1. SCAP Collection Systems Committee
May 20, – LACSD , Whittier, CA
? Case Studies on Ragging Problems in the Wastewater Collection and Treatment Industry ?
John Pastore, P.E. – SCAP Executive Director

2. OCSD Service Area – case study 479. square miles. 213
OCSD Service Area – case study 479 square miles million gallons per day million population
Los Angeles
Orange County
Service Area
San Diego
OCSD Service Area Facts
479 square miles
2.5 million people
21 cities, 3 special districts
2 treatment plants
213 mgd
582 miles of sewer lines
15 pumping stations – crystal cove out 4/09
Discharge to ocean
120-inch, 5-mile outfall
78-inch, 1-mile emergency outfall
Orange County,
California

3. OCSD Service Area 21 cities, 3 special districts
More pipes to unblock
More pumps to de-rag
Orange County
Newport
Beach
Fountain
Valley
Santa Ana
Los
Alamitos
Buena
Park
Fullerton
Tustin
Garden Grove
La Habra
Brea
Placentia
Yorba Linda
Anaheim
Orange
La Palma
Cypress
Westminster
Irvine
Stanton
Villa
Costa
Mesa
Huntington
Seal
Cities & sewering districts with satellite sewer systems and pumping facilities that drain to OCSD’s Regional System
More pipes to unblock
More pumps to de rag
Reclamation Plant No. 1
Treatment Plant No. 2
Pacific Ocean
Ocean Pipeline

4. OCSD Regional System 582 miles sewers
Plant 2
Pacific Ocean
Ocean Pipeline
Newport
Beach
Fountain
Valley
Santa Ana
Los
Alamitos
Buena
Park
Fullerton
Tustin
Garden Grove
La Habra
Brea
Placentia
Yorba Linda
Anaheim
Orange
La Palma
Cypress
Westminster
Irvine
Stanton
Villa
Costa
Mesa
Huntington
Seal
Plant 1
OCSD Regional System 582 miles sewers
pump stations
treatment plants
Local Systems ~5,000 miles sewers ~109 pump stations
Own, operate, maintain 582 total miles sewer lines: over 400 miles Regional sewers, 170 miles small Local city lines

5. Orange County Sanitation District Treatment Facilities in Southern California
Primary capacity:
P1 = 204
P2 = 168
Total =372
Secondary capacity:
P1 = 110
P2 = 90
Total = 200
Secondary capacity 2011 = 260
Secondary capacity 2012 = 320
Reclamation Plant No. 1 Fountain Valley
Treatment Plant No. 2 Huntington Beach

6. Presentation Outline Sample photos
California plumbing code prohibitions
Statewide WDR Order
NACWA’s guidance doc
AB 2256 in California
How can INDA help?
Next steps?
Photo example slides of flushables that don’t disperse
Existing plumbing code prohibitions in CA
Existing statewide WDR Order to reduce sewer spills in CA……a version of EPA’s old unpublished SSO Rule……. a.k.a. cMOM
NACWA’s Core Attributes of Effectively Managed Wastewater Collection Systems (final draft)
AB 2256 proposed in CA
How can INDA help the wastewater industry and it’s ratepayers ……….also INDA’s consumers?
Can we all agree to dispose of non-dispersibles in the trash?

7. Toilet Paper Dissolves Quickly

8. 4 hours heavy stirring at OCSD Process Engineering Lab Flushable But Not Dispersible Wipes
Photos of rags not dissolving in beakers of clear water (the non woven fabrics issue – flushable but not dispersible (Shabbir)

9. clogged pump suction
Photo courtesy of Costa Mesa Sanitary District

10. Photo courtesy of Costa Mesa Sanitary District

11. clogged check valve Photo courtesy of Costa Mesa Sanitary District

15. Bar screen at OCSD wastewater treatment plant
Photos of a bar screen raking and dumping rags on the conveyor belt and in the rag bin (Dionne)

16. to Landfill next
Photos of a bar screen raking and dumping rags on the conveyor belt and in the rag bin (Dionne)

17. OCSD Plant No. 1 Rag Bin Building
Photo Plt 1 of rag bin bldg., conveyor, with its odor control ducts (Dionne)

18. California Uniform Plumbing Code Chapter 3 § 306
California Uniform Plumbing Code Chapter 3 § Damage to Drainage System or Public Sewer…
Existing Plumbing Code Prohibitions

19. California Uniform Plumbing Code Chapter 3 § 306
California Uniform Plumbing Code Chapter 3 § Damage to Drainage System or Public Sewer…
It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit, by any means whatsoever, into any plumbing fixture, or floor drain, interceptor, sump, receptor, or device, which is connected to any drainage system, public sewer, private sewer, septic tank, or cesspool, any ashes; cinders; solids; rags; inflammable, poisonous, or explosive liquids or gases; oils; grease; or any other thing whatsoever that would, or could, cause damage to the drainage system or public sewer.
Existing Plumbing Code Prohibitions

20. Statewide WDR Order No. 2006-003 to reduce sewer spills in California
Stronger version of EPA’s old, unpublished SSO rule….a.k.a. cMOM
Download at:
Provides minimum requirements
What’s next nationally ?
WDR Order No. R
Issued by RWQCB, Region 8 (RB-8) in April 2002
The State Water Board adopted Resolution in November 2004, requiring staff to work with a diverse group of stakeholders (known as the SSO Guidance Committee) to develop a regulatory mechanism to provide a consistent statewide approach for reducing SSOs
Water Board approved a Final WDR order on May 2006 after public hearings
See for more details
Basic Requirements
All publicly owned sewage collection systems must apply for coverage under the WDR
All covered collection systems over 1-mile in length must begin on-line reporting of SSOs
All covered collection systems must develop a site-specific SSMP

21. Core Attributes of Effectively Managed Wastewater Collection Systems
Guidance Document
Final draft will be released by NACWA in 2010
Provides guidance to owners
Helps improve O&M
Helps reduce sewer spills
Core Attributes of Effectively Managed Wastewater Collection Systems

22. Proposed AB 2256 Product labeling: flushable products
Sponsor: Assembly Member Huffman

23. How can INDA help the wastewater industry… its ratepayers… and its consumers?
Real lab testing is needed
Not just a problem for SCAP members and California agencies
Non woven product “re-formulation” needed?
“Compounds of concern” in nonwovens?
Improved labeling for consumers and industrial users

24. Next Steps. Other options and ideas
Next Steps? Other options and ideas? Put Flushables in the Trash, Not the Sewer
Sewers and treatment plants are not a cost effective mean to send rags to a landfill
The trash can is
Help prevent sewer spills and reduce O&M costs
Help provide better functioning sewers and treatment systems
Sewers are a cost inefficient means to send rags to a landfill
The trash can is a better transport mechanism to move used nonwovens to the landfill
Helps prevent sewer spills and reduce O&M costs
Helps improve ratepayer access to a better functioning sewer and treatment system?
Other options and ideas ?
Graphic courtesy of King County

25. Thank You! Questions? John Pastore, P.E. Phone: 760-479-4884
Executive Director
Phone:
address:
SCAP - Southern CA Alliance of POTWs