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Home My WebLink AboutIII (D) Approval and Authorization to Award Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Donald Smith $728.00 of Innovative Idea Agenda 7-18-2000 Item III D "CENTER OE GOOD LIVING-PRIDE OF WEST ORANGE" MAYOR•COMMISSIONER ceo S.SCOTT VANDERGRIFT CITY OF OCOEE— DANNY IIOWELL 150 N. LAKESHORE DRIVEO SCUSTANDERSON OCOEE, FLORIDA 34761-2258 RUSTY 10HNSON 4% (407)656-2322 NANCY 1.PARKER NNOO CITY MANAGER ELLIS SHAPIRO MEMORANDUM DATE: July 10, 2000 TO: The Honorable Mayor and Board of City Commissioners FROM: James W. Shira, P.E., City Engineer/Utilities Director SUBJECT: Innovative Idea On June 14 the Innovative Idea Committee met to evaluate the attached proposal submitted by Don Smith, one of our Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators. Mr. Smith's innovative idea uses reclaimed water to reduce our polymer consumption at the sludge press. By using his idea we will save $7,286.00 per year. The Innovative Idea Committee recommended that Mr. Smith be awarded $728.00 for his idea. I recommend that the City Commission authorize payment to Mr. Donald Smith in the amount of $728.00. JWS/jbw Attachments OW!, a Protect +' 7 Agenda 7-18-2000 "CENTER OF GOOD LIVING-PRIDE OFItem HI D Ocoee WEST ORANGE" MAYOR•` COMMISSIONER O t S. SCOTT VADERGRIFf CITY OF OCOEE COMMISSIONERS I50 N. LAKESHORE DRIVE DANNY HOWELL OTT ANDERSON �4JJ" OCo0E, FLORIDAFLo2ID 34761-2258 -k `�4`� (407)656-2322 RUSTY JOHNSON �� G000 NANCY J. PARKER CITY MANAGER ELLIS SI IAPIRO MEMORANDUM DATE: July 10, 2000 TO: The Honorable Mayor and Board of City Commissioners FROM: James W. Shim, P.E., City Engineer/Utilities Director SUBJECT: Innovative Idea On June 14 the Innovative Idea Committee met to evaluate the attached proposal submitted by Don Smith, one of our Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators. Mr. Smith's innovative idea uses reclaimed water to reduce our polymer consumption at the sludge press. By using his idea we will save $7,286.00 per year. The Innovative Idea Committee recommended that Mr. Smith be awarded $728.00 for his idea. I recommend that the City Commission authorize payment to Mr. Donald Smith in the amount of $728.00. JWS/jbw Attachments Protect Poek Wata4 ,ceg ,A (/A/� ‘•"'S "CNER OF GOOD LIVING-PRIDE OF WEST ORAA MAYOR•COMMISSIONER ON Ocoee T S. SCUFF VANDERGRIFT CITY OF OCOEE COMMISSIONERS 11:1►y APr — DANNY HOWELL a 150 N.LAKESHORE DRIVE 1T SCO NDCO+F„ FLORIDA 34761-2258 RUSTY JOHNSON (407)656-2322 NANCY 1,PARKER Fy Or COOS P CITY MANAGER E1.1,1S SHAPIRO MEMORANDUM DATE: May 31, 2000 TO: Ellis Shapiro, City Manager FROM: Jim Shira, P.E., Director of Engineering and Utilities SUBJECT: Innovative Idea CC: Robert Holland, Utilities Superintendent Attached is an innovative idea submitted by Mr. Don Smith, who is one of our wastewater treatment plant operators. Mr. Smith found a way to reduce the quantity of polymer used in the sludge belt press process. His idea,which has been put into use, and is working as he expected, will result in significant dollar savings. Mr. Smith determined that the polymer dosage rate could be reduced if the chlorine level in the water used in the belt press operation could be reduced. To accomplish this, he replumbed the belt press system to use reclaimed water instead of potable water. This has resulted in a nearly 70%reduction in polymer usage. I recommend that an Innovative Idea program award be provided to Mr. Smith for his efforts. PPOWe84N Memorandum TO: Robert Holland, Utilities Superintendent FROM: Don Smith, Wastewater Treatment Operator -� RE: Innovative Ideas DATE: April 19, 2000 Below is a brief synopsis of the system that has been devised to omit the use of potable water in the solidification process of the sludge. We were using potable water to mix with the polymers and we used 3 gallons of water per minute, 7 hours per day for 4 days per week. Our annual water consumption was $133.00; this figure does not include the annual sewer charge. I would appreciate it if you would submit this project on my behalf to the City Manager. If you have any questions after reviewing the information below, please contact me. Thank you. In the wastewater industry, it is a common practice to convert liquid waste sludge to solid waste sludge, commonly referred to as "cake." It is necessary to utilize a polymer in this process. The polymer is reduced in strength by adding water to achieve the optimum ratio required to achieve converting liquid to cake. This mixture must be carried to the point of injection to the liquid waste sludge by water. The system designed for this purpose uses plant treated effluent water. The problem with this set-up is that the chlorine that is added to the effluent water for disinfection also breaks down the chemical