HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-07-10 WSB AGENDAWATER & SEWER BOARD
AGENDA
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
5:00 P.M.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE ROOM
1. MINUTES OF THE JUNE 12, 2007 MEETING. (ATT. 1)
2. SOUTHGATE SUPPLEMENT #162. (ATT 2)
3. STORMWATER PERMIT FROM STATE DATED JUNE 18, 2007. (ATT. 3)
4. ARTICLE FROM AMERICAN CITY AND COUNTY, "THE NEXT DRUG
PROBLEM." (ATT. 4)
5. OTHER.
WATER AND SEWER BOARD
MEETING
June 12, 2007
A TT. I
The meeting was called to order at 5 :03 p.m.
Members present:
Members absent:
Also present:
A quorum was present.
Bums, t::lark , Higday, Wiggins , Wolosyn,
Oakley, Habenicht
Moore, Cassidy
Stewart Fonda, Director of Utilities
Joe Pershin, Water Production
Administrator
1. MINUTES OF THE MAY 8, 2007 MEETING.
The Englewood Water and Sewer Board approved the minutes of the meeting of May 8,
2007, as corrected.
Ms. Wolosyn moved;
Mr. Habenicht seconded:
Ayes:
Nays:
Members absent:
Motion carried .
To approve the minutes from the May 8,
2007 meeting, as corrected .
Bums, Clark, Higday, Wiggins, Wolosyn,
Oakley, Habenicht
None
Moore, Cassidy
2. GUEST: JOE PERSHIN -WATER PRODUCTION ADMINISTRATOR.
REGULATORY GUIDELINES -DISINFECT ANT BYPRODUCT RULE AND
ENHANCED SURF ACE WATER TREATMENT RULE.
Joe Pershin, Englewood's Water Production Administrator, appeared before the Board to
discuss regulatory deadlines to implement the Stage 2 Disinfection By-Products Rule
(Stage 2) and the Umegulated Contaminants Rule 2 (UCMR 2).
Joe discussed deadlines starting October 1, 2007 and ending October 12, 2013 that
require study plans, monitoring, reporting and implementing for both Stage 2 and UCMR
2. By October 1, 2016 water systems are required to ·begin conducting a second round of
source water monitoring. Prior results will determine bin classification and the required
filtering system, and if additional Cryptosporidium treatment will be required.
3. MEMO DATED MAY 16, 2007 RE: 2007 UTILITIES BUDGET OVERVIEW.
The Board received a memo from Stu Fonda to Gary Sears dated May 16, 2007
discussing the 2007 Utilities Budget Overview. Stu discussed the status of major repair
and replacement projects, including replacement of the Union Avenue pipeline from
Santa Fe to Federal, construction of an ultra-violet disinfection system at the Allen Plant,
replacement of the roof at the Allen Filter Plant and repairs to the overhead storage
reservous.
It is anticipated that rate increases will be required from 2009 to 2013 to finance increases
in operations and maintenance costs and large capital repairs and replacements.
4. MEMO FROM DAVID HILL DATED MAY 10, 2007 APRIL 16, 2007 AND
JUNE 7, 2007 REGARDING WATER LAW ACTIVITIES
The Board discussed a water rights review from David Hill, Englewood's Water Attorney
regarding water rights issues.
5. LETTER FROM MARTIN & WOOD DATED MAY 21, 2007 RE: CHANGE
OF UNION DITCH SHARES.
The Board received a letter from Joe Tom Wood of Martin & Wood thanking the Board
for their consent to perform engineering analyses related to a change of Union Ditch
shares near Greeley. This is an information only item.
6. FAX FROM MARTIN & WOOD DATED MAY 17, 2007 RE: VAIL DITCH.
The Colorado Water conservation Board approved over $4 million dollars in grants for 15
water related projects across the state, one of them being the Vail Ditch Project in Grand
County. The purpose of the project is to assist in the purchase of the Vail Ditch to
provide new water supplies for environmental and municipal needs in Grand County at
the headwater of the Fraser River near Winter Park. ·
Vail Ditch shares are being sold to Winter Park and Granby, who may wish to lease space
in Englewood's pipeline from Meadow Creek Reservoir to the Moffat Tunnel.
