BUREAU OF UTILITIES October 2017 Volume XX Issue VI COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE BUREAU OF UTILITIES One Water By: Chris Saunders , Ulity Administrator, Wastewater Operaons About 8 years ago, a water reuse project was launched at Cox Creek – a partnership between Anne Arundel County and Raven Power at Brandon Shores power plant to reuse treated wastewater effluent in the scrubber towers, rather than send it to the Patapsco River. Since the project’s incepon, more than 5.3 BILLION GALLONS have been reused through this project. There have also been several side benefits. Our Water Operaons staff pump water out of the ground, which is then treated and used by our residents and sent to the water reclamaon facilies for treatment. The cleaned water is discharged to surface water, taking years to make it back into the aquifer it came from. With the water reuse project at Cox Creek, Brandon Shores reduces the amount of clean water pumped from the ground for their processes, which reduces the demand on the aquifer for drinking water and allows the water to be used addional mes before it is finally treated and discharged to the River. Also, by diverng treated effluent to Brandon Shores, Anne Arundel County reduces the load of nitrogen and phosphorous to the Patapsco River. Other municipalies like Charles and Howard counes also have reuse programs, but recently concerns from the Maryland Geological Service have caused the Maryland Department of the Environment to start requiring municipalies with Groundwater Appropriaon Permits (GAPs) to incorporate reuse planning into their water porolios. As populaon increases and water use rises, more water is withdrawn from the ground and at a faster rate than can be replenished. Oſten this results in salt water intrusion, land subsidence, and aquifer depleon. Salt water intrusion occurs when the groundwater is pulled out of the aquifer and the salt water is drawn in, making the water undrinkable. With an aquifer system, the water beneath the land supports the land and when the water is removed it can no longer support the land above it and the land starts to sink. If this sinking is coupled with melng glaciers and sea level rise, many coastal properes will eventually be under water. The Bureau of Ulity Operaons recently launched a “One Water” concept. The Divisions in the Bureau have begun to work together as a team to gather informaon, aend training and conferences, and to network with consultants and other municipalies in order to understand the impacts of groundwater depleon in Anne Arundel County and to explore reuse opportunies. Understanding how vital water is to Anne Arundel County’s health, economy, and future, the Director of Public Works, Chris Phipps, approved and supports a water reuse feasibility study currently being conducted by CH2M. It is ancipated that the results of this study will help the Bureau to create a roadmap towards a fully-developed water reuse program. Who knows? One day we may be turning highly treated wastewater effluent directly into drinking water. Aſter all, it really is “one water”.
Transcript
BUREAU OF UTILITIES
October 2017 Volume XX Issue VI
COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE BUREAU OF UTILITIES
One Water
By: Chris Saunders , Utility Administrator, Wastewater Operations
About 8 years ago, a water reuse project was launched at Cox Creek – a partnership between Anne Arundel County and Raven Power at Brandon Shores power plant to reuse treated wastewater effluent in the scrubber towers, rather than send it to the Patapsco River. Since the project’s inception, more than 5.3 BILLION GALLONS have been reused through this project. There have also been several side benefits. Our Water Operations staff pump water out of the ground, which is then treated and used by our residents and sent to the water reclamation facilities for treatment. The cleaned water is discharged to surface water, taking years to make it back into the aquifer it came from. With the water reuse project at Cox Creek, Brandon Shores reduces the amount of clean water pumped from the ground for their processes, which reduces the demand on the aquifer for drinking water and allows the water to be used additional times before it is finally treated and discharged to the River. Also, by diverting treated effluent to Brandon Shores, Anne Arundel County reduces the load of nitrogen and phosphorous to the Patapsco River. Other municipalities like Charles and Howard counties also have reuse programs, but recently concerns from the Maryland Geological Service have caused the Maryland Department of the Environment to start requiring municipalities with Groundwater Appropriation Permits (GAPs) to incorporate reuse planning into their water portfolios. As population increases and water use rises, more water is withdrawn from the ground and at a faster rate than can be replenished. Often this results in salt water intrusion, land subsidence, and aquifer depletion. Salt water intrusion occurs when the groundwater is pulled out of the aquifer and the salt water is drawn in, making the water
undrinkable. With an aquifer system, the water beneath the land supports the land and when the water is removed it can no longer support the land above it and the land starts to sink. If this sinking is coupled with melting glaciers and sea level rise, many coastal properties will eventually be under water. The Bureau of Utility Operations recently launched a “One Water” concept. The Divisions in the Bureau have begun to work together as a team to gather information, attend training and conferences, and to network with consultants and other municipalities in order to understand the impacts of groundwater depletion in Anne Arundel County and to explore reuse opportunities. Understanding how vital water is to Anne Arundel County’s health, economy, and future, the Director of Public Works, Chris Phipps, approved and supports a water reuse feasibility study currently being conducted by CH2M. It is anticipated that the results of this study will help the Bureau to create a roadmap towards a fully-developed water reuse program. Who knows? One day we may be turning highly treated wastewater effluent directly into drinking water. After all, it really is “one water”.
