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Wastewater Division

Wastewater Plant Update

Posted: February 18, 2009

Update January 2008: (Click on thumbnails to view pictures larger)

Start Up Planning It is getting closer now to actually putting some of the work accomplished into use and start removing the pollution from the wastewater received by the plant. The construction contractor has prepared several revisions of a very detailed start up plan: 51 pages of hundreds of switch, valve and gate positions, power and SCADA verifications, point settings and sequencing. The start up will be the end point of more than a year planning and preparation.

Figure 1
Start Up Plan

The City of Lompoc completed its own start up operations plan in junction with the contractor’s plan and submitted it to the treatment plant’s regulator (Central Coast Water Quality Control Board) for approval. As long as the City follows the approved operations plan, any discharge incidents resulting from start up activities would not be subject to mandatory minimum penalties.

Site Work The construction contractor continued preparation for installation of new roads to the new treatment processes by forming and pouring curbs and gutters and laying base. It’s anticipated that the western half of the facility’s roads will be installed in February.

Figure 2
Pouring Road Curb

The landscaping sub has been replacing vegetation damaged during construction and the fencing sub likewise replaced damaged perimeter security fencing.

Figure 3
Replacement Trees and Shrubs

Electrical and SCADA The electrical subcontractor has worked from one end of the site to the other installing trench ducts and duct banks, pulling cable and wire and terminating these wires at the equipment and the motor control centers (MCCs). The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) integrator subcontractor has been working with the design engineer to fine tune control strategies, identify equipment set points and get all these data into the SCADA computer and work. This system will be the electronic brains of the upgrade. City staff will be able to monitor and control equipment, monitor process status, receive and respond to alarms, follow plant performance trends and prepare reports among other activities with the SCADA system.

Figure 4
SCADA Engineer At Work

SEET and SEEPS Quite a bit of work was completed associated with the Secondary Effluent Equalization Tank (SEET) and the Secondary Effluent Equalization Pump Station (SEEPS). As the schedule is approaching start up and commissioning of the already constructed new biological treatment process (oxidation ditches), preparation began for the project’s Milestone 2 work. In this next phase of construction the SEET will be built by modifying the existing aeration tank. The contractor removed what structures he could in the channel which will eventually serve as the SEET flow inlet. The work in the aeration tank itself will have to wait until it’s removed from service and drained/cleaned.

The SEEPS pumps were installed and the electrical conduit were laid into the duct banks.

Since the retaining wall north of the SEEPS was completed in December, the sheet piles which stabilized the work area during construction were removed and compaction of the area was completed.

Figure 5
SEET Inlet Channel Preparation

Figure 6
New SEEPS Pumps

Figure 7
SEEPS Electrical Conduit

Figure 8
Vibrating Out Sheet Piles
Figure 9
Retaining Wall with Handrails Installed
Figure 10
Compaction Behind Retaining Wall

Dissolved Air Floatation Thickeners (DAFTs) Much of the work installing and testing the equipment and piping for these solids handling treatment units was completed.

Additionally, the finishing touches of lighting and handrails around the top and at the stairs of the tanks were completed.

Located near the DAFTs are the odor-treating biofilters. Much work was accomplished here. The various layers of filter media were installed: first a coarse rock layer around the perforated foul air feed piping, second water lines with drip emitters to keep the media moist, then finally a layer of bark. The moisture will promote the growth of beneficial bacteria which will remove the odorous components from the air pulled from the IPS, DAFTs and grit removal units and release scrubbed air to the atmosphere.

Figure 11
DAFT Tanks and Pumps

Figure 12
DAFT Flow Control Equipment
Figure 13
DAFT Handrails and Lights
Figure 14
Biofilter Foul Air Lines

Figure 15
Bottom Rock Layer
Figure 16
Drip Water Lines
Figure 17
Top Bark Layer

Miscellaneous Some finishing touches and smaller items were completed at various project locations. At the Oxidation Ditch Blower Building the screen walls were flown into place and secured. Since foul air is going to be removed and deodorized from the Influent Pumping Station (IPS), replacement air must be provided. A new supply fan unit was installed to accomplish this. Roof repairs needs to be made on the existing IPS building after new air handling/ventilation equipment was installed. The electrical connections to the control panels for the new sludge dredges were completed and the panels installed.

Figure 18
Blower Building Screen Walls

Figure 19
IPS Air Supply Fan
Figure 20
Existing IPS Roof Repairs
Figure 21
Floating Sludge Dredge Controls

Check back in March to see what happened in February.