The next Water and Sewer Board meeting will be July 10, 2007 in the Community
Development Conference Room at 5:00 p .m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cathy Burrage
Recording Secretary
A TT. 2
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
Date Agenda Item Subject
July 16, 2007 Southgate Supplement #162
INITIATED BY
Utilities Department
STAFF SOURCE
Stewart H. Fonda, Director of Utilities
COUNCIL GOAL AND PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
None .
RECOMMENDED ACTION
The Water and Sewer Board , at their July10 , 2007 meeting , recommended Council approval
of a Bill for an Ordinance approving Southgate Supplement #162 .
BACKGROUND, ANALYSIS, AND ALTERNATIVES IDENTIFIED
The City of Englewood provides sewage treatment to approximately 32,000 accounts outside
the City through contracts with numerous connector districts. The area is defined by the
natural drainage and extends south and east from Broadway to the Valley Highway and from
Hampden to Lincoln Ave. excluding Highlands Ranch . By contract the City of Englewood must
approve any additions of land to be served by the districts. These are usually in-fill situations
that are within what the City considers to be the area it has committed to serve. Adequate
capacity has been provided in the treatment plant to accommodate all such future inclusions.
Annexation of this parcel of land will not increase the tap allocation of the Southgate
Sanitation District.
A request was made by the Southgate San itation District representing the owner, Jared and
Eileen Slattery, for inclusion of Supplement #162 consisting of a parcel totaling 2.17 acres into
the Southgate Sanitation District. This is in conjunction with a renovation of their residence
and are requesting inclusion into the district for residential use . The property is currently
zoned residential and no changes in zoning or use are anticipated . The legal is attached as
Exhibit "A ". The property is located between Belleview and Orchard , west of Quebec in
Greenwood Village at 7105 E. Powers Avenue.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
None.
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
Bill for Ordinance
Southgate Sanitation District Supplement #162
SUPPLEMENT NO. I(, .2. TO CONNECTOR'S AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into by and between the CITY OF
ENGLEWOOD, acting by and through its duly authorized Mayor and City Clerk, hereinafter
called the "City," and SOUTHGATE SANITATION DISTRICT, Arapahoe and Douglas
Counties, Colorado , hereinafter called the "District,"
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, on the 20th day of June, 1961, the City and the District entered
into an Agreement in which the City agreed to treat sewage originating from the District's
sanitary sewer system within the area served by the District, which Agreement was most
recently renewed by Connector's Agreement dated November 16, 1988; and
WHEREAS, said Connector's Agreement provides that the district may not
enlarge its service area without the written consent of the City;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and
undertakings herein set forth , the parties agree as follows:
1. The City hereby consents to the inclusion of certain additional area
located in Arapahoe County , Colorado, owned by Jared and Eileen Slattery and more
fully described on Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference, into
Southgate Sanitation District. The City agrees that said additional area may be served with
the sewer facilities of the District, and that the City will treat the sewage discharged into the
City's trunk line from said additional area, all in accordance with the Connector's
Agreement dated November 16, 1988. Accordingly, Exhibit A referred to in Paragraph 1
of the Connector's Agreement dated November 16, 1988, is hereby amended to include
such additional area .
2 . Each and every other provision of the said Connector's Agreement
dated November 16, 1988, shall remain unchanged .
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have set their hands and seals this
__ day of , 200 _.
AITEST:
CITY CLERK
(SEAL)
CITY OF ENGLEWOOD
By:---------
MAYOR
SOUTHGATE SANITATION DISTRICT,
ARAPAHOE AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES,
COLORADO
By: ~j~
PRESIDENT
Exhibit "A"
Lot 7,
Longview Acres Subdivision,
Except the South 15 feet of said Lot conveyed to Arapahoe County for road purposes in deed
recorded August 15, 1952 in Book 768 at Page 106,
County of Arapahoe,
State of Colorado.
EXHIBIT A
Exhibit A -Legal Description
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File No. SOI65406
-------------------t
-···· ........ -··:)
ATT. 3
STATE OF COLORl\00
Bill Ritter , Jr., Governor
James B. Martin, Executive Director
Dedicated to protecting and improving the health and environment of the people of Colorado
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. S. Laboratory Services Division
Denver, Colorado 80246-1530 8100 Lowry Blvd.
Phone (303) 692-2000 Denver, Colorado 80230-6928
TDD Line (303) 691-7700 (303) 692-3090
Located in Glendale, Colorado
http ://www .cdphe .state .co.us
Stewart H. Fonda, Director!Util.