composition of the polymer thereby making it less effective in the process. Therefore, potable water has been used in the process and its minute chlorine content has not seemed to adversely affect the process. In support of the PO WR (Protect Ocoee's Water Resources) campaign, I have • modified the reuse water supply to the pressing operations building. Filtered effluent water is taken from the flow lines BEFORE chlorine is added for disinfection, the water can then be used with the polymer system. A provision remains in tact to utilize potable water in the event extensive maintenance must be performed on the reuse system. Potable water is still available for the Emergency Eyewash Station and for personal cleanliness. The main consideration in the conversion was the difference in system pressure of the reuse pump vs. the pressure limited by the polymer system. Two pressure gauges and a pressure regulator, as well as two (2)shut-off valves had to be purchased for a total of $133.86. The necessary fittings and approximately 66feet of PVC pipe were utilized from sources at the Wastewater TreatmenI Plant. I spent approximately 8-hours of City time collecting and assembling the system. The average daily water usage for the polymer system is 3 gallon of potable water per minute (GPM). The system operates 7 hours per day for 4 days per week The amount of money spent on potable water for sludge processing will be eliminated using this configuration; and the composition of the polymer will remain the same. The same pump that is being used for press belt washing is the same pump that is being used for this modification, so therefore, no additional pumps or electrical requirements were needed. The Change-over date from chlorinated reuse water to non-chlorinated reuse water was March 28, 2000. The change-over will not result in significant monetary savings, but it will save in potable water use. The monetary saving collies with the reduction in the amount ofpolymer used to process waste sludge into cake. Prior to the change-over, the average polymer usage was 1.191bs per 1000 gallons of sludge processed. Since this change-over,polymer usage has dropped to an average of371bs per 1000 gallons of sludge processed. This decrease in polymer usage has not affected the percentage solids of the cake. This can be been seen on the Wastewater Sludge Data sheet that has been attached to this memorandum. The cost ofpolymer is currently$621.00 for 4501bs. or$1.38 per 1b. The previous average consumption ofpolymer was 1.1916 per 1000 gallons of sludge processed. At $1.38/1b, it cost $1.64/1000 gallons that were treated. Based on the current average polymer consumption of371b/1000 gallons processed at $1.38 lb., the cost has dropped to $0.51/1000 gallons processed. This resulted in a very significant savings of$1.13/1000 gallons of sludge treated. The projected average weekly sludge processing consists of 70,000 gallons for off-site disposal and 54,000 gallons for the on-site Vermiculture project. Annually, this amounts to 6,448,000 gallons being processed; at a saving of$1.13 per gallon, the City will save $7,286.00 per year. I want to thank Fred Ostrander, Chief Wastewater Operator; and Robert Holland, Utilities Superintendent for listening to my suggestion. It was a pleasant surprise when I heard; "why not...,"and "go for it... "; instead of a typical "no"and "we have always done it this way and we will not change." I am proud to be an employee for the City of Ocoee and to feel that I can be an integral part of the Wastewater Treatment facility. Thank you. Professionally submitted,'�[it� Donald A. Smit , Wastewater Plant Operator Chlorine Station Effluent "MI Chlorine Filters Contact Chamber Non- Simple flow pattern of pwoattabr le effluent from filters to the station Press building, showing the point of chlorine injection and chlorinated reuse water flow. Process Building Reuse water Supply Original Chlorinated from Non-Potable Water 1 water station. Pressure Gauges Water Supply 1 II • Potable water Pressure connection Regulator j • Polymer Supply POLYMER MIXING CHAMBER ) I To Belt Press for belt washing. Dotted line shows new connection Valve • •• •.... ) .9,..... ., ,_ . ._. -i 1; 2l3 . .car/,' ;,.1 .G , �1 414 ,) _ r ..„ .R 1 ' r...:. l° \ _._:., , 1 1 ' j .11 „-:.... ------ ... .._ . ,S _• iirr,"__ •MiG", . • V Rft 4,•( 44% J x" frr _ 1 mei—a '- s i. . ..,.- __..4, —� s°r r W ( 0 es/fy. .11 ,-4. .4:- pi .,,, •'-., i .ff„,:. ..., . —., ••‘:- -—-- i--- ..,• , 1%,'. .,., i— :,,,,,,„,...... s. ..._ .17 .\\ • . i' .--..------''' g! 1.. - e V{ • ,•.- � . I (rAf i iss!!"" f t tili ,:.:a1i. 40,.., Chlorine Station 1) Effluent Chlorine Filters Contact Chamber x Valve closed above original connection Non-Chlorinated Water Non- \\\ potable New Test Piping Installed water pump 1