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Professor for a Day

by Access Water on January 25th, 2012 Leave a Comment No Comments

By Elisa Speranza, President of CH2M HILL’s Operations & Maintenance Business Group

Last August, CH2M HILL announced a unique partnership with the University of Kansas’ top-ranked School of Public Affairs and Administration designed to transform the education of future government leaders, including examination of innovative models for delivering government services more efficiently. This week, it was my privilege to visit the Lawrence campus to speak before a few graduate classes as part of this collaboration.

Elisa and College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean Danny Anderson at the Jayhawks' basketball game.My visit to KU started as it should, with a trip to the legendary Allen Fieldhouse to take in a Jayhawks’ basketball game against Texas A&M Monday night. KU won, thankfully, so everyone was in a good mood the next day. College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean Danny Anderson was kind enough to take me to the game, and we talked academic politics, leadership and public policy during the ESPN timeouts.

It’s a beautiful campus, and my old Kennedy School classmate Charles Jones (now a professor at KU) walked me from my hotel to the Student Union for class Tuesday morning. The class is called “Collaborative Leadership, Professionalism and Citizen Engagement.” As a public policy wonk from way back, this is right up my alley. The graduate students are all splitting their time between classroom work and internships, mostly in city governments. One is interning with our client, the City of Centennial, CO, where I’m sure he’s getting a good education in public-private partnerships.

The morning session is on emotional intelligence. It’s gratifying that these future city managers are getting a solid grounding in the intangible side of their jobs. Anyone can teach budget management, but KU’s approach seems to be very holistic,which should make for more well-rounded and successful public servants. It’s hard for me to sit quietly, though, having worked in and around government my whole life. Professor John Morris provided a great refresher on strengths-based leadership,which says people want to work for senior leaders who actually care about them. What they need is: trust, compassion, stability, hope and happiness.

The students are learning about something called “Adaptive Work,” an approach taught by Ron Heifetz at Harvard. My part in the day was to present a case study illustrating the principles of adaptive work, basically how to make change sustainable, based on Water For People’s work in Chinda, Honduras. Then I was pressed into service to talk about CH2M HILL and my own career journey.  From the great questions I received from this talented group of students, I’m positive the future is in good hands wherever they end up serving. With all the negativity about government floating around in public discourse these days, it’s great to be reminded of how important functioning, values-driven local governments are to our everyday quality of life. Can’t wait to see what’s next from our strategic alliance with KU.

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Waco’s Water Now a Source of Pride

by Access Water on January 23rd, 2012 Leave a Comment No Comments

Brian Fuerst, CH2M HILL Senior Project ManagerBy Brian Fuerst, CH2M HILL Senior Project Manager

The growing City of Waco, Texas, is located about 100 miles south of Dallas. Prior to the City of Waco Water Quality and Quantity Improvement Project, the City’s drinking water from Lake Waco was treated at two conventional water treatment plants: the 42-million-gallon/day (mgd) Mt. Carmel Water Treatment Plant (WTP), and the 24-mgd Riverside WTP. The watershed for Lake Waco includes the highest concentration of dairy farms in Texas, resulting in high nutrient loadings and algae growth in the Lake. Periodic algae blooms led to the release of geosmin during the treatment process and gave Waco water a reputation of being nearly undrinkable during certain times of the year.

To remedy its water problems, the City of Waco partnered with CH2M HILL and The Wallace Group to design improvements to the Mt. Carmel and Riverside WTPs, as well as to: expand the total system treatment capacity from 66-mgd to 90-mgd initially and 135-mgd ultimately; eliminate hydraulic bottlenecks in the existing system; improve performance of aging equipment; and, reduce taste and odor episodes in the City’s potable water.

By obtaining state approval for high-rate DAF, only 1/15th the footprint of conventional clarification was required resulting in cost savings of about 40%. Covering the basins reduced odors and the visual impact and the odorous air from under the covers was used to aerate the lake reducing algae growth and improving fishing.CH2M HILL and The Wallace Group incorporated a number of innovative features to improve performance, reduce costs, and enhance aesthetics. For example, the new 90-mgd clarification facility located near the raw water intake at Lake Waco is the first dissolved air flotation (DAF) plant for water treatment in the State of Texas, as well as one of the first WTPs in the U.S. to use DAF for taste and odor control, as well as clarification. Regulatory approval required five pilot studies and four rounds of bench scale tests to obtain data on DAF and ozone performance. CH2M HILL used decision science techniques to analyze the results and select the best alternatives based on the cost and benefits important to Waco. As a result of these studies, not only was regulatory approval obtained for both the DAF and the ozone processes, but the DAF loading rate was increased from the standard 6 gallons per minute(gpm)/square foot, to 12 gpm/square foot, resulting in about $10 million in construction cost savings.

Over half of the treatment processes were constructed underground providing improved aesthetics to nearby neighbors and allowing the City of Waco to obtain Texas Wildscape status for the plant grounds.We were also careful to analyze the social and ecological complexities of the project. Both of the existing water treatment plants are located near residential areas. The new DAF facility also has nearby neighbors, but CH2M HILL and The Wallace Group conducted a series of public meetings to obtain input and designed the new facilities to mitigate the neighbors’ concerns. For example, potential algae odors were mitigated by covering the DAF basins and diverting the odorous air back to the lake to provide aeration that reduces algae growth near the intake. To reduce unappealing visual impacts, many of the DAF plant facilities, including the ozone facilities and balancing basins, were constructed underground and covered with native landscaping and ground coverings. Existing trees and landscape were left in place where possible. As a result, the City was able to get the plant site designated as an official Texas Wildscape by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

A rendering of the City of Waco's Dissolved Air Flotation Water Treatment Plant, as envisioned for Summer 2015.Blind taste tests conducted by the local newspaper confirmed the processes effectiveness. The water quality has gone from a source of woe to a source of pride and economic development for the City. In fact, I am pleased to share that the City of Waco Water Quality and Quantity Improvement Project has been selected as a Water and Wastes Digest Magazine Top Projects for 2011 and was a silver medal winner in The Texas Council of Engineering Companies Engineering Excellence Awards competition based on the project’s successes and outstanding achievements.

With more than 25 years of experience, Brian Fuerst has participated in numerous studies, designs, and construction services for a variety of water and wastewater projects. He has extensive experience in process design and project management of water and wastewater facilities, and offers expertise in all phases of services during the planning and construction of water and wastewater projects.

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An Inside Perspective of the Recently Announced International Water Summit

by Access Water on January 21st, 2012 Leave a Comment 1 Comment

By Dr. Glen Daigger, International Water Association President and CH2M HILL Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

International Water Summit LogoMany of you will know by now that Abu Dhabi has announced the establishment of an annual International Water Summit (IWS) to be held in conjunction with their already highly successful World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in January beginning in 2013. The International Water Association (IWA) is a supporting organization and will be responsible for organizing the technical conference – a role similar to the one IWA plays for the Singapore International Water Week. I was present at the press conference announcing this on January 18, 2012 in Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - January 18, 2012: HH General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces tours the World Future Energy Summit at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. ( Philip Cheung / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi )This is an exciting announcement for several reasons:

-First, it will focus on the water needs of the Gulf, which is an arid region where water challenges are some of the greatest on the planet. As we address water challenges in there we will develop new tools and approaches which can be used elsewhere, especially in the growing number of other arid regions around the planet.

-Second, co-locating it with the WFES provides an ideal forum for examining in practical terms the water-energy nexus. Water and energy are particularly connected in the gulf as so much water is produced by the energy-intensive desalination process. 

-Finally, Abu Dhabi has demonstrated the capability to quickly grow a highly successful conference – in this case the WFES. For IWA, this will allow us to significantly increase our presence in the Gulf.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - January 18, 2012: HH General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces tours the World Future Energy Summit at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. ( Philip Cheung / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi )From a personal perspective, I am very excited as I think that the IWS can grow quickly into an event which complements the SIWW quite well and meets an important need in the water world by focusing on arid regions. It is a natural extension of the position Abu Dhabi has established in the energy sector and in sustainable urban areas through Masdar. It is also consistent with the head of State of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. I had the pleasure to spend about 30 minutes with him following the press conference sharing views on water and other matters. He told me that one of his motivations is that while 65 million people live on the Arabian Peninsula today, that 250 million are projected to live there in 50 years. And, in 50 years there will be no oil, but water will still be needed. He went on to say that he has 6 grandchildren and he wants them to be happy. I found the Crown Prince to be a thoughtful, wise, and caring person who is sincere in his commitment to do what he can to create an enriching future for those living in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and the Gulf. We need more leaders in the world like this.

 Below is a short video describing the water challenge and the goals of the new International Water Summit.

 


Dr. Daigger has more than 30 years of experience in wastewater treatment plant evaluation, troubleshooting and process design. Between 1994 and 1996 he served as professor and head of the Environmental Systems Engineering Department at Clemson University. He is the author of numerous reports, articles, and conference presentations on wastewater treatment and sustainable wastewater infrastructure. His texts are used in engineering classrooms across the country. Active in the wastewater industry, Daigger is President of the International Water Association and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Water Works Association, Association of Environmental Engineering, and Water Environment Federation, as well as numerous other professional societies. He has twice received the Harrison Prescott Eddy Award from the Water Environment Federation.

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Gippsland Water Factory Vortex Centre is a Water Reuse Education Success

by Access Water on January 16th, 2012 Leave a Comment No Comments

By Linda Macpherson, CH2M HILL Vice President, Reuse Principal Technologist, Senior Water Policy Planner, and Public Involvement Specialist

Linda Macpherson, CH2M HILL Vice President, Reuse Principal Technologist, Senior Water Policy Planner, and Public Involvement SpecialistThe Gippsland Water Factory (GWF) is not only an innovative wastewater treatment and recycling system in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, but it is also a vital community asset demonstrating a new way to care about water. GWF uses innovative technology, including biological treatment, membrane filtration, and reverse osmosis, to treat domestic and industrial wastewater and create high-quality recycled water for use by local industry. What makes this facility even more unique is an exciting and innovative community educational facility, the Vortex Centre, which was built adjacent to GWF to raise community awareness about water conservation and sustainable water management.

Visitors of the Vortex get a first-hand experience of the technology treating their water in a very understandable and meaningful way. The state-of-the-art ‘green’ facility features interactive displays, touch screens and videos, with a focus Inside the Vortex Centreon water conservation and sustainable water management, highlighting water as a precious resource at a local, state, national and global level. The Vortex plays a key role in delivering Gippsland Water’s vision to create an environmental and social legacy through its new education program, ‘Water Wonders,’ both for students, the local community and water stakeholders. The inspiring building, hands-on activities, engaging programs, and distinctive location combine to promote behavioural change and increased awareness of the need to use water responsibly. Described as ‘the building that teaches’, the centre features sustainable design elements to minimise energy consumption and ensure the Vortex itself practices what it preaches.

The Vortex Centre is free for those who live within the service region, and school groups are encouraged to bring students to ensure the next generation is well-educated on water. Even though water is emphasized, every opportunity is taken to deepen the visitors’ connection to the way water influences the Gippsland region’s natural and economic systems. The goal is to help visitors understand how we affect water, how water is a part of our livelihood, how sustainability enables us to secure a positive future, and ultimately, how being a better steward to our planet is being a better steward to ourselves.

A vortex is a whirling motion, like a whirlpool, whirlwind or water going down the drain. This motion was the inspiration behind the architecture of the Vortex Centre and is captured in the building’s name.At a time when water is now recognised as a precious and limited resource, GWF is a project and destination of pride for the local community. Gippsland Water drew attention to these benefits in their outreach and planning process, as well as how these advances will highlight the region as a leader in sustainability and innovation, creating community wide ownership, warm feelings, and support for the project.

Noting how successfully the inspiring building, hands-on activities, engaging programs, and distinctive location of the Vortex combine to promote behavioural change and increased awareness of the need to use water responsibly, the Banksia Environmental Foundation honored the Vortex Centre and associated ‘Water Wonders’ education program with a Banksia Education Award late last year. The Banksias are Australia’s pre-eminent environmental excellence awards, celebrating the achievements of those who have made a significant contribution to the sustainable future of the county through leadership and innovation. Gippsland Water was also recognized with the prestigious overall Origin Gold Banksia Award and the Banksia Water Category Award for its GWF project.

Gippsland Water was also recognized with the prestigious overall Origin Gold Banksia Award and the Banksia Water Category Award for its Gippsland Water Factory projectThe Banksia Education Award is presented to a project that demonstrates “leadership and innovation in lifting awareness, improving understanding, advancing social and community consciousness of sustainability issues and educating to achieve real, tangible outcomes.” According to the Banksia Environmental Foundation, “The Judges were impressed that this project combined the “outer” (environmentally friendly building) with the “inner” (the behaviour change through education) in a highly engaging and innovative program that strategically targeted and provided the respective level of education from primary school to tertiary level. Judges commented on the degree of detail considered in engaging the local public and see this as a real example of a living educational model.”