City of Englewood
1000 Englewood Parkway
Englewood, CO 80110
RE: MS4 Permit -First Permit Term Completion and Perin.it Renewal Process
City of Englewood
CDPS Cert . No. COR-090056, Arapahoe County
Dear Sir or Madam:
Colorado Department
of Public Health
and Environment
June 18, 2007
The General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems
(MS4s), COR-090000, will expire on March 9, 2008. You are currently covered by this permit, under the
above referenced permit certification. The Water Quality Control Division (the Division) will reissue the
permit before that date and all permittees must submit a renewal application 180 days before the expiration
(by September 12, 2007). This correspondence is intended to provide you with additional information on this
process and to provide a reminder on some of your requirements under the current MS4 permit.
Reapplication Process
Your MS4 continues to meet the criteria in the Colorado Discharge Permit System Regulations (5 C.C.R.
1002-61), and so must continue to have permit coverage for stormwater discharges. Therefore, you must
reapply for coverage under the reissued MS4 permit. The Division will send you a reapplication form in
August. The form will be short, basically requiring that you verify and update your contact information and
some other data identifying your MS4 (e.g., population), and that the legal contact certify that your measurable
goals and program elements, which you committed to earlier, will be completed by March 9, 2008. This
requirement to complete all program elements is discussed in more detail below. As stated above, you must
submit this form by September 12 , 2007.
Completion of First Permit Term Measurable Goals and Full Implementation of Required Programs
The permit requires that all measurable goals and programs that your MS4 committed to in the original
application, and as revised in annual reports and program modification since that submittal, must be completed
by the end of the permit term, March 9, 2008. Failure to complete all measurable goals and programs is a
violation of the MS4 permit, Colorado Water Quality Control Act, and the federal Clean Water Act.
Stewart H. Fonda, Director/Util.
Page 2
June 18, 2007
There is limited flexibility available to modify measurable goals and program descriptions that you may be
unable to complete. However, all MS4s must still meet the requirements of the MS4 permit. Many program
elements are specifically required in the MS4 permit, such as mapping outfalls, and developing and
implementing ordinances for construction, post-construction, and illicit discharges. Other program elements,
such as specific components of your public education program, have more flexibility in what exactly is
implemented to meet the permit requirements. Therefore, if you believe that a measurable goal or program
may not be completed as currently committed to , you should contact the Division as soon as possible to
discuss if the commitment can be revised, or if not, what can be done to ensure compliance with the permit.
Any change to a measurable goal or program description must be requested in writing, as required by Part
I.D.2(a) of the MS4 permit. Changes must be requested prior to the due date of a measurable goal.
Permit Renewal Process
The following timeline shows the Division's intended process to renew and reissue the MS4 permit.
• Oct 2007: Have draft permit close to final stage. Will include basic requirements for program areas
and measurable goals, to distribute to permittees for coinment
• Oct/Nov 2007: Draft MS4 permit sent out for formal public notice and comment
• February 8, 2008: Reissue MS4 permit
• Early March 2008: Send out new certification and permit to MS4 permittees
• March 10, 2008: Renewal permit becomes effective
The Division will be seeking feedback from MS4 permittees and other stakeholders throughout this process.
Methods for feedback will be determined as the process develops, and as needed. Feedback may be obtained
through distribution of permit language or drafts, requests for specific input, presentations at the Urban
Drainage and Flood Control District MS4 workgroup and other meetings, or MS4 permit-specific stakeholder
meetings.
Permit Changes
Any changes to the MS4 permit will be determined during the renewal process based on Division review,
stakeholder comments, and EPA comments. The public comment period allows for formal comment on both
existing requirements and proposed changes. However, many of the permit requirements are drawn directly
from the Colorado Discharge Permit System Regulations (5 CCR 1002-61), and therefore must remain in the
permit.
New Measurable Goals and Program Description Following Permit Issuance
One of the requirements of the new permit will be to submit updated measurable goals for existing programs,
as necessary, and new measurable goals and program descriptions for any new program elements. The due
date for this submittal is expected to be June 10, 2008. The permit may include other deadlines as well, if
needed for new permit requirements.
