The Bradford Sanitary Authority recently gave a presentation to the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association on its plan to install “green” technology for sludge dewatering at the wastewater treatment plant.
Executive Director Rick Brocius talked about the presentation at the authority’s regular meeting on Wednesday.
Brocius and authority engineer Jack Rae had traveled to the association’s 75th annual state conference in Hershey, where they gave an overview of reed bed technologies “for sludge management reducing up-front capital investments and long-term operating costs for the authority’s treatment plant,” he reported.
Brocius was elected to a three-year term as director for PMAA’s Region 7, and Bradford City Water Authority Executive Director Steve Disney was elected as the assistant director for Region 7. The district comprises McKean, Warren, Forest, Elk, Cameron, Clarion, Jefferson, and Armstrong counties.
“Brocius and Disney will coordinate regional meetings on various topics every spring and fall for association members and municipal officials throughout the Region 7 district,” the sanitary authority reported.
The reed bed installation will be part of Phase III of the plant upgrade.
“The authority is currently pursuing PENNVEST funding and grants for construction in the spring of 2018,” Brocius noted.
Engineer Jack Rae reported at the meeting that Phase III designs were 60 percent complete. According to Rae, a funding offer is expected in October. Design and bid-ready documents are to be done by December to be able to start construction in spring 2018.
The authority also reported updates with the city’s stormwater management program.
The board approved the Management Agreement between the authority and the city regarding coordination of authority and Department of Public Works staff completing stormwater work in the field. The city approved the agreement at its Sept. 12 meeting.
Also regarding stormwater, “Brocius reported that several applications had been received for the stormwater ‘Adopt-an-Inlet’ program affording residential properties a 15 percent credit towards reducing their stormwater fee,” the authority stated.
“One applicant utilized a feature of this program allowing their credit to be donated to a non-profit organization of their choosing,” the authority added. “By having residents keep the catch basin inlets clean it reduces costs to the authority that it passes along to customers as a credit.”
In fact, Gov. Rick Scott of Florida asked all Florida residents to help clean storm system inlets before Hurricane Irma hit, according to Brocius.
Brocius reported that the GIS mapping of the storm system continues. “New map features are being developed that will track customer concerns or reported problems. Another map layer under development will be used to record inspection results that show where system repairs and rehabilitation work will be needed in the future,” he indicated.
The authority is seeking part-time staff to aid in the collection of GIS mapping data and suggested it would be a good job for students or retirees “who are comfortable with technology/iPads.” Work times are flexible, and the project “will continue until snow begins to accumulate.”
Authority and Department of Public Works crews have cleaned and inspected 1,100 feet of 20-inch storm line from Cliff Street, down South Avenue to Mechanic Street and to the Tunungwant Creek. Businesses in that area had been experiencing flooding this year.
“This line, discovered to be over 90 percent full in places, is now free of obstructions and its condition was video recorded,” the authority reported. “This inspection indicated that this line will likely need to be plastic lined at some point in the future.”
According to the authority, “The next area of focus for the stormwater system will be the Elm Street area in anticipation of the Elm Street development projects being coordinated by the OECD (Office of Economic and Community Development) for 2018.”
The authority will need to establish if the storm system in this area is draining adequately and properly to address any potential problems.
Also, Brocius reported that the plant participated in its first demand response energy audit.
“The audit was deemed a success with the plant shedding 75 percent of its electrical load for a two-hour period. The authority is enrolled in a five-year program where it earns cash rebates to off-set its electric costs if called upon to reduce its load during peak demands on the grid,” according to Brocius.
Operations Manager Barry Anderson reported that Thacker Construction repaired the roof on the metal storage building at the plant. He also said plant staff will be visiting local industries to perform annual sampling required by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the Authorities Industrial Pretreatment Program.
