2015 – 78th WIOA Victorian Water Industry Operations Conference & Exhibition
2 & 3 September, 2015 – Bendigo Exhibition Centre
Supported by : Victorian Regional Water Corporations represented in 2015 by Lower Murray Water and North East Water.
Prime Sponsors : Acromet, Automation Group, Krohne Australia, Ixom, Odour Pro and Xylem
The following papers are listed in order of the conference program
FLOATING THE POTENTAIL OF DIRECT FILTRATION TO REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS Mathew Whitelaw – East Gippsland Water
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The main components of this trial were:
- Will the plant perform?
- Will the savings justify the change?
- What is the operator time required?
- What other benefits or drawbacks are we missing?
The trial showed that there is a strong potential for significant cost savings that can be made at minimal interruption to normal operations. During DF mode the overall power demand is expected to reduce between 15-50% depending on the flow of the plant. There were also a number of other benefits including the potential to reduce sludge production and decrease machine wear that were not initially realised.
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STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING SLUDGE HANDLING CAPACITY LIMITATIONS AT PORT LINCOLN WWTP Martin Faulkner – SA Water
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WTP OPTIMISER – A SIMPLE AND HANDY TOOL TO OPTIMISE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES Jenith Jesuthasan – Wannon Water
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WTP Optimiser is a simple and handy tool that performs complex calculations relating to process optimisation. As these complex calculations are performed in the background, the user only sees the simple and user-friendly interface. A large number of complex and regular calculations can be performed by treatment professionals using WTP Optimiser in a fraction of time it would take to manually do these calculations. This tool also enables a rapid assessment of how changes to certain parameters can affect a treatment process. With WTP Optimiser, process related calculations are uniform, accurate, robust and reliable.
Using accurate and reliable data assists in making good operational and capital expenditure decisions that are reinforced by scientific principles. Further, WTP Optimiser improves record keeping for auditing purposes as calculations that provide the scientific basis for operational changes can be easily printed out or electronically stored. However, one of the biggest benefits of WTP Optimiser is the cost saving aspect as optimum process operations can cut down waste and make processes quite efficient.
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KNOW YOUR SEWER – CORROSION PROTECTION OF SEWER ASSETS Nitin Apte – Calix
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Tens of billions of dollars worth of sewer assets in Australia are today under threat due to corrosion. Rehabilitation of these sewer assets will not only cost hundreds of millions of dollars but will also result in immense operational challenges.
One of the solutions to stop corrosion is by spraying Magnesium Hydroxide Liquid (MHL) on the surface of concrete sewers. Compared to exisiting corrosion protection technologies like plastic lining, MHL spray coating is 7 times cheaper over the life cycle of the asset and does not require flow diversion or man entry for application. This technology has been tested and used as a mainstream corrosion protection mechanism over the last 12 yrs in the USA and Australia.
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SCADA ALARM MANAGEMENT Tim Okely – GWM Water
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This approach has resulted in a vastly over-alarmed system which had been producing thousands of alarms per day. Poorly performing alarm systems have been cited across all Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) monitored systems as specific contributing factors in major incidents and adding significant operational costs as outlined in the Schneider Electric White Paper Titled “Alarm Management”.
The development of an alarm philosophy is seen as an important initial step in the journey to alarm management; essentially without the rule book there will be no structure to your management of alarms and often results in an ad hoc and inefficient approach.
The control system must be in a state of continuous improvement to consistently reduce the intervention of operational staff at a failure point. This presentation will delve into the journey that our Operational Management Centre (OMC) Staff are on to rationalize and optimize our SCADA System, the tools and processes which have been used.
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FREE CHLORINE BURN OF PORTLAND’S RETICULATION NETWORK Ben Foster – Wannon Water
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The burn was a success and Wannon Water was able to achieve a constant free chlorine residual throughout the entire network before reverting back to chloramination of the system. Once chloramination was resumed total chlorine residuals improved signifcantly across the entire system, confirming the success of the chlorine burn. The success of the burn reduced the chances of water quality issues like taste and odours as well as provide better protection from pathogens entering the system.