Since MS4s going into the second permit term will be continuing many programs that were previously
developed, the submittal should be much briefer and easier than the 2003 submittal. For programs you will be
continuing to implement as before, few if any new measurable goals will be needed. Therefore, the majority
of new information submitted will address changes to current programs, new programs based on new permit
requirements, and program areas that are more "event-based." "Event-based" program elements are those that
do not involve continuous implementation of a program, such as performing inspections or enforcing an
ordinance, but are one-time unique events, like distributing a certain number of brochures, or installing an
educational trail sign. The "event-based" measurable goals are expected to be primarily within the Public
Education program area.
·~····.'
Stewart H. Fonda, Director/Util.
Page 2
June 18 , 2007
There is limited flexibility available to modify measurable goals and program descriptions that you may be
unable to complete. However, all MS4s must still meet the requirements of the MS4 permit. Many program
elements are specifically required in the MS4 permit, such as mapping outfalls , and developing and
implementing ordinances for construction, post-construction, and illicit discharges. Other program elements,
such as specific components of your public education program, have more flexibility in what exactly is
implemented to meet the permit requirements . Therefore, if you believe that a measurable goal or program
may not be completed as currently committed to , you should contact the Division as soon as possible to
discuss ifthe commitment can be revised, or if not, what can be done to ensure compliance with the permit.
Any change to a measurable goal or program description must be requested in writing, as required by Part
I.D .2(a) of the MS4 permit. Changes must be requested prior to the due date of a measurable goal.
Permit Renewal Process
The following tirneline shows the Division 's intended process to renew and reissue the MS4 permit.
• Oct 2007: Have draft permit close to final stage. Will include basic requirements for program areas
and measurable goals, to distribute to permittees for comment
• Oct/Nov 2007: Draft MS4 permit sent out for formal public notice and comment
• February 8, 2008: Reissue MS4 permit
• Early March 2008: Send out new certification and permit to MS4 permittees
• March 10, 2008: Renewal permit becomes effective
The Division will be seeking feedback from MS4 permittees and other stakeholders throughout this process .
Methods for feedback will be determined as the process develops , and as needed. Feedback may be obtained
through distribution of permit language or drafts , requests for specific input, presentations at the Urban
Drainage and Flood Control District MS4 workgroup and other meetings, or MS4 permit-specific stakeholder
meetings .
Permit Changes
Any changes to the MS4 permit will be determined during the renewal process based on Division review ,
stakeholder comments , and EPA comments. The public comment period allows for formal comment on both
existing requirements and proposed changes. Howev er, many of the permit requirements are drawn directly
from the Colorado Discharge Permit System Regulations (5 CCR 1002-61), and therefore must remain in the
permit.
New Measurable Goals and Program Description Following Permit Issuance
One of the requirements of the new permit will be to submit updated measurable goals for existing programs,
as necessary, and new measurable goals and program descriptions for any new program elements. The due
date for this submittal is expected to be June 10, 2008. The permit may include other deadlines as well, if
needed for new permit requirements.
Since MS4s going into the second permit term will be continuing many programs that were previously
developed, the submittal should be much briefer and easier than the 2003 submittal. For programs you will be
continuing to implement as before, few if any new measurable goals will be needed. Therefore, the majority
of new information submitted will address changes to current programs, new programs based on new permit
requirements, and program areas that are more "event-based." "Event-based" program elements are those that
do not involve continuous implementation of a program, such as performing inspections or enforcing an
ordinance, but are one-time unique events , like distributing a certain number of brochures, or installing an
educational trail sign. The "event-based" measurable goals are expected to be primarily within the Public
Education program area.
Stewart H. Fonda, Director/Util.
Page 3
Annual Reports
June 18, 2007
One final Annual Report is due in the current permit term, covering the 2007 calendar year, and due by March
10, 2008. Annual Reports will continue to be required by the renewal permit.
It is not necessary to respond to this letter. If you have any questions, please call me at (303) 692-3555.
Sincerely,
Nathan Moore
Environmental Protection Specialist
Permits Unit
WATER QUALITY CONTROL DIVISION
cc: Thomas J. Brennan, Utility Engineer, Englewood, City of
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The nation's
pharmaceuticals are
-seeping into the water
supply.
By Patricia Frank
32 June 2007
I A /T. L-f
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i'.. ,·.•·· idden among the
we ll -known problems
faced by water profes-
sionals -ag ing infra-
structure, dwindling
suppl y -is anoth er
emerging iss ue : ri sing
amou nts of pharma-
ceut ic a l compound s in surfa ce water
and drinking water. And, considering
the increa sing numbers of people being
treated with drugs at earl ier ages and an
ag in g population taking multiple medi-
ca ti ons for a variet y of health conditions,
more of those compounds likely will find
their way into the nation's wastewater
fac iliti es .
