water/wastewater

As the existing WHWD Birch Street facility tank reached the end of its useful life, the Board of Commissioners and Superintendent knew that the new design had to be carefully developed, continuing to be a symbol of the West Hempstead community. In conjunction with the District, H2M evaluated multiple tank designs, determining a composite elevated tank would best fit the needs of the District and their residents and set the trend as the first one constructed on Long Island. A composite tank combines concrete, steel, and welding, allowing a new alternative for engineers and tank construction. The composite tank utilizes concrete, in lieu of steel, as the tank pedestal which provides several benefits. First, the concrete is a more sustainable material for construction on Lon Island, especially in terms of corrosion-resilience to exposure from salt-laden wind coming off of the Atlantic Ocean. Second, concrete reduces the amount of surface area of steel requiring rehabilitation and coatings throughout the life of the tank. H2M had to specify and review certain protocols to ensure that the concrete would look uniform to provide an aesthetically pleasing landmark for the District. This included continuous reviews against mock-up walls and confirmation that the sand used in the concrete was uniform and sole-sourced. The contractor utilized jump forms to build the pedestal efficiently and quickly. The jump forms allowed the contractor to place concrete, allow curing, then utilize the same form by humping it to the next concrete pedestal ring. This compressed the construction schedule, decreased labor costs, increased the aesthetic consistency of the concrete, and reduced the overall cost of the placement of the concrete pedestal. H2M used their knowledge of coatings systems and evaluated interior and exterior coating systems available on the market. They examined which coatings would stand the test of time coupled with the long-term life expectancy of the concrete base. Ultimately, the final interior coating system would provide the longest and most cost effective, as well as VOC compliant system available in the Country. The new tank, now capable of storing 1 million gallons will serve the community well into the next century, all while providing lower maintenance costs and paving the way for other purveyors to follow

Under the Additional Services Task in the Annual Retainer Agreement, the Huntington Sewer District requested H2M provide engineering services for the replacement of existing rotating biological contactors (RBCs) at the District’s scavenger wastewater pre-treatment facility. The purpose of the scavenger waste pre-treatment facility is to reduce the