Minnesota AWWA Web Site
Available from the Health Department
http://www.mnawwa.org
The Minnesota Section American Water Works
Association (AWWA) web site has been revamped and
expanded. In addition to the information already on it, the
site now includes a link to the water operators training
calendar on the Minnesota Department of Health site and a
page with the latest news, including agendas, for water
operator schools for all districts within the section. In
addition, current research is being posted on the site along
with past issues of the section’s magazine, the Breeze.
The site is at http://www.mnawwa.org.
Upcoming Certification Exam Dates
March 4, St. Cloud
March 26, Rochester
April 2, Bloomington
April 16, Two Harbors
April 20, Wells
May 12, Pequot Lakes
June 11, Deerwood
Chlorine Residual Reporting
A reminder that at the beginning of 2004, all
community and nontransient noncommunity water systems
that chlorinate are required to measure and record the
chlorine residual at the same sampling points and at the same
time that the monthly or quarterly total coliform bacteria
samples are collected.
Anyone with questions may contact Dick Clark of the
Minnesota Department of Health at 651-215-0747 or via
e-mail at [email protected].
More information on taking chlorine residual measurements
is available on page 6.
Volume Eleven/4
Inside:
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has
developed a new brochure, Bottled Water: Questions and
Answers. This two-sided fact sheet covers issues such as
sources of bottled water, how it compares with tap water in
terms of safety, and how it is regulated.
The brochure is available upon request. Utilities and
others may order up to 50 copies from MDH. They can also
request the originals of the two-sided brochure, which will
allow them to make as many copies as they want for
distribution to customers and others.
To receive copies, contact Wendy Mielke at 651-215-0699
or via e-mail at [email protected].
It is also available on the MDH drinking water web site at
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/com/fs/
bottledwater.html.
SEMS Software
See calendar on back page for more details
Spring 2004
Brochure on Bottled Water
At no charge, the Minnesota Department of Health is
making available a copy of the Security Emergency
Management System (SEMS) software to interested
Minnesota water systems. The software was developed by
a contractor for the National Rural Water Asociation to
assist water systems in conducting vulnerability assessments
and emergency response plans.
The Minnesota Rural Water Association has sent this
software to all Minnesota water systems that serve a
population of 3,301 to 10,000. The MDH is offering a copy
of the SEMS software to systems serving 3,300 or fewer
and 10,000 to 50,000 people. Although not required to
conduct a vulnerability assessment, systems serving a
population of 3,300 or fewer are still encouraged to do so
with the SEMS software, which is user-friendly and does not
require a high degree of computer knowledge. MDH district
engineers are familiar with the software and can be
contacted for assistance.
Systems wanting a free copy of the SEMS software may
contact their district engineer or Dick Clark at 651-215-0747
or via e-mail at [email protected].
Training News and School Agendas
Steve Schneider Takes Over in St. Paul
Lakeville Water Plant Keeps Pace with City’s Growth
Drinking Water Revolving Fund Update
Training News
2004 Metro School
The 2004 Metro Waterworks Operators School will be held from Wednesday, March 31 through Friday, April 2 at the
Thunderbird Hotel in Bloomington. The certification exams will be held on Friday afternoon. Participants in the school will
receive 16 credit hours for their attendance. Registration for the school is $125 ($160 after March 17 or at the door).
Registration will begin at 7 a.m. on March 31 with the sessions beginning at 8 a.m.
A registration form is on page 7. Those wishing to stay at the Thunderbird can make guest room reservations by calling the
hotel at 952-854-3411.