Early sign s of the problem were discov-
ered in US Geological Sur vey (USGS)
resea rch in 1999. Of the 60 pharmaceu-
tica ls the agency was testing for , it found
30 of them in 139 streams in 30 states. In
addition, 80 percent of the strea ms h ad
one or more contaminants, 54 percent
h ad fiv e or more, and 13 percent sh owed
20 or more.
"We can meas ur e ove r 150 compound s
in water alone," says Dana Kolpin, a
resea rch hydro log ist and member of the
USGS study team. "Now, the big ques-
tion is, what kind of environmenta l con -
seq uences [d o they pose] to terrestria l
and aquatic ecosystems and, mayb e in
the lon g term, even hum an he alth. We
ju st don't know what the exposure risk is
to many of these compound s."
Determining the effects
Scie ntists from the Iowa City, lowa-
based USGS, other govern ment agencies
and uni versities are attempting to deter-
mine the potential effec t s of ch ro nic
exposure to pha rm ace utical mixtures
-other wise known as Compounds of
Emerging Con ce rn (CECs) -such as
endocrine di srupt ion and the develop-
ment of antibiotic resistance, in the
aquatic environment, soi l, plants, ani-
mal s and humans.
Thoug h the amou nts being measured
often are in parts per million or parts
per billion, many of the compo unds are
designed to h ave effects at low lev els.
"These CECs are active at very, ve r y
low concentrations in the water a nd
in the sed iments," says Jeff Armstrong,
sen ior scient ist in the Ocean Monitor-
ing Group for the Orange County, Calif.
Sanitation District. "It's n ot so much
the death of the animals [that is a con-
cern], it is reprod uctive effects or effect s
on oth er areas of the endocrine syste m,
the ability to fight off infe ction or other
aspects of reproduction."
End ocrine di sruptors are chemicals
that mimic or block hormones o r trigge r
abnormal reproductive resp ons es in fi sh
and poss ib ly in humans. Nevertheless,
ou r ability to measure the compounds
is ahead of o ur knowledge of their long-
term effects.
However, so me fi sh in close proximity
to wastewater di scharge po ints exhibit
multip le sexual abnormalities, such as
male fish with deformed testes or low
or no sperm counts, for example. Some
fi sh are class ified as "intersex" with sex
ch aracteristics of both ge nders. Kolpin
says a large proportion of the male fish
have either female egg protein or female
ch aracter ist ics .
Following a high number of fish
death s in the Po tom ac Basin a nd the
Shenandoah watershed between 2003
and 2005, the USGS and scientists from
Vi rgini a and West Virginia analyzed
samp les of 30 smallmou th bass from
six site s. A microscop ic exam in at ion
of the fish testes discovered 42 percent
of the male bass had developed eggs.
A second USGS st ud y fo und an even
higher number of inte rsex fish -79 per-
cent. "(In the Potomac, we found] a big
portion of the male fish having either
female egg yolk protein or female char-
ac t eristic s," Kolpin says. Douglas Cham-
bers, the study's lead scie ntist, says that
a ll water sa mples contained detectable
levels of at lea st one known endocrine-
disrupting compound.
Pacific Ocean fl atfish found in sedi-
ment near Orange County, Calif's Hun-
tington Beach effluent discharge point
exhibited similar effects. "We're finding
that ma le fish are producing [end ocr ine-
disrupting compounds] in concentra-
tions that n orma l male s should n ot ,"
Armstrong says. "That means they're
being exposed to so me kind of estro-
ge nic compound. We're finding the fish
near our o utfall and [the estrogenic
comp ound] seems to be in higher con-
centrations [there, which indicates] that
so mething's c oming out in the treated -
wastewater that might be causing this."
"It's really not certa in what's going
on , but [there is n o doubt] that there
is ev idence of endocrine-type biomark-~
ers in fish dow nstream from wastewater
outfalls," says Shane Snyder, research
and develop ment project manager for
the Southern Nevada Water Authority
in Las Vega s. "T he degree of magnitude
of the effect seems like it's going to be
June 2007 33
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'Keeping extraneous
pharmaceuticals out
of the environment
is where the action
seems to be at the
municipal level today.'
related to the treatment type, the degree
of mixing and the mobility of the fish."
