Arlington Water Pollution Control Plant – Solids Master Plan – Feedback requested by 3/16

Water Pollution Control Plant at Glebe & Eads.
“Solids” are processed in the brick buildings.

[Update 3/14: Just a reminder that on March 16, Paul will be attending the second meeting at the Arlington Water Pollution Control Plant to participate in their short and long range Solids Planning process as the AHCA rep.

At this meeting we will get the chance to propose and choose criteria that will be used to evaluate and influence the selection of the potential alternatives.

The criteria that Paul believes (Please respond with others/comments) we as neighbors would consider important would be as follows:

• Noise (both construction and long term operation)
• Odor
• Emissions
• Traffic
• Visual

As Arlingtonians Paul believes the following are important:

• Environmental Benefits
• Economic Benefits

Please let Paul know if you have any other thoughts on what he should be proposing as criteria. Paul can be contacted by email at pgtipz@yahoo.com. He will be providing an update at the April AHCA meeting.

Original update from January 17:

The Arlington Water Pollution Control Plant – Solids Master Plan process has recently started. AHCA is very fortunate to have Paul Guttridge, a neighbor adjacent to the plant, represent the civic association in the outreach program with the county. Paul gave a very informative and detailed update at the January 13 AHCA meeting and has also provided the following report to provide everyone with an update on the first meeting and and to collect feedback:

So what’s going on?
The Treatment plant that has been in our neighborhood since 1933, in the last 4 or so years finished upgrading the liquid side of the plant, and is now looking ahead at the necessary upgrades for the solids side. Some of the equipment dates to the 1950s and new technology is now available that could greatly improve the environmental sustainability of the plant and have some other benefits as well.

I attended the first meeting on December 15, 2015 at the plant along with our neighboring Civic associations (Crystal City, Arlington Ridge and Long Branch) as well as E2C2, Civ Fed, Neighborhood advisory committee, FAAC, Engineering Consultant CDM and County staff.

This is the start of a year long planning process. The county so far has selected a consultant, established a schedule and developed criteria that would be used to help select the various alternatives. The criteria were developed internally and so I asked if external stakeholders will be given a chance to weigh in and we will get our chance at the March meeting.

The criteria that I believe (Please respond with others/comments) we as neighbors would consider important would be as follows:

• Noise (both construction and long term operation)
• Odor
• Emissions
• Traffic
• Visual

As Arlingtonians I believe the following are important:

• Environmental Benefits
• Economic Benefits

The schedule shows some immediate fixes that will be implemented in the next 3 or so years with the main upgrade taking place from 2019 to 2026.

So what could be considered?
The sewage solids (Biosolids) are a renewable source of energy and therefore, methods to harness that energy and possibly produce a fertilizer (such as milorganite http://www.milorganite.com/) are most likely to be considered. Biosolids digesters for example reduce the volume of the solids, and produce methane which could be used to generate power.

The plant could continue it’s current practice of adding Lime, or maybe the solids could be piped somewhere else. the last option is unlikely with the nearest other treatment plants some distance away. We’ll have to wait and see what they come up with before we can evaluate the impact on our neighborhood.

Please let me know your comments, and I look forward to updating everyone after the March meeting.

Paul can be contacted by email at pgtipz@yahoo.com.

Documents:

• Email – Follow Up to December 15 Meeting on Arlington WPCB Solids Master Plan
• 12 15 2015 FINAL presentation stakeholders
• Dec-15-2015-External-Comm-Mgt-NOTES
• Definitions

Category: Development Updates