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NEWSOIL, VALUE ADDING Peter Tolsher – North East Water
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To enable the use of biosolids, the EPA Guideline outlines the requirements from both a Treatment and Contaminant perspective. The uses for the biosolids are restricted depending on the level of treatment or amount of contaminants identified through sampling. Only biosolids with a T1/C1 classification are able to be used without restrictions.
As many biosolids are impacted by one or more metals leading to a C2 classification, this has caused a number of issues for water utilities to find ways to beneficially use the biosolids in an affordable and sustainable manner. As a result, there is an enormous amount of biosolids of varying qualities, stored in stockpiles at WWTPs while their owner looks for a sustainable use.
North East Water has been fortunate to be able to identify and then work in partnership with a local foundry that also has a waste product – sand used in the mould castings. This sand has been classified as inert and when blended with biosolids, produces a T1/C1 product. This is an exciting outcome for both organisations as two waste products have been able to be combined to form a new product now known as “Newsoil”, which meets the EPA Guidelines allowing unrestricted use. This paper describes the processes to verify the raw product and then post blending that are undertaken to achieve this outcome.
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CHEMICAL OVERDOSING – THE NEGLECTED WATER TREATMENT RISK? Adam Moss – Barwon Water
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This risk was highlighted to Barwon Water after two separate near misses involving chemical overdosing to the potable water supply. Barwon Water subsequently conducted investigations to establish the root cause of each event and developed and implemented control measures to eliminate each hazard.
Following this, a comprehensive chemical dosing system review was conducted at each water treatment plant to assess, establish and implement effective control measures to manage the risks presented by chemical addition at each site.
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ENERGY EFFICIENT WASTEWATER LAGOON MIXING / AERATION Bree Wiggins – South Gippsland Water
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The Inverloch wastewater treatment plant primary lagoon has a 12 kW diffuser aeration system, and two surface aerators which are 18 and 22 kW respectively. In July 2014, a Wind Mixer was installed in the primary lagoon with the aim of reducing the amount of time the 22 kW aerator would be required to operate. Since the installation of the wind mixer, South Gippsland Water has been able to switch the 22 kW aerator off for 5.5 months. A saving of $4500 (16% of energy costs) has been made for the nine month period July 2014 to March 2015 when compared to the same period the previous year. A payback period of approximately six years is anticipated as a result of these savings. Dissolved oxygen is closely monitored, and average dissolved oxygen concentrations have increased since the mixer was installed. This was the first Wind Mixer to be trialled in Victoria, and has proven to decrease energy consumption while having low maintenance costs.
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MITTIGATION OF WIDESPREAD NITRIFICATION EVENTS IN CHLORAMINATED DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES Brad Smith – Central Highlands Water
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WURDEE BULOC INLET CHANNEL FAILURE Lincoln Thomson & Gwyn Hatton – Barwon Water
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On the 8th October 2014, a steep section of the WBIC embankment slipped, rendering the channel inoperable. The failure was attributed to several factors but principally due to a blockage of a downstream trash rack. The blockage caused water to bank up and eventually overtop the channel, undermining the embankment.
The WBIC channel failure necessitated extensive works in order to return it to operation by May 2015. After detailed investigation, it was determined to pipe the affected and adjoining sections in lieu of repairing the open channel as this eliminated the failure mode.
The failure highlighted many WBIC operational improvement opportunities, which Barwon Water has consequently implemented. Actions include increased / improved remote monitoring of channel levels, greater automated controls, a review of trash rack operations and an optimised visual inspection program.
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IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION OF A WATER RECYCLING SCHEME AT KOORAGONG ISLAND Kim Sheree – Veolia
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Hunter Water have constructed an Advanced Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) as part of an Alliance contract, to significantly reduce the drinkingwater supply demands of Orica. The Kooragang Industrial Water Scheme was created with the Mayfield West AWTP at the centre. To deliver the required quantity and quality of effluent to the scheme, the Shortland WWTW underwent several upgrades.
