Is published six timesa year for the Water EnvironmentAssociation of Texas512 E. Riverside Drive, Suite 101Austin, Texas 78704512/693-0060/Fax: 512/693-0062www.weat.org

WEAT Staff & VolunteersEditorCheryl Smith, [email protected]

AdvertisingBill Goloby713/[email protected]

Layout and DesignDebbie Bronson817/[email protected]

WET Tech TalkRichard Eason512/261-6222, ext. [email protected]

WEAT WebsiteBruce Wiland512/[email protected]

Texas WET issues are publishedin January, March, May, JulySeptember and November.Deadline for submitting articles isthe 7th day of the month preced-ing the issue month.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

On the cover: Allie Boone and Jessica Mooney from Maypearl, Texas won the TexasState Science Fair with a multi-year project on Biosolids: Wave of the Future. Allieand Jessica went on to represent Texas at the 2004 U.S. Stockholm Junior Water PrizeCompetition in Denver, Colorado. See full story on the back cover. Read RayLongoria’s take on the competition in the WEAT President’s Message.

R e g u l a r F e a t u r e sMessage from WEAT President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Highlights from the Executive Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Section Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Tech Talk

Ammonia: More Than a Number on a Permit . . .10Ammonia and Chlorine Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Awards Committee Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22All Things YP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Intergovernmental Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24WERF Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26WEAT Mission Statement, Officers and Committees . . .34Professional Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

S p e c i a l F e a t u r e sWEAT, WEAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Call For Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28WEAT Membership Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Major Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Drinking Water Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Stockholm Junior Water Prize . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover

UPDATE MEMBERSHIP INFO ON LINE

Don’t miss your mailings. Update your membership information on line at www.weat.org. Goto membership, then update membership profile. Have your membership ID (8 numbers onWEF WE&T and WEF Highlights mailing label.) Password is your last name.

July 2004 Texas WET

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTBy Ray Longoria, President

Ihad the pleasure to judge the on-site 2004 U.S. StockholmJunior Water Prize competition again this year. The pasttwo years the competition was held in Irving, Texas andhosted by WEAT. This year it was in Denver, Colorado

and hosted by the Rocky Mountain WEA. However, Texas waswell represented at the competition. Texans participatingincluded Dr. Chuck Sorber, the U.S. SJWP Nominating Chair;Fort Worth’s Jody Zabolio, Chair of the SJWP subcommitteeand me. Our Texas student entry in the competition was a pairof competitors, Allie Boone and Jessica Mooney fromMaypearl, Texas, featured on the cover, presented a multi-yearproject: Biosolids: Wave of the Future.

Now to Anti-Bubbles, Electro-Spun Membranes and othertopics that should further reinforce our view on the viability ofour industry. The referenced projects are original investigationsdone by two of the SJWP students. The first relates to man-made bubbles that have a liquid interior and an air/gas exterior.The anti-bubbles intro-duced into a liquid envi-ronment like a reservoirand are designed to rup-ture at a narrowly speci-fied depth releasing theliquid chemical interiorat a precise point.Electro-spun mem-branes are site-generat-ed using highvoltage/very low amps(low power) to chargespecific polymers. Theapplications range fromthe exotic - manufactur-ing solar sails in space,to the practical - lowcost water filtrationmembranes for develop-ing countries. Althoughyears or decades awayfrom practical applica-tion, the work by these young minds suggest there are manyfuture water professionals in the wings to continue the forwardprogress that has been made by the current generation. Formore information on the 2004 U.S. SJWP winner and finalistsplease see the article on the back cover.

Texas WET. I hope you are gaining benefit from yourAssociation’s publication. As noted previously it is growing.The Young Professionals column was added last month and anew column by Dr. Leonard Ripley on the initiatives andaccomplishments of the Water Environment ResearchFoundation is a new feature starting this month. The comingmonths will see the addition of column on activities takingplace on a national level by your WEF directors Ron Mayo andBetty Jordan. We welcome any comments and suggestions foradditional features you might have for your publication.

Texas Water 2004/2005. Last month I notedthe early financials for Texas Water 2004Conference in Arlington, Texas suggested we were going toexceed the projected revenue from the conference stated in our2004 Budget. It is a pleasure to note that not only was the con-ference a technical and networking success; we exceeded ourrevenue budget projection by almost 50%. This was the resultof a large number of conference walk-up attendees and strongcost control by the conference planning committee. As is stan-dard, the TW04 planning committee met last month to performa post-mortem on the conference. Although praise and high-fiv-ing was due the committee and some did take place, the majori-ty of the time was spent looking for ways to improve the plan-ning process and position Texas Water 2005 to be more suc-cessful.

The process improvements will be incorporated into theConference Guidelines and provided to WEAT’s chair for Texas

Water 2005, BrianBroussard. Brian isalready gearing up for2005 and met with lastyears co-chair, PattyCleveland, in late June.If you are interested inbeing a part of TexasWater 2005, the first for-mal planning meeting isscheduled for July 30,2004 at the Harris-Galveston CoastalSubsidence District in Friendswood, Texas.Contact Brian [email protected] or

(713) 403-1669 to get onboard.

Manufacturers andRepresentativesCommittee (MARC).

Also in the works is the creation of a standing committeeinvolving those professionals in our Association and industrywho are employed by wastewater equipment manufacturers ormanufacturer’s representatives. They have contributed much toour Association, both in talent and treasure, and will have moremeaningful input in to our organization with the creation of thecommittee. If you are interested in active participation in thiscommittee contact either the proposed committee chair, NitaBailey at (936) 539-1747 or Ron Mayo at (972) 387-3339.

WEFTEC ‘04. It is not too early to start planning forWEFTEC ’04 in New Orleans. The conference runs fromOctober 2 – 6, 2004 and the discounted early registration feestructure is valid until August 28, 2004.

Dr. Chuck Sorbor, U.S. SJWP Nominating Chair seen here third from right,and Ray Longoria, WEAT President, center, front row, served on the panel ofjudges for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize held recently in Denver,Colorado.

Continued on page 26. See WEFMAX.

July 2004 Texas WET

July 2004 Texas WET

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICEBy Cheryl Smith, Executive Administrator

Did you know that by attending WEAT Section Meetingsthat you can obtain up to two TCEQ water or waste-water operator certification hours? WEAT has been pro-

viding this service for the past several years. TCEQ is switch-ing from social security numbers to license numbers in report-ing hours. When attending section meetings, be sure to sign theroster with your license number in order to receive credit. Ifyou are not licensed, use your social security number. Oncehours have been reported to TCEQ, you never lose them. Thisis another way to get your hours by attending your local sectionmeetings. Please visit WEAT’s website for information on sec-tion meetings in your area.

Sustainability Seminar – Doing More with Less – Survivalin the 21st Century seminar will be held July 16, 2004 at theCrowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Austin. Speakers fromaround the country will be offering presentations on automationat plants, high level controls for plants, energy efficiency andSenate Bill 5 requirements, new permitting issues, cost effectivesolids management, cogeneration for all size plants, new trendsin nutrient removal, use of membranes in wastewater treatment,green technology and how it may affect us, how the quality ofour streams and rivers is driving our next round of permits, andmaking environmentally friendly decisions make economicsense. Our special keynote speaker is the head of the UNCommittee on Sustainability. She will be talking about theissues facing the world in providing clean water and sanitationfacilities. You can earn CEUs, PEUs, or operator certificationcredits for this seminar. Register on line at www.weat.org.

WEAT Safety Seminar – WEAT’s safety committee will bepresenting a Safety Seminar on September 24, 2004 in CorpusChristi at the Convention Center. Exhibit space is available. SeeWEAT’s website for more information. Details of the seminarwill be forthcoming. Please mark your calendar.

WEFTEC – The Water Environment Federation will hold itsannual conference in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 2-6,

2004. WEAT will hold its traditional boardmeeting on Monday, October 4 at the HiltonNew Orleans Hotel (WEFTEC hotel headquar-ters). On Sunday evening, October 3, WEATwill hold its Texas Reception at the Hilton New Orleans. Anemail invitation will be sent to all WEFTEC registered Texasmembers. Look for your e-mail invitation.

WEAT/WEF – Control of Fats, Oils, & Grease (FOG)Advanced Training Course – WEAT and WEF are proud toco-sponsor the FOG workshop to be held November 4 & 5 inHouston, Texas. Over the past few years, WEF, in partnershipwith the US EPA, has developed a Fats, Oils, and GreaseControl Training Course and has been conducting workshopsacross the country. After the success of this introductory FOGControl course, WEF has developed an advanced FOG trainingcourse. Utilizing the knowledge of experts already involved inthe control of fats, oils, and grease, this new course presentsimplementation details for a variety of FOG control options.The purpose of the training course is to present a well devel-oped approach that can be used by utilities to design and imple-ment their own site specific FOG control programs. Elementsof the course are also geared towards FOG producers, industriesand restaurants.

CMOM An Exchange of Practical Experiences

among EPA, the States and the Municipalities

US EPA Region 6 in association with TCEQ, City of AustinWater Utility and American Society of Civil EngineersAustin Chapter presents CMOM – An Exchange of

Practical Experiences among EPA, the States and theMunicipalities. The CMOM workshop will be held at theAustin Convention Center on Monday, August 30 from 10

a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, August 31, 2004 from 8 a.m. to3 p.m. This workshop will allow EPA and state regulators

to come together with their municipal permit holders to dis-cuss practical experiences related to “Capacity,

Management, Operations & Maintenance” (CMOM). Registration fee is $60 per person.