Friday, April 2
Wednesday, March 31
8:00-11:30
• Welcome, Minnesota AWWA Information
7:30 Breakfast
Minnesota AWWA Section Chair Doug Rovang
• Weather: A Story of Whirlpools—Bruce Watson,
Consulting Meteorologist
9:30 Product Exposition with Mini-Sessions
• Water Supply in Ghana, Africa
•
•
•
•
or
•
9:30 Study Session
12:30-3:30
• Exam Prep—Math
•
or
Distribution System A
• Distribution Modeling
• Meters Testing and Repair
• Meter Sizing and Applications
• New Meter Technologies
• Hydrant Maintenance and Operation
• Gate Valve Operation and Maintenance
• Main Breaks
•
•
•
•
1:00 to 4:00
• Certification Exams
For updates on the Metro School agenda, as well
as agendas for other district schools, go to
http://www.mnawwa.org/section/districtschools.html
or
Distribution System B
• Fire Service and Prevention
• Recordkeeping with Field-based Computers
• Leak Detection
MRWA Technical Conference
The 2004 Minnesota Rural Water Association Technical
Conference will be held at the St. Cloud Civic Center from
Tuesday, March 2 through Thursday, March 4.
For more information, contact the MRWA office at
218-685-5197 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Thursday, April 1
8:00-11:30
• Safety and Customer Service
or
2004 Teleconferences
• Storage and Stations
The American Water Works Association has set
Thursday, March 11 and Thursday, November 4 as the dates
for its 2004 teleconferences. The March 11 topic will be
Emerging Issues in Water Utility Operations. The
downlink locations serving the Minnesota Section will be
Hennepin County Technical College in Brooklyn Park, the
Minnesota Department of Health in St. Paul, Memorial Union
Hall on the campus of the University of North Dakota in
Grand Forks, Lake Superior College in Duluth, and South
Central Technical College in North Mankato. Participants
will receive 4 contact hours. All AWWA members will
receive registration information in the mail.
or
• Exam Prep—General Operations
•
•
•
•
•
12:30-3:30
• On-Site Hands-on Training
or
• Off-site sessions (choice of one)
• Water Plant Tour
• University of Minnesota Hydraulics Laboratory
2
Spring 2003 Schools
Other spring schools are the Southeast School, March 24-26 at the Best Western Apache, Rochester; Southwest School,
April 20 at the American Legion in Wells; Northeast School, April 14-16 at Superior Shores Lodge in Two Harbors; and
Central School, June 9-11 at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood.
For the Northeast School, Superior Shores Lodge is holding a block of rooms until March 24 at the rate of $57.27 per night
for a standard room and $90.50 per night for a suite (prices include tax). Attendees may call 1-800-242-1988 and mention
American Water Works Association to get the special rate.
For the Central School, licensed operators in the region will receive a school and lodging registration form in the mail.
Others may obtain one by calling Jeanette Boothe at 651-215-1321.
Below are agendas for the Southeast and Northeast schools. A registration form for the schools is on page 7.
Southeast School Agenda
Northeast School Agenda
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
9:00-noon
• Minnesota AWWA and MDH Web Sites
• Emergency Response Plans with SEMS Software
• Sampling and MDH Update
• Laboratory Issues
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
9:00-noon
• Minnesota AWWA and MDH Web Sites
• Emergency Response Plans with SEMS Software
• Vermilion Community College Water Resources Program
• Water for People
or
1:00-4:00
• Tower Safety
• Power Management
Exam Prep—Math
1:00 -4:00
• Meters
• Hydrants
• Flow Control
• Operator Interface
or
Exam Prep—Math
or
Thursday, March 25, 2004
8:00-noon
• Operator Breakfast
Speaker: Troy Matejeck, Steele County
Gang Task Force
• Exhibitor and Product Fair
Exam Prep—General Operations
Thursday, April 15, 2004
8:00-11:45
• Microbiology
• Water Tanks
• Chlorine
• Polymers
• Northeast District Business Meeting
or
Exam Prep—General Operations
1:00-4:00
Hands-on Sessions and Top Ops
12:45-4:00
• Great Lakes Aquarium
Friday, April 16, 2004
8:00-noon
• Permanent Minnesotans
• Monitoring, Disinfection, and Chlorine Residual
• Regulatory Update and Meeting the Challenge of
Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
and Stage 1 Disinfection/Disinfection Byproduct Rule
• Safety
• Public Employees Retirement Association
Friday, March 26, 2004
8:00-noon
• Southeast District Business Meeting
• Highway 52 Project
• Water System Hydraulics
• LeCrescent Membrane Filtration
• Mayo Clinic
or
• Certification Exams
• Certification Exams
3
or
Keeping Up With Growth
Lakeville Water Plant Expands with Population
Treatment
Pretreatment consists of heavy
doses of chlorine to help the iron
oxidize before it gets to the filters.