Update January 2008: (Click on thumbnails to view pictures larger)

Start Up Planning It is getting closer now to actually putting some of the work accomplished into use and start removing the pollution from the wastewater received by the plant. The construction contractor has prepared several revisions of a very detailed start up plan: 51 pages of hundreds of switch, valve and gate positions, power and SCADA verifications, point settings and sequencing. The start up will be the end point of more than a year planning and preparation.		Figure 1 Start Up Plan
The City of Lompoc completed its own start up operations plan in junction with the contractor’s plan and submitted it to the treatment plant’s regulator (Central Coast Water Quality Control Board) for approval. As long as the City follows the approved operations plan, any discharge incidents resulting from start up activities would not be subject to mandatory minimum penalties.

Site Work The construction contractor continued preparation for installation of new roads to the new treatment processes by forming and pouring curbs and gutters and laying base. It’s anticipated that the western half of the facility’s roads will be installed in February.		Figure 2 Pouring Road Curb
The landscaping sub has been replacing vegetation damaged during construction and the fencing sub likewise replaced damaged perimeter security fencing.		Figure 3 Replacement Trees and Shrubs

Electrical and SCADA The electrical subcontractor has worked from one end of the site to the other installing trench ducts and duct banks, pulling cable and wire and terminating these wires at the equipment and the motor control centers (MCCs). The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) integrator subcontractor has been working with the design engineer to fine tune control strategies, identify equipment set points and get all these data into the SCADA computer and work. This system will be the electronic brains of the upgrade. City staff will be able to monitor and control equipment, monitor process status, receive and respond to alarms, follow plant performance trends and prepare reports among other activities with the SCADA system.		Figure 4 SCADA Engineer At Work

SEET and SEEPS Quite a bit of work was completed associated with the Secondary Effluent Equalization Tank (SEET) and the Secondary Effluent Equalization Pump Station (SEEPS). As the schedule is approaching start up and commissioning of the already constructed new biological treatment process (oxidation ditches), preparation began for the project’s Milestone 2 work. In this next phase of construction the SEET will be built by modifying the existing aeration tank. The contractor removed what structures he could in the channel which will eventually serve as the SEET flow inlet. The work in the aeration tank itself will have to wait until it’s removed from service and drained/cleaned. The SEEPS pumps were installed and the electrical conduit were laid into the duct banks. Since the retaining wall north of the SEEPS was completed in December, the sheet piles which stabilized the work area during construction were removed and compaction of the area was completed.		Figure 5 SEET Inlet Channel Preparation Figure 6 New SEEPS Pumps Figure 7 SEEPS Electrical Conduit
Figure 8 Vibrating Out Sheet Piles	Figure 9 Retaining Wall with Handrails Installed	Figure 10 Compaction Behind Retaining Wall

Dissolved Air Floatation Thickeners (DAFTs) Much of the work installing and testing the equipment and piping for these solids handling treatment units was completed. Additionally, the finishing touches of lighting and handrails around the top and at the stairs of the tanks were completed. Located near the DAFTs are the odor-treating biofilters. Much work was accomplished here. The various layers of filter media were installed: first a coarse rock layer around the perforated foul air feed piping, second water lines with drip emitters to keep the media moist, then finally a layer of bark. The moisture will promote the growth of beneficial bacteria which will remove the odorous components from the air pulled from the IPS, DAFTs and grit removal units and release scrubbed air to the atmosphere.		Figure 11 DAFT Tanks and Pumps
Figure 12 DAFT Flow Control Equipment	Figure 13 DAFT Handrails and Lights	Figure 14 Biofilter Foul Air Lines
Figure 15 Bottom Rock Layer	Figure 16 Drip Water Lines	Figure 17 Top Bark Layer

Miscellaneous Some finishing touches and smaller items were completed at various project locations. At the Oxidation Ditch Blower Building the screen walls were flown into place and secured. Since foul air is going to be removed and deodorized from the Influent Pumping Station (IPS), replacement air must be provided. A new supply fan unit was installed to accomplish this. Roof repairs needs to be made on the existing IPS building after new air handling/ventilation equipment was installed. The electrical connections to the control panels for the new sludge dredges were completed and the panels installed.		Figure 18 Blower Building Screen Walls
Figure 19 IPS Air Supply Fan	Figure 20 Existing IPS Roof Repairs	Figure 21 Floating Sludge Dredge Controls

Check back in March to see what happened in February.