For more information, go to www.epa.gov or www.tceq.orgor call William Moriarty at (512) 479-1609.

July 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dallas/Fort Worth Section: Lone StarPark – Outing at the Races – JointMeeting with DFW Section ofTAWWA

July 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . WEAT Executive Board Meeting -Austin, Texas

July 16. . . . . . . . . . . . . WEAT Seminar - Doing More withLess – Survival in the 21st Century –Austin, Texas

July 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . Longview/Tyler/Texarkana/LufkinSection Meeting. Speaker: BettyJordan.

July 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . San Antonio Section MeetingJuly 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Section: 4th Annual Joint

Summer Meeting of WEAT andTAWWA – Boat Cruise on LakeTravis (outside Austin, Texas) –Speaker: Commissioner Larry Soward

July 23-24 . . . . . . . . . . WEAT Long Range PlanningCommittee Meeting, - Lakeway, Texas

September 24 . . . . . . . WEAT Safety Seminar – CorpusChristi, Texas

October 2-6 . . . . . . . . . WEFTEC – New Orleans, LouisianaOctober 3. . . . . . . . . . . WEAT Texas Reception at WEFTEC –

New Orleans, LouisianaOctober 4. . . . . . . . . . . WEAT Executive Board Meeting –

New Orleans, LouisianaNovember 4-5 . . . . . . . WEAT/WEF – Control of Fats, Oils,

& Grease (FOG) Advanced TrainingCourse

November . . . . . . . . . . WEAT WEAT – EngineeringEconomy

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

July 2004 Texas WET

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For more information, call Terry Smith at 1-800-227-4224 ext. 2114 or e-mail [email protected].®

© 2004 Hach Company

July 2004 Texas WET

WEAT SECTION ACTIVITIES

Section Activities Continued on page 13.

!SECTION 1-AMARILLO - No Report

!SECTION 2-LUBBOCK - No Report Representative Dr. Andrew Jackson - 806/742-2801

!SECTION 3-DALLAS/FORT WORTHRepresentative Betty Jordan 817/284-2724The DFW area section of WEAT held its May meeting at

CityPlace in Dallas. At that meeting, Dr. Kenneth Banks, Cityof Denton, spoke on various initiatives at the City of Dentonincluding watershed management and endocrine disruptors inthe effluent from the treatment plant.

The Dallas and Fort Worth Science Fair winners were ourguests and set up their entries for viewing before and after themeeting. The state science fair winners who will representTexas at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize national competi-tion in June did a brief presentation of their project for thegroup. New officers announced and voted on include:

" President, Donna Long" President-Elect, Jody Zabolio" Vice President, Becky Guthrie" Immediate Past President, David Jackson" Secretary, Randy McIntyre" Treasurer, Amy Robinson" Section Rep, Betty Jordan

Our next big event is the Lone Star Park outing at the raceson July 8th. This annual event is held in conjunction with theDFW Section of TAWWA. Tickets available from Jody Zabolio([email protected]).

!SECTION 4 - LONGVIEW/TYLER/TEXARKANARepresentative Brandy German - 903/509-1552

!SECTION 5—EL PASO - No ReportRepresentative David Ronelas - 915/594-5730

!SECTION 6—MIDLAND/ODESSA - No Report

!SECTION 7—ABILENE/SAN ANGELO - No Report

!SECTION 8—AUSTINRepresentative Richard W. Eason 512/261-6222, ext 14,[email protected] Central Texas Section of WEAT held a meeting May 18,

2004 at the Joe C. Thompson Center - University of Texas atAustin. Roger Schenk, a senior environmental scientistemployed with Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc. gave a presenta-tion entitled "Chapter 210 Reuse Rules Revisions." Theevening included a social gathering and dinner followed by Mr.Schenk's presentation and a short business meeting.

Meeting Sponsors: Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc. and K2Partners, LLC.

Upcoming Meetings: July 23, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. 4th AnnualJoint Summer Meeting of the TAWWA and WEAT local sec-tions: Boat Cruise: on Lake Travis on the Flagship Texas(live music and dinner). Commissioner Larry Soward tospeak.

Central Texas Section Officers are:

" President Raj Bhattarai 512/972-0075 [email protected]

" President Elect David Briggs 512/346-1100 [email protected]

" Vice-President Steve Coonan 512/[email protected]

" Treasurer Karol Mehnard 512/457-7748 [email protected]

" Secretary Brad Castleberry 512/322-5856 [email protected]

" Young Professionals Rep. - Heather Harris 512/453-2468 [email protected]

" Section Rep. Richard Eason 512/261-6222 [email protected]

" Past President Bruce Wiland 512/444-3188 [email protected]

!SECTION 9-HOUSTON/GALVESTONRepresentative Dr. Bob Hill - 281/367-3556The Houston/Galveston Section had our last meeting of the

academic year on May 6th at St. Arnolds Brewery.Congratulations to our newly-elected 2004-2005 officers:

Michael Reedy - PresidentJennie Almerico - President-electNaomi Azulai - Vice-presidentChuck Gilman - Secretary/Treasurer

Congratulations to our regional science fair winners. Oursection selected three winners in each of the senior, 9th grade,and junior divisions. The first three places in each divisionreceived a $100, $75, and $50 savings bond respectively. BoQiu, first place in the senior division, went on to represent ourarea in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition.

Our section is on track to award four scholarships to TexasA&M, Rice University, Lamar University, and the Universityof Houston this fall.

There are no meetings scheduled for this summer. However,the officers will be meeting several times to plan activities forthe upcoming year. If you have topics or speakers you wouldlike to hear, please contact any officer.

Please visit the section's web site at www.weat.org/southeastfor the latest news from the Houston/Galveston Section. Theweb site has contact information for the officers, planned activ-ities, and past newsletters.

!SECTION 10-BEAUMENT/PORT ARTHUR - No Report

July 2004 Texas WET

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July 2004 Texas WET

WET Tech Talk

Back GroundThe following observations were made at River Road

Wastewater Treatment Plant in Wichita Falls, Texas. Afterdoing bench tests, monitoring and often working from theapproach of how to fix a problem instead of how to prevent it,the larger picture started to come together. We found that themost difficult aspect was bringing all of the parts into oneworking theory with a practical application. We hope that theseguidelines, adjusted accordingly to your facility’s system, willtake much of the mystery out of the Ammonia reductionprocess.

As permit requirements for Ammonia (NH3) discharge forwastewater become more stringent a better understanding isneeded of how this process of reducing NH3 takes place.

Ammonia is a major nutrient for cynobacteria known as bluegreen algae. This is the alga, which cause the slime coating onrocks and can lead to algae blooms in lakes. Fish expire ammo-nia through their gills and if the level is above 0.1mg/l thensome fish have trouble expiring the ammonia in their blood viathe gills. Second Nitrites bind to the hemoglobin in the blood ofthe fish at the point of contact in the gills. This robs the fish ofthe ability to carry Oxygen to their tissues.The Bacteria

The use of Autotrophic bacteria, which oxidizes the NH3 caneffectively reduce ammonia levels 90% or more. Under idealconditions they can reduce, ammonia levels 100%.

Autotrophic bacteria are bacteria that use an inorganic chemi-cal as energy source and (CO2) or alkalinity as a carbon sourcefor cell growth. They use the oxidation of NH3 for their energysource. (Oxidation is when an element receives or grabs anelectron from another element and binds to that element. Chlo-rine is an oxidizer also.) Because the bacteria use the oxidationof ammonia they will not consume any organic matter in thewastewater.

This is a two-stage reaction. Ammonia is reduced (oxidized) by the first bacteria into

Nitrite.Nitrite is then reduced (oxidized) by the second bacteria into

nitrate.

Notice that an Oxygen atom is added at each step. Oxygenreceives or grabs and binds with the Nitrogen atom instead ofthe Hydrogen atom.

Environmental NeedsThe environmental conditions to support ammonia-reducing

bacteria are not difficult but must be kept within narrow param-eters for optimal performance. The flock in the Aeration Basinsis where Ammonia reducing bacteria live; however, it is not inthe flock but on the flock. The bacteria that reduce ammoniagrow on fixed surfaces and are not free swimmers. This is whythey work well on trickling filters and other fixed filmed con-tact media. They form part of the zoogleal mass on the media.The bacteria live on the flock and colonize the surface of theflock. The structure of the flock and the volume of the mixliquors become very important in determining the numbers ofbacteria that our systems can hold. We want to maximize thesenumbers in order to bring about the greatest reduction inammonia. To achieve this we want to provide the greatestamount of surface area on the flock for the bacteria to live on.The more varied the shape of the flock with different angles toit the better. This can be indicated by each individual plantsSVI.

A good flock for ammonia control will be irregular and havea porous look to it as seen in the picture below.

The bacteria that reduce nitrite will colonize along with theammonia bacteria and will convert the nitrites to nitrate as fastas the ammonia is being converted to nitrite. However, bothmust have surface area to colonize. This can usually only bedetermined under a microscope. The operator will have to trackvarious tests to see what setting his/her plant will need to pro-

AmmoniaMore Than A Number On A Permit

Four Years of Observation on Nitrification at a 12 MGD ActivatedSludge Plant

Bill Thornton and Harold Burris, City of Wichita Falls

NH3Ammoni

NO2Nitrite

NO3Nitrate

A fast settling spherical shaped flock will produce less surfacearea then a slower settling branching flock.