Using chlorine rather than air as an
oxidant lowers the operation and
maintenance costs, according to
Volk.
The original plant had four filters.
The 2001 expansion to increase the
capacity to 20 MGD added four
more filters. The water goes from
the filters to a clearwell. Water
from the clearwell is used to backwash the filters. The backwash water is then routed through a plate settler to remove
the highly concentrated iron and manganese. After it settles,
the iron and manganese slurry goes to the sanitary sewer
with the rest of the water going to a washwater treatment
building and then back to the front of the plant. Volk says
they reuse about 80 percent of their backwash water.
Before the water is pumped to the system, additional
chlorine is added as necessary to maintain a residual. The
amount added depends on much was used up in oxidizing the
iron and manganese in the pre-treatment state.
Lakeville, Minnesota, is typical of
the outer ring of suburbs in the
Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan
area. As the overall population gets
larger, and as people have a desire
to live farther out, the suburbs are
experiencing a boom in residents
that challenges the services that
must be delivered to them.
In the past 10 years, Lakeville
has not only built its first water
treatment plant, it has expanded it
once, and it now looks ahead to a
further expansion. “The plant was population driven,” says
Don Volk, the city’s director of public works. “People moving to Lakeville from Minneapolis and St. Paul were used to
good quality water, including water that had been softened.”
Lakeville does biennial surveys of its citizens. In the early
1990s, there were consistent complaints about discoloration
of fixtures caused by iron in the water. At the time, Lakeville
had no treatment plant. Fluoride and chlorine were added at
each well site along with a polyphosphate to sequester iron
and manganese. However, iron was still turning up in the
finished water.
In 1992, the city council authorized a comprehensive
water plan update. Two years later, the design-process approval for a water treatment facility began. This coincided
with Volk coming to Lakeville from the city of Lino Lakes.
“They ran a pilot plant for three months to test oxidants,
media types, and length of filter runs,” said Naeem Qureshi
of Progressive Consulting Engineers of Minneapolis. “They
got good filter runs with both anthracite/greensand and
anthrafill. They decided to go with greensand/anthracite.”
The plan called for a greensand-filtration plant for iron
and manganese removal with an initial capacity of 10 million
gallons per day (MGD) and the ability to expand, in two
separate stages, to 30 MGD. Construction began in 1996,
and the original plant went on-line in 1998.
Don Volk
Controls
The original plant included two manual instrument panels
as redundancy for the System Control and Data Acquisition
(SCADA) system. “In 1996, we weren’t as confident in the
reliability of computers so we wanted a backup to not totally
rely on computers,” Volk explained. Each manual instrument panel controls two of the filters from the original plant.
With more faith in computers, the utility did not install manual
controls with the new filters as part of the 2001 expansion.
Sources
Ten wells now provide water to the plant. Six of the wells
were already in use before the original plant was built. One
well was added shortly after the plant was opened, and two
additional wells were added at the time the plant was
expanded to 20 MGD in 2001. The newest well was brought
on-line in 2003.
Four more wells, which were present before the plant, are
now used only for peak demand. Fluoride and chorine are
added at the well sites with the water directly entering the
distribution system. Volk says that the well field will
eventually be expanded to encompass two of these wells and
have them feed the plant.
All of the water is from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer, which is high in iron and manganese. Some of the wells
also have radium, although the levels are reduced to acceptable amounts through blending with water from other wells.
Performance
Within three months of the opening of the original plant in
1998, complaints about the water dropped to almost none.