Sources and treatment of CECs
The contaminants may originate from
hospitals and medical facilities, vet clin-
ics, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and
people using prescription and over-the-
counter medications and personal care
products. "[Medical facilities) can be a
big source of ... pharmaceuticals, X-ray
and MRI contrast agents and chemo-
therapy drugs," Kolpin says. "Maybe they
need to have separate wastewater treat-
ment so they're not just put in with resi-
dential waste."
Designed to remove conventional pol-
lutants, such as suspended solids and
easily biodegradable organic materials,
most conventional wastewater treat-
ment plants do not remove CECs. The
concentration of the compounds that
remain in wastewater treatment plant
effluent depends on the type of treat-
ment, the specific compounds as well as
the concentration in the influent enter-
ing the plant.
Techniques for removing compounds
from drinking water include advanced
oxidation, membrane filtration and filtra-
tion with granular activated carbon, and
nano-filtration combined with reverse
osmosis, which eliminates all the drugs .
Each technology serves a function, but
each can produce an unwelcome side
effect.
Conventional ozone renders certain
CECs inactive, but its use comes with
a price, Snyder warns. "Ozone creates
regulated byproducts -regulated on
cancer endpoints. [It's) great [that) you're
putting in ozone, but what about all the
cancer-causing byproducts they form?"
Chlorine, the most commonly used
wastewater disinfectant in the U.S., is
the least effective in removing CECs.
Kolpin's concern is the creation of chlo-
rination byproducts. The EPA already
has set drinking water standards of 100
parts per billion for one group of byprod-
ucts, called trihalomethanes, because
of their potential to cause cancer. "You
may be removing the parent compound
[of CECs) but creating these chlorinated
More to learn
Next month, water and wastewater utility managers, scientists and pharmaceuti-
cal manufacturers will meet in Providence, R.I., to discuss the state of knowledge
about compounds of emerging concern (CECs), needed research and next steps.
Regulatory, treatment and analytical alternatives will be explored, including key CEC
issues of sources and pathways, and fate and lifecycle analysis.
Conducted by the Alexandria, Va.-based Water Environment Federation (WEF), the
July 29-30 symposium is co-located with the WEF Industrial Water Quality 2007 Con-
ference. It is held in cooperation with the Woburn, Mass .-based New England Water
Environment Association, the Alexandria, Va.-based Water Environment Research
Foundation and the Washington-based Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers
of America. For more information, visit www .wef.org/CECs.
34 JunP. ?007
degradation products, [and you) may be
worse off than when you started," he
says . "Certainly chlorination has the
advantages of removing pathogens, but
to say that's the best route to remove
[CECs needs to be researched)."
Reverse osmosis (RO) uses large
amounts of electricity and produces a
highly concentrated wastewater stream.
"[RO) creates a stream of concentrated
waste, [so) what do you do with the con-
centrated waste stream that you've gen-
erated?" Snyder says.
Techniques that combine ozone and
granular activated carbon (GAC) are
effective for removing industrial and
agricultural pollutants, and also improve
the water's taste and odor. The filters get
dirty and must be washed periodically,
otherwise the water can become infected
with cryptosporidium or Giardia.
Before water utilities can choose an
effective technology, though, the harm-
ful CECs have to be identified. "First we
need to figure out, 'Do we need to miti-
gate?' And, if we do, then we'll address
those larger issues of how to do it," Arm-
strong says.
Still, common wastewater treatments
can be useful in removing CECs. "The
tertiary treatment, like reverse osmo-
sis (RO) or micro-or nano-filtration,
removes pretty much 100 percent of
[CECs)," Armstrong says. "There's a lot
in the literature that [says) ozonation
renders these [compounds) biologically
inactive. The problem is doing that on
a large scale. [We process) 255 million
gallons a day. There's no way we can do
that, so we have to look to other ways to
figure out what kind of mitigation strate-
gy's going to work for us."
CECs will not be regulated in the
near future, at least. "Due to insufficient
data [on the occurrence and toxicity), it
appears that pharmaceuticals will not be
regulated any time soon," says Snyder,
who works with the EPA on its Con-
taminant Candidate List 3 (CCU). The
substances that will be regulated, how-
ever, will be available next summer.
Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Water Dis-
trict has added ozone to its expanded
wastewater treatment facility. Ozone was
chosen for its disinfection power to pre-
vent a repeat of a 1994 cryptosporidium
outbreak in the city that was linked to
32 deaths, as well as for its ability to
eliminate CECs. "Ozone is extremely
effective for destroying estrogenicity,
and that's where our concern lies for the
fish," Snyder says .
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Take -back programs
Because 50 percent to 90 percent of
ingested drugs are excreted, state and
local governments are attempting to
involve the public through drug take-
back programs to stem the flow at one of
its sou rce points. "We'll deal with that
in the treatment plants as best we can,
but keeping the extraneous pharmaceu-
ticals out of the environment is where
the majority of the action seems to be
at the municipal level today," Armstrong
says .
State legis lators, too, are becoming
more aware of drinking water being con-
taminated with prescription drugs . Cal-
ifornia's Senate Bill 966, requiring every
pharmaceutical drug retailer to collect
out-of-date drugs for proper disposal,
made its way through two committees
before being voted down in May.
The public also seems ready to address
the issue. In May 2006, the San Fran-
cisco Bay Area Pollution Prevention
Group collected 3,634 pounds of phar-
maceutical waste from 1,500 residents,
and South Portland, Maine, recently
sponsored a one-day event and collected
55,000 pills. The state's legislators cur-
rently are exploring instituting tum-in,
mail-back and other disposal programs.
Making it convenient for the public
to participate in drug take-back pro-
grams appears to be helping. San Mateo
County, Calif., featured repainted (and
donated) U.S. Postal Service mailboxes,
which made their program as easy to
access as mailing a letter. Their pilot pro-
gram in four locations collected nearly
590 pounds of unwanted drugs in just
four months, at a cost of $924, plus the
costs of the police to collect the drugs.
Despite the best efforts to control the
drugs that enter the wastewater stream,
water utilities still can expect challenges
to meet growing needs and the delivery
of safe drinking water to their customers,
including removing CECs. "I'm hoping
if we are able to identify certain com-
pounds that seem to be the culprits in
potential human health risks, that tech-
nology could be developed to mitigate
those, rather than take out everything,"
Snyder says. "People have the percep-
tion that utilities like ours pull from
some giant coffer of money and we can
do whatever we want to get down to the
last nanogram [of contaminant], but the
public will pay." ~
Patricia Frank is a freelance writer in
Beaufort, N.C.
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June 2007 35
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4 July 2007
Mr. Bill McCormick
City of Englewood
Englewood Civic Center
1000 Englewood Parkway
Englewood, CO 80110
Dear Mr. McCormick,
This past Friday June 29, 2007 at about 10 a.m . I discovered that I had a serious problem on my
hands. I was preparing my home for the rehearsal dinner for my son's wedding which was to
begin at 6 p.m. that evening. As I drove up our street to .the west I noticed water coming up out
of the asphalt, a clear indication that there was a break in the water main on my street.
I already had a house full of my wife 's family , all women by the way, and was expecting about
80 more people to join us for dinner. I phoned the city and was connected to a very pleasant
young lady who was sympathetic to my pending disaster. She assured me that she would get
somebody on scene right away to assess the problem. Based on all the negative media attention
the utility worker type people get, my expectation could only be one of impending chaos.
I was surprised but still worried when a full crew.showed up very quickly . Although they assured
me that they would have the work done and the water on by 4:00 I was not convinced.
Throughout the course of the day they were very pleasant and helpful with updates. They also
saved the day by telling me how to utilize the hose from my back yard neighbor to pressurize my
water system while they were making the needed repairs. Between all the women in the house
and the food preparation under way, that was a life saver.
Although the temperature was very high, and the sun was relentless , the crew worked their hearts
out all day long. The end result was that the water was back on by 4 :00 as promised, the
barricades removed, and we were able to receive our guests as if it never happened. The rest of
the wedding celebration was picture perfect throughout the weekend.
So here is a special thank you to Mr. Rob Worek, together with many others that I was unable to
capture the names of, for all of their hard work that day. I am sure that all of you take more than
your fair share of grief from the citizens when things go wrong. I am also certain that nobody
comes by the office when things are working just to thank you for clean water, electricity, and
natural gas just by flipping a switch. I, for one, am a grateful citizen and appreciate your efforts
every day, but especially on that day!
EdEn e
3150 W. Stanfor Ave.
Englewood, CO 80110