July 2004 Texas WET

duce the right kind of flock. This would include but not be lim-ited to, such things as RAS returns and detention times.Ammonia reducing bacteria are slow to reproduce takingup to 24 hours to double their population at 74 degrees F.This means that wasting increases must be done gradually andif over wasting is being done then the population may not beable to sustain its self. An MCRT of a minimum of 6 days iswhat is recommended when temperatures are above 76*F and10 to 12 days when below 74? F. This slow reproduction ratemakes ammonia reducing bacteria more susceptible to toxicloads. This is very true for the control of filamentous and thepractice of Chlorinating the RAS for filamentous. At very lowlevels of Chlorine residual Nitrite reducing bacteria will diebefore Nitrosomonas leaving you with ammonia only beingreduced to nitrites. This is why it is important to keep the popu-lation of bacteria high enough to more then handle the ammo-nia load if some die off takes place. Because these bacteriareproduce so slowly and are susceptible to toxins, it can makefor a very difficult time in playing catch up. The advantage isthat these bacteria are naturally occurring in our systems mak-ing it our job to provide the best living conditions for them.

Dissolved OxygenDissolved Oxygen is the single controllable element in the

health of the bacteria. The process of ammonia reduction con-sumes in the range of 3 parts oxygen to every one-partAmmonia. What the D.O. level is down within the mix liquor atthe surface of the flock is what is important. Because this isusually, an unknown we have to rely on the surface DO.Maintaining a surface DO of 2mg/l will usually be enough ifthe basin is thoroughly mixed. If there is any doubt about thequality of the mixing then a D.O. reading deeper in the basinand away from any mechanical mixing will have to be donewith a portable D.O. meter. However, when you are reducing alarger amount of ammonia than normal watch the D.O.’s. Theywill go down and this could cause your reduction rate to godown also. Low D.O.’s for even an hour can cause an increasedischarge of Ammonia. Maintaining the DO levels in the mixliquor is the single biggest cost in meeting the requirements ofthe ammonia reducing bacteria. Without adequate D.O.’s therewill not be optimal ammonia reduction. If you are doing dailyOxygen Uptake Rates (OURs) also, you can see on days when

the raw has a high ammonia level that the OUR goes up also.Reduction RatesEvery plant should also be testing NH3 every day on the

Raw coming in. This allows the Operator to see what the truereduction rate is. If laboratory testing on the raw cannot bedone every day then at a minimum a high range ammonia table-top test should be done every day. Le Monett, Hach, or anyquality test kit will do.

The reduction rate is simply the % of the effluent to the Rawsubtracted from 100.

A separate test on the discharge of the Final Clarifiers beforechlorination is very helpful to determine actual reductionbecause some NH3 is always consumed in the Chlorinationprocess. With out the knowledge of what your Raw is you willnot know what the actual reduction rate is. The reduction ratewill tell you how you are doing and if you can handle a suddenincrease in ammonia should that happen. If you experience anincrease of 10 mg/l a day of Ammonia in the Raw and yourreduction rate is only 90%, you may end up discharging ammo-nia above your permit.

Most simple NH3 test kits, such as those used for aquariums,are a Nessler type test. According to the Standards Method, thistest is only accurate to within 1 or 2 mg/l., which is all that isnecessary for our needs if we want to stay below a 3mg/l NH3on the effluent.

To nitrify Ammonia it takes two types of bacteria working inconjunction. This means you usually need 3mg/l of nitrifyingbacteria per 1mg/l of NH3. Also the nitrifying bacteria usuallyonly make up 10% of the Volatile solids. We have found thatafter one year of 98% reduction rates that we seemed to behigher than 10% ammonia reducing bacteria in the mix liquorvolatiles. But after every start up for ammonia season or afterhaving a die off, the following formula gave us an idea of theminimal Mlvss we need for complete nitrification.

# Start with the Raw NH3. (P.E. Flow is the flow into theaeration Basins)

(NH3 mg/l)*(Influent MGD)*(3)*10=Mg/l of MLvss.

(A.B. Volume)

# To work it backwards to figure how much NH3 can bereduced use the following formula.

(Mlvss)* 0.1 *(A.B. volume) = Consumption of NH3.(Influent MGD * 3)

The role alkalinity and pH play in NitrificationThe total break down of ammonia (NH3) consumes

Alkalinity. Alkalinity is usually measured in Calcium carbonate(CaCO3). Whichever test procedure you use to test for alkalini-

ty be sure to do it the same way with the same test type eachtime. Other bases, (the opposite of an acid), such as sulfates caninterfere with different tests. To breakdown, 1 mg/l of NH3 willconsume 7 mg/l of HCO3. With this, we can see a loss of170mg CaCO3 on a normal basis with a raw NH3 of 20-25mg/l. This loss of Alkalinity will lead to a gradual and some-times sudden fall in the effluent pH. This can even cause prob-

If the flock becomes too large and dense, the surface area tomass ratio is reduced and you will not have as much surfacearea for the same amount of mix liquor.

July 2004 Texas WET

lems with the plants permit for low effluent pH. Most incoming raw wastewater will have an Alkalinity high

enough to maintain an initial pH of 6.8 to 7.2. This pH range isoptimal for the Nitrifying bacteria and start of the Nitrificationprocess. But as the NH3 is reduced, alkalinity levels will startto fall. The first stage of the NH3 reduction liberates the hydro-gen ions, which start the first shift in ph. This will interact with

Carbonate (CO32-)& Bicarbonate (HCO3) and be absorbed low-ering the total alkalinity. The majority of the consumption ofAlkalinity is in the second stage of NH3 reduction and the con-version of Nitrites to Nitrates. If we do not always achievecomplete nitrification and end with only nitrites not nitrates thealkalinity will not fall off as much. Incomplete nitrificationwould remove NH3 from our test results but not remove thealkalinity as much. To be sure about this, you would have to goback and compare the NH3 reduction, Alkalinity loss, and/or anincreased Chlorine demand. The Chlorine increased demandwould be due to the increase in nitrites from the incompletenitrification. Nitrite associated with incomplete nitrification canconsume 2.5mg Chlorine per mg Nitrite. The purchase of aninexpensive test kit for both Nitrite and Nitrate will make thisdistinction easier. Nitrate levels should be approximately equalto the original NH3 influent after a lag of total plant hydraulicdetention time.

This trend downward in pH from the loss of alkalinity canalso be compounded from the levels of Carbon Dioxide in thewater. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) disassociates in water to formweak carbonic acid. Normally in waterways such as lakes, theCO2 content is only about 10-20mg/l and tested mix liquorsamples will have results of 50 mg/l CO2 to over 80mg/l. TheCO2 problem could be over come by more vigorous mixing ofthe Aeration basins. This would drive off the CO2. One way toverify this simplistically is to aerate a sample with a small bub-bling air stone while running a pH meter on the sample. Thelonger the sample is aerated the more the pH goes up. If the pHgoes up quickly at first and then levels off and rises slowly, thepH increase is probably from the driving off of CO2. If a plantcan cost effectively increase the surface agitation to drive offCO2, this can make a difference in the final pH.

The next step is Denitrification.Denitrification is taking place at some level in any plant sce-

nario. When the sludge settles in the Final Clarifiers theOxygen level will fall as the bacteria continue to consumeOxygen. The rate of Oxygen consumption is in a large degreegoing to be determined by how well the organic constituents ofthe settling sludge have been reduced.

Once the Dissolved Oxygen level reaches 1.0mg/l the processwill become anxious and Facultative bacteria will start to useNitrates as an Oxygen source. Two NO3, Nitrate molecules willgive up the Oxygen from bacteria respiration. Where as Nitrite(NO2) is already pair bonded as O2 and this makes it a harderbond to break. The break down of Nitrates (NO3) with a carbonsource will produce Nitrogen gas, water, Carbon Dioxide, andHydroxide ions (N2, CO2, and H2O, OH). The Carbon Dioxideand the Hydroxide ion will form Carbonate ion of HCO3. Thisproduction of Carbonate (HCO3) will be about 2mg/l for every1mg/l of Nitrate (NO3) that is consumed. The RASS return willcarry a higher degree of Alkalinity back to the beginning of theAeration compared to the Aeration effluent alkalinity where it is

mixed with the incoming Aeration flow. If the Ammonia intothe Aeration Basin is 20mg/l and it is fully converted toNitrates then Denitrification will result in an increase of 40mg/lalkalinity. This is where Denitrification can be a large help inkeeping the alkalinity from reaching too low a level. Theamount of alkalinity that is returned to the aeration basin isdependent on the number of gallons returned, not the RASSsolid return.

Holding sludge in the final clarifier for too long a period candefeat the ammonia reduction in the Aeration Basins. This isbecause as the microorganisms stay in the bottom of the clarifi-er they begin to die off. If left too long other bacteria will beginto use the dead cells as a carbon source. If this population ofbacteria increases, they begin to produce ammonia. In addition,the lyses of the dead cells in the sludge blanket will releaseammonia into the water. Or if the Mix Liquor is well reducedand the bacteria are in the endogenous stage, which is the pointwere the bacteria making up the floc are now consuming theirstored energy, this will produce some ammonia. So here againyou face a balancing act of not returning the sludge so fast thatyou do not recapture some of the alkalinity but at the same timenot keeping it in the final clarifier so long that you start produc-ing ammonia. One big benefit of achieving this balance is thatit seems when the sludge is in the final Clarifiers as a blanket itbecomes more connected and produces the higher surface areafor colonization of the nitrifying bacteria discussed in the firstsection. Also, as is discussed in the reduction section it is help-ful to test the ammonia levels entering the Final Clarifiers and,after the hydraulic detention time, to test the Final Clarifierseffluent ammonia levels. If there is a greater amount ofAmmonia coming out of the Final Clarifiers then is entering theClarifiers then increasing the RASS return is the best change tomake.

