WATER POLLUTION CONTROL COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
Virtual Zoom Meeting
January 19, 2022
MINUTES
Present: Amy Atamian, Dave Pattee, Todd Eubanks, Vanessa McPherson, Kirby Klump
Also, Present: Jeremy Nixon and Scott McFarland of Veolia. Emmy Bumagat, WPCC Administrator.
Amy Atamian called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM
ITEM 1: APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 15, 2021, MEETING
Page 4, first point, change to: “A. Atamian stated COLA increase will be 4.3% for 2022.”
MOTION: Approve minutes from the December 15, 2021, meeting. T. Eubanks, motion. K. Klump, second. Approved unanimously.
ITEM 2: REPORT FROM VEOLIA WATER PLANT MANAGERS
- Nixon introduced Scott McFarland who is now a full time operator at the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Health and Safety
Veolia Water monthly safety training topics conducted in December 2021 included:
- Bloodborne pathogens – safety in the workplace
This project has completed 21 years with no safety incidents.
Noteworthy Operational Information/Maintenance and PM
- Wasted 17,954 gallons of sludge to the GBT
- Sodium bicarbonate addition for process control
- This is easier to use and more cost effective to control the alkalinity than caustic.
- PAC system winterized
- There was additional PAC added outside of the seasonal timeline to increase production.
- Quarterly aquatic toxicity and sludge analysis
- All results were well under the permitted levels.
Regulatory and Compliance
There were no permit violations for Redding in the month of December 2021
Alarms
- None
CBYD
- None
Points for Discussion
Plant staff onboarding
-
- Nixon proudly introduced Scott McFarland who is a new full time member of the plant and has been picking up on the day-to-day operations. Carlos Paiva is no longer employed by Veolia.
- Drum Screener #1 Repair
- All necessary parts and equipment are onsite at the plant. There have been scheduling conflicts, so the work will be conducted in the coming week.
- NorthEast Water was on site last week to be sure everything was prepared for the job.
- Compressor System
- Kaeser have been to the plant on service calls twice for both compressors and have resolved all issues.
- Veolia is looking for a different service provider and manufacturer for the compressors with more competitive pricing.
- Pattee asked if it was necessary to go with such an expensive manufacturer for the compressors, J Nixon replied that it is not at all necessary, the most complicated part is integrating the equipment into the SCADA system. Discussion on how the SCADA system affects the compressors followed.
- McPherson asked if a new compressor purchase is something that Veolia procurement can help with. J. Nixon answered yes, Veolia’s procurement team can definitely help with that.
- HACH equipment servicing renewal
- Replacement DO Probe has been purchased, but not yet delivered. The sensor cap has been replaced to extend the life span of the current DO probe until replacement is delivered.
- Cost of installation was discussed at the last meeting. J. Nixon stated he is still waiting on a quote from HACH for installation.
- Pattee asked about the tank that the DO Probe is being installed into and asked whether it can be left in a dry environment. J. Nixon stated that there are handheld DO Probes that are unsubmerged for the majority of the day, but the one that is being replaced will be constantly submerged.
- HACH servicing renewal is coming up for the UV disinfection system.
- Nixon stated that the maintenance is $1,800 per year for the UV system to male sure it is synced up properly with the SCADA system to be sure it is keeping the levels below the permitted amount. It assures that the equipment is running as it should be.
- Atamian asked how often the UV bulbs and sleeves need to get replaced, J. Nixon stated that they need to be replaced once a year.
Veolia left at 9:26 PM
ITEM 3: DISCUSSION ON CAPITAL PLANNING AND FY 2023 BUDGET
The O&M budget was discussed for the annual costs that are taken in through the WWTP. Amounts estimated by Tighe and Bond’s capital plan from 10 years ago were re-estimated based upon today’s cost of goods. There were also adjustments made to the capital plan for testing of equipment to ensure things not used daily are still in good working condition.
Discussion on regular quarterly and annual expenditures was had.
A list of critical spares and other equipment on hand is being put together to keep an accurate inventory of what is needed.
Anticipated income of $290,000 which is a 3.1% increase.
- Salary & Wages: $26,384 – 14.1% increase
- Recording Secretary: $1,260 – no increase
- Contract Services: $373,000 – 5.2% increase
- Computer Services: $7,000 – no increase
- Outside Services: 10,000 – no increase
- Legal Services: 1,000 – 50% decrease
- Lab Services and Supplies: $42,665 – 24.8% increase
- Sludge Hauling: $15,000 – no increase
- Telephone: $3,900 – no increase
- Postage: $75 – no increase
- Legal Notices: $0 – decrease by 100%
- Electrical Service: $70,000 – 12.5% decrease
- Maintenance and Repair: $80,000 – no increase
- Fuel Oil & Propane: $11,000 – 22.2% increase
- Materials & Supplies: $20,000 – in increase
- Pump Station: $8,000 – 20% decrease
- Water Utility: $4,000 – no increase
- Other: $0 – 100% decrease
MOTION: Approve proposed budget totaling $673,285 to be presented to the Board of Selectmen on Friday January 21, 2022. D. Pattee, motion. T. Eubanks, second. Approved unanimously.
Discussion on motion: Sludge hauling invoices have not been provided by Veolia since July. They use HI Stone. There may be an increase in hauling costs.
MOTION: Amend Sludge Hauling proposed line item to $18,000, increasing the total proposed budget to $676,285. D. Pattee, motion. K. Klump, second. Approved unanimously.
ITEM 4: DISCUSSION AND ACTION OF INVOICES AND FINANCIAL STATUS
MOTION: Approve all invoices totaling $30,579.11. T. Eubanks, motion. D. Pattee, second. Approved unanimously.
Bills to be Paid:
- Aquarion: $221.80
- Airgas: $15.50
- Aquarion Meter Readings: $92.02
- Eversource: $5,703.14
- Frontier: $263.26
- Hocon: $1,973.20
- Hoffman Landscapes – Snowplowing: $570.00
- Oak Ridge Hauling: $160.37
- Mulvaney Mechanical: $309.00
- Veolia Reimbursable Dec 2021: $21,270.82 – PENDING REVIEW OF BACKUP PROVIDED
Other Discussion:
- There are still some invoices missing for the pump station since July. The new administrator for Veolia is catching up on invoicing.
- No monthly invoice has been received from Veolia for their O&M since November 2021.
- Some changes to be made to the annual budget spreadsheet to reflect accuracy of bills that have been received and paid.
- Concern about delinquent sewer accounts was raised by A. Atamian. The commission requested that a summary of delinquent accounts be provided at next month’s meeting.
ITEM 5: COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS
McPherson asked if there are going to be any changes coming with the Veolia/Suez merger. A. Atamian stated she does not think there will be.
- Pattee asked if the plant is still open for visits by commission members. A. Atamian stated that it is but to call first.
ITEM 6: PUBLIC COMMENT
NONE
ITEM 7: ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn: D Pattee, motion. T. Eubanks, second.
Meeting adjourned at 10:11 PM
Submitted by Katherine Stauffer