Volk says that, with the treatment, levels of iron in the
finished water are well below .3 parts per million (ppm) and
below .05 ppm for manganese. Volk added that they
continued their normal biennial water-main flushing for a few
years but, as a result of the low iron and manganese levels,
have now discontinued that.
4
Meeting Future Growth
The plant is designed to be expanded
to 30 MGD, and the final expansion may
take place in the latter part of this
decade. Volk hopes that this expansion,
along with water conservation, will take
them to full population growth, which is
expected to be 97,000 (the city’s
population is now approximately 46,000).
“Otherwise,” Volk says, “we may need
another plant.”
Regarding conservation, in 2004 the
city will go to an odd-even sprinkling
schedule for its residents. Even though
such a program has been voluntary in A schematic drawing of the Lakeville treatment process.
the past, Volk says compliance has been outstanding.
Another issue that affects conservation is the low water
rates, which are based only on operation, not infrastructure,
costs. Volk says they are considering a tiered rate structure
to discourage excess water usage, although educating the
public has been effective to this point. “Lakeville residents
respond very well,” he adds.
Added Features
The original project included construction of a maintenance
facility for the utility department and renovation of a barn on
the site—which had been a farmstead—to use for storage
for the city’s police and public works departments. The
maintenance facility includes a community meeting room that
is used by businesses and community organizations. The
room, Volk says, “helps draw attention to what we’re proud
A barn was converted into a storage structure.
of—our water treatment facility.”
Volk has hosted a number of tours of the plant, especially for students. Picture boards around the plant are popular and help
illustrate the workings of a public water system. Upgrades in security in the past two-and-a-half years haven’t eliminated the
school groups from visiting. If the Homeland Security Threat Level rises from yellow (elevated) to orange (high), they
suspend tours. Otherwise, they welcome visitors as usual although they do background checks on the adults.
Costs
The original 10 MGD plant cost $15 million. The 10 MGD expansion in late 2001 was $5.5 million.
Steve Schneider Succeeds Bernie Bullert at St. Paul Regional Water Services
Bernie Bullert
Steve Schneider was named the general
manager of St. Paul Regional Water Services
(SPRWS) in December, succeeding
Bernie Bullert, who left after 35 years with
the utility to work as a senior registered
engineer with Toltz King Duvall Anderson
& Associations, Inc., a St. Paul engineering
consulting firm..
Schneider started with the utility in 1990 as
a project manager. In 1996, Schneider
became assistant superintendent of the utility’s
distribution division and in 2002 was named
assistant to the SPRWS general manager.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s
Institute of Technology, Schneider has degrees
in both geological and civil engineering and is
currently working toward a master’s degree
in business administration.
5
Steve Schneider
Monitoring for Total Chlorine Residual
By Bill Anderl
MDH District Engineer
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has required that all community and nontransient noncommunity water
systems that chlorinate to monitor the levels of total chlorine residual at each site used for total coliform monitoring. It is
important to allow the sample taps to flow for a sufficient time before sampling so that the service line and indoor piping can
be flushed of stagnant water. Sometimes this flow time can be determined by a drop in water temperature (colder water from
water main than water standing in pipes).
Since most groundwater sources in Minnesota contain some ammonia nitrogen, chloramines will form in the water as soon
as the chlorine is injected. Chlorine levels in most systems will be made using a DPD test method (field detection
measurement kit) and will be reported as total chlorine residual in milligrams per liter (or parts per million).
