January 11, 2010
The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners of
Columbus, Georgia was held at the office of the Columbus Water Works on Monday,
January 11, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., the following Commissioners being present:
Philip Thayer
Dr. Carole Rutland
Karl Douglass
Mayor Jim Wetherington
Absent: Billy Blanchard
It was noted that Treasurer Billy Blanchard?s absence from this meeting
was excused.
This being the first meeting of the new year, election of Officers was
in order. The following Officers were nominated:
Office 2010
Chairman Philip Thayer
Treasurer Billy Blanchard
President Robert L. Tant
Secretary Emory E. Blount
Following discussion motion was made and second to elect the above
Officers for the calendar year 2010. Motion carried.
Receipt of the Minutes of the regular meeting on December 14, 2009, was
acknowledged by the Board and approved as written.
The Financial Report for the month of December including Ft. Benning
was presented to the Board. Motion was made and second to accept the reports.
Motion carried.
Management gave a brief update on the following activities for the
month of December conducted by the Finance and Customer Services Department.
Customer Services
All activities in support of Customer Services (Meter Reading/Meter Services
and Customer billing) remain current for this cycle.
1,742 average work orders completed each month, in addition to +/- 33,800
average reads per month.
20,310 work orders completed in 2009
Staffing: (1) Supervisor and (6) Meter Readers
The Board acknowledged Management?s report.
Management gave a brief update on the following activities for the
month of December conducted by Engineering and Field Services.
Ft. Benning BRAC Update
There are 13 BRAC projects ? (9) funded through the Corp ? (4) funded through
contract mod and bond issue with the CWW.
The first (9) projects are substantially completed and placed into service.
These projects provided additional distribution and collection system capacity
and connection points for the Corp of Engineers BRAC Development.
Ft. Benning Fire Hydrant Replacement
In 2009 CWW inspected 1,029 fire hydrants on Ft. Benning. It was determined
that (76) fire hydrants were inoperable and non-repairable. Through December
2009, (73) of the fire hydrants have been replaced. The final (3) hydrants are
scheduled to be replaced in January 2010.
The total project budget is $300,000 and the total cost to date is $206,256.
Field Services
Wastewater crews are investigating areas prone to overflows in heavy rains
including Standing Boy Court, 19th Avenue and 23rd Street, and East Lindsay &
Flint. Potential solutions being considered include rerouting where smaller
mains intersect larger mains.
Distribution crews repaired over 20 leaks including an 8? main break on
Schomburg Road, which required two (2) Hydra-stops to limit the number of
customers who would be out of service while the repair was made. The only
customers affected were in Sugar Mill Apartments who were out of water from
midnight until 3:30 a.m. (3.5 hours). Crews were on site for 16 hours to make
the necessary repair.
Ft. Benning Field Services
Ft. Benning crews helped repair road behind fields at SCWRF due to severe
erosion.
The Board acknowledged Management?s report.
Management gave a brief update on the following activities for the
month of December conducted by the Strategic Planning and Employee Services
Department.
Strategic Planning
January 21, 2010 ? A Strategic Planning workshop is scheduled at the Cunningham
Center for Leadership Development, CSU, for Strategy Team Leaders and Assistant
Team Leaders.
Strategic Planning will represent CWW, joining 21 regional, national and
international utilities, in partnering with EMA, Inc., as a participant in AWWA
Research Foundation Project No. 4232 (Forecasting the Future: Progress, Changes
and Predictions for the Water Sector).
Strategic Planning will represent CWW as a facilitator at The Utility
Management Conference 2010, scheduled February 21-24, in San Francisco, CA.
Employee Services
Lawson Software Implementation. Employee Services continues the implementation
of the new Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and Payroll System from
Lawson Software. The new HRIS database will store each CWW employee?s personal
and benefits information, including job, certification, workers compensation
and training. Employee Services continues development sessions in preparation
for a fully functional system in January 2010.
The Board acknowledged Management?s report.
Management gave a brief update on the following activities for the
month of December conducted by the Environmental and Communication Services.
Environmental Compliance
The Environmental Compliance Department held a Backflow Prevention (BFP)
recertification class for persons holding a Georgia License for the testing of
backflow prevention devices.
The Environmental Compliance Department is in the process of re-permitting 30
industrial users.
Water Quality Monitoring
All required sampling for the year has been completed.
Dr. Morton Reed, Lab Manager, was granted a Professional Engineer?s License in
Georgia.
Information Services
The IS staff presented a demonstration of an Information Portal System to
Senior Management during December.
The HR/Payroll system was placed into production on December 21st.
The IS Department continues to do its part to be ?green? by recycling computer
equipment.
Communications and Continuous Improvement
Bill insert for January ? eTAP/Low Income Credit
Television Promotional Advertisement will focus on e-TAP (Electronic
Transaction and Payment)
The Board acknowledged Management?s report.
Management gave a brief update on the following activities for the
month of December conducted by the Water Resources, Managed Maintenance and
Security Departments.
South Columbus Water Resource Facility
Average Daily Flow for Month 55.48 mgd
Maximum Daily Flow for Month 67.79 mgd
An extremely wet month kept us very busy handling high flows and process
control issues.
Billy Jackson (Apprentice Process Control Specialist) attended the 40 hour
Basic Wastewater Course in Carrollton. He is scheduled to take the Class 3
Wastewater exam in January.
