8/5/2010 SEWER COMMISSION Minutes

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Mashpee Board of Sewer Commissioners Meeting Minutes. August 5,2010 at 4:45 p.m. Stratford Ponds Association Pond Room Present: Chair Tom Fudala, Clerk Ralph Marcelli, Jack Malarkey, Oskar Klenert, Torn O'Hara Absent: Vice Chair Burton Kaplan, Joe Lyons CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order with a quorum by Chairman Tom Fudala at 5:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEMS Stratford Ponds Sewer Plant Site Visit The Chair provided Commission members with a layout of the treatment plant prepared by Stearns& Wheler. Commissioners were introduced to Peter Lewis(Division Manager), Steve Silva(Engineer in Wastewater Operations) and Octavio Pisaro(Chief Operator of the facility)from Coler& Colantonio who have managed the plant for the last 6-7 years_ Mr. Lewis introduced the facility as the grandfather of the Amphidrome system describing it as the first full sized installation and reported that it continues to perform well. Outside of the fenced area, Mr. Lewis pointed out the main lift system which is fed from three remote gravity lift stations located elsewhere. Two pumps in the main lift system run through a valve chamber which moves the flow into the plant. A diagram of the flow schematic is available in the Stratford Ponds Wastewater Treatment Facility document. Mr. Lewis described the plant as a dual train Amphidrome system, meaning that two of the same technologies are located side by side(noted as A and B on the diagram). The first step in the process includes the primary settling tank. The majority of the treatment occurs at the Amphidrome reactor which is the black tank located on top of the plant. Clear wells, where the final effluent is pumped out to the field, are located between where the group stood and the Amphidrome reactor. Mr. Lewis stated that it is not a linear process because the water flows through the Amphidrome over a 12 hour process period. Mechanical equipment is located inside the process tanks or the control room. The control room includes a computer control panel, blowers, chemical pumps and a series of pumps are located in the tanks_ Mr. Lewis pointed out the odor control unit which was retrofitted approximately 6-7 years ago. The average peak flow is estimated at 18-22 and the off- season flow is estimated at 134 5. The system was designed to manage a flow of 35,500 gallons per day. The Chair questioned issues of noise and Mr. Lewis identified the blower that dissipates gases from the tanks noting that the blowers run approximately 4-6 hours per day on a cycle. Additionally, the backwash process requires all blowers and equipment to run at the same time also approximately 4-6 hours per day. The system has a 30-30-10 discharge permit (30 BOD-30 TSS-10 Total Nitrogen). The Chair questioned previous issues regarding town imposed limits of nitrogen and Mr. Lewis reported that total nitrogen has been consistently below 5 due to various upgrades with no recent permit violations. Mr. O'Hara questioned the pumps being used and Mr. Lewis stated that the system uses gravity to direct flow to two main lift stations with 2 pumps each. It was noted that no particular component was more expensive than another and that the odor control system was the most significant maintenance cost. Mr. Baker questioned the possibility of removal of items trapped in the system and 1