Computerized Maintenance Management System Administration
By: Jason Fields, Cassworks Administrator / Asset Management Specialist
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The primary goal of the Department of Public Work’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is to ensure accuracy and maintain functionality of Cassworks. This includes not only the technical support of the CMMS, but also managing the 20,000+ assets that live within the database. Our duties range from troubleshooting system issues to checking in on construction projects to keep tabs on new assets. The CMMS Administration group lives in Central Maintenance Division of the Bureau of Utilities and is made up of Jason Fields, CMMS Administrator / Asset Management Specialist, and Ryan Hostetter, CMMS Support specialist. Together we are responsible for the integrity and availability of the data that makes everyone’s jobs possible. Our CMMS technical support duties include managing the front end Cassworks interface and the data within the database. Whenever a user gets error messages or needs a fix within the system, we are responsible for troubleshooting and resolving the issue. When we are unable to resolve an issue, we escalate the problem to either the county database technician or to our programmer, Jesse Arzola at RJN technologies. Jesse has been a dedicated resource since Cassworks was first implemented in 1999. We have been working with him to test and implement all changes within the CMMS. The asset management portion of our responsibilities includes ensuring asset attributes are accurate, creating records for new assets, and creating and maintaining PM schedules. Once we learn of a project we use the submittals and drawings to create a spreadsheet of all assets that will need to added to Cassworks. Throughout the construction process, we make site visits and interact with construction
personnel to keep up to date with installations and startups. After assets records are created, we make sure that all necessary PM schedules are created, all nameplate data and attributes are captured, and that spare parts are added to warehouse. In addition to putting data into Cassworks, we are responsible for providing methods to pull useful information out. Crystal Reports are used to make reports that are easier to view and run than what can be viewed inside Cassworks. We maintain a library of over 100 reports. There are commonly used reports that show work order backlogs, monthly PM schedules, and employee hours, and warehouse stock listings. There are also lesser known reports to bill the city of Annapolis for treated wastewater and reports to generate customer satisfaction surveys for emergency service calls. For the last year and a half, we have been working on the AWOM project. AWOM stands for Asset and Work
Order Management. This project has the ultimate goal of purchasing a new CMMS to replace Cassworks. The Bureaus of Utilities, Highways, and Waste Management have agreed on standard workflows and procedures that will keep DPW on the same page throughout the life of the new software. Instead of
buying software that may not fit out needs, we may now purchase the best system for our requirements that will not need the extensive customization that was done to Cassworks. We hope to choose a system before the end of the year. Now you know all about CMMS Administration. Please contact us with any questions or suggestions about Cassworks, Crystal Reports, Asset Management, or Sharepoint.
OCTOBER 2017
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On Monday. September 18, the employees that worked diligently, effectively and quickly to repair the water main break at Crofton Meadows Water Plant on June 29th were recognized for their excellent team work. As the t-shirt that they each received stated, "It took 32 hours to repair and the water stayed on for 27,238 customers." You may say that they were just doing their job but they went above and beyond at doing their job extremely well. Department of Public Works Director Chris Phipps, P.E. and Dave Watts spoke to the team to thank them and they received t-shirts for a job well done. Dave spoke on behalf of Deputy Director Jim DiPietro who had an unexpected situation occur that prevented him from being there to thank the teams in person. Thank you to everyone involved for doing an exceptional job!
By: Claire Oliver, Public Affairs Liaison and Safety Trainer
OCTOBER 2017
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By: Claire Oliver Public Affairs Liaison and Safety Trainer
Children's Day at the Anne Arundel County Fair was held on September 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Crownsville. Trucks and equipment were canceled due to the condition of the ground after heavy rain but we were able to attend to hand out educational material and talk with all the adults and children. The children enjoyed the event especially the pig races which are always a hit.
The number of tents and vehicles grow each year at this free event at Marley Station Mall. This year the event was held on Saturday, September 23. The event took off once the helicopter landed drawing adults and children. The Bureau provided the new Hydro Excavator, TV truck, dump truck, and a backhoe for all to see. Educational materials were available at the outreach table and we were able to assist with connecting a customer with dispatch for an overflow situation. A large number of emergency responders groups including Department of Public Works were able to meet with the community.
OCTOBER 2017
Dylan Jones Synder joined our Infrastructure team last month as a Utility Support Worker II working with Larry Parsons. Mr. Jones Synder is a local resident of Glen Burnie. Prior to working with the County he worked with his family business Snyder Construction for 5
years. In his spare time he enjoys working on motorcycles, dirt bikes and street bikes. He also enjoys hunting and fishing with his 4 year old son Ryder on the Eastern Shore.