Hunter Water engaged Veolia as the treatment operations contractor delivering Operation and Maintenance services for water and waste water treatment infrastructure in the region. The commissioning of the Mayfield West AWTP took place at the same time. This meant a change in people, leadership and potential loss of knowledge about the treatment process.
Despite taking over the plant operation at a critical time, the new operator was able to smoothly manage this transition. They recognised the need for wastewater expertise as part of the Mayfield West AWTP operation team, provided support to the operators and leveraged of the existing operations such as Fairfield AWTP to provide support and technical expertise.
Four months after Hunter Water awarded the contract to Veolia, the Mayfield West AWTP is proving to be successful by consitently producing suitable water quality and smooth operations.
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UV LAMP BREAKAGE AT MELBOURNE WATER DISINFECTION PLANT Brendon Murphy – Melbourne Water
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The UV plant is located alongside a 2100 mm conduit which transfers water between two major reservoirs. The UV plant gets its raw water from a 375 mm diameter main which tees off the conduit at the site, and flows through two parallel inline strainers into a pressure reducing station. The UV plant, consisting of three UV units, is then connected in parallel before the main continues to supply the township.
Melbourne Water has undertaken a root-cause analysis which identified a need for a surge analysis of the burst failure and a Computational Fluid Dynamics model to investigate the effect of the rapid change in flow and pressure on the UV lamp quartz sleeve. The model has confirmed the hydraulic scenario of the incident and the required mitigation measures for the future.
The key purpose of this paper is to increase awareness to this potential risk. The paper provides incident facts and a discussion on mitigation strategies that Melbourne Water is implementing.
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WHAT! MUM GOT A TRAINEESHIP… BUT SHE’S NEARLY 50! Sally-Ann Storey – Toowoomba Regional Council
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FAILURE OF UF MEMBRANES AT COWES CLASS A TREATMENT PLANT Colin Bowker – Westernport Water
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This paper summarises the investigation and serves as a warning to other facilities to ensure that instrumentation, SCADA and procedures are in place to better protect this expensive infrastructure.
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PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF DUAL MEDIA FILTERS TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL LOG REMOVAL CREDITS FOR MICROBIAL PATHOGENS Nagalingam Thayalakumaran – Coliban Water
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Coliban Water has completed a detailed gap analysis to identify potential gaps in meeting the requirements of the new Guidelines. The gap analysis identified a shortfall in pathogen Log Reduction Values (LRVs) to meet the new Guidelines. Coliban Water has implemented some upgrades and operational modifications to assess whether it can claim the required LRVs through the dual media filters. This paper discusses the outcomes of this performance review.
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SARIRI VILLAGE REBUILDING – PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG) David Greaves – Barwon Water
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In early 2014, Rotary Geelong approached Barwon Water seeking help on ways it could provide sanitation facilities along with safety and building skills to the village with the limited resources they had. Rotary had been active in PNG for many years and recently in rebuilding the Sariri village since cyclone Guba struck, but required help in relation to sanitation options.
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CHALLENGES IN BIOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REMOVAL AT THE BALLARAT SOUTH WWTP Andrew Harris – Central Highlands Water
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The plant effluent is discharged to the Yarrowee River and is licensed to meet strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Regular monitoring and reporting through National Association Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory’s confirms performance against operations. Lagoon based disinfection ensures pathogen reduction is achieved. More recent improvements across the primary secondary processes and sludge handling components combine the new and the old generating an exciting chapter in the history of waste water treatment at Central Highlands Water (CHW).
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WATER QUALITY AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS – WHERE DO WE BEGIN? Patricia Rokahr – North East Water
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A number of strategies have been put in place or are in the process of being put in place to reduce the risks identified, however the optimisation of our distribution systems will be an ongoing process that develops and matures over time.
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LEAD BY EXAMPLE, LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE – DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES Andrew Lanchbery & Leanne Wells – Department of Health & Human Services
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Case study examples and lessons learnt from other water agencies are valuable resources and education tools for the water industry to prevent similar occurrences elsewhere. Through the discussion of three real cases, issues are highlighted with regard to computerised plant control, reliance on automated alarms, and detailed system interactions.
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