One final note of interest is the effect of NH3 coming out ofthe Final Clarifier on the Chlorine residual. Leaving the blanketin the Final Clarifiers to the point of being completely in theendogenous stage can cause the release of Organic Nitrogenwhich will effect your Chlorine residual much like a combinedChlorine residual of Chloramines. This Nitrogen will not showup as Ammonia but will have a similar impact on the Chlorineresidual. But, once again, will not show up as effluentAmmonia.

Keeping it simplea)Know what the Amount of NH3 is in the Aeration Basins

influent.b)Give the Ammonia Reducing Bacteria as much surface area

as possible with plenty of Oxygen.c)Manage the Final Clarifier blankets to maximize the return of

Alkalinity.d)In order of importance: Monitor the Ammonia Reduction

rate, pH, and Alkalinity.e)Pay attention to any changes in Chlorine usage, which might

indicate a decrease in nitrification or a loss of completeAmmonia conversion to Nitrates.

July 2004 Texas WET

!SECTION 10-BEAUMONT/PORT ARTHUR - No ReportRepresentative Karin Warren - 409/785-3006

!SECTION 11-SAN ANTONIORepresentative-Don Vandertulip-210/[email protected] South Central Texas Chapter held its last meeting on

May 27, 2004. Mr. Louis Manz with the Honduras WaterMinistry gave a presentation entitled "Water Projects in RuralHonduras". Mr. Manz takes quarterly trips to Honduras to drillwells, install hand pumps, and provide training for local volun-teers. Training now allows a local crew to drill some wells.Training is also provided for villagers in proper water handlingand sanitation practices. More volunteers are needed, especiallythose with geological and water drilling experience.

WEAT Officers held a Board meeting on May 28, 2004 toestablish direction for the coming year. The next meeting inJuly will feature a presentation by Jim Boenig on the SanAntonio River Authority flood improvement projects. Futureprograms will include Public Works Director Tom Wendorfspeaking on Storm Water Controls and Roland Gutierrez dis-cussing the Mitchell Lake Wetlands.

!SECTION 12-CORPUS CHRISTI - No ReportRepresentative Foster Crowell - 361/857-Water.

Section Activities. Continued from page 8.

July 2004 Texas WET

WET Tech Talk

Effect Of Ammonia And Nitrite Nitrogen On ChlorineDemand For Disinfection Of Secondary Effluent

Mohamed Adil Haque, Former Research Assistant, UTAJody Zabolio, P.E., Senior Professional Engineer, City of Fort Worth

Syed R. Qasim, Professor, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UTA

INTRODUCTIONDisinfection of wastewater effluent is used to destroy patho-

genic organisms. Pathogens are carriers of water-borne diseasessuch as hepatitis, cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, dysentery, and oth-ers. Chlorine destroys target organisms by the oxidation of cel-lular material.

The chlorine consumption for the disinfection of wastewatereffluent generally increases in the winter months. Because ofincomplete nitrification in cold weather, significant buildup ofammonia and nitrite nitrogen occurs. This paper contains theresults of a study that was conducted to determine the effect ofnitrification, and causes of increased chlorine demand at theVillage Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Fort Worth,Texas.

The objectives of this research were to conduct laboratoryand field studies, and modeling efforts to develop generalizedrelationships to determine the chlorine demand during the win-ter months. The scope of this research included (1) laboratoryand field studies for developing a relationship between chlorinedemand and chlorine residuals in the disinfection of secondaryeffluent under different operational conditions of the plant, (2)review operational data of the Village Creek WastewaterTreatment Plant (VCWWTP) to identify the causes of chlorinedemand, (3) utilize Monod-type biological kinetic equations tocalculate and optimize the concentrations of effluent ammonianitrogen, (4) develop a kinetic model for chlorine demand inthe presence of ammonia and nitrite nitrogen, and (5) develop akinetic model to predict the effluent ammonia, nitrite andnitrate nitrogen at different solids reten-tion time (SRT).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Chlorine DemandChlorine demand is the difference

between the added chlorine dose and theresidual chlorine concentration measuredafter a prescribed contact time. Sincechlorine is a strong oxidant, any reduc-ing substance can react with chlorine andconsume it. It is necessary to satisfy thechlorine demand of wastewater, beforefree chlorine will be available for disin-fection.

Effect of Ammonia Nitrogen Ammonia plays an important role in secondary effluent chlo-

rination. Under certain circumstances ammonia increases the

chlorine demand, and at other times it reduces the demand. Ifthe ammonia nitrogen concentration is between 0.1 and 2.0mg/L in the effluent, the chlorine demand may increase(Dhaliwal and Baker, 1983). The reason is that the presence ofammonia in low concentrations will give clear chlorine residualonly after the breakpoint chlorination reaction.Stochiometrically, the weight ratios of chlorine to ammonia toreach maximum total residual chlorine (TRC) and breakpointare 5:1 and 7.6:1, respectively (White, 1992). If the ammoniaconcentration is 0.1 mg/L, stochiometrically only 0.5 mg/L ofcombined residual chlorine forms at maximum TRC. In order toachieve the required residual of 1 mg/L, it is necessary to gopast the breakpoint. This is why the chlorine demand increases.On the other hand, if the ammonia nitrogen concentration isabove 2 mg/L, the chlorine demand would be significantlyreduced due to the formation of combined residual chlorinebefore the maximum TRC (Dhaliwal and Baker, 1983).

The combined chlorine residual of 1 mg/L will produce satis-factory disinfection of secondary effluent. The chlorinationcurve of a sample containing 1 mg/L of ammonia nitrogen isshown in Figure 1. It may be observed that the added chlorineis initially converted to monochloramine until the chlorine-ammonia weight ratio of 5:1 is reached. Due to the monochlo-ramine formation, the chlorine demand is less in the rising legof the breakpoint curve. After the chlorine has completely react-ed with the ammonia nitrogen, the chlorine residual beginsdecreasing until the breakpoint is reached, and then the chlorineresidual starts to increase. It may also be noted that the chlorine

demand exerted by ammonia nitrogen increases only betweenthe maximum total chlorine residual (TRC) in the rising leg andthe breakpoint.

Figure 1. Chlorine residual and chlorine demand due to 1 mg/L ammonia nitrogen in syn-thetic sample.

July 2004 Texas WET

Effect of Nitrite and Nitrate NitrogenNitrite is a transitory compound during the oxidation of

ammonia to nitrate. Nitrite exerts a significant initial chlorinedemand (Chen and Jensen, 2001). Since it takes two atoms ofchlorine to make one molecule of HOCl, five parts of chlorineare required to oxidize one part of nitrite (as nitrogen).Therefore, each mg/L of nitrite represents 5 mg/L of chlorinedemand in the presence of free chlorine. However, nitrite reactswith combined chlorine residual at a much slower rate than itdoes with free chlorine (White, 1992). Nitrate exerts very littleor no chlorine demand.

Chlorination curves of samples containing 1, 1.5, and 2 mg/Lof nitrite nitrogen are shown in Figure 2. It may be noted that

each mg/L of nitrite nitrogen exerts an initial chlorine demandof approximately 5 mg/L. Once the initial chlorine demand issatisfied the chlorine residual increases proportionately to theamount added.

Effect of Biomass ConcentrationSludge age and mixed liquor suspended solids are important

components in the nitrification process. Numerous studies haverevealed that the higher the solids retention time (SRT), thegreater is the nitrification (Gray, 1990; Painter, 1977; Wild etal., 1971; and Downing et al., 1964). In a biological nitrifica-tion process, unfavorable factors such as low temperature, non-optimum pH conditions, and toxicity inhibit the growth of nitri-

fiers (Chen and Jensen, 2001). Under such conditions, themixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration mustbe increased to maintain a high level of nitrification (Gray,1990). The growth of nitrifiers is always less than thegrowth of heterotrophs.

The MLSS concentrations at different temperatures toachieve 99 percent nitrification are shown in Figure 3. Inthese calculations, a solids retention time (SRT) of fivedays, dissolved oxygen concentration of 2.5 mg/L, and aninfluent TKN concentration of 40 mg/L are used. The nitri-fier population is assumed to be 8 percent of the MLVSS.It may be noted from Figure 3 that in order to achieve 99percent nitrification, the MLSS concentration should beincreased as the temperature decreases. At a temperature of25°C, to achieve 99 percent nitrification, MLSS concentra-tion of 1190 mg/L is required. As the temperature drops toFigure 2 - Chlorine residual due to three different nitrite

nitrogen concentrations in the synthetic sample.

July 2004 Texas WET

10°C, MLSS concentration of 1890 mg/L is required to achievethe same degree of nitrification. Therefore, the reduction in thenitrification rate at lower temperature is mainly due to thereduction in the efficiency of the nitrifiers to carry out nitrifica-tion to a desired level. The results prove that theoretically it ispossible to achieve 99 percent nitrification even at lower tem-peratures.