Accuracy of this measurement will
depend on the type of testing equipment
you are using and the testing procedures
Security of Water System Vulnerability
you follow. Be sure you are following
Assessments from Public Disclosures
the test kit instructions carefully and
The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act
using reagents that are intended for this
kit. If the kit requires you to compare of 2002, which requires all community water systems serving a population greater
test samples with color standards, be than 3,300 to “conduct a vulnerability assessment of its system to a terrorist attack
sure you use the same background or other intentional acts intended to substantially disrupt the ability of the system to
lighting conditions when doing the provide a safe and reliable supply of drinking water,” contains specific provisions
comparison. If a time limit is specified that exempt it from requests under the federal Freedom of Information Act to the
for the method, carefully monitor the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for release of the information to the public.
reaction times needed. If you have a However, there is nothing in the federal law that specifically exempts water
digital instrument, be sure you zero the systems from disclosing vulnerability assessment information to someone
requesting it under state law.
instrument on a sample blank.
The Minnesota Department of Health has reviewed the state laws concerning
The data that are collected should be
recorded on the lab sheet submitted to data privacy and determined that under Minnesota Statutes, Section 13.37, General
the testing laboratory that you are using Non-public Data, the vulnerability assessment that water systems have developed
for the total coliform testing. Keep a is protected as “security information” and not subject to public release.
MDH recommends that vulnerability assessments be kept in a secure location
record of all chlorine residual
measurements and note any special with extremely limited access to them. Anyone with questions may call MDH at
conditions that have preceded the 651-215-0747.
sampling event, such as flushing, water
main breaks, or changes to the
Drinking Water Revolving Fund Loans
distribution system.
Assuming you are ready to perform By John Schnickel
this additional monitoring of chlorine MDH Drinking Water Revolving Fund Coordinator
residual levels, please note that there may
May 21, 2004 is the deadline for receiving proposals for the Drinking Water
be significant seasonal variations that Revolving Fund (DWRF) Project Priority List.
reflect changes in chlorine demand in the
So?
distribution system. We would also
This is the first step in obtaining a DWRF loan. Should your community be
recommend that you measure seeking one?
temperature at the time the samples are
In 2003, approximately 27.5 million dollars were loaned for 28 projects. Loans
taken. This can be done with an help communities upgrade aging systems and make them easier to operate and
inexpensive pool thermometer in a small maintain. A DWRF loan may also help communities meet recent and upcoming
container and will aid in understanding compliance deadlines.
how the chlorine residuals can change
The deadlines include:
with temperature.
December 8, 2003 – Radionuclides Rule
January 1, 2004 – Stage 1 Disinfection Byproducts Rule
June 8, 2004 – Filter Backwash Recycling Rule
Before you speak, make sure
January 14, 2005 – Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
it’s an improvement on silence
January 23, 2006 – Arsenic Rule
.
To learn about the DWRF program, you can attend a two-and-a-half-hour information session. One will be held in Maple Grove on March 10. For more informaOne of the great sources of
tion about the information session or the DWRF program in general, please contact your Minnesota Department of Health district engineer or call 651-215-0784.
energy is pride in what
For DWRF information on the web go to:
we are doing.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/dwrf
6
Gimmicks & Gadgets
Waterline
Do you have a tool or other device that
makes your job easier? Enter it in the Gimmicks & Gadgets at your district schools and
the top entry from each district will compete
at the state AWWA conference in October.
Questions? Call Jim Sadler at 763-494-6377.
Published quarterly by the Drinking Water Protection Section,
Minnesota Department of Health
Editor: Stew Thornley
Dick Clark
Staff:
Jeanette Boothe
Noel Hansen
To request this document in another format, call 651-215-0700;
TDD 651-215-0707 or toll-free through the
Minnesota Relay Service, 1-800-627-3529 (ask for 651-215-0700).
Past issues of the Waterline (in PDF format) are available at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/newsletters.htm
New Water on Tap Booklet
Copies of the U. S. EPA’s updated Water
on Tap booklet are available for no charge.
Call 1-800-426-4791 or send a message to
[email protected]. Indicate the
number of copies needed and refer to
publication number 816-B-03-007.
REGISTRATION FORM FOR TELECONFERENCE AND SPRING SCHOOLS
You may combine fees on one check if more than one person is attending a school; however, please make a copy of this
form for each person. Questions regarding certification, contact Cindy Cook at 651-215-0751. Questions regarding
registration, contact Jeanette Boothe at 651-215-1321.
