What’s Up in Blaine?
An 60-foot-tall air-stripping
tower was lifted and then
lowered into place at a new
water treatment plant in
Blaine on Thursday, July 27.
The tower will allow the city
to put two wells back into
service after more than 10
years of being off-line
because of volatile organic
chemicals. The tower and
plant are part of a series of
new water plants and
upgrades for the city’s water
utility, part of an ongoing effort
to keep up with rising water
demand because of Blaine’s
growth. A second plant is
already operational with a
third on the way. For more
information, see the story on
page 2.
Paper Versions of
Waterline to End in 2007
Beginning with the Summer 2007 issue, a
web-only version of the Waterline will be published.
The Waterline will contain the same information
about upcoming training and regulatory updates
as well as other news and feature stories
although it will no longer be available in a paper
format.
A new issue will be produced and posted to
the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) web
site quarterly, and e-mail will be used to notify
people when it has been posted on the MDH
website. Many operators and others are already
receiving a notice when current issues are put on
the website. Others may register to get these notices by going to http://www.health.state.mn.us/
divs/eh/water/newsletters.htm and clicking on the
link to subscribe (next to the red envelope beneath
the description of the Waterline).
Upcoming Water Operator
Certification Exam Dates
September 14, St. Cloud
October 12, Windom
October 14, St. Cloud
October 17, Morris
October 18, Collegeville
October 24, Champlin
October 27, Red Wing
November 30, Detroit Lakes
December 28, St. Cloud
See calendar on back page
for more information
Fall 2006
Volume Fourteen/2
Inside: School and Training News
Death of American Water Works Association Members
New Employees in MDH Drinking Water Program
Blaine Deals with Water Issues with New Plants
An outpost on the northern edge of
the Twin Cities when it established a
public water system more than 40 years
ago, the city of Blaine has seen tremendous growth in its population, which now
approaches 50,000. The number of wells
to provide water to the increasing
number of residents has also grown.
Treatment of the water had been
handled at individual wells with the
addition of fluoride, chlorine, and a
polyphosphate to sequester the
manganese and iron in the water.
However, aesthetic problems remained
for some customers. In addition,
1,2- Dichloroethene was found in two
wells, causing them to be taken off line.
The area of these wells with volatile
organic chemicals (VOCs) became a
Superfund site, and some federal money
was made available for the purpose of
designing a plant to treat these and other
wells. Work on the plant, located off
U. S. Hwy. 10 and Central Avenue NE
in the southern part of the city, began in
September of 2005. A 60-foot-high
air-stripping tower will remove the
VOCs, and a filter will deal with iron and
manganese. This will allow the two wells
that were taken out of service 12 years
ago to go back on-line when the project
is completed in mid-September of 2006.
The continued need for capacity to
keep up with the city’s growth, combined
with customer complaints about
discolored water because of the iron and
manganese, led Blaine to plan the
construction of other plants. After a
Naeem Qureshi of Progressive Consulting Engineers and Blaine’s Mike Ulrich.
series of public informational meetings,
the City Council approved a rate increase
from 75 cents to $1.10 per 1,000 gallons
for the first 24,000 gallons and $1.35 per
1,000 gallons for the next 24,000 gallons.
Construction on another plant, just
south of Minn. Hwy. 242 on Oak Park
Boulevard, began in January 2005 and
went on-line one year later. Designated
as Plant No. 2 (the one on Hwy. 10 is
Plant No. 1), it serves two already
existing wells, which are inside the plant,
in addition to a new well that is a block
to the east of the plant. As is the case
with Plant No. 1, this plant is designed
for iron and manganese reduction
although it does not have the
air-stripping tower for VOCs.
The plants have been and are being
designed by Progressive Consulting
Engineers, Inc. (PCE) of Brooklyn
Center, Minnesota. Naeem Qureshi of
PCE said the plants are using a process
from Filtronics, Inc. of Anaheim,
California, that involves pumping the well
water into a chlorine contactor. High
doses of chlorine are added to oxidize
the iron and manganese. Sulphur
dioxide is added as the water enters
another contactor to neutralize any taste
and odor before going to the filters.