By: Claire Oliver, Public Affairs Liaison and Safety Trainer
Employees
OCTOBER 2017
Terell Jones has been working in the Bureau of Utility Water Operations for 13 years and feels privileged to work for Anne Arundel County. He started working for Scott Harmon then moved into the Team Manager Apprenticeship Program with Terry Bradley as his mentor. After three and a half years as an Apprentice he was promoted to a Utility Team Manager. When I asked him if he thought the Apprenticeship Program helped him prepare for his current position, he told me it helped him to learn the ins and outs of how the County functions. Working with a good manger/mentor as an Apprentice, listening, networking, learning the politics, budgeting and gaining the overview of the whole process involved, helped him greatly when he stepped into management. In addition, Terell was eager to participate in the educational opportunities that the program offered. Terell will help pass on what he has learned as he becomes a Mentor starting in November. Terell always has a smile, a calm attitude and voice which makes him approachable
and the go-to guy to his team and others when they have a question. He enjoys spending time with his wife Melinda and their family. They have been married for 24 years! His daughter Raquelle is a career mom with a beautiful four year old daughter named Teagan. Terell's youngest daughter Felicia recently graduated from Bowie State with a criminal justice degree and is headed for great career opportunities. Terell and his team are busy wrapping up the current upgrades at the Broadcreek Water Treatment Plant by the end of the year. Additional upgrades to the Broadcreek and the Crofton Plants will begin in 2018.
Doug Harris is joined our Infrastructure team last month as a Support Worker II, working with Larry Parsons. Mr. Harris attended Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL and graduated as a HVAC Technician in 2015. He worked for Bob’s Plumbing for 2 years
following his graduation. In his spare time he enjoys fishing on the Bay and hunting in Easton.
BUO
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October 11 Constructing Unbiased Interview Questions and the Interview Process, Mark Tyler
Hiring employees can be confusing, yet the process needs to be followed carefully and in detail.
Even though Personnel has online training (Hiring Manager’s Toolkit), it’s helpful to attend a class
where questions can be raised and issues can be clarified.
October 13 Structured One the Job Training, Helene Raven and Pradeep Kumar - NP TRE
Employees in higher levels of all Career Paths are required to provide on-the-job training (OJT).
This class prepares the employees to provide OJT in a comprehensive, structured format. This
helps the trainer and employee cover critical safety information, and provide the training
effectively and efficiently. The class is required before anyone can provide OJT.
October 13 Electrical Level ll, Day 3 Augustus Davies
Must take all classes in the series.
October 16
and 20
Advanced WW Math: WW Treatment Chemistry and Calculations, Pradeep Kumar
This two-day (four hours each) covers calculations that WW workers do not use frequently.
Topics are on the licensing exam and this class serves as a refresher for some workers and
preparation for the license exam for others.
October 17 Certification, Helene Raven
Certification is required for all career paths. This class covers the importance of certification as a
learning tool, testing, and responsibilities of employees, certifiers, managers and anyone signing
paperwork.
October 18 Supervisors and the Union, Scott Harmon
This class is for non-reps only. Scott brings his experience as a manager and previous Union
President to this class.
October 19 Instrumentation l, Pradeep Kumar
This class is designed for Level l Flexible Workers. It serves as an introduction to the
instrumentation equipment required to monitor treatment processes. It provides an overview of
SCADA and HMI, types of alarms, basic preventive maintenance, and information required when
creating service requests for instrumentation technicians.
October 24 Supervisors’ Responsibility for Safety, Risk Management
Class covers the role of Risk Management in preventing accident and handling insurance claims.
Class includes vehicle safety and County policies, Hazardous Assessments, Process Safety
Management. Focus is on the supervisors' responsibilities for enforcing County policies, reporting
Advanced Water Math: Water Treatment Chemistry and Calculations, Pradeep Kumar
This two-day (four hours each) covers calculations that WW workers do not use frequently. Topics
are on the licensing exam and this class serves as a refresher for some workers and preparation
for the license exam for others
October 27
Troubleshooting without Tools (PLCs to Monitor W and WW Processes), John Swann
This brief class teaches workers in water and wastewater operations to troubleshoot PLCs by
reading and understanding the lights on PLC panels. It’s an important class for everyone working
in water or wastewater operations.
EXCEL Highlights
OCTOBER 2017
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Test Your Skills
Requests for off-site class registration must be submitted to the Training Office at least two weeks in advance. The Confirmation List and classroom schedule are updated daily on Google Drive. Requests for training records should include your PW Number. Everyone working for the Department of Public Works has a PW number. This is an individual identification number. The number is needed when requesting training records. Check with your manager to get your PW number. It’s the same as your computer log in.
OCTOBER 2017
EXCEL/TRAINING PROGRAM STAFF Fax: 410-222-3695 Mailstop 4001
WEBSITES OF INTEREST
Department of Public Works Information http://countyconnect/DPW/SitePages/index.aspx
Bureau of Utility Operations Information http://countyconnect/DPW/BUO/SitePages/BUO_Home_Page.aspx
Become a World Class Organization and Be Able to Prove It By: Developing strong leaders and leadership throughout the Bureau Driving continuous improvement throughout the Bureau Fostering teamwork, collaboration and participation without boundaries Making opportunity for professional development available at all levels Improving customer confidence Enjoying a great place to work
BUREAU VISION
EXCEL VISION
Our vision of success for EXCEL means that we will provide our internal and external customers with the highest quality services at the lowest possible cost by being environmentally responsible, safe, efficient and cost effective. This vision requires a strong commitment to operating in a businesslike manner by continually improving how we do our work, maintaining a work environment in which all employees can achieve personal and professional improvement, and communicating with our external customers and with each other.
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Lakisha Giles, Utility Administrator Business Management