AWWA Teleconference: Emerging Issues in Water Utility Operations, March 11, 2004.
Fee: $65 ($85 after March 4 or at the door) for St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, Grand Forks, and Duluth sites; $55 ($75 after
March 4 or at the door) for North Mankato (no lunch served at this site). Note: No late registrations for the
University of North Dakota site will be accepted. All registrations for this site must be received by March 4.
Check location you wish to attend:
____ Minnesota Department of Health Distance Learning Center, Metro Square Annex, St. Paul, Minnesota
____ Hennepin County Technical College, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
____ University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota
____ Lake Superior College, Duluth, Minnesota
____ South Central Technical College, North Mankato, Minnesota
Southeast School, March 24-26, 2004, Best Western Apache, Rochester. Fee: $125 ($135 after March 15 or at the door).
Metro School, March 31-April 2, 2004, Thunderbird Hotel, Bloomington. Fee: $125 ($160 after March 19 or at the door).
Northeast School, April 14-16, 2004, Superior Shores Lodge, Two Harbors. Fee: $110 ($120 after April 7 or at the door).
Southwest School, April 20, 2004, Wells. Fee: $20 ($25 after April 15 or at the door).
Check here if you would like to receive an exam application. (Applications must be submitted at least 15 days
prior to the exam.)
Check here if you would like to receive an exam study guide.
Name
Address
City
Zip
Day Phone
Employer
Please enclose the appropriate fee. Make check payable to Minnesota AWWA. Mail this form and fee to Public Water
Supply Unit, Minnesota Department of Health, 121 East Seventh Place, Suite 220, P. O. Box 64975,
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975.
7
CALENDAR
Water Operator Training
Minnesota Section, American
Water Works Association
*March 24-26, Southeast Water
Operators School, Best Western
Apache, Rochester. Contact Paul
Halvorson, 507-292-5193.
*March 31-April 2, Metro Water
Operators School, Thunderbird Hotel,
Bloomington, Contact Stew Thornley,
651-215-0771.
*April 14-16, Northeast Water
Operators School, Superior Shores
Lodge, Two Harbors, Contact Stew
Thornley, 651-215-0771.
*April 20, Southwest Water
Operators School, American Legion,
Wells.
Contact Mark Sweers,
507-389-5561.
*June 9-11, Central Water Operators
School, Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge,
Deerwood. Contact Bill Spain,
320-654-5952.
Minnesota Rural Water Association, Contact Kyle Kedrowski, 800-367-6792.
June 2, Operation & Maintenance,
*March 2-4, Technical Conference,
Winnebago
St. Cloud Civic Center
June 24, Operation & Maintenance,
April 14, Operation & Maintenance,
Isle
Elbow Lake
July 21, Utility Management Seminar,
May 5, Operation & Maintenance,
St. Cloud
LeCenter
*May 12, Operation & Maintenance,
MRWA Training for
Pequot Lakes
Non-Municipal Systems
May 19, Water and Sewer Rates,
St. Cloud
April 7, Kasson
May 26, Operation & Maintenance,
April 21, Askov
Warren
April 28, Warroad
American Water Works
Association Teleconference
March 11, Emerging Issues in Water
Utility Operations, Brooklyn Park,
St. Paul, Duluth, North Mankato, and
Grand Forks. Contact Stew Thornley,
651-215-0771.
Hands-On Basic Training for Water Operators
Vermilion Community College, Contact 800-657-3609 or 218-365-7200.
March 9-10—Groundwater
*Schools/meetings marked with an asterisk include a water certification exam. To be eligible to take a certification exam, applicants must have hands-on operations experience at a drinking water system.
For an up-to-date list of events, see the training calendar on the MDH web site at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/training.htm
MDH Drinking Water Protection web page:http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water
Presort Standard
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 171
St. Paul, MN
Environmental Health Division
121 E. 7th Place Suite 220
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED