 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Once again, all employees exhibited a great effort during the past year. PERSONNEL: Several staff members were hired by the facility in 2011. Michael VanAlstyne and Eric Goodemote were hired as Wastewater Attendants in January. Catherine Maragno was hired as an Account Clerk/Typist in February and Tyler Masick was employed as a Wastewater Engineer in May. Several promotions of staff members occurred during 2011. Steven Burns was promoted to Monitoring Technician in June. Bruce Gardner and Alexander Isabella were both promoted to Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainees in June. Many staff members obtained Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Renewal Certification from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The total number of NYSDEC Grade 3A and 4A license holders at this facility totals five (5). Several employees are in the process of obtaining the necessary training and experience to obtain a wastewater operator license. Ten (10) employees utilized less than three (3) sick days during 2011. The names of those employees are as follows: Bruce Gardner During 2011 there were four (4) injuries reported; only one injury resulted in lost time. MAINTENANCE: Maintenance Department employees (with Operations assistance) completed several improvement projects this year and completed a total of 239 work orders repairing equipment. Key projects included:
GRANTS & LOANS: Grant management by the Administrative staff was once again a major part of office activities during 2011. Required reports were prepared for the previously acquired $2.2 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, the $1.4 million New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) grant, and the $6.0 million Green Innovation Grant from NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation. The majority of the grant reimbursements were obtained during 2011. Final closeout of the EDA grant was accomplished. COMPLIANCE MONITORING AND TESTING: Annual reviews of the Laboratory Quality Assurance, Test Method Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Administrative/Quality Procedures, Monitoring and Field Activities, and Laboratory Chemical Hygiene manuals were all completed as scheduled. Annual training of all laboratory and monitoring personnel in ethics was also completed during in 2011. A total of twenty-two (22) Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permits were issued in 2011. Tryon and OHM Labs both closed during the year, relinquishing their Industrial Wastewater Discharge permits on December 31, 2011. Actual industrial loadings for 2011 substantially increased when compared to 2010:
HydroQual continued to test ultraviolet disinfecting units in 2011. HydroQual tested both potable and non-potable units. HydroQual renewed their contract with the GJJWTF to remain on site through 2012. Industrial Monitoring violations detected in 2011 were as follows: Twenty-two (22) 24-hour Chromium limit, two (2) pH limit, five (5) Oil & Grease limit, and seven (7) Chromium monthly average violations. A total of thirty-six (36) violations were detected in 2011. By comparison, there were seventeen (17) violations detected in 2010. USAGE: Influent data compiled at the facility indicates that during 2011 average wastewater flows were realized at the facility.
Laboratory data compiled to determine the quantity of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) that arrived in the plant influent from industrial customers indicates a 26.3% increase from 2010.
Laboratory data compiled to determine the quantity of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) that arrived in the plant influent from industrial sources resulted in a 17.8% increase compared to 2010.
Industrial samples were analyzed to determine Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN). A review of the data indicates a 4.0% increase compared to 2010.
Finally, in order to measure the relative strength of industrial waste, staff developed a formula that combines BOD, TKN, and TSS data. The resulting value, Industrial Index, provides a single numeric number.
Overall Industrial use at the facility via the sanitary sewer system indicates a significant 17.1% increase compared to 2010. This increase resulted in overall industrial loadings at the facility at the highest level in over a decade. The industrial index system does not take into account growth experienced by treating waste separately in the anaerobic digester. When this growth is taken into account, use of the facility during 2011 is probably the highest level obtained in the past 15 years. LEGAL/MISCELLANEOUS: The GJJSB continued contracting for legal services from the Glens Falls based firm Miller, Mannix, Schachner, & Hafner, LLC (MMSH). All legal services required by the Sewer Board during 2011 were provided by MMSH including environmental, personnel, and legal services related to land acquisition. A two year contract extension was executed in December, 2011. FAGE USA Dairy announced that they are planning an extensive expansion project in 2012. Conceptual wastewater planning to accommodate their growth occurred during 2011. ENVIRONMENTAL: 2011 was the twelfth full year of enforcement of the modified New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit. This stringent effluent permit regulates discharge limits of a multitude of parameters measured on a daily and/or monthly basis. The GJJWTF was in full compliance with all SPDES permit conditions during the entire year. Success complying with this stringent SPDES permit is a direct result of the dedication of personnel who operate, maintain and monitor the facility efficiently to protect the environment. The NYSDEC inspected the facility on a few occasions during 2011. The result of each inspection was the facility was operating within the SPDES permit conditions. The facility continues to work closely with NYSDEC on various environmental matters and concerns. OPERATIONS: Removal efficiency rates for the facility are as follows:
These removal efficiency rates have resulted in the continuation of discharging clean effluent to the Cayadutta Creek. These rates were obtained during extreme weather events including a tropical storm; a testimony to the efforts of Operations staff. The belt presses ran a total of 4,350 hours, processed 36 million gallons, and produced 21,764 wet tons of sludge. The quantity of sludge dewatered increased 34.1% compared to 2010 due to increased industrial activity. The gravity belt thickeners (GBT) thickened primary, secondary, and recuperative digester sludge to approximately 6% solids content prior to pumping to the digester for enhanced treatment. The belt presses and GBTs utilized 48,400 pounds of polymer, representing a 13% increase in chemical usage from 2010 due to sludge quantities and 24/7 GBT operation. During 2011, 24,915 gallons of Ferrous Chloride were used to control sulfides in the digested sludge. Natural gas usage at the facility averaged 4,804 therms per month. A total of 13.4 million gallons of leachate was received at the facility in 2011, representing a 28.6% increase from the previous year. The landfill leachate arrives at the facility via a five mile long force main. Required monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) were 100% computer generated in 2011. These more accurate and readable reports continue to provide the required information to NYSDEC in an efficient manner. ENERGY RECOVERY: A total of 5.0 million kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated during 2011. The total kilowatt- hours generated increased substantially during 2011 since both of the biogas generators were operational during the entire year. During 2011 the biogas generators averaged 91% electrical production. During several months, over 97% power generation was realized. The net result was the lowest cost to purchase electricity from the grid in the history of the facility resulting in a 2011 total electric bill of $46,856. This value is 88% lower than the $376,022 cost realized in 2010. The Anaerobic Digester System produced an average of 12.7 million cubic feet of biogas per month, representing a 63% increase from the previous year. A significant portion of the biogas powered the facility’s cogeneration system while the remaining biogas was flared.
FINANCE OFFICE: O&M revenues totaled $3.86 million during 2011. The Industrial contribution was 42.1%, Residential 33.1%, and Trucked/Pumped waste and miscellaneous revenue totaled 24.8%, the highest percentage from this category ever. By contrast, a decade earlier only 3% of revenue was generated from trucked/pumped waste (septage, sludge, and whey customers). Continued marketing to make surrounding communities and entities aware of what our facility has to offer proved beneficial during 2011. All trucked/pumped high strength waste contracts were renewed with existing customers during the year. For 2011, trucked & pumped waste receipts totaled $892,283.
The single largest trucked waste contract was Adirondack Septic. FAGE USA Dairy had their third year of full production and pumped over 24 million gallons of whey directly to the facility via a separate pipeline resulting in a 52% increase in gallons treated. The whey from FAGE resulted in 53% of the revenue collected in this category. The total quantity of whey from the dairy sector increased 35% from 2010 resulting in $83,877 more revenue for facility operations. Sewer rates were adopted after a public hearing in April 2011. For the fifth year, the Red Oak Consulting model was utilized to establish sewer rates. This new model provides more appropriate charges for residents and industry. The average industrial sewer bill decreased 2% to 4%, while the residential rate decreased 0.3% for 2011, the fourth year in a row that rates have decreased. Rates were decreased due to a variety of reasons including the use of $320,000 of Rate Stabilization reserve funds and $460,000 of Capital and Equipment reserve funds. Sewer law changes authorized the continued use of fund balance at the facility. The 2010 Fund Balance was $539,872. The entire fund balance was deposited to the Capital and Equipment Reserve and the Rate Stabilization Reserve. INDUSTRIAL USE: O&M revenue from industrial users increased to the highest level in a decade. The number one user of the facility was FAGE USA Dairy Industry, Inc. while Euphrates, Inc. was number three. Together with Cappiello, these three food processors combined were the largest category discharger to the facility representing over 36% of the overall revenue collected. Two leather industries, (Simco and Colonial Tanning) and one trucked waste account (Septic Haulers) were in the top ten. The Fulton County Landfill Leachate, Hale Creek ASATCA, Hudson Dye, and the National Grid remediation site round out the top ten largest customers of the facility.
During 2011, several discussions and meetings were conducted with the largest facility customer, FAGE USA Dairy Industry, Inc. FAGE’s plans for a major expansion of production and wastewater discharge will have significant impacts on GJJWTF in the future.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
