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1. Are baby/adult wipes flushable?

No, so-called "disposable" baby/adult wipes are becoming one of the biggest problems facing wastewater districts around the country. These wipes catch on rough spots in sewers and act as a seed for clogs to start forming. Most sewer systems use pumps to lift sewage and move it along the lines. Baby/adult wipes and other types of rags can bind up in these pumps and shut them down. The best place to dispose of sanitary wipes is in the trash. Only toilet paper should go down the drain.

2. Is reclaimed water safe?

Reclaimed water undergoes treatment and disinfection to ensure the production of a continuous and reliable supply of high-quality water. Individual states’ environmental and / or health departments determine the necessary levels of treatment for different nonpotable uses.

These agencies may also enforce strict usage requirements upon users of reclaimed water. If you come in contact with reclaimed water, take the same precautions as you would around water from ponds or streams, including common sense personal hygiene measures.

3. Is there lead in my drinking water, and if so what can I do about it?

ACWWA has not detected lead in the treated water leaving our plant or in the source water. However, lead can come from the customers plumbing.

According to the EPA, two types of homes may be at risk for lead contamination:

1. Homes that are very old (pre-WWII) with lead services or pipe lines

2. Homes that were built between 1982 and 1987, which used copper pipe with lead based solder. Lead based solder was banned from use on domestic drinking water plumbing in 1987.

Here are some ways to reduce your exposure to lead:

1. When water has been standing in your pipes, run the cold water tap until the water gets noticeably colder. The lower temperature indicates you have cleared the water that has been standing in the pipes.

2. Use only water from the cold water tap for drinking, cooking, and for making baby formula. Hot tap water dissolves lead faster and is likely to contain higher levels of lead if present.

3. When repairing or replacing plumbing, insist on lead-free solder and lead-free fixtures.

4. Should I put my used cooking grease down the drain?

Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) are the cause of approximately 90% of all sanitary sewer pverflows. There are a few things residents can do to keep sanitary sewers flowing smoothly.

1. Pour hot grease into a container that can hold hot liquid (a coffee cup or empty can) until it solidifies, and then dispose of in the trash. Vegetable oil, that stays in a liquid form, can be discharged to the sewer.

2. Scrape food off dishes into the trash. Food solids can build up in sewer pipes causing back-ups and overflows.

3. Remember that modern dishwashers are very efficient. If you have scraped off the food solids into the trash there should be no need to prewash your dishes.

5. What is reclaimed water?

Reclaimed water is wastewater that has undergone additional treatment, making it suitable for reuse applications. Common synonyms for reclaimed water include “reuse water,” “recycled water,” and “reclaimed domestic wastewater.”

6. Why do we use reclaimed water and what are the benefits of reuse?

Water is a limited resource, especially in the arid west. The use of reclaimed water is an important part of managing and conserving this limited resource. It can help conserve potable water, recharge groundwater, and postpone the development of new water sources and supplies through costly investments such as wells, dams, reservoirs and pipelines. Using reclaimed water can also save money and provide aesthetic value.

7. Why do we sometimes smell odors near the wastewater treatment plant?

Odors are a natural part of the substances handled and treated at any wastewater treatment plant. Odors are typically contained to the wastewater treatment plant site; but occasionally odors drift from the plant site depending on weather conditions and wind direction.

Routine treatment operations are designed to reduce the amount of odors present; however, certain weather conditions and equipment maintenance may lessen the effectiveness of these routine odor control operations.

8. What causes these odors?

Most of the odors detected in and around wastewater treatment plants are signals that nature’s treatment process is working; organic matter is decomposing and pollutants are being removed from the wastewater.

As the table Odorous Compounds In Wastewater shows, three major odorous compounds naturally occurring in the treatment process, hydrogen sulfide, amines and mercaptans, are detectable by the human nose at extremely low concentrations.