FIELD STUDIESThe field studies were conducted at the Village Creek

Wastewater Treatment Plant (VCWWTP). Samples wereobtained from (1) aeration basins 2, 6 and 12 N, and (2) sec-ondary effluent before and after disinfection facilities. TheMLSS samples from VCWWTP were collected at the effluentweir of aeration basins. The results of this study confirmed the

inhibition of nitrification at lower temperatures, and at lowerMLSS concentrations. Additionally, at higher SRT values theeffluent was well nitrified, and the concentrations of ammoniaand nitrite nitrogen were low. The research data supported thefact that nitrite buildup during colder months was responsiblefor the chlorine demand. The results also confirmed that even atlow temperatures, complete nitrification is possible by increas-

ing the SRT. Basin 2 always had a higher SRT, andhence achieved better nitrification, and the effluent hadlower chlorine demand than the other two basins. TheSRT in Basin 2 was increased as the temperaturedecreased, while the SRT in Basin 6 was not varied withthe temperature. Because of this, Basin 2 always hadbetter nitrification than Basin 6. The experimentalresults confirmed that the chlorine demand was reducedin the presence of high ammonia and nitrite nitrogenconcentrations because monochloramine residual wasmaintained. However, if the ammonia nitrogen concen-tration was low while the nitrite nitrogen concentrationwas high, the chlorine demand increased significantly.This is because at a low concentration of ammonia

nitrogen, the desired chlorine residual as monochloramine couldnot be maintained. Hence, chlorination had to be extendedbeyond the breakpoint.

In this study, three models were developed to theoreticallycalculate concentrations of various forms of nitrogen in theeffluent and to calculate the chlorine dose to achieve a desiredresidual under different operational conditions. The experimen-tal results and operational data supported well the model

results. The inputs to themodel are ammonia nitro-gen, nitrite nitrogen con-centrations, reaction time,and the chlorine residualrequired. Outputs from themodel are chlorine doserequired to achieve adesired residual. The chlo-rine dose for differentammonia and nitrite nitro-gen concentrations at 20minutes contact time wascomputed using the chlo-rine residual and chlorinedemand computer models(Haque, 2003, Haque et.al, 2004). The computedvalues are presented inTable 1. Use of Table 1 forcalculating the chlorinedose is illustrated by thefollowing.

Example The effluent from an

activated sludge plant con-tains ammonia and nitritenitrogen concentrations of

Figure 3 - Calculated results showing the effect of temperature onnitrification for a SRT of 5 days.

Table 1 - Chlorine Dose for Chlorination of Secondary Effluent at Different Concentrations ofAmmonia and Nitrite Nitrogen

Note: (1) The chlorine dose values given in non-shaded portion of the table are calculated from chlorine

demand model. To use this model chlorine to ammonia nitrogen ratio should be 5 or less. This modelconsiders the reaction occurring on the rising leg of the breakpoint chlorination. Chlorine residual ispredominantly monochloramine.

(2) The chlorine dose values given in shaded portion of the table are calculated from chlorine residualmodel. To use this model chlorine to ammonia nitrogen ratio should be greater than 5. The modeltakes into account all reactions occurring in and beyond the breakpoint chlorination. Continued on page 21.

See Chlorine Demand.

July 2004 Texas WET

Blue Book Insert

July 2004 Texas WET

0.25 and 0.4 mg/L respectively. Determine the chlorine dose toachieve a total chlorine residual of 1 mg/L?

Solution:Compute the ratios of total chlorine residual and ammonia

nitrogen.Since the chlorine to ammonia nitrogen ratio is less than 5,

chlorine demand model applies.1. Determine chlorine dose.2. Read chlorine demand dose from the non-shaded portion of

the Table 1.3. Under total chlorine residual of 1 mg/L, nitrite nitrogen

concentration of 0.4 mg/L, and ammonia nitrogen value of0.25 mg/L, read the desired chlorine dose.

Chlorine dose = 1.53 mg/L

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONSBased on the results of the extensive laboratory studies and

modeling efforts, it is concluded that the concentrations of allthree forms of nitrogen can be theoretically calculated in theeffluent. Furthermore, the chlorine dosage to achieve a certainchlorine residual at any temperature can also be calculated.From the results of this study, the following recommendationsare made: (1) the aeration basins should be operated at higherSRT to achieve complete nitrification during the colder months,(2) in the event of buildup of ammonia and nitrite nitrogen, it isrecommended to maintain monochloramine residual, and (3) inthe event of high nitrite nitrogen buildup, chlorine demand canbe reduced by reducing the aeration; this will increase the

ammonia nitrogen concentration, and the disinfection require-ments will be met through monochloramine residual.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThe authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to the City

of Fort Worth Water Department for providing the funds for thisresearch project.

REFERENCESChen, W. L. and Jensen, J. N. (2001). “Effect of Chlorine Demand on the

Ammonia Breakpoint Curve: Model Development, Validation withNitrite, and Application to Municipal Wastewater,” Water EnvironmentResearch, Vol. 73, No. 6, page 721.

Dhaliwal, B. S. and Baker, R. A. (1983). “Role of Ammonia-N inSecondary Effluent Chlorination”. Journal of Water Pollution ControlFederation, Vol. 55, page 454.

Downing, A. L., Painter, H. A., and Knowles, G. (1964). “Nitrification inActivated Sludge Process,” Journal and Proceedings of the Institute ofSewage Purification, 1964, page 130.

Gray, N. F. (1990). “Activated Sludge: Theory and Practice,” OxfordUniversity Press, New York.

Haque, Mohamed A. (2003). “Effect of Nitrification on Chlorine Demandfor Disinfection of Municipal Wastewater Effluent,” Master of ScienceThesis, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas.

Haque, Mohamed A., Qasim, Syed R., Zabolio, Jody, (2004). “Effect ofNitrification on Chlorine Demand for Disinfection of MunicipalWastewater Effluent,” Proceedings of the Texas Water 2004, Joint meet-ing of WEAT and Texas Section AWWA, April 5-8, 2004, Arlington,Texas.

Painter, H. A. (1977). “Microbial Transformations of Inorganic Nitrogen,”Progress in Water Technology, Vol. 8, page 3-29.

White, G. C. (1992). “The Handbook of Chlorination and AlternativeDisinfection,” 3rd Ed., Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Wild, H. E., Jr., Sawyer, C.N., and McMahon, T.C. (1971). “FactorsAffecting Nitrification Kinetics,” Journal of Water Pollution ControlFederation, Vol. 43, page 1845.

Chlorine Demand. Continued from page 16.

July 2004 Texas WET

Awards Committee ReportBy Betty C. Mayo, Awards Chair

WEF ARTHUR SIDNEY BEDELL AWARDacknowledges extraordinary personal service to the MemberAssociation (WEAT).

WEF GEORGE W. BURKE, JR. AWARDrecognizes municipal and industrial wastewater facilities foractive and effective safety programs.

WEF WILLIAM D. HATFIELD AWARDrecognizes operators of wastewater treatment plants for out-standing performance and professionalism.

WEF LABORATORY ANALYST EXCELLENCE AWARD recognizes individuals for outstanding performance, profession-alism, and contributions to the water quality analysis profes-sion.

WEAT LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDrecognizes an individual who has demonstrated continual andtireless contributions toward the improvement of the waterenvironment throughout a long and distinguished career in thewastewater treatment industry and in WEAT/WEF.

WEAT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OF THEYEAR AWARDacknowledges a municipal (and/or industrial) wastewater treat-ment plant in Texas that has consistently exhibited outstandingperformance of daily activities beyond the normal call of duty.Three size categories are available.

WEAT OUTSTANDING OPERATOR OF THE YEARAWARDrecognizes a wastewater treatment plant operator (municipaland/or industrial) in the State of Texas who has demonstratedoutstanding professionalism at his/her facility and has per-formed his/her duties tirelessly and with dedication to the bet-terment of the water environment.

WEAT MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HEROISMis presented to an individual (or group of individuals) from theState of Texas who has demonstrated exceptional courage andbravery in the performance of a single act of heroic behaviorinvolving the water environment industry.

WEAT SIDNEY L. ALLISON AWARDrecognizes a person (or entity) who has made significant contri-butions to the engineering, science, and/or operation and main-tenance of wastewater collection and pumping stations with themission to transport wastewater to a treatment plant.

WEAT WINFIELD S. MAHLIE AWARDrecognizes a person who has made significant contributions tothe art and science of wastewater treatment and water pollutioncontrol.

WEAT T. L. SATTERWHITE AWARDrecognizes an individual, an engineering firm, or an industrialentity for the development of a solution to an industrial waste-water treatment problem.

WEAT EMERGING LEADER AWARDrecognizes a young WEAT member who has provided outstand-ing service in support of WEAT.

Full criteria can be requested from the Committee Chair orviewed at www.weat.org.

For further information or to submit a nomination, pleasecontact:

Betty Mayo, WEAT Awards Committee Chairc/o Hydronics, Inc.

5710 LBJ Freeway, #270Dallas, Texas 75240

Phone: 972-387-3339FAX: 972-387-9399

E-mail: [email protected]

2005 WEAT & WEF MA AWARDS STATE LEVEL NOMINATIONS

NOMINATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 1, 2004This is our opportunity to honor outstanding achievement and service within our own

state’s water environment industry. Let your peers know that their dedication and talentsand hard work are appreciated. Don’t wait! Do it today!

July 2004 Texas WET

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All Things YPBy Heather Harris

My Ode toWEAT

When the possibility of becoming one of theYP Co-Chairs was presented to me, then co-chair Michael Bloom asked why I was involvedwith WEAT and why I would be willing to bemore active. Of course, in my head I was think-ing, “Why are you asking me this when I just agreed to volun-teer my time? I’m sure people aren’t lining up to do that!” Iasked him what he meant, and he said that he felt peoplebecame involved with WEAT for one of three reasons: the net-working opportunities, the potential to “give back”, or thedesire to be involved in an extended sort of family. Family?That thought had never occurred to me. I figured that the con-sulting and vendor-types were involved solely for the marketing

potential and the “clients” were involved because whateverorganization they worked for encouraged it. Simple.

I had no idea what I was getting into.I have to tell you that my outlook has changed immensely. I

love knowing where Richard’s daughter is going to college andthat he and his family struggled with the fact that she would beso far from home. I love knowing that Raj’s daughter is a futureinvestigative journalist. I am actually trying to think if I haveever discussed work at one of our Austin YP happy hours.There is so much more to each and every one of us than I everdreamed, and I can not say how grateful I am to have theopportunity to learn even a fraction of it.

I thought attending WEAT meetings was a necessary careerevil, something you did solely to make yourself known toclients. Now, though, WEAT is where I get to catch up withpeople I care about, and it is just a coincidence that the peoplethere happen to have jobs similar to mine.

HeatherHarris

I had no idea what Iwas getting into.

Visit the

Water Environment Association of Texas

Online at

WWW.WEAT.ORG

July 2004 Texas WET

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRSBy Rebecca Cobos, Intergovernmental Committee Chair

On the Federal FrontTCEQ provided comments to EPA “Guidelines

Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of PollutantsUnder the Clean Water Act; National Primary Drinking WaterRegulations; Analysis and Sampling Procedures.” TCEQ staffgenerally supported guidelines but did make recommendedchanges to include withdrawing older EPA and technically defi-cient methods, adding new methods, promoting use of commonmethods for analyzing drinking water and wastewater samples,and promoting performance-based method flexibility for theClean Water Act. Staff also supported clarifications regardingrequirements for preserving and storing samples, use of capil-lary columns for methods involving gas chromatography, anduse of multi-analytic methods related to the Clean Water Act.Staff also recommended approval of EPA Method 327.0 forroutine daily monitoring for chlorite at the entrance to distribu-tion systems and supported provisions for alternate test proce-dures to determine microbiologi-cal constituents in drinking waterwith one recommended changeand one correction.

Biosolids. NPR-KQED radioaired the California Associationof Sanitation Agencies’“Biosolids Recycling is Good forOur Environment” on theirPerspectives program on 5-26-04. The audiolink can beaccessed on the KQED websiteas follows:http://www.kqed.org/radio

EPA Issues Request forProposals for Watershed Protection Grants. The Office ofWetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds issued a request for initialproposals for Assessment and Watershed Protection ProgramGrants (AWPPG). Initial proposals are due June 21. The requestfor proposals is posted on EPA’s website athttp://www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html. (SRT)

What’s New at TCEQSignature Requirements in 30 TAC 305.44. Mandated by

federal regulations, TCEQ is currently updating the signatoryinstructions in its application forms for water quality permitsand registration applications. Instructions include signatorymandates for consolidated permits, general permits for wastedischarges, permits relating to sludge use, disposal and trans-portation and permits relating to control of certain activities byrule. Only a ranking elected official or principal executive offi-cer may sign an application form for municipalities or othergovernment entities such as the city mayor or county commis-sioner. The principal executive officer is usually identified in acity charter, a county or city ordinance of the Texas statute(s)under which the governmental entity was formed. According tothis provision, any corporate representative may sign an appli-cation form so long as that authority has been delegated by cor-

porate procedures. Signatory requirement cannot be delegatedto anyone else. Contact person at TCEQ is Matt Beeter (512)239-1406 or Carol Lear at (512) 239-1025.

HB 1979 Model Ordinance. TCEQ has a draft model ordi-nance guideline document for grease traps and related over-flows which will not go through as a rule but rather as a guidefor general applicability. Sections include installation, cleaningand alternative treatments, which closely follow Ch. 312 of theAdministrative Code. Guidelines do not affect anyone who hasan existing program, however, municipalities can adopt thesemodel standards to address grease management problems andprevent overflows if they don’t already have a process in place.Requirements for installation and maintenance will follow localplumbing code and local municipality would issue requiredCertificate of Occupancy. The adoption and enforcement ofmodel standards would be considered a type of correctiveaction, however, TCEQ is not proposing to reduce applicable

penalties for the violation nordoes it change existing enforce-ment criteria.

Enforcement ReviewProcess.TCEQ has completed adraft report and compiled anoverview of the comments col-lected. Another draft of recom-mendations will be made avail-able for public comment in lateAugust or early September.Issues relate to compliance histo-ry components, investigation pri-oritization, notice of violationsand more.

Texas Graywater Advisory Panel. Meeting scheduled forJune 17, 2004 was canceled. The meeting will be postponeduntil a “final” set of proposed rules has been released by theTCEQ.

TCEQ Rules in ProgressHB 2662-Use of Graywater. TCEQ allows domestic use of

Graywater without a permit if use is less than 400 gallons perday. Relevant sections are Ch. 210, CH.285 and 317. Changesto 317 include a provision that changes plant-sizing specifica-tions if a subdivision is built for Graywater systems. Localplumbing codes govern the installation of Graywater systemsand discharge must enter an organized wastewater system.Water for gardening may not be used to irrigate edible parts ofcrops intended for human consumption. Criteria for use ofGraywater for industrial and commercial purposes, as well asfecal coliform standards for certain applications, are alsoincluded in the rules. The proposal is tentatively set forTCEQ’s agenda on July 28, with the public comment periodrunning from August 13 to September 13. Rules are effectiveJanuary, 2005.

If you have questions, you can reach me at (512) 972-0083 orat [email protected]

Biosolids. NPR-KQED radio airedthe California Association of

Sanitation Agencies’ “BiosolidsRecycling is Good for Our

Environment” on their Perspectivesprogram on 5-26-04. The audiolink

can be accessed on the KQED websiteas follows: http://www.kqed.org/radio

July 2004 Texas WET

July 2004 Texas WET

Welcome to the first installment of what will be a regularcolumn about the Water Environment Research Foundation(WERF) and its work. This month’s column is a quickoverview of WERF – what it is, who pays for it, what it does,and most importantly, how it can benefit you. Future columnswill describe specific research efforts that are relevant to Texaswastewater utilities and treatment professionals.

WERF is the research arm for a broad range of subscriberswho are involved in wastewater collection and/or treatment.Subscribers include municipal wastewater agencies in morethan 40 states (ten agencies in Texas), engineering consultingfirms, industrial corporations, wastewater equipment manufac-turers, WEF, and member associations including WEAT. Lessthan half of the financial support for WERF’s research comesfrom its subscribers; the remainder comes from federal funding,various grants, collaborations with other organizations, andeven individual sponsors. In fact, a crucial role that WERF fillsis leveraging and coordinating public and private funds to max-imize the returns from limited wastewater research dollars.

Each year, WERF solicits input (more on that in the nextissue) on research priorities and develops a plan for focused,coordinated research on specific fronts such as wet weather andstormwater issues, nutrients, biosolids treatment and disposal,collection system operation/maintenance, asset management,and emerging contaminants. The foundation then publishesRFPs and awards research funds based on qualifications ofrespondents to the RFPs. WERF typically funds nearly $7 mil-lion in new projects each year, which add up to more than 200

WERF WORDSBy Leonard E. Ripley, Ph.D., P.E.

ongoing or completed projects with a totalvalue of $60 million.

Research results, both interim and final, areavailable to subscribers through several media:" Technical Reports: comprehensive reports available in

print, compact disc or electronic (PDF) formats for ongo-ing and completed research projects

" Executive Summaries: handy one-page overviews" Newsletter: Progress: the WERF newsletter is published

quarterly " Online: Information on WERF research, completed, ongo-

ing and future is available on WERF’s website:www.werf.org

" Meetings: WERF routinely conducts Workshops, Meetings,and Seminars specifically for subscribers.

Subscribers may electronically download a copy of eachreport or they may purchase a printed version for a nominalcharge. Some of the reports also are available through the WEFor International Water Association (IWA) publishing offices,although their prices to non-subscribers are substantially higher.

In the next issue: Overview of WERF’s stormwaterresearch. If you’re not already a subscriber…Your input isimportant – here’s how to provide it!

WEFMAX. Continued from page 4.

WEAT’s SCHOLARSHIP

Deadline to submit application for BobDerrington Memorial Endowment Scholarship isJuly 15th. See WEAT website at www.weat.org

for application and more information.

WEFMAX. Several WEAT members, Richard Eason, PaulRoach, Rhonda Harris, Carolyn Ahrens and I, participated inthis years Member Association Exchange meeting May 14/15,2004. Eleven Member Associations attended including WEAT.The objective of the meeting is to allow MA’s to exchangeideas and initiatives for mutual benefit and to receive an updateof the activities at the national level, WEF. A summary of thenational topics will be authored by our Directors and will beincluded in the September issue of Texas WET.

If there is anything more you think WEAT should be doingfor its members that we currently are not, I ask that you contactme or any of the WEAT officers or Directors listed on page 35.

And remember, when you are specifying anti-bubble dis-bursement equipment in the future, you read it here first.

July 2004 Texas WET

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On May 21st the Water Environment Association of Texasheld its first Water Education And Training seminar at theTrinity River Authority’s Central Plant, and it was a resoundingsuccess. Over 30 people attended from the Dallas/Fort WorthSection (previously the North Texas Section), exceeding expec-tations. Attendees were from Weatherford to Marshall andDenton to Waco, which more than encompasses the Dallas/FortWorth Section boundaries. Based upon word-of-mouth aboutthis success, two other sections have asked for this seminar onPump Selection and Design.

