Monthly Report – Public Works Department January, 2012

WATER

A total of 26,048,800 gallons of water were produced during the month of December, 13,799,700 at Alder Creek Treatment Plant and 12,249,100 at Brownell Springs. 13.48 inches of rainfall were recorded at the treatment plant site during the month of January. The rain on snow event over the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th forced us to shut down the Alder Creek treatment plant on the 17^th until the turbidity level in the stream dropped enough to resume treating water. The plant was returned to service on the 19^th. Reservoir storage and flow from Brownell Springs allowed us to keep up with water demand. All influent and effluent flow meters at the water treatment plant and Brownell Springs were calibrated.

WASTEWATER

A total of 58,460,000 gallons of wastewater was treated and discharged to Tickle Creek during January. Minimum day flow was 0.9 MG on the 14^th; maximum day flow was 6.93 MG on the 19^th  . Rainfall was 1.15” on the 18^th and 2.0” on the 19^th. The flow equalization pond was used to store some of the peak flows. A total of 9.45 inches of rainfall were recorded at the treatment plant site during January.  We were in compliance with our waste discharge permit for the month of January. BOD concentration was 7.78 mg/l; BOD loading was 57 lbs.; permit allows 10 mg/l and 83 lbs.; SS concentration was 7.1 mg/l; SS loading was 70.3 lbs.; permit allows 10 mg/l and 83 lbs. No sludge was hauled off-site during the month of January. The pumps at Marcy St.; Northside, Southeast, Sleepy Hollow and Meinig Ave. lift stations ran a total of 440 hours with no significant problems.

STREETS

The street sweeping contractor spent 48 hours sweeping streets and collected 14 tons (30 cu. yds.) of debris, covering 187 lane miles. The snow on the 16^th interrupted sweeping until it could resume on the 19^th. The snow presented few problems. We had two people scheduled to come in at 5:00 AM on the 16^th to start plowing. One person was called in at about 1:30 AM to deal with some tree problems and began plowing shortly afterwards in order to get a head start on the snow.  We placed our new liquid de-icing equipment into service in January and were pleased with the results during hard frosts and when the temperature dropped while the streets were still wet. We were able to apply the de-icer during regular work hours the day before the temperature dropped and it was still working two days later saving overtime. We found it costs about $350-$400 per application which is less than the cost of applying sand to the same streets with the advantage of not having to sweep anything up after we are done.

PARKS / OTHER

There were a few trees and branches that came down on the Tickle Creek Trail and in Meinig Park during the storm. Parks staff was able to clean up the damage shortly afterwards. The heavy rains on the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th presented few problems. We had PW staff monitoring critical inlets to keep them free from debris. The new inlet and detention system under the parking lot in Meinig Park performed well. The stormwater inlet improvements made over the last two years at McCormick Ct., Sunset St. and Bluff Rd. seemed to accommodate the increased flows with no overtopping or backwater damages.

Two PW staff members worked on Saturday, January 28^th to chip up debris from the storm. We had about 10 residents take advantage of the service by bringing their limbs and branches to PW World HQ on Champion Way. We also loaned out the chipper several times for on-site chipping of limbs and branches.