Odorous Compounds In Wastewater

Compound Name	Recognition Threshold parts per million	Odor Description
Allyl mercaptan	0.0015	Disagreeable, garlic
Ammonia	37	Pungent, irritating
Amyl mercaptan	—-	Unpleasant, putrid
Diisopropyl amine	0.38	Fishy
Dimethyl amine	—-	Putrid, fishy
Ethyl amine	1.7	Ammonialike
Ethyl mercaptan	0.001	Decayed cabbage
Hydrogen sulfide	0.0047	Rotten eggs
Indole	—-	Fecal, nauseating
Methyl amine	—-	Putrid, fishy
Methyl mercaptan	0.0010	Rotten cabbage
From Table 2.1, Odor Control in Wastewater Treatment Plants, 1995, WEF & American Society of Civil Engineers

Were it not for odor control measures, all wastewater treatment processes are capable of emitting odors.

9. How does ACWWA minimize odors at the wastewater treatment plant?

ACWWA currently operates the Lone Tree Creek Water Reuse Facility (LTCWRF) using best management practices that ensure the facility processes are operating in an effective manner.  If the processes are operating correctly, then odors are kept to a minimum.  The best management practices followed by ACWWA are listed below:

• On/Off Aeration – The On/Off Aeration process is used to help stabilize the waste storage tanks. Following an on/off schedule, staff is able to introduce denitrification (removal of nitrogen) in a process which would not typically be supported. On/Off Aeration not only aids in the ability to settle and dewatering separation, but it also creates an electrical cost savings because the blowers are shut-off for a period of the day. Slight odors can be emitted when we reactivate the aeration system after it has been off. Experience has shown that a 4-6 hour off period is the limit where the least amount of odors is emitted when the blowers are turned back on.  Temperature can affect the time-off duration.
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• Physical Barriers – All high odor areas are either covered or remain behind closed doors. The beginning of the treatment process is the most odorous. The doors to the Headworks, which is the first step in the treatment process, remain closed at all times.  The Parshall Flume, which is an influent measuring structure, and the Junction Structure 2, which allows staff the ability to dump into our emergency pond, or go to Headworks, all have covers that remain in place.
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• Process Monitoring – LTCWRF’s processes are carefully monitored twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for health and effectiveness.  The monitoring allows staff to proactively change processes prior to any upsets occurring, which potentially can cause unusual odors.

• Aerobic Digestion – Aerobic Digestion is the process of stabilizing sludge (the residual, semi-solid material that is produced as a by-product during sewage treatment) and can operate in one of two ways. Aerobic Digestion, which uses air to mix and sustain the biology or Anaerobic Digestion, where the digester is operating in a covered tank, which prevents air from entering the tank). Anaerobic Digestion is more prone to upsets and resulting odors.

• Primary Clarification – LTCWRF does not have a primary clarifier. Primary clarification is used to settle out and remove grit, solids and grease from the influent prior to Headworks. Primary clarification is the highest cause of odors in facilities that utilize them.

 

10. What can I do if I smell an odor I think is coming from the plant?

First of all, it is important to understand that odors are generated from every phase of wastewater management, including collection, treatment, and disposal, and that odors are impossible to prevent.  Please wait at least one hour before you consider calling our office.  Most odors, if detected, are temporary and will dissipate as quickly as they occur.  If the odor persists for over an hour and occurs in the same location you originally noticed it, you may call ACWWA, 303-790-4830, to inform the staff you detect an odor. Staff will ask you for the following information:

- Your name, address, and phone number;

- Information about the odor; such as, what time you noticed it, is it still noticeable, a description of the odor (refer to the Odorous Compounds In Wastewater table) and how strong is the odor.

11. What happens when the LTCWRF receives an odor complaint?

Staff will record all of the complainant’s information described above; as well as, temperature, humidity, weather conditions, wind velocity, and wind direction.

All of the information combined helps staff determine if the odor is being emitted from the LTCWRF or from elsewhere, and most importantly if there is anything beyond best management practices that can be done to correct the issue.