Plant No. 2 has four pressure filters
and a capacity of 8 million gallons per
day (MGD). Blaine director of public
works Mike Ulrich said Filtronics did a
pilot study and found that it could reduce
iron and manganese down to
nondectectable levels with this system.
“It’s a compact filter system,” Ulrich
added. “It doesn’t require a lot of space.
A gravity plant would cost more to build,
more to operate, and more to maintain.”
Bids for Plant No. 3, which will be on
103rd Street, near Centennial High School
in the southeast part of the city, are now
being let. Qureshi says that this plant,
which will treat the water from two
existing wells, should be completed by
September 2007. In addition to the wells
with each of the plants, Blaine has
several outlying wells that continue to
receive treatment through chemical
addition at the wellhead. When the wells
for Plant No. 1 are put back on-line,
Blaine will have 17 wells.
Continued on next page
Two existing wells are now housed with Plant No. 2.
2
Blaine Water Treatment Plants—Continued from page 2
However, the city is not done yet. It recently purchased 10 acres in the area of Lexington Avenue and Anoka County
Road J. In the next five to seven years, it plans to construct a 12 MGD plant and a 2 million gallon water tower on the site.
Will this be enough? Ulrich isn’t sure. Much depends on the growth of the city, he points out, including whether the
Minnesota Vikings build a new stadium in Blaine. While the stadium will not greatly affect water demand by itself, ensuing
development around the stadium could have a big impact.
For now, however, those are questions for the future. In the meantime, Ulrich and the citizens are finding relief in the
quality and quantity they are receiving because of the new plants.
Blaine Water Treatment Plants 1 and 2
REGISTRATION FORM FOR TELECONFERENCE AND FALL 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 registration, contact Jeanette Boothe at 651-201-4697.
To receive an exam application and/or study guide, contact Noel Hansen at 651-201-4690 or Mark Sloan at 651-201-4652.
AWWA Teleconference, Fire Hydrant Operations and Maintenance, November 2, 2006.
wish to attend:
Check the location you
____ Lake Superior College, Duluth. Fee: $65 ($85 after October 26 or at the door)
____ St. Paul Regional Water Services, St. Paul. Fee: $65 ($85 after October 26 or at the door)
____ University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota. Fee: $65 (no late registrations accepted for this site)
Southwest School, October 12, 2006, Windom Community Center. Fee: $25 ($30 at the door).
Northwest School, November 28-30, 2006, Holiday Inn, Detroit Lakes. Fee: $100 ($125 after November 15 or at the
door).
Name
Employer
Address
City
Zip
Day Phone
E-mail Address
Please enclose the appropriate fee. Make check payable to Minnesota AWWA. Mail this form and fee to Drinking
Water Protection Section, Minnesota Department of Health, P. O. Box 64975, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975.
3
Training News
See page 3 for registration form
The 2006 Northwest District Water Operators School will be held at the Holiday Inn, 1155 U. S. Hwy. 10 East in Detroit
Lakes from Tuesday, November 28 to Thursday, November 30.
Registration for the school is $100 ($125 after November 15 or at the door). A block of guest rooms is being held until
October 27 at a rate of $72.95 plus tax per night. Call the Holiday Inn at 218-847-2121 and mention AWWA. Participants will
receive 16 contact hours for their participation. A tentative agenda for the school is below. (Updated agendas for this and
other schools are at http://mnawwa.org/section/districtschools.html.)