As one of the individuals who worked so hard to make this centre a reality, along with folks from Gippsland Water, New Media Magic, LLC, Pico Chicago and Melbourne, and DesignInc, it is a great pleasure to see the Vortex Centre recognized with this prestigious award. Water reuse is a critical aspect of securing sustainable and reliable water supplies around the world. Community support for these projects is paramount to the success of reuse projects, and Gippsland Water’s GWF and Vortex Centre are a great example of communities can effectively implement water reuse projects and have a lasting legacy.

Linda Macpherson is an expert and strategist for water reuse information and acceptance. She has been an integral part of groundbreaking projects such as introducing the public to the nation’s first poplar tree/wastewater reuse project in the United States to directing development of Singapore’s NEWater Visitor Centre. She has worked extensively in Australia delivering the iconic Gippsland Water Factory Visitor Centre and a Demonstration Visitor Centre in Perth for Water Corp. Her knowledge and commitment in these projects have brought her to the forefront of bridging the gap between the engineering/scientific community and the general public. Linda is often called upon to help diverse stakeholders build appreciation for both the technical and larger policy context of water issues.  Linda serves on the Board of Directors of the WateReuse Association and Research Foundation.

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Chattahoochee River Dam Removal and Ecosystem Restoration Project

by Access Water on January 9th, 2012 Leave a Comment 1 Comment

By Joe Klaus, CH2M HILL Project Manager

Joe Klaus, CH2M HILL Project ManagerThousands of dams were built in the United States during the last few centuries for water diversion, agriculture, factory watermills, and other purposes that are no longer useful to modern society. Many of these dams also caused ecological damage. Two such unused or uneconomical dams can be found on the Chattahoochee River: the Eagle and Phenix Dam and the City Mills Dam in Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama. CH2M HILL is working with the Mobile District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to breach the two dams by providing engineering design and environmental services.

The overarching goal of the project is ecosystem restoration of the riverine and shoal habitat. The project will provide The City Mills Dam in Columbus, Georgia ecological benefits to the shoal bass, shoal spider lilies, and greater jumprock, a ray-finned fish. The project has the potential to benefit a variety of state threatened species, including the bluestripe shiner, alligator snapping turtle, and Barbour’s map turtle. Reintroduction of 13 species of mussels also may be made possible.

Even aside from the numerous environmental benefits, there are a number of other attributes that make this project especially interesting. While we are assisting USACE in restoring a stretch of the river to its free-flowing condition, we The Eagle and Phenix Dam.are also working with local interests to add recreational and economic opportunities. The recreational activities will include whitewater kayaking, tubing, and river surfing. At 2.5 miles of whitewater, the river will provide the longest urban section of whitewater in the world. Additionally, the dams have been in place for over 200 years, and historical finds are expected as the dams are removed and the water pool behind them subsides. During the construction, an archeologist will be on site to document any historical finds upon the removal of the dams.

It’s a pleasure to be a part of this project. Since 2007, we have reviewed and revised the estimated construction costs, evaluated sediment and construction flow alternatives, and designed a 2-D hydrologic model of habitat restoration and The project vision.recreational facilities. Throughout the project, our CH2M HILL team provided services related to: conceptual design; bathymetric survey; artist’s rendering; stakeholder input; physical model; and preliminary and final design.

The first phase of the project—construction of the whitewater features, including sills and weirs, downstream of the Eagle and Phenix Dam prior to the removal of the dams—will be complete this December. After that, demolition of the Eagle and Phenix Dam will occur as will the riverbank vegetative restoration, to be complete May 2012. The last phase is the creation of a habitat pool for the fish, fish stranding reduction channels, and demolition of the City Mills dam, to be complete by September 2013.

The project vision.The project is partially funded by our client, the USACE, and the project’s local sponsor, UPtown Columbus, Inc.  The project manager and project team from each of these organizations have been great to work with.  They have maintained a common vision and a positive working environment, and were always very supportive and responsive to CH2M HILL throughout the project.

Earlier this year, the Columbus community came out to the banks of the Chattahoochee River to check out what has been done on the project so far and to celebrate their vision becoming a reality. Knowing how excited the community is to see the ecosystem restored and to take advantage of the water-based recreational activities is really a thrill—and I look forward to joining them on the whitewater when the project is complete.

Mr. Klaus brings more than 25 years of civil and environmental engineering experience, including 23 years with CH2M HILL. He has successfully managed and provided senior review for various projects throughout the Southeast, including conveyance design and construction projects; water and wastewater system master plans; and large wastewater treatment and disposal projects involving planning, permitting, design, and construction.

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