WEAT decided to have the first two seminars in the Dallas /Fort Worth Section area so the organizers could have bettercontrol of the educational product produced. We had threeexcellent speakers: Granger Smith, President of Smith PumpCompany, with over 20 years of being a pump vendor; MattBrown, Engineering Manager of Seepex Pump Company, withover 12 years of pump experience from a manufacturer’s view-point, and me, Ron Sieger, Vice President of CH2M HILL,with over 30 years of consulting experience in pump selection.All of the speakers are involved in the water and wastewaterbusiness and presented a good overview of the basic needs,centrifugal pumps, and positive displacement pumps.

We had comments from 28 of the more than 30 that attended

WEAT WEAT, a Complete Successfor those who Attended!!!

By Ron Sieger and Betty Jordan

and all were quite positive (we would not let anyone out unlessthey handed in the evaluation form!) Of the four evaluationcriteria on program quality, speaker quality, topic areas, andhandout quality, all were 5 or above out of 6; an excellentreview. In addition, we had some excellent ideas for futurecourses and possible names instead of WEAT WEAT. We alsowanted to verify our concept about start time, length of thecourse, cost, content, breaks, and refreshments (donuts con-tributed by Smith Pump Company, and coffee). Based upon theevaluations received, all meet the desires of the attendees withgreater than 25 agreeing to each question. We will learn fromthese comments and make this Pump Selection and Designseminar even better the next time for the San Antonio Sectionand the Tyler/Texarkana/Longview/Lufkin Section. Building onthis success, we are tentatively planning to conduct this courseevery two to three years as a refresher for some and new infor-mation for our young professionals.

Remember, the next seminar is in November with the topicEngineering Economy. We will be giving both CEUs for oper-ators and PDH’s for any PEs in the audience. Be there. It willbe another SUCCESSFUL program that will meet your needs.

July 2004 Texas WET

CALL FOR PAPERSTEXAS WATER 2005

Joint Annual Conference ofTexas Section American Water Works Association

andWater Environment Association of Texas

Moody GardensGalveston, Texas

April 5-8, 2005

Individuals desiring to present a paper at TEXAS WATER 2005 should prepare a ONE page abstract describing the subject matterin sufficient detail to allow evaluation of the proposed topic. Suggested topics are:

Wastewater Water Joint Safety" Treatment " Treatment Processes " Utility Management " Work Zone Traffic " Biosolids Management " Water Quality " Facility Operations " Construction Site" Pretreatment " Distribution Systems " Regulatory Issues " Confined Space" Collection Systems " Operations " International Topics " Trenching and Shoring" Stormwater " Water Conservation " Research Topics " Site Surveillance" Water Reuse " Water Resources " Instrumentation and Control " Chlorine Safety" Odor Control " Source Protection " Security/Vulnerability " Lab Safety" Receiving Water Quality " D/DBP and ESWTR " Watershed Management" Operations " Residuals Management " Public Information

" System Modeling

Abstracts with the greatest potential interest will be selected for presentation. Criteria for selection of a paper include:

" Originality" Significance of Work" Technical Content" Quality of Abstract

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2004

Send Abstracts with Abstract Submittal Form to:

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WASTEWATERAND JOINT TOPICS CONTACT:Phil SpitzerBlack and Veatch9441 LBJ Freeway, Suite 300Dallas, Texas 75243Phone: (214) 570-7054Fax: (214) 570-7049Email: [email protected]

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WATER TOPICS CONTACT:Charles MaddoxCity of Austin625 East 10thAustin, TX. 78701Phone: (512)972-0021Fax: (512) 972-0138 Email: [email protected]

July 2004 Texas WET

Present

CONTROL OF FATS, OILS, & GREASE (FOG) ADVANCED TRAINING COURSE

November 4 & 5, 2004 Houston, Texas

Supported in cooperative agreement by US Environmental Protection Agency—Office of Water

TRAINING COURSE MODULES

�� Marketing your Grease Control Program Convincing your administration and stakeholders that they need an Oil & Grease Control Program

�� Permits Identifying and classifying sources Developing a permitting process

�� Legal AuthorityWriting good sewer use ordinances and grease

control regulations Sample ordinances from several successful programs

�� Enforcement

Violation recognition Enforcement response guide

Enforcement documents Fines & penalties

�� Oil & Grease Management Identifying grease creators

Pollution prevention Permitting and inspection

Disposal and containment

�� Effective Inspection Training

Reviewing current regulations Inspection techniques

Gathering Facility Operational Data Completing Inspection Forms

Conducting follow-up - communicating inspection concerns and recommendations

Registration form and details will be in the September issue of Texas WET and on WEAT’s website at www.weat.org.

�� Design IssuesAssuring effective grease trap/interceptor design Sample collection Alternative Methods: Generation and Interception

�� Operation & Maintenance Issues

Grease trap and interceptor MOM Ensuring the use of reputable waste haulersConfirming that FOG wastes are properly disposed of Lateral cleaning issues – Who’s responsible for the grease? Vapor hood cleaning

�� AdditivesPros/Cons

Case studies Research Report

�� Grease Control Program Record-keeping /InformationManagement

Integrating Oil & Grease Program information into Collection Systems databases/information systems Tracking the effectiveness of your FOG Control

Program

�� Success Stories

�� Additional Resources for Implementing Grease Control Programs

�� Summary

July 2004 Texas WET

2004 WEAT Membership DriveHelp A Colleague Succeed Professionally

A 5-minute conversation, a phone call, or a quick e-mail - that’s all it takes to share the benefits of WEAT membership, strengthenyour industry and, in the process, become a prize winning sponsor! Read on to recollect the benefits you enjoy that could be shared!

Multiple Prizes Will Be Awarded To Sponsors# Every time you recruit a new member, your name will be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing! The more members you spon-

sor, the greater your chances of winning.# The WEAT member who recruits the most new members will be recognized at Texas Water 2005 and awarded a valuable prize!# The runner-ups will receive other great gifts!# To receive sponsor credit in this year’s recruitment drive, make sure that the NEW members you recruit submit their completed

applications and payment with your name written on the ‘Sponsor’ line, no later than December 31, 2004.

WEAT and WEF – A Powerful PartnershipThe Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT) are not-for-profit educationand technical organizations dedicated to working for water quality professionals. WEF membership includes over 36,000 water pro-fessionals from around the world, working in every area of water quality. WEAT has over 1,500 members and is committed to pro-viding you with the tools needed to stay on top of a changing political, economic and global environment, while offering you leader-ship opportunities and knowledge base that is truly extraordinary.

WEAT And WEF Provide the Best Water Quality Education And Training

Texas Water – WEAT’s annual Conference and Exhibition. Held in conjunction with TAWWA, Texas Water is the largest waterconference in the five-state region. This three-day event features 100+ technical papers, 300 exhibitors, workshops, facility toursand networking.

WEFTEC. WEF’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference is regarded as being the most powerful water quality event in theworld, attracting thousands of professionals each year who attend over 80 technical sessions, 20 workshops, facility tours, and haveaccess to over 800 exhibiting companies at the largest water quality exhibition in North America.

Specialty Conferences. These one to three day conferences deliver the latest technology and research targeted to address cutting-edge topics in water quality.

WEAT Education and Training. WEAT and its 20 local sections hold training and several specialty conferences throughout theyear. Sections are located in the major Texas cities and offer membership meetings with technical speakers. Texas WET is a bi-monthly magazine that brings WEAT’s leadership to all its members. WEAT’s Water Education and Training Program (WEAT-WEAT) is set up to provide practical and affordable training for all areas of the Water Profession.

WEF’s Training Program. Targeted to meet the needs of utilities, individuals, and trainers and designed as preparation for certifica-tion testing and continuing education requirements, WEF’s Training Program offers a wide range of resources.

Technical Manuals and publications. WEF publishes more than 180 manuals and publications, many of which have become defin-itive references for the water quality profession. Highly respected authors and years of research make WEF’s bookstore the leadingresource for the latest practices and technologies.

WEAT And WEF Provide Tools Designed To Enhance Your CareerLeadership Opportunities. Committee involvement and service in volunteer positions offer you access to a network of profession-als working to advance the world of water quality.

Young Professionals Program. Water quality professionals with fewer than 10 years working experience and/or are under the age of35, are eligible to join WEAT and WEF at 50% discounted dues, valid for the first year of membership. Additionally, local sectionsof WEAT provide numerous opportunities for networking with other young professionals, including social hours and volunteer pro-grams.

Information on the latest technologies. WEAT and WEF keep their members well informed of the latest developments, regulations,and innovations needed to stay ahead and achieve the highest standards possible in your field.

Pride and recognition of making a difference. As part of WEAT and WEF, you will be connected to a community of people, likeyou, who are striving and succeeding to make the world’s water cleaner and safer. WEAT and WEF are committed to providing thebest tools and resources available for those wanting to make a positive impact on our environment.

July 2004 Texas WET

July 2004 Texas WET

I need to set the record straight. I did not write the MajorRivers (MR) article that appeared in the March 04 issue ofTexasWET. It was written by Stacey Pandey of the Texas WaterDevelopment Board (TWDB). My contribution consisted of aproviding a single quote. However in this issue, I would like tofollow up with a littleinformation on theWEAT Public EducationCommittee (PEC) deci-sion to take an activeroll in supporting thestatewide distribution ofMR. I also hope toencourage your partici-pation in the planned“pilot program”.

I am a strong advocatefor WEAT support of theMR program for a num-ber of reasons that I’mmore than happy to dis-cuss at length with any-one who’s interested.(Just give me a call-orsend an e-mail.). MyPEC partner and co-chair, Cathy Henderson,coordinates all theScience Fair relatedefforts. Working togeth-er with TAWWA, sheestablished a dedicatedcore group of volunteerswho jump into actionwhen science fair seasonarrives. I haven’t beenas successful in myefforts to recruit andencourage volunteers tojoin in and take on lead-ership roles in the “otherthan science fair” PECarena. The upside to thisotherwise sad state ofaffairs is that……. I getto make all the deci-sions. As a result, PECplaced an order withTWDB to purchase anumber of the MajorRivers kits.

While a significantnumber of the kits are earmarked for distribution to theEducational Service Centers and for a training session we willbe offering at the Conference for the Advancement of Science

Teachers (CAST), we will have some additional kits that willbe made available (first come, first served) to any WEAT mem-ber interested in working with a local elementary school.[Major Rivers materials are currently correlated to the 4th and5th grade Texas educational standards.]

This is the “pilot proj-ect” I referred to earlier.While WEAT maintainsits reputation as support-ing one of the strongestPEC among WEFMember Associations(MA); one objectiveremains elusive: increas-ing the number of mem-bers who are activelyengaged in outreach andeducation efforts in theirown communities. I’vehad numerous discus-sions with members whotell me they want to getinvolved in this type ofactivity- but they aren’tsure how to begin- orwhere to start. Aftersorting through available(and affordable) options,Major Rivers came outon top. The theory isthat making high quality,standards correlated,classroom readyresource materials readi-ly available will result inan increasing number ofmembers who areactively engaged in out-reach and educationefforts.

We are asking foryour help to field testthe theory. It would begreat if we can get atleast one volunteer fromeach of the sections. Ifyou’d like more infor-mation on how to getinvolved with this proj-ect; please contact me@ [email protected] (214) 665-7539.

COMING SOON- A quick look at some of the other watereducation and outreach products available through WEF,AWWA, EPA and other prominent organizations.

Major Rivers: A Texas Water Education ProgramBy Karen Bick, Co-Chair, WEAT Education Committee

The theory is that making high quality, standardscorrelated, classroom ready resource materials readilyavailable will result in an increasing number ofmembers who are actively engaged in outreach andeducation efforts.

We are asking for your help to field test the theory.

July 2004 Texas WET

Third Annual North Central Texas ChapterTexas Section of AWWA

Drinking Water SeminarFriday, October 29, 2004

The North Central Texas Chapter of the Texas AWWA is pleased to announce the Chapter’sThird Annual Drinking Water Seminar to be held on Friday, October 29, 2004 at the FortWorth Petroleum Club. The seminar will offer valuable information on process treatmenttopics such as membranes, UV, Ozone, and high rate clarification; water quality issuesincluding nitrification, Chloramines and DBP’s, organics and unidirectional flushing; fundingand finance options, and regulatory updates. More information and details will be published insubsequent articles and coming to you in your mail.

Mark your calendars now.

FOR WASTEWATER OPERATORS,ENGINEERS, LABORATORY

MANAGERS and TECHNICIANS

Wastewater Organism CD - $30

“Very inexpensive and a worthwhile investment” Betty Jordan of Alan Plummer Associates, Inc.

You can now purchase Wastewater organismdatabase CD that has more than 150 high qualitymicro-photographs that can be magnified up to1200x. This is ideal for viewing cell contents anddifferentiation. The file is Acrobat and iscompatible with any computer. All files can beviewed directly from the CD. To purchase yourCD, go WEAT’s website at www.weat.org

Reviewed by:Ron Sieger, CH2M HillPatty Cleveland, Trinity River AuthorityRhonda Harris, Pro-OpsBetty Jordan, Alan Plummer Associates, Inc.

Excellent for all Wastewater Laboratories

Committee Chairs

Audit & BudgetBob Smith214-752-8300

AwardsBetty Mayo972-387-3339

By-Laws Patty Cleveland817-493-5100

Conference Mgmt(Annual) Brian Broussard713-403-1669

Conference Mgmt(Seminars)Randy Bush214-360-9929

MISSION STATEMENT

The Water Environment Association of Texas is an open association of water environment professionals, practitioners, andoperations specialists with a broad range of expertise working together to:

1) Meet the needs of its members for professional growth and development;2) Educate the public on water environmental issues;3) Benefit society through protection and enhancement of the water environment.

PresidentRaymond Longoria214-217-2252

President-ElectRichard Eason512-261-6222

Vice-PresidentPaul Roach214-638-0500

Water Environment Association of Texas

July 2004 Texas WET

SafetyLeonard Leinfelder972-937-2624

Student AffairsBill Rixey713-743-4279

Young Professionals(co-chairs)Becky Guthrie940-349-8938Heather Harris512-453-2468

Executive Committee SecretaryCurtis Smalley254-776-1441

TreasurerBrad Castleberry512-322-5800

Member-at-largeJoe King972/735-3063

WEF DirectorRon Mayo972-387-3339

WEF DirectorBetty Jordan817-284-2724

Past WEF DirectorCarolyn Ahrens Wieland512-472-3263

HistorianCarol Batterton512-239-6306

Past PresidentRon Sieger972-980-2170

PWO RepresentativeJohn Bennett817-430-4657

Ethic EducationRobert McMillon817-277-7591

ExhibitsRhonda Harris956-795-2600

Government AffairsRebecca Cobos512-322-3663

International LiaisonRon Carlson817-277-7591

MembershipJennafer Covington972-980-2188

NominatingRon Sieger972-980-2170

ProgramPhil Spitzer214-570-7054

Public Education (co-chairs)Karen Bick214-665-7539Cathy Henderson972-262-5186

Publication Bill Goloby713-641-9169

ResolutionsJim Taffe817-594-2277

Professional Directory

OLLER ENGINEERING, INC.

2517 74th StreetLubbock, TX 79423806-748-5700806-748-5705www.oeihq.com

Rich Oller, [email protected]

Engineering/Construction Management/Planning/Computer Sciences

PRSRT STDUS Postage

PAIDFort Worth, TexasPermit No. 1561

Water Environment Association of Texas512 E. Riverside Drive, Suite 101Austin, Texas 78704

Alexandria, VA – Brandon Fimple, of Vinita, Oklahoma, hasbeen named the U.S. winner of the Stockholm Junior WaterPrize. He will compete in the only international competition torecognize students for excellence in water science research. Thestudent from Vinita High School studied “The Effects ofSalicylic Acid Treated Poultry Litter on Forage Production,Run-off Water Phosphate Levels, and Closterium AlgaeGrowth.” His research was selected from a pool of over 40state SJWP winners at the national competition in Denver,Colorado, June 10-12.

The U.S. competition is organized by the Water Environment

ing number of confined animal feeding operations that pro-duce large quantities of animal waste that must be disposedof in environmentally-sound manner. Fimple’s experimentcombined three years of research on allelochemicals with aprevious study of alum-treated poultry litter in an effort tofind an environmentally protective litter treatment witheffective algaecide properties. The purpose of his experi-ment was to evaluate the effects of poultry litter fertilizertreated with salicylic acid on forage production and run-offwater phosphate levels and to determine if Closteriumalgae growth in run-off water was adversely affected.

“Fimple’s study was very timely and relevant to issuesof immediate concern within the water quality communi-ty,” said WEF Nomination Chair Dr. Charles Sorber. Hisresearch and documentation were well conceived and effi-ciently executed.”

Fimple was awarded $2,500 and an all-expense paid tripto Stockholm where he will compete in August againstwinners of 28 national competitions for the internationalhonor.

“Today’s youth are indeed tomorrow’s leaders and mustbe encouraged to pursue water-related careers or risk fur-ther erosion of our scarce supply,” said Bjorn von Euler,Director of Corporate Communications, ITT Industries.“The Stockholm Junior Water Prize helps meet that objec-tive and is the reason ITT Industries has been a proudsponsor since its inception as an international competitioneight years ago.”

The winner of the international competition will be cho-sen based on the quality and relevance of the student’sproject. HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden willbestow the prize on August 20 during a ceremony held inconjunction with the Stockholm Water Symposium. Thelaureate will receive a $5,000 scholarship and a crystalsculpture.

Three U.S. finalists were also awarded $500 each. Theyinclude Balaji Sridhar, Denver, Colorado; Abigail Hines,Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Elizabeth Welsh, Proctor,Minnesota.

For more information, visitwww.StockholmJuniorWaterPrize.org.

Stockholm Junior Water PrizeOklahoma H.S. Student To Represent U.S. In International SJWP Competition

Federation (WEF) and its member associations,with support from ITT Industries and The Coca-Cola Company. ITT Industries is also the interna-tional sponsor.

According to Fimple’s abstract, eutrophicationresulting from phosphate pollution is one of themost costly water quality problems in NorthAmerica today. Agricultural practices contributemuch of the non-point sources of nitrate andphosphate pollution in surface and ground waters.Research to develop ways of reducing phosphatepollution in watersheds is vital due to the increas-

Brandon Fimple, of Vinita, Oklahoma, seen here on theright, has been named the U.S. winner of the StockholmJunior Water Prize and will compete in the internationalcompetition in Stockholm, Sweden. Larry Jaworski,President of the Water Environment Federation is seenon the left.

stockholm junior water prizeftp.weat.org/texaswet/wet2004-07.pdf · in friendswood, texas. contact...

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