DOWNRIVER UTILITY WASTEWATER AUTHORITY
July 11, 2024 Meeting Minutes
CITY OF TAYLOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS

1. ROLL CALL AND INTRODUCTIONS
DUWA Chair Gail McLeod (Allen Park) called the meeting to order at 9:02 AM and asked for roll call to be taken. At the time of roll call, voting representatives were in attendance from 10 communities: Allen Park, Brownstown Township, Dearborn Heights, Riverview, River Rouge, Romulus, Southgate, Taylor, Van Buren Township, and Wyandotte. A quorum (at least 7 members) was present.

a. DUWA Commissioners
The DUWA Board Commissioners present at the time of roll call introduced themselves as follows: Roxie Fairchild (Brownstown Township), Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights), Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate), Chairperson and Mayor Gail McLeod (Allen Park), Roberto Scappaticci (Romulus), Jeff Dobek (Riverview), Lou Arapakis (River Rouge), Mayor Tim Woolley (Taylor), Kevin Lawrence (Van Buren Township), Greg Mayhew (Wyandotte).

b. Other Meeting Attendees
Board meeting attendees present in the audience at the time of roll call introduced themselves as follows: Jim Taylor (Van Buren Township), Kerry Morgan (Riverview attorney), Angela Mannerino (Taylor and Van Buren Township attorney), Jim Fausone (Fausone & Grysko; DUWA Legal), Doug Drysdale (DNS Financial Services, DUWA Accountant, Southgate Finance Director & Assistant City Manager), Jason Couture (Taylor CFO, DUWA Treasurer), Jason Nash (Veolia CPM for Dryer project), Chandrasekar Venkatraman (CV) (Veolia CPM), Travis Tuma (Veolia OM), Dan Gacioch (Veolia OM), Nick LaPorte (Veolia OM), Lambrina Tercala (OHM Advisors, DUWA System Manager), Mackenzie Chamberlain (OHM Advisors, DUWA System Manager).

 

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Copies of the Agenda were made available prior to the meeting (Attachment 1). The agenda was revised to add Item 6C – Dosing Pump Wear Parts. Motion by Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) and supported by Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) to approve the revised Agenda. The motion passed unanimously by all attending members.

 

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM JUNE 13, 2024 BOARD MEETING
Copies of the meeting minutes from the June 13, 2024 Board meeting were included in the pre-meeting Board packet (Attachment 2). Motion by Greg Mayhew (Wyandotte) and supported by Jeff Dobek (Riverview) to approve the minutes. The motion passed unanimously by all attending members.

 

4. LEGAL UPDATE
Attorney Jim Fausone, of Fausone & Grysko, provided the Legal Update.

a. General Counsel Monthly Report
Attorney Fausone stated that a written summary of the monthly legal update was provided in the pre-meeting Board packet (Attachment 3). Attorney Fausone stated that it was a typical month of activities as the legal team supported matters related to the Biosolids Dryer Project and assisted with the development of the Hydrogen Peroxide Memo of Understanding. The legal team also participated in virtual Technical Committee and Board Officer meetings over the past month and assisted with review of items related to cybersecurity. He also noted that four professional services contracts are up for renewal this year including those for Plante Moran, DNS Financial Services, Fausone & Grysko, and OHM Advisors.

 

5. SYSTEM MANAGER UPDATE
System Manager Mackenzie Chamberlain, of OHM Advisors, provided a verbal summary of activities since the last meeting. A written summary was provided in the pre-meeting Board packet for the System Manager Report (Attachment 4).

a. System Manager Monthly Report
System Manager Chamberlain noted the following highlights from the System Manager Report:

• • DUWA is still pending EGLE’s response to the NPDES Permit renewal response letter that was submitted in January 2024.
  • OHM met with Constellation, DUWA’s natural gas supplier, earlier this week to discuss DUWA’s natural gas sell back options for future months. The intermittent operation of the dryers has resulted in the need to sell back a significant amount of unused gas each month. DUWA is currently locked in to receive a set amount of gas at a set unit price through December 2025. OHM is working with Constellation and MEA, DUWA’s natural gas consultant, to explore other sell back options that will allow DUWA to receive a larger payback than simply selling the unused gas at market price each month.
  • The PLC-5 replacement project is currently out to bid. A pre-bid meeting was held at the DWTF on June 18^th, and representatives from four companies were in attendance. Bids are due tomorrow and will be reviewed by HRC for recommendation. HRC is also in the process of developing a proposal to provide construction administration services for the construction phase of the work.
  • CCTV efforts along the Eureka Interceptor are complete, and HRC reviewed the inspection videos of the stretch of interceptor that runs within the DTW airport property. The entire reach of pipe shows signs of hydrogen sulfide attack with surface damage evident. HRC estimates the remaining useful life of the pipe to be 10-15 years. HRC recommends that the pipe be cleaned and re-inspected within the next couple years and again five years later to monitor the pipe’s condition. This pipe should then be lined within the next 10-15 years.
  • Veolia will provide a credit to DUWA in the amount of about $108k due to a correction that was made to the chemical and commodity unit pricing such that the prices reflect those established under Veolia’s Amendment 7 Extension. This credit will be shown on Veolia’s invoice next month.
  • DUWA, Veolia, and BASF met on June 10th to receive updates from BASF on their Perimeter Barrier Wall project. BASF has submitted their 60% design of the project to the EPA and EGLE for comment. The design includes a groundwater collection and treatment system that reportedly removes Mercury, Volatile Organic Compounds, and PFAS. While the treated groundwater is proposed to be discharged to DUWA’s collection system, DUWA continues to advise BASF that there is no guarantee that DUWA will accept their flows and has encouraged them to pursue a NPDES permit with EGLE for discharge directly into the Detroit River instead.
  • OHM has drafted DUWA’s Year in Review report for 2023. The report includes major highlights of the past year as well as upcoming challenges. The final report has been posted to DUWA’s website.
  • OHM presented the benchmark comparison of wholesale wastewater rates to the Board last month. A one-page summary of DUWA’s System and its rate comparison was provided to the Board a couple weeks ago for public distribution to Councils, Boards, and residents, as desired.
  • The System Manager authorized HRC’s services to review the CCTV videos of the Eureka Interceptor due to the immediate need for review. HRC’s effort related to this review totaled $4,095, and their invoices applicable to this effort are included within this month’s invoice register.

Attorney Kerry Morgan (Riverview’s attorney) asked if BASF would be discharging groundwater contaminated with PFAS to DUWA’s system. System Manager Tercala responded that BASF has implemented a pilot/temporary treatment system that treats groundwater with a resin to remove PFAS prior to discharging to DUWA’s system. BASF has acknowledged that DUWA does not guarantee the acceptance of their flows, but their design continues to assume discharge to DUWA’s system rather than directly to the Detroit River.

b. UV Disinfection Replacement Project Update
System Manager Chamberlain provided an update on the UV Disinfection Replacement Project to the Board (Attachment 5). OHM issued the Notice to Proceed to CCC, the UV General Contractor, on June 18th. Black & Veatch was also authorized to provide construction phase services per their proposal that was approved by the Board last month. A pre-construction kickoff meeting has been scheduled for July 15th, and will include CCC, Black & Veatch, OHM, Veolia OM, the UV Project Subcommittee, and EGLE if available.

DUWA is in receipt of its first grant reimbursement from EGLE in the amount of about $635k for UV project expenses incurred to date. It took about two weeks from the date of submittal to when reimbursement was received. Additionally, since the construction bid value was less than the $10M grant value, the cash flow analysis indicated that bonding is not necessary as long as the total project cost remains below $11.5M. As such, bonding efforts are not being pursued at this time.

 c. Biosolids Dryer Facility Project
Jason Nash (Veolia CPM) provided an update on the Biosolids Dryer Facility project to the Board (Attachment 6). Both dryers are currently online, but the dryer throughput capacity has reduced from 70% to 50% capacity due to increased wear on the pumps. The pumps showed an increased rate of wear as they were worn after about 600 hours compared to 1000 hours after previous pump rebuilds. The cause for the increased wear rate is not yet known. Urethane stators and tungsten carbide rotors for the cake pumps were ordered by Veolia OM and will be installed next week. This material of construction is expected to decrease the rate of wear on the pumps, but it is not yet known by how much these upgraded parts will increase the pumps’ longevity. Installation of these parts will allow the cake pumps to operate at their design capacities. The cake pump speeds were increased to run at 125% of their design capacity to help achieve more production out of the dryer until the cake pumps are rebuilt next week. The dryers will be shutdown next week to allow for installation of these new pump components.

On June 26th, Kruger replaced 12 stators on the dosing pumps. A rotor and stator used in one of the progressive cavity dosing pumps were brought to the meeting for demonstration. The rotors and stators for the cake pumps are about four times the size of those for the dosing pumps. Bucket tests to evaluate the throughput of the dosing pumps were unable to be performed this week because the dryers were offline for part of the week and Veolia OM staff was unavailable to assist as they were preoccupied with addressing the high flows into the DWTF from the Wednesday rain storm.

The crusher, which crushes the dried solids into granular sand-like material, has been experiencing clogging. It was determined that the crusher was undersized and needed to be three times larger. Kruger is currently working on the redesign of the crusher, and it is expected to be installed in September. The crusher is used to crush the dried solids such that more weight can be hauled per truckload to the beneficial reuse facility in Canada. Without the crusher, the trucks are not meeting the load requirements to enter into Canada.

The Joint Technical Committee (JTC) continues to meet on a weekly basis to discuss various issues associated with the Biosolids Dryer Project. The JTC is currently discussing possible solutions to reduce the presence of grit in the solids as it is likely causing the excessive wear on the pumps. A Veolia expert out of France indicated that a wastewater treatment facility in France resolved their grit problem by installing a low-speed centrifuge to settle out the grit in the sludge before it goes through the dryer system. This potential solution is currently under review by the JTC.

The Builder’s Risk insurance expires on July 15th. Walsh previously maintained this coverage, but since their contract has been closed out, they will not renew the policy. As such, the Biosolids Dryer System will be covered under DUWA’s existing property policy that is currently in place.

The dryers have been running about 52% of the time since January 2024, which is a significant increase compared to the dryer runtimes in 2023. The dryers were online for 87% of the time in June, which is the best month of performance to date. There were much fewer operational issues in June even though the dryers were running at lower throughput capacities.

Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) asked what the issue is with the rotor and stator materials. Jason Nash responded that the stators have a ductile-iron coating and the grit has caused the stator to wear, and thus shrink, such that there is more space between the rotor and stator. As the space, or variance, between the rotor and stator increases, the material is not pushed through the pump as effectively thus reducing its throughput. Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) asked what other rotor and stator materials are available. Jason Nash responded that the pump manufacturer offers rotors that can be made of stainless steel, ductile-iron coated (which is used in most wastewater treatment plant applications), or tungsten carbide (which are on order and set to be delivered in August). Tungsten carbide rotors are expected to have the highest resistance to abrasion. It is possible that there are other rotor and stator materials or coatings available, but this would require reaching out to a specialty company outside of the current pump manufacturer. A third-party vendor may be explored if the urethane and tungsten carbide materials do not provide significant improvement to pump longevity.

Mayor Tim Woolley (Taylor) asked if the low-speed centrifuge option should be explored for grit removal before replacing the rotors and stators with more abrasive-resistant materials. Jason Nash responded that an additional centrifuge would be more costly than replacing the rotors and stators with upgraded materials, so the use of upgraded materials would be more desirable than adding a centrifuge. Replacement of the existing rotors and stators with like materials would cost about $50k, and replacing the rotors and stators with the upgraded urethane and tungsten carbide materials would cost about $125k. Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) asked what is causing the wear on the pump parts. Jason Nash responded that Kruger believes grit is causing the wear on the parts. He added that another wastewater treatment plant in Texas is also dealing with a grit issue as it relates to their dryer system. Jeff Dobek (Riverview) asked if that facility in Texas is using tungsten carbide rotors. Jason Nash responded that the project team will be reaching out to that facility to ask a variety of questions that may offer some insight into potential solutions for DUWA. It is understood that the Texas facility has not yet resolved their issues with their system, but they may be trialing solutions that DUWA has not yet considered.

Chairperson McLeod (Allen Park) asked for a demonstration of how the rotors and stators work. System Manager Tercala responded that there is a video of how the rotors and stators operate that will be circulated to the Board.

Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) asked if there is room at the DWTF to install another centrifuge to settle out the grit as the France facility had done. Jason Nash responded that it would depend on the size of the centrifuge noting that the current centrifuges are about the size of a car, but a low-speed centrifuge may be able to be smaller. There are several locations in the basement or elsewhere at the DWTF that could house a centrifuge depending on its size. Attorney Kerry Morgan (Riverview’s attorney) asked where in the treatment process the centrifuge would be installed. Jason Nash responded that the centrifuge would be installed downstream of the four sludge holding tanks and upstream of the current centrifuges such that the grit-treated sludge would then flow into the current centrifuges for dewatering. This location would be more cost effective in that it would require less flow to be treated for grit compared to installing the centrifuge at the DWTF headworks. Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) asked if the reduction of grit would also help other treatment processes besides the dryer system. Jason Nash responded that the reduction of grit would be expected to reduce wear on all treatment components that touch the sludge, particularly the pumps. Attorney Fausone added that it is not yet clear whether the addition of a low-speed centrifuge will reduce enough grit to significantly increase equipment longevity, but this option is still being explored.

Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) commented that the dryer run time in June is impressive and asked how the pumps performed during that time. Jason Nash responded that the cake pumps operated above their 100% design capacity. However, once the new rotors and stators are installed, they should then be able to produce the desired output while operating within their design capacity. Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) asked what the reaction was when the project team learned that the crusher was undersized. System Manager Tercala responded that the crusher was having clogging issues, so Kruger investigated and changed the orifice plate sizes, which did not resolve the issue. Kruger still thought the crusher itself was appropriately sized. The crusher manufacturer then came to the DWTF and indicated that the crusher was undersized and that a larger crusher would be needed. Kruger then reported they thought that the crusher manufacturer did not review the project specifications in detail and just provided the same crusher that they had provided for other dryer systems. But upon review of the crusher at the DWTF, the crusher manufacturer and Kruger are now recommending upsizing the crusher to a larger horsepower and footprint, which will change how it connects into the system. System Manager Tercala added that Kruger has acknowledged that the crusher was undersized and that the cake pump motors were undersized, so it begs the question of whether other equipment may also be undersized. Kruger continues to assert that the dryer equipment is appropriately sized.

Jason Nash introduced CV as Veolia’s new president of Capital Program Management. CV has been with Veolia for seven years and previously supported Veolia on the western side of the United States, primarily in Hawaii. He is currently working on bringing himself up to speed on the issues and efforts to date associated with DUWA’s Biosolids Dryer System. He will be available to DUWA to help address questions and to bring this project to successful completion.

 

6. REQUESTS FOR AUTHORIZATIONS AND APPROVALS
System Managers Mackenzie Chamberlain and Lambrina Tercala, of OHM Advisors, presented the following requests to the Board:

a. Biosolids Dryer Project: Electrical Multipin Connections
One of the issues identified by the Joint Technical Committee is the downtime and skillset needed to disconnect and reconnect the cake pumps and dosing pumps for repair work. Currently, an electrician is required to perform the disconnection and reconnection of the cake and dosing pumps and to ensure the pumps are operating in the correct rotation. If the electrician is unavailable, then Veolia must coordinate with a local electrical contractor to perform the work and is thus subject to their availability. Stantec recommended that Meltric plugs be installed on each cake and dosing pump to allow the pumps to be disconnected and reconnected by Veolia’s maintenance personnel without the need for skilled labor. The use of these plugs will reduce the effort required during maintenance activities and will also minimize downtime of the dryers.

The total budgetary cost for purchase and installation of the plugs is $12,500, which includes about $6,000 for the plugs, $4,000 for miscellaneous parts and labor, and $2,500 for contingencies (Attachment 7). This budgetary cost accommodates plugs that can be used on up to 10 horsepower (hp) motors. The JTC recommends that Meltric plugs be purchased and installed on all cake pumps and dosing pumps, including the spares, for quicker repairs to minimize the need for an electrician, and to guarantee the rotations are correct after every rebuild. Stantec also recommends installation of the Meltric plugs, and this request was reviewed by the Technical Committee and was recommended for approval.

Roberto Scappaticci (Romulus) asked which pumps would receive the plugs. Jason Nash responded that all 16 dosing pumps plus the two spare dosing pumps and all four cake pumps plus the one spare cake pump would be equipped with the plugs. Roberto Scappaticci (Romulus) commented that installation of these plugs should have been considered during the design of the system. Jason Nash responded that the project team was unaware that these plugs existed until Stantec recommended them, but noted that Veolia and Kruger plan to incorporate these plugs into future designs and construction projects. Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) supported the installation of these plugs noting that the dryer system has experienced significant downtime due to repairs, and these plugs should help minimize downtime of the dryers. He added that DUWA should consider other opportunities to implement equipment that would facilitate maintenance and reduce equipment downtime.

Motion by Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) and supported by Greg Mayhew (Wyandotte) to authorize Veolia to procure and install the Meltric plug connections for a not-to-exceed fee of $12,500. Costs will be paid from DUWA’s Capital Outlay budget line item. The motion passed unanimously by all attending members.

b. Hydrogen Peroxide Memo of Understanding
Hydrogen peroxide is currently being used at the DWTF for as-needed odor control as well as to perform periodic cleaning of the condenser towers that are associated with the Biosolids Dryer System. After the switch from ferric chloride to PACl for phosphorous removal, Veolia worked with a hydrogen peroxide chemical supplier to implement a peroxide dosing system that would mitigate odors. The peroxide dosing system has been online since late 2023 and is being used on an as-needed basis when hydrogen sulfide levels at the DWTF are elevated. Veolia estimates that peroxide costs associated with the odor control system total about $21,000 per month.

Additionally, Veolia recently entered into a contract with USP Technologies to install a peroxide dosing system to dose peroxide directly into the cooling water supply of the condenser towers that are associated with the Biosolids Dryer System. The peroxide is used to reduce the rate of biofouling, and thus the cleaning frequency, of the condenser towers, which provides for increased uptime of the dryers. Veolia estimates that the condenser tower cleaning system requires about 600 gallons of peroxide each month on average, which translates to a cost of about $3,000 each month.

The costs associated with the use of hydrogen peroxide are not currently recognized within Veolia’s OM Agreement. In December 2023, the Board approved reimbursement to Veolia in the amount of about $117k for incurred peroxide expenses to date associated with odor control. To prevent additional requests for reimbursement in the future, this proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) recognizes that DUWA will reimburse Veolia for peroxide costs incurred since January 1, 2024 and will continue to reimburse Veolia for peroxide costs associated with odor control and condenser tower cleaning on an ongoing monthly basis into the future (Attachment 8). Veolia will not add their 10% markup to the costs. This MOU will be in effect for the remainder of time that peroxide is used at the DWTF or until an amendment to the Veolia OM Agreement is executed that recognizes peroxide costs. Peroxide costs are anticipated to total about $24,000 each month or $288k on an annual basis. The anticipated costs were included within this year’s rate package. The Hydrogen Peroxide MOU was reviewed by Fausone & Grysko and the Technical Committee and was recommended for approval.

Jeff Dobek (Riverview) asked if OHM and Veolia are still tracking odor complaints even though no odor violations have been received. System Manager Chamberlain responded that OHM and Veolia continue to log odor complaints as they are received by DUWA, the City of Wyandotte, and Veolia. She added that very few odor complaints have been received in recent weeks.

Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) asked how long DUWA will reimburse Veolia for peroxide expenses and whether a root cause analysis to identify the cause of the odor and optimal solutions has been performed. System Manager Chamberlain responded that the MOU will be in effect until peroxide is no longer used at the DWTF or until an amendment to Veolia’s OM contract that recognizes peroxide costs is executed. System Manager Tercala added that the odors at the DWTF increased after ferric chloride was replaced with PACl for phosphorous removal as ferric chloride had provided an added benefit of odor mitigation. Veolia, Hazen & Sawyer, and Stantec all advised that hydrogen peroxide is the best chemical, for immediate deployment, to use for odor control based on its unit pricing and anticipated dosage volume.

Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) asked if the Odalogger is still being used to inform plant personnel on when to dose hydrogen peroxide. Travis Tuma responded that the Odalogger is still used to track odors (hydrogen sulfide levels) at the DWTF. He also added that the anticipated monthly cost of $24k for peroxide is an estimated average, and the actual monthly cost will vary depending on peroxide usage each month. Greg Mayhew (Wyandotte) asked how quickly odors are mitigated after dosing of peroxide. Travis Tuma responded that odors are typically reduced within several hours of dosing peroxide. He also added that one odor complaint was received by EGLE yesterday, but the complainant only noticed the odor when driving by the DWTF and his concerns were satisfied after speaking to EGLE and Veolia.

Motion by Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) and supported by Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) to authorize the Chair or Vice Chair to execute the Hydrogen Peroxide Memo of Understanding. Costs will be paid from DUWA’s Plant Operations – Utilities budget line item. The motion passed unanimously by all attending members.

c. Biosolids Dryer Project: Dosing Pump Spare Parts
Kruger has advised they will no longer purchase replacement rotors and stators for the cake and dosing pumps associated with the Biosolids Dryer System.

The material of construction for the pump wear parts (rotors and stators) has traditionally been NBR (rubber) stators and ductile iron (DI) coated rotors. Several months ago, Veolia OM placed an order for urethane stators and tungsten carbide (TC) rotors as this material of construction is expected to be more abrasive-resistant and extend the life of the wear parts. Although the upgraded material was purchased months ago, it is not expected to ship until late August. Replacement rotors and stators are needed before the August delivery of the upgraded material to keep the Dryer system online at a suitable throughput capacity. It is requested to purchase spare rotors and stators with the same material of construction as they are currently (NBR and DI) since these spare parts are in stock and available (Attachment 9). These spare parts would then allow the system to remain online until the upgraded parts are received in late August. Historically, the pump wear parts last about three months on the cake pumps and one month on the dosing pumps. The dosing pumps are typically the limiting factor in throughput capacity.

The need to purchase spare parts has been discussed during the daily coordination calls and during the July 10th JTC meeting. The JTC and Stantec recommend purchase of the spare parts as a time sensitive item. Stantec performed a cost comparison of options in support of this request. Option 1 involves continuing to operate the dryers at 30% throughput capacity without replacement of the pump parts, which would cost DUWA about $783k per month. Option 2 involves continuing to operate the dryers at 75% throughput capacity with the purchase and installation of the spare pump parts, which would cost DUWA about $730k per month. Option 3 involves stopping dryer operation until the upgraded pump parts arrive in August, which would cost DUWA about $868k per month. Based on this analysis, Option 2 is the most cost-effective option.

Due to time constraints, this request was not discussed during the last Technical Committee meeting.  However, OHM did post to Basecamp about the purchase need with a request for questions or comments within a 24-hour period. Five communities responded to the request, and all were in support of the recommendation. The communities who responded were Wyandotte, River Rouge, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, and Van Buren Township.

Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) asked if the cost analysis was performed for the 6-week period through the end of August. System Manager Tercala responded that the cost analysis was based on a 30-day period. She added that the spare parts would allow for the dryer system to remain operational for the six-week period between receiving them up to installation of the upgraded parts (urethane and TC). Travis Tuma added that the manufacturer has not yet confirmed the delivery date, so the parts could also arrive later than expected or sometime in September.

Roberto Scappaticci (Romulus) asked if there would be a long lead time for the delivery of the requested replacement parts. System Manager Tercala responded that the requested replacement parts would be made of the same material of construction as are currently installed, and some of these parts are in stock and readily available and the remaining balance can be manufactured in two weeks for shipment. Roberto Scappaticci (Romulus) commented that Option 2 is based on 75% throughput capacity, but noted that that capacity may not be realistic. He suggested that a more conservative cost comparison be performed to compare Option 1 to Option 2 with running the dryers at 30% throughput capacity. System Manager Tercala added that it costs DUWA an extra $11k each day when the dryers are offline and keeping the dryers online also allows the project team to learn about and work through other issues such as evaluating whether the recently upsized 7.5 hp motors are sufficient for the cake pumps. Roberto Scappaticci (Romulus) responded that there has been ample time for the project team to resolve the issues, yet the issues persist, and pressure needs to be put on responsible parties to provide solutions. Travis Tuma added that it is also important to keep the dryers online so that product can consistently continue to be sent to the beneficial reuse facility in Canada in order to maintain that good working relationship.

Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) asked if Option 2 would still be the most cost-effective option if it was based on 30% throughput capacity instead of 75% throughput capacity. Travis Tuma responded that Option 1 of running the dryers at 30% throughput capacity without replacing the wear parts could soon result in the inability to operate the dryers due to pump wear, which would then align with Option 3. If Option 2 were pursued with operation of the dryers at 30% throughput capacity and with replacement of the wear parts, it would still be more cost-effective than Option 3 of not running the dryers. Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) requested that a revised cost comparison be performed to include a more realistic throughput capacity of 30% throughput for Option 2 to match the Option 1 assumption.

Motion by Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) and supported by Greg Mayhew (Wyandotte) to authorize the purchase and installation of 16 stators and rotors for the dosing pumps at an installed cost of $50,000. Costs will be paid from DUWA’s Capital Outlay budget line item. The motion passed with 68.5% of the vote, with nine communities in favor and one community, Romulus, not in favor.

 

7. CONTRACT OPERATOR UPDATE
Travis Tuma, of Veolia, provided the Contract Operator update. Prior to presenting the Contract Operator update, Travis Tuma introduced Dan Gacioch and Nick LaPorte from Veolia OM to the Board. Dan and Nick are key OM staff who are responsible for keeping the dryers operational. They have put in a lot of time and effort to operate and maintain the dryer system.

a. Plant Performance
Travis Tuma, of Veolia, stated that one odor complaint was received this week. The resident called EGLE stating that odors are noticeable when he drives by the DWTF. EGLE responded that a wastewater treatment facility is expected to have some odors and provided the resident with Veolia OM’s contact information. The resident’s concerns were satisfied after speaking to EGLE and Veolia. Peroxide continues to be dosed for odor control as needed when hydrogen sulfide levels exceed 50 parts per million (ppm). Odors are noticeably reduced within about an hour after dosing peroxide. Peroxide dosing is typically stopped when there are high flows into the DWTF and/or when hydrogen sulfide levels are low.

b. May 2024 MOR
The May 2024 Monthly Operating Report (MOR) was provided in the Board’s pre-meeting packet (Attachment 10). Highlights from the summary and other updates included the following:

• • The DWTF remained in compliance in the month of May and there were no violations.
  • In May, the DWTF treated about 1.5B gallons, and the peak daily flow, or highest average day flow in May, was 86 MGD. No bypass events occurred in May, and there has still only been one bypass event this year (which occurred in January).
  • About 2.7 inches of rain was received over 24 hours at the DWTF in Wyandotte during this week’s rain storm, which was attributed to the hurricane. The DWTF is currently running at its peak capacity of 137.5 MGD, but no bypass has occurred. The DWTF was very well managed by Veolia OM staff.
  • The hydrogen peroxide chemical supplier is onsite this week to set up the new skid for the peroxide dosing system that will dose peroxide directly into the cooling water supply of the condenser towers to prevent biofouling. It is estimated that approximately $3,000 worth of peroxide will be used each month for this dosing system, which will help reduce the downtime of the condenser towers, and thus the dryers. The chemical supplier is expected to run the new stainless steel lines and finish installation next week to begin dosing peroxide.
  • Veolia continues to dose a small amount of ferric chloride for odor control.
  • Veolia staff completed several large maintenance jobs including the following:
  • A failed barrel was replaced on the fine screens. The barrel continuously drives the screens. The barrel broke and sagged. The manufacturer indicated that this was due to a faulty design. Veolia OM staff replaced the barrel which required a flow diversion, so it was a full plant effort.
  • The towbro replacement on secondary clarifier #5 is now complete. Veolia OM staff discovered that the framing assembly, made of the same hot-dipped galvanized material as the original towbro, was also rotted. Veolia OM staff built new fixtures out of stainless steel to repair the assembly.
  • A jig was also fabricated out of metal to support the towbro assembly during the installation process.
  • Secondary clarifier #2 was cleaned and washed as part of monthly preventative maintenance. It then had to be returned to service quickly in preparation for the rain that was forecasted. Monthly preventative maintenance, such as checking and cleaning gaskets, is performed on the secondary clarifiers in the summer since they are outside, and preventative maintenance is performed on the primary clarifiers in the winter because they are inside.
  • A lot of preventative maintenance work was completed in the Solids Handling Building as there were no major failures to address. Veolia OM staff replaced a grinding cartridge on the “muffin monster” that grinds hair and fibrous materials from the sludge tanks. The material was beginning to back up at the grinder so it was rebuilt in-house. Previously, the grinders would have to be sent to the shop for repair, but this work can now be performed in-house.
  • Installation of the redundant soft starts on raw sewage pumps #5 and #6 is mostly complete. The redundant soft starts allow for the pump to switch over to another starter if one fails to maintain operation. The pumps have been running for about 40 hours now, and there are just a few ancillary items to complete.
  • Various LED lighting upgrades were performed throughout the DWTF.
  • Routine maintenance was performed throughout DUWA’s collection system, which included checking and cleaning the batteries on the flow meters. It was a wet month so the collection system team did not make many confined space entries into the system.
  • Veolia’s Health and Safety Manager tracks the number of confined space entries performed each month. In May, 43 confined space entries were performed, 30 of which were performed by the collection system team which involved dealing with road traffic. All entries were performed successfully without injury.
  • Veolia received 338 Miss Dig tickets in May, of which 17 were emergency requiring a response within two hours, and sometimes after hours. The number of tickets received appears to be stabilizing for the construction season.

c. Chemical & Sludge Price Updates
Travis Tuma presented the summary of commodity unit price changes to the Board (Attachment 11). There have been no recent significant increases on chemical unit pricing. Very little peroxide was used in May so there will be no charge to DUWA for peroxide use in May. Additionally, a reduced amount of PACl and ferric chloride was used in May because the flows through the DWTF were higher as it was a wet month. Higher flows typically reduce odors and thus reduce the need for dosing peroxide and ferric chloride for odor mitigation.

Travis Tuma presented the sludge hauling volume tracker to the Board (Attachment 12). In May, 18 loads were hauled to the beneficial reuse facility in Canada, so a $1,500 surcharge was applied because fewer than 20 loads were delivered that month. However, in June, 27 loads were hauled to the beneficial reuse facility in Canada, so no surcharge fee was applied. The dryers ran more in the last couple months than they have since they were brought online. About 52% of the solids produced at the DWTF in May were dried and hauled to Canada for beneficial reuse, and this percentage should be even higher in June.

The beneficial reuse facility in Canada is now providing an extra trailer on Fridays to allow the dryers to remain operational through the weekend. Previously, the available trailers would be completely filled by Saturday, so the dryers would have to shut down on Sunday until Monday when another trailer would arrive. The extra trailer will continue to be provided until the new crusher is online, which will allow for more volume to be hauled per truckload so the extra trailer for the weekends will no longer be necessary. The extra trailer costs about $600 to cross the border empty on its way to the DWTF, but the savings realized with continued operation of the dryers and production of dried solids as opposed to landfilling the sludge is more than the $600 cost of the empty trailer.

Jeff Dobek (Riverview) asked when the new crusher will arrive. Travis Tuma responded that the new crusher is expected to arrive in August or September. The new crusher will have a larger, 10 hp motor so it will require a new wire and starter. There will be some effort to install and implement the larger crusher.

d. Existing Disinfection System Remaining Life Update
Travis Tuma stated that the UV system is currently running well and is achieving the required fecal disinfection. There has been minimal maintenance needed on the bulbs and ballasts, and the OM team continues to perform routine cleaning of the system. Veolia will continue to work with Trojan to replenish the inventory of OEM spare parts, as needed. Veolia is also continuing to search for opportunities to purchase spare parts from other facilities that are decommissioning their existing UV systems in preparation for installation of their new UV systems.

 

8. TREASURER’S REPORT

a. Community Self-Reporting Status Log
Treasurer Jason Couture (Taylor) presented the Community Self-Reporting Status Log (Attachment 13). All communities except Dearborn Heights are up to date on their self-reporting worksheets. River Rouge is now caught up on their self-reporting worksheets through March 2024. Accountant Doug Drysdale (DNS Financial Services/Southgate) stated that he is working with Dearborn Heights’ new controller to get them caught up. A late fee was assessed to Dearborn Heights on July 1, 2024.

b. Aging AR
Treasurer Jason Couture (Taylor) presented the Aging Accounts Receivable report (Attachment 14). He stated that the total amount in the Accounts Receivable is approximately $2.7M of which 95% is less than 60 days delinquent. No communities have outstanding payments over 60 days delinquent. There are some larger outstanding payments from industrial users related to their annual surcharge fees that are over 120 days delinquent. Accountant Doug Drysdale (DNS Financial Services/Southgate) is working with these industries to get them caught up on their payments, but it has been challenging to connect with the appropriate financial personnel. Late fees will be assessed to those industries with outstanding payments over 60 days delinquent as of July 1, 2024.

c. Pending Invoices
Treasurer Jason Couture (Taylor) presented the invoice register for a request for payment (Attachment 15). The invoice register included 33 invoices due for a total of $1,803,669.31. The largest invoices included those to Veolia for operation and maintenance services and unit cost reconciliations, Fausone & Grysko for legal services (and including Stantec’s services related to the Biosolids Dryer Project), and Wyandotte Municipal Services for utility services.

