Second, MSD's Community Advisory Panel (CAP) meets Wednesday December 2 from 5-6:30PM at MSD Administration Office Building and Conference Center, Room 105 (1081 Woodrow Street off of Gest Street). Topics include:
- MSD Waste Streams to Rumpke’s Landfill
MSD Ramps up Recycling - Odor Control Projects Update
Notes from the September meeting follow:
Members Present:
Mohammad Alam, Cincinnati Health Department
John Barlage, Hamilton County Environmental Services
Pam Childress, MSD, resident
Jack Degano, Lower Price Hill Community Council
Staci Dennison, Cincinnati Museum Center
Jeanne Nightingale, resident
Carolyn Oshita, resident
Tony Parrott, Director, MSD
Jack Rennekamp, MSD
Rick Scheff, resident
Ken Smith, Price Hill Will
Bill Winters, MSD
Guests:
Gina Ruffin Moore, MSD
Robin Corathers, Mill Creek Restoration Project
Facilitator:
Kim Lahman, Environmental Technologies & Communications, Inc. (ETC)
The meeting started at 5:10 p.m. in the Conference Center of the MSD Administration Office Building, 1081 Woodrow Street. Introductions were made. Tony Parrott welcomed CAP members and reminded them of his announcement at the last meeting about MSD receiving EPA approval for the wet weather consent decree and waiting for public comment and final approval from the federal court. The public comment period ended the second week of August and the court is reviewing the comments. MSD is waiting for the federal court to formally adopt the wet weather plan. Work has begun to comply with the consent decree.
The District has been fortunate to be an enterprise fund and has not been impacted by the city-wide lay-offs and budget issues. MSD has submitted budgets for next year to the City and the County to continue funding capital improvements.
MSD will participate for the second year in the annual Lower Price Hill Community Day on Saturday, October 3rd. MSD will sponsor the toilet racers and toilet paper toss games as well as staff an information table.
Odor Control Projects Status Report (Bill Winters)
1. Septage Receiving Station
Construction of the facility was completed and it was dedicated May 14, 2009. The City has issued a temporary occupancy permit and the facility will be in operation by the end of September. The additional primary odor control process has been installed and started up.
2. Grit Removal and Handling Facility
The new system will be enclosed and the air will be drawn through an odor control process so that odor releases are reduced. The design of the facility is complete and bidding for the construction contract should happen in October. Construction is anticipated to begin in January 2010. The construction is estimated to take 36 months.
3. Aeration Diffuser Replacement
About 6,000 air diffusers in the aeration tanks have been replaced. The diffuser cleaning system piping is being installed now. The project should be completed by the fourth quarter of this year.
4. Secondary Treatment Process Upgrade
The scope includes an upgrade of secondary clarifiers and other improvements to allow the treatment plant to treat higher storm flows over a longer period of time. The design is nearly complete and bidding for construction should happen in the middle of October. Construction is anticipated to begin in December and continue for 39 months.
5. Hypochlorite System Upgrade
Hypochlorite is used to disinfect the water returning to the environment as well as to control odor. Large storage tanks and a piping system throughout the plant are being installed to help with distribution of hypochlorite and should be completed by the second quarter of 2010.
6. Fluidized Bed Incinerators
The plant’s six multiple hearth incinerators are being replaced with three fluidized bed incinerators. The fluidized bed, which is a very advanced process, is considered best of technologies and is projected to be useful to MSD for the next 25 to 30 years. Biosolids are scheduled to be fed to the first incinerator in November 2009, followed by emissions testing in December 2009.
Q: Will we see a difference in air quality?
A: The use of this incinerator design at the Little Miami Wastewater Treatment Plant has resulted in decreased emissions.
7. Anaerobic Digestion Decommissioning
All anaerobic digesters will be emptied, cleaned out and removed from service. Two of the digesters will be converted to holding tanks to help manage the sludge. The design phase should begin in the fourth quarter of 2009 and will continue for 12 to 18 months. Construction is expected to last for another 18 months and the project should be finalized in 2012. The flare will go away after the digesters are no longer in operation.
Q: Is MSD using the methane?
A: No, it is cost prohibitive and methane gas will no longer be created once the digesters are gone.