North Columbus Water Resource Facility
Average Daily Flow for Month 23.61 mgd
Maximum Daily Flow for Month 25.91 mgd
The new raw water tank is being filled six feet each day. This is needed to
test the integrity of the tank and allow concrete to settle. Once the tank is
full, it will be tested for leakage and then placed on line. This should occur
in January 2010.
The contractor working on the sludge collection equipment replacement project
completed the mechanical installation in sedimentation basin six. The
electrical work is underway and startup should be conducted during the first
week of January. Installation of walkways on sedimentation basin two has
begun.
CWW received the resignation notice from David Marion, the NCWRF Superintendent
during December. David was employed by CWW for 24 years. David has chosen to
take a job with another utility in Florida.
James Stephens, Assistant Superintendent of the SCWRF since September 2009 will
become the new Superintendent of the NCWRF. James was also previously the
NCWRF Assistant Superintendent from June 1998 until September 2009. James has
many years in the water industry and his leadership will ensure the
continuation of a long history of excellent water treatment plant operation and
maintenance for CWW.
Frank Dunmire is the new Assistant Superintendent of the NCWRF.
Managed Maintenance
72% of planned work orders completed
56% of planned man hours
Repaired over hang security lights at Main Office
Replaced motor on Bar Screen #3 at South Columbus Water Works
Replaced pump moisture detection switches on wet well pumps at South Commons
CSO Facility
Performed dielectric absorption and testing on #4 Raw Water Pump at NCWRF
Security
Installation and activation of the CWW Employee Access Control Security System
at the Service Center was completed on December 30, 2009.
Brookie Tate, CWW Security Coordinator, was nominated to attend the FBI?s
InfraGard Citizen?s Academy.
CWW was the first utility in Georgia to upload their Resourcing Equipment Data
in the new Georgia Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (GAWARN) System.
The Board acknowledged Management?s report.
Management gave the Board a brief update on wet weather impacts on
sanitary sewer systems.
Perspective: 2009 has been one of the most challenging years in CWW?s history
for managing flows in the sewer system due to extreme rainfall.
2009 Sanitary Sewer Overflows
Over the past 130 years of rain fall records, 2009 is the wettest for
Columbus. This rainfall has resulted in high groundwater levels, localized
flooding, and at times, constant inflow and infiltration into the sanitary
sewer system, resulting in SSOs.
In 2009, CWW has reported 52 SSOs to the EPD. Thirty-Nine of these are due to
wet weather.
CWW?s Sewer Systems
The majority of the Columbus and Ft. Benning sewer systems flow by gravity.
These gravity lines occur in drainage basins, much like streams.
Columbus Sewer System Basin
Sewer Service Area: 75,000 acres
Sewer Connections: 62,000
Gravity Sewer: 4,970,000 L.F.
Manholes: 23,000
How does rain and ground water get into the sewer system?
Leaky manholes
Manhole lid submergence
Leaky pipe joints
Leaky connections
Storm drain connections
Private property connections (root drains, yard drains, French drains,
collapsed laterals)
During periods of high rainfall and high ground water these inflow and
infiltration sources exceed the flow capacity of the sewer system.
Leaky Joints (Infiltration)
Approximately 60% of the gravity sewer system is comprised of un-reinforced
concrete pipe and vitrified clay pipe. Neither of these types of pipe was
designed/manufactured/installed with water tight joints. In periods of high
ground or shallow lines with water pooling above, these pipes essentially serve
as ?French drains? allowing ground and surface water into the sanitary sewer
system. The more prolonged these periods of sewer system inundation, the
greater the volume that enters the sewer system.
Manhole Lid Submergence
Manholes along streams in low areas, or street gutters can take on significant
inflow.
CWW has been installing inflow restrictor plates since the March 2009 SSOs
(approximately 50 have been installed with more occurring).
Storm Drain Connections
Street curb inlets are occasionally found connected to a sanitary sewer. These
connections can discharge high volumes of water into the sanitary sewer and can
quickly use up the capacity.
The City is notified to disconnect these storm lines.
Private Property Connections
I&I reduction studies have shown that private property contributions can make
up 50% to 70% of the extraneous flows during wet weather.
Roof Drains
Missing Cleanout Caps
Yard Drains
French Drains ? Collapsed Laterals
CWW I&I Actions in 2009
Smoke tested sewers in Lakebottom and East Lindsey Creek
TV inspected sewers in these areas
Point repairs on public sewer
Storm sewer disconnections
Notification to private property owners to disconnect storm inflow
Manhole inflow restrictor pans installed
Sewer lines rehabilitated and/or replaced
Lift stations modified Control strategy
Raised manholes
Future Action
Negotiate Consent Order with the EPD
Increase investigative efforts in Lakebottom, Green Island Hills and Main Post
(Ft. Benning)
Prioritize I&I areas and repair/rehabilitate within funding limitations
Following discussion the Board acknowledged Management?s report.
President Tant advised the Board that he met with several water utility
representatives in Atlanta on Thursday, January 7th in anticipation of the
legislature?s upcoming convening. The Governor?s committee submitted a report
to the Governor, which brought back their recommendations and decided the only
thing they could really address was conservation and leak detection and
prevention in distribution systems. President Tant stated he would keep the
Board updated on any new information.
President Tant provided the Board with the following items of
information:
Thank you note to Becky Butts from Richards Middle School
Thank you note to Paula Goble and Savonne Monell from Bridge of Columbus
There being no further business the meeting adjourned.
________________________________________
Emory E. Blount, Secretary
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