Tuesday, November 28
Wednesday, November 29
8:30-noon
• Arsenic
• Hurricane Katrina and Water Treatment Plant Costs
• My Kids
• AWWA Membership
• Water for People
8:30-noon
Operator Breakfast—Guest speaker: Leonard Sunram,
Leonard’s Taxidermy
District Business Meeting—Harvey Triepke, Chair
Product Exposition with Mini-sessions
1:00-4:00
Small Systems
• Small System Construction Projects
• Engineering: Study, Plans, and Specifications
• Well Drillers Role in Construction
• Minnesota Department of Health Plan Review Process
• Pipe and Equipment Suppliers Role
• Financing a Project
1:00-4:00
• Hands-on Sessions at Detroit Lakes Water Plant
Thursday, November 30
8:00-noon
• Safety
• Regional Groundwater Modeling
• Storage Inspections by Robotics
• Asset Management
or
• Certification Exams (at 10:00)
or
Treatment Issues
• SCADA
• Distribution Modeling
• Lab Certification
Hydrants the Focus of
AWWA Teleconference
Minnesota AWWA Conference
This fall’s American Water Works Association
teleconference, Fire Hydrant Operations and
Maintenance, will be held on Thursday, November 2 from
11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (with registration beginning at 10:30).
Downlink locations will be at Memorial Union Hall at the
University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and Lake Superior College in Duluth, and St. Paul Regional Water Services.
Participants will receive 4 contact hours.
The Minnesota Section American Water Works
Association Annual Conference will be held at the Duluth
Entertainment and Convention Center from Wednesday,
September 20 to Friday, September 22.
For more information, go to http://mnawwa.org/section/
sectionconference2006.html.
Other Fall AWWA Operator Schools
• Southwest Water Operators School, Windom Community
Center, Thursday, October 12.
Waterline
• Central Water Operators School, St. John’s University,
Collegeville, Wednesday, October 18.
Published quarterly by the Drinking Water Protection
Section, Minnesota Department of Health
Editor: Stew Thornley
• Suburban Superintendents School, Champlin Ice Forum,
Tuesday October 24.
Staff: Dick Clark
Jeanette Boothe
Noel Hansen
• Southeast Water Operators School, Red Wing Water
Treatment Plant, Friday October 27.
To request this document in another format,
call 651-201-4700; TDD 651-201-5797
or toll-free through the Minnesota Relay Service,
1-800-627-3529 (ask for 651-201-5000).
The real art of conversation is not only to say the
right thing at the right time, but also to leave
unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
4
John Ehlinger Killed in Sauk Rapids
PWS Profiles: Chuefue Vang,
Luke Martin, and Rochelle Spielman
Passing of Palmer, Myhrer Also Noted
Chuefue Christopher Vang (above, left) reviews plans
in Drinking Water Protection. He was born in Minnesota and
has lived here all his life. Chue shares his March 22 birthday
with Braxton Bragg, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bob Costas,
Reggie White, Ozzie Nelson, and Mr. Rogers.
Lucas Martin (above, right) is a public health engineer,
reviewing plans in Drinking Water Protection. Luke was born
in Denver but lived there only a few months. He grew up in
Eagan and attended high school there before moving to Apple
Valley when he was in college. He received his bachelor’s
degree in chemical engineering from the University of
Minnesota in December 2003 and worked at 3M for a
year-and-a-half as a laboratory technician. He now lives in
Woodbury with three roommates. Luke has an older brother
and a cat named Ginger.
John Ehlinger’s co-workers hung his helmet and safety vest on
Luke received his Eagle Scout award by doing a project
a cross as a memorial on the corner of Summit Avenue and
involving community awareness about watershed pollution.
Fifth Street South, where John was killed in Sauk Rapids.
He is getting his black belt in taekwondo, and has gone scuba
John Palmer, a life member of American Water Works
diving in the Grand Cayman Islands. His other hobbies
Association, died at the age of 83 on June 15. John had been
include soccer, fishing, hunting, camping, snowboarding,
a district sales engineer for Wallace and Tiernan for more
taekwondo, scuba diving, playing guitar, and poker.
than 35 years.
Luke, who was born on Friday the 13th, shares his
Keith Myhrer, the water superintendent for the city of
February 13 birthday with Stockard Channing, Kim Novak,
Frazee, died July 10. Keith also served as the operator in
Jerry Springer, Peter Gabriel, Peter Tork, Bess Truman, Mike
nearby Vergas when the city established a public water
Krzyzewski, Patty Berg, Eddie Robinson, Chuck Yeager,
supply in 1994. He was 57.
