fisher16
03-28-2006, 11:49 AM
Illegal piping found at treatment plant
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
By DAVID REID
HOLYOKE - The company running the city's wastewater treatment plant has discovered and fixed an illegal connection that, for more than a decade, pumped small amounts of sludge, oil and other hazardous materials into the Connecticut River.
Ralph R. Jagelavicius, system manager for the Aquarion Operating Services Company of Bridgeport, Conn., said yesterday outflow pipes from two sump pumps - located in the sludge "thickener building" - were improperly connected to storm drains leading from the building's roof.
Jagelavicius said the illegal hookup of the two sumps, which caught spillage from two larger piston-type sludge pumps overhead, was discovered in late January. The mistake, he said, was discovered when the company performed a "dye test" to check connections for all treatment plant storm drains.
While the other drains properly redirected tainted water back into the treatment cycle, Jagelavicius said, the sump pump test showed their output was being pumped to the river.
"It would be considered an illegal connection," he said.
He said the company notified the city and the state Department of Environmental Protection, and then reconnected the piping systems to fix the problem by early last month.
"We're happy to have found it," said Jagelavicius.
Public Works Superintendent William D. Fuqua acknowledged the incident and thanked Aquarion for discovering and correcting "the illicit connection."
Fuqua said the sump pumps had been installed since 1988, when he left as the wastewater treatment plant supervisor, and were improperly connected to the wrong drainage lines.
He said it was impossible to quantify the amount of untreated sewage, oil or other materials picked up by the pumps. But he said the semisolid sludge being handled by the main piston-pumps above the sumps would regularly leak, more on some days than on others.
"It isn't something that was done intentionally or maliciously," Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said yesterday.
Jagelavicius said the company also recently completed a complete "condition assessment" of all machines at the treatment plant. He said a consulting firm hired by Aquarion tested all machinery for vibrations, operating temperature, oil-use and other performance standards.
Fuqua said the results will establish a baseline from which routine preventive maintenance will be scheduled.
Sullivan said the company "is building credibility" by its actions, including its response to last fall's flood control emergency, and demonstrating why it was a good choice to run the plant.
On Oct. 1, Aquarion began operating the plant under a 20-year contract that includes designing and building $24 million in plant upgrades, which are scheduled to begin soon. It also hired 18 former city sewer workers, who on Jan. 6 signed a five-year contract that boosted pay and benefits
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
By DAVID REID
HOLYOKE - The company running the city's wastewater treatment plant has discovered and fixed an illegal connection that, for more than a decade, pumped small amounts of sludge, oil and other hazardous materials into the Connecticut River.
Ralph R. Jagelavicius, system manager for the Aquarion Operating Services Company of Bridgeport, Conn., said yesterday outflow pipes from two sump pumps - located in the sludge "thickener building" - were improperly connected to storm drains leading from the building's roof.
Jagelavicius said the illegal hookup of the two sumps, which caught spillage from two larger piston-type sludge pumps overhead, was discovered in late January. The mistake, he said, was discovered when the company performed a "dye test" to check connections for all treatment plant storm drains.
While the other drains properly redirected tainted water back into the treatment cycle, Jagelavicius said, the sump pump test showed their output was being pumped to the river.
"It would be considered an illegal connection," he said.
He said the company notified the city and the state Department of Environmental Protection, and then reconnected the piping systems to fix the problem by early last month.
"We're happy to have found it," said Jagelavicius.
Public Works Superintendent William D. Fuqua acknowledged the incident and thanked Aquarion for discovering and correcting "the illicit connection."
Fuqua said the sump pumps had been installed since 1988, when he left as the wastewater treatment plant supervisor, and were improperly connected to the wrong drainage lines.
He said it was impossible to quantify the amount of untreated sewage, oil or other materials picked up by the pumps. But he said the semisolid sludge being handled by the main piston-pumps above the sumps would regularly leak, more on some days than on others.
"It isn't something that was done intentionally or maliciously," Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said yesterday.
Jagelavicius said the company also recently completed a complete "condition assessment" of all machines at the treatment plant. He said a consulting firm hired by Aquarion tested all machinery for vibrations, operating temperature, oil-use and other performance standards.
Fuqua said the results will establish a baseline from which routine preventive maintenance will be scheduled.
Sullivan said the company "is building credibility" by its actions, including its response to last fall's flood control emergency, and demonstrating why it was a good choice to run the plant.
On Oct. 1, Aquarion began operating the plant under a 20-year contract that includes designing and building $24 million in plant upgrades, which are scheduled to begin soon. It also hired 18 former city sewer workers, who on Jan. 6 signed a five-year contract that boosted pay and benefits