8. Odor Control Study
A study of existing odor control systems has begun with the collection and analysis of Mill Creek Treatment Plant’s data. Information is being gathered to assist in optimizing the current odor control systems and to assist in developing a plan for managing odors in the future. Preliminary and warm weather samplings are finished. A final report is scheduled to be complete by December 2009.
Mill Creek Restoration Green Schools Program (Robin Corathers)
Mill Creek Restoration Project (MCRP) is celebrating 15 years of providing programs including the Supplemental Environmental Projects, Greenways, Environmental Education, Green Infrastructure and Freedom Trees. These programs serve as a catalyst for developing sustainability in the Mill Creek watershed through community-based planning and empowerment, environmental education, and economically sound ecological restoration.
MCRP works with MSD on six supplemental environmental projects to improve the Mill Creek’s water quality and restore wildlife habitat.
The greenway system provides new and renewed park, recreation, and alternative transportation opportunities. Its creation provides green methods of managing stormwater, preventing pollution and reducing damage caused by flooding. The greenway system will stimulate economic activity, increase property values, and significantly improve the quality of life in inner-city and first ring suburban neighborhoods. The greenway system supports and enhances the City’s and County’s efforts to retain and attract new residents.
· MCRP collaborates with local businesses in the watershed and other partners to sponsor an environmental education program in 12 school districts in the Mill Creek watershed. The interdisciplinary program incorporates history, social studies, mathematics, geology, telecommunications, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, and language arts. MCRP’s innovative approach to environmental education emphasizes both analytical and creative thinking and uses an action research model (data collection, problem-solving and action-taking) to collect and use information.
· MCRP has worked with over 14,000 middle and senior high students, recruited and trained over 350 teachers and community volunteers and trained over 50 local watershed residents in our on-the-job training program.
· MCRP’s Green Infrastructure program works with students to restore their schools’ landscape functioning and use soils and vegetation to naturally absorb, filter, evaporate and reuse stormwater as a valuable fresh water resource. The program converts gray infrastructure to green. Students are taught the value of rain gardens, bioswales, vegetated buffers, wetlands and reforestation. Students work with a design team to gather information about existing conditions and analyze information, create a planting master plan and then implement the plan.
MCRP partnered with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the City of Cincinnati and Paul Hemmer’s Sand Run Nursery & Preserve to launch the Mill Creek Freedom Trees Program in November 2004, on the banks of Mill Creek in Northside. MCRP planted the second grove of trees in 2005 at two locations and in 2006 two local schools designed and created the third and fourth tree groves through their participation in MCRP's Environmental Education Program.
Q: Do you explore green careers in your educational programs?
A: Yes, the professionals we work with are role models for students. We may have a mini career fair at the student congress at the end of the school year and may showcase green technology.
Q: Is Oyler School participating?
A: The principal is enthusiastic and interested in getting students engaged and out of the classroom. There are plans for Oyler to have a green roof and green walls on their campus.
Q: Is there a plan to replace the existing black top at Oyler?
A: We are not sure at this point.
Q: What are the ages of students?
A: They are fourth, fifth and sixth graders. MCRP usually works with students in seventh through twelfth grade.
Margaret Garner Memorial (Jack Rennekamp and Gina Ruffin Moore)
MSD will continue researching to confirm the location where an African American slave named Margaret Garner killed her daughter to prevent her from being returned to slavery. According to author, Steven Weisenburger, the murder took place at the home of Joe Kite, Margaret’s cousin, now the site of the Mill Creek Wastewater Treatment plant. Location of the site has not been verified.
MSD will ask UC professor, Nikki Taylor and students to help with background research. Decisions about a marker or memorial will be determined after additional research has been complete.
Alcopops: Alcohol in Disguise (Carolyn Oshita)
CAP members were urged to contact their representatives for the State of Ohio to classify alcopops as mixed beverages which will decrease underage alcohol consumption and generate increase revenues for the state. Alcopops are sweet, alcoholic beverages that are often described as a cross between alcohol, fruit juices and soft drinks. Studies show that these drinks are popular with underage drinkers, especially girls, setting the stage for future drinking patterns.
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