Randy Moss, and Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Rochelle Spielman (left) is the new compliance officer in the community
water program in Drinking Water Protection. She was born in St. Croix Falls,
Wisconsin, and grew up in nearby Osceola, where her folks still have a farm. She
graduated from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls with degrees in
chemistry and environmental technology with minors in biology and hydrogeology.
Although she has worked in Minnesota for many years (Department of Natural
Resources, Spectrum Laboratories, U. S. Filter Recovery Services, and the public
health lab at the Department of Health), she remains a cheesehead as she and is
building a house in Hammond, Wisconsin. Her brother, Ryan, is the chief of police
in Dresser, Wisconsin. Rochelle and Jason have two cats (Kahlua and Magwi)
and a cocker spaniel (Megan). She enjoys gardening, watching
football (Packers, of course), entertaining, and dining at White Castle.
Rochelle shares her February 10 birthday with Jimmy Durante, Roberta Flack,
Mark Spitz, Big Bill Tilden, Daryl “Moose” Johnston, Dame Judith Anderson, and
Alex Comfort (author of The Joy of Sex).
5
St. Cloud Times photo by Jason Wachter
John Ehlinger, the assistant director
of public works in Sauk Rapids and an
active member in the Minnesota
Section American Water Works
Association, was killed on Monday, June
19 after being hit by a car as he was
coming out of a manhole in Sauk
Rapids.
John, who was 58, was a member of
the Minnesota AWWA Public Information Committee. He had been in charge of the water and
sewer departments in Sauk Rapids for the past four years
after 23 years with the city of Avon, where he still lived.
John is survived by his wife, Rosie, and four children. He
had his first grandchild on the way at the time of his death.
CALENDAR
Water Operator Training
Minnesota Section, American
Water Works Association
September
20-22,
Section
Conference, Duluth Entertainment and
Convention Center. Contact Dave
Schultz, 320-650-1059.
*October 12, Southwest Water
Operators School, Windom Community
Center. Contact John Blomme,
507-537-7308.
*October 18, Central Water
Operators School, St. John’s University,
Collegeville. Contact Lyle Stai,
320-212-8590.
*October 27, Southeast Water
Operators School, Red Wing. Contact
Paul Halvorson, 507-292-5193.
*November 28-30, Northwest Water
Operators School, Holiday Inn, Detroit
Lakes. Contact Stew Thornley,
651-201-4655.
Minnesota Rural Water Association, Contact Kyle Kedrowski, 800-367-6792.
December 6, Operation & Mainte*September 12-14, Water Certificanance,
Biwabik
tion Exam Prep, St. Cloud
December
13, Operation & MainteSeptember 20, Operation & Maintenance,
Waite
Park
nance, Northfield
October 4, Securing Financing for
MRWA Nonmunicipal and
Small Systems, Mankato
Class E Training
October 11, Securing Financing for
Small Systems, St. Cloud
September 6, Cloquet (Class E)
*October 17, Operation & MainteSeptember 19, Ramsey (Nonmunicipal)
nance, Morris
October 3, Breezy Point (Nonmunicipal)
October 24, Winterizing Your Water
System, Owatonna
October 25, Winterizing Your Water
St. Cloud Technical College, Contact
System, St. Cloud
November 8, Cross Connection and Bill Spain, 320-308-5952
A & B Exam Review
Backflow Prevention, St. Cloud
*October 13-14
November 28, Management Seminar,
*December 27-28
St. Cloud
*Suburban Superintendents School
October 24, Champlin Ice Forum.
Contact Charlie Borash, 651-681-4300.
American Water Works Association Teleconference
November 2,
Fire Hydrant Operations and
Maintenance,St. Paul, Duluth, and Grand Forks, North
Dakota. Contact Stew Thornley, 651-201-4655.
*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/wateroperator/trng/wat_op_sched.html
MDH Drinking Water Protection web page: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water
Past issues of the Waterline are available at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/com/waterline/index.html
Presort Standard
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 171
St. Paul, MN
Environmental Health Division
625 North Robert Street
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED