Dear Point Richmond residents,
This Community Update contains the most up-to-date information on the plant and the collection system, as well as the most recent logs from our Odor Patrol.
Last Wednesday, the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council's subcommittee on wastewater met at the plant, followed by a tour of the facility and operations. This meeting was a great opportunity to get one-on-one feedback from community representatives, and we heard what we're doing right and where we can improve. We'll be doing more of these community tours and meetings in the future, so if you missed this one, make sure to watch future reports for more information about the next meeting.
Aside from this news, you'll find that this week's report is relatively short. We've revised the odor reporting system and we continue to make upgrades at the facility. We're still waiting for updated data from a variety of sources and will pass that along once it becomes available. Other developments include:
BIOFILTER INSTALLATION
The scheduled installation of a biofilter at the plant's headworks continues, which will help to reduce odors when completed. The biofilter installation is expected to be completed by the end of January.
INDEPENDENT MONITORING UPDATE
- The data from BioMax, the City's industrial hygiene consultant, is at the links below.
- The BioMax data is available at this link: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2329
- The BioMax assessment report is available at: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=6442
- The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) also has an H2S monitoring device at the Point Richmond fire station. BAAQMD data is available online at http://gate1.baaqmd.gov/aqmet/AQSiteYearly.aspx.
- Simply follow the link, click on "hydrogen sulfide" on the left and select Richmond from the menu. Please note that the high H2S measurement on October 5 was due to a sensor calibration done by a BAAQMD technician. It was not a confirmed H2S reading.
ODOR COMPLAINT UPDATE
We received no odor complaints to the plant this week; some calls may continue to go into BAAQMD or the City.
The City's Fire Department Haz-Mat teams will now be available to provide odor complaint response and investigation services. The existing Veolia hotline remains operational, and odor response efforts will be coordinated with the City's fire department dispatch.
The receipt of odor information is invaluable, as it provides data as to where odors are detected. We can then use it to develop strategies and improvements for further mitigation.
As a reminder: If you smell something you think may be a sewage odor, please call us at 412-2001 so that we can investigate.
DIGESTER STATUS
- Digester #2 remains out of service while the results of investigations by the City's outside consultant and others are awaited. In the meantime, sludge continues to be hauled to another agency for treatment and disposal.
- A new cover for Digester #1 was ordered earlier this week. As these are custom made, it is expected to arrive within eight to 12 weeks.
- In the meantime, work that has been planned and underway to bring Digester #1 on-line continues and should be completed well ahead of when the new cover arrives so it can be put into operation shortly thereafter.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Further investigation of the digester cover will be completed by the City, BioMax and BAAQMD.
- We are working to plan the next meeting with the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council.
- We're working with the City to develop and analyze data from various points throughout the sewer system that may point to contributors of high-levels of sulfur.
- Veolia Water will submit its Collections System Master Plan, which covers capital upgrades to the Collection System, to the City by the end of December.
- The second of the two continuous H2S monitors, which were purchased by Veolia, will be installed shortly at the treatment plant.
- CAL-OSHA will make its independent monitoring data available in 2-3 months.
We take our responsibility for making Richmond a better place to live very seriously. The feedback we received in Wednesday's meeting, along with other input we get from residents, is of great value in helping us do our job better. If you have any additional issues or questions, please do not hesitate to contact John Hart at the treatment plant. He can be reached at 412-2001, or by e-mail at[email protected].
Please note that actual odor complaints are best directed to the odor complaint hotline at 412-2001 so that they can be properly and most efficiently logged and investigated.
Sincerely,
James L. Good
Executive Vice President
Veolia Water West