Congratulations to this year's winning team:

Chris Lenton                Brian Newman 

Do you still have your watch?

EPWPCOA members, vendors (85!), guests, friends, romans and countrymen had the opportunity to tour the Upper Gwynedd (it's not easy to spell that correctly) Wastewater Treatment Facility on Friday November 20, 2015.  The plant serves about 12,000 residents, two large industries (we can't name them, but one may be a large pharmaceutical company) and is rated at 5.7 MGD maximum monthly flow.

The latest and most fascinating plant upgrade was the recent addition of the Evoqua BioMag process which according to their web page: "infuses magnetite into conventional biological floc to make it heavier, dramatically improving settling rates and increasing biological clarifier performance without adding capital-intensive new tankage."

The BioMag process employs a magnetic drum to recover the magnetite, which has also been known to grab people's jewelry and watches (thus the title above) if they get to close. Just kidding Evoqua people!

The plant was in great shape thanks to Lee Honeywell and all of his staff.

After the plant tour, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the William Penn Inn, along with a business meeting and the annual awards ceremony.  Bill Brown, P.E. of Environmental Engineering & Management Associates (Ed Gillette' company- I call them EEMA) gave a nice presentation on the BioMag upgrade that his company designed for Upper Gwynedd. 

The awards ceremony was accompanied by a beautiful Awards Handbook put together primarily by Rebecca Pickering and Marykay Steinman.  The meeting concluded with the induction of the new officers, including yours truly as President, after which, I promptly forgot to correctly use the Roberts Rules of Order to close the meeting. However, I did enjoy banging my new gavel. 

Phil Schwartz, President

D.G. Yuengling and Sons, Inc. operates America's oldest brewery from this location in Pottsville, PA almost since its origin in 1829. Up until this Pretreatment plant was brought on line in the first quarter of 2016, the facility directly discharged its wastewater to the Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority. This state of the art facility, situated in a building over 100 years old, is based on an a high rate Anaerobic Digester process provided by Veolia Water Technologies, Biothane Anaerobic Digestion, Pennsauken, New Jersey. The Anaerobic Digester system pre-treats an average flow of 200,000 gpd from BOD levels of 1,800 mg/l down to less 300 mg/l with TSS down to less than 350 mg/l.

Wastewater is directed to an Influent Sump, through two new static screens and pumped to the Equalization Tanks. The purpose of the Equalization Tanks is to ensure equalization and a homogeneous solution with mechanical mixing. From the Equalization Tanks, the wastewater is directed to a Rapid Mix Tank where pH control, temperature and other process control parameters are met. Following the Rapid Mix Tank, the wastewater enters the Biobed reactors where the granular biomass degrades the BOD/COD and produces biogas (methane and carbon dioxide). The biogas is collected and piped away to an enclosed safety flare or GENSET where it is burned. Effluent exits the anaerobic treatment system by gravity and continues to the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system and finally to the discharge sump to the POTW.

The Combined Heat Power (CHP) system utilizes all the methane produced to create electric and heat for the entire building.

On April 6-8, 2016, PWEA will be serving as the HOST at the Philadelphia Loew's Hotel on Market Street to one of the four Annual Regional WEFMAX's.  "WEFMAX" is an acronym for Water Environment Federation Member Association Exchange.  WEF utilizes these meetings to bring together leadership from various Member Associations of WEF to share their ideas, programs, successes, and any frustrations.  The networking and presentations at WEFMAX enable attendees to learn, share, teach and benefit from programs and issues with other MA's.  WEF Board Members and WEF Staff, including WEF's Executive Director, also participate actively to provide access to their wealth of knowledge as well as listen to any problems or open issues. 

In conjunction with the Philadelphia WEFMAX, there will be a mini YP Summit and a day of Operations Training (certified training hours will be available to attendees).  More information on both of these events will follow in next several weeks.

They have prepared a video to encourage other WEF Member Associations to select the Philadelphia WEFMAX as THE WEFMAX to have their officers and representatives attend.  Take a few minutes to see the VIDEO  .  You might see some familiar faces!

PWEA is seeking the support and volunteer help to assist in assuring that the Philadelphia WEFMAX will be one of, if not THE BEST WEFMAX's ever!  The Philadelphia WEFMAX will be an opportunity for PWEA to showcase both their regional Operator Association partners (EPWPCOA, Central Section and Western Section) and all of the and members of PWEA in the work we do to protect  and promote the value of water. The link for the sponsorship form is WEFMAX 2016 Sponsorship Form .

For any of our consultant, vendor and manufacturer members....PLEASE consider serving as a sponsor to this important opportunity with our attendees and to promote PWEA,  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call either of the event co-chairs: Dean Miller or Carl Janson.

I would like to thank my employer DELCORA for always allowing me the time necessary to fulfill my obligations as President and also thank the EPWPCOA family for making my year memorable. Lastly to Marykay, to anyone who has had the privilege to go through the Chairs of the Association, Marykay is what holds this Association together. She makes EPWPCOA an Association that other member Associations aspire to be. 

In closing, I would like to thank all members for their support this past year, and wish President Schwartz all the best during his term.

Christopher L. Lenton