Greg Mayhew (Wyandotte) asked why the address on the ‘Electrical Services’ line item is listed as 8202 Pelham Road. Treasurer Jason Couture (Taylor) responded that this is an error in the ledger description. The description will be corrected on next month’s invoice register. Jeff Dobek (Riverview) asked if Fausone & Grysko applied a markup to Stantec’s invoice. Attorney Fausone responded that no markup was applied.

Motion by Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) and supported by Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) to pay the invoice register. The motion passed unanimously by all attending members.

 

9. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.

 

10. OTHER BUSINESS
Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) noted that the Thompson Saginaw manufacturing company in Saginaw, Michigan manufactures ball screws of various sizes for vehicles and commercial distribution. He stated that this company develops very durable parts using heat treatment and other coating methods, and their parts are performance tested under a variety of abrasive conditions. He suggested that the Biosolids Dryer project team reach out to this company to see if they may be able to manufacture or treat the pump rotors and stators to make them more abrasive-resistant and at what cost.

Chairperson McLeod (Allen Park) noted that EGLE distributed a communication indicating that a new State law has been passed that prohibits manufacturers from marketing their wipes as ‘flushable’ in the state of Michigan. Manufacturers are also required to post on the product that the wipes are not flushable. These wipes do not break down easily and thus can clog and damage the wastewater collection system and wastewater treatment plant equipment, which is costly to repair. Chairperson McLeod (Allen Park) requested that EGLE’s communication be shared with the Board and posted to DUWA’s website for further circulation throughout the local communities.

System Manager Tercala reminded the Board that several professional services contracts are up for renewal later this year. The professional services contracts for Plante Moran and DNS Financial Services are up for renewal at the end of December, and the professional services contract for OHM Advisors is up for renewal in September. She notified the Board that OHM Advisors will not be seeking a contract renewal in September. She stated that OHM has been with DUWA since 2017 and it has been very rewarding to see all the progress made and challenges overcome since that time. However, System Manager Tercala recently took a new role within OHM Advisors as the director of the 55-person Environmental and Water Resources Group, which will require more of her time and attention. System Manager Chamberlain also recently took a new role within OHM Advisors as a Project Manager. There were no clear candidates internal to OHM Advisors that could fill the System Manager role. Upon the request of the Board Officers, OHM is considering a few potential external candidates that could be hired as an OHM employee to serve in the System Manager role. More information on their interest and availability will be gathered in the coming weeks. If these candidates are not interested, then OHM will develop a Request for Proposals for a new System Manager. System Manager Tercala added that while OHM is not looking to renew its contract, she and System Manager Chamberlain will continue to support DUWA through the transition process to a new System Manager and will also continue to support the Biosolids Dryer Project efforts until successful completion. Mayor Joseph Kuspa (Southgate) and Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) expressed their appreciation for OHM’s efforts through the years.

 

11. NEXT BOARD MEETING DATE: THURSDAY | AUGUST 8, 2024 (9:00AM; IN-PERSON)
Chairperson McLeod (Allen Park) reminded the Board that the next meeting would take place on Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 9:00 AM in-person at Taylor City Hall.

 

12. ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business, Chairperson McLeod (Allen Park) announced that a motion to adjourn would be in order. Motion by Mayor Bill Bazzi (Dearborn Heights) and supported by Roxie Fairchild (Brownstown Township) to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously at 10:40 AM.

 

Meeting Minutes Prepared by:
Mackenzie Chamberlain  |  OHM Advisors, DUWA System Manager

Meeting Minutes Reviewed by:
Lambrina Tercala  |  OHM Advisors, DUWA System Manager

Attachments:

1. Meeting Agenda
2. June 13, 2024 DUWA Board Meeting Minutes
3. Monthly Legal Update (by Fausone & Grysko)
4. System Manager Report for July 2024 (by OHM Advisors)
5. UV Disinfection Replacement Project Update (by OHM Advisors)
6. Biosolids Dryer Facility Project June 2024 Monthly Progress Summary (by Veolia CPM)
7. Request to Approve the Purchase of Electrical Multipin Connections
8. Hydrogen Peroxide Memo of Understanding
9. Request to Approve Purchase of Dosing Pump Wear Parts
10. Monthly Operating Report for May 2024 (by Veolia OM)
11. DWTF Unit Price Changes Summary (by Veolia OM)
12. Sludge Volume Tracker (by Veolia OM)
13. Community Self-Reporting Status Log (by Doug Drysdale)
14. Aged Accounts Receivable Report, dated July 5, 2024 (by Doug Drysdale)
15. Invoice Register, dated July 5, 2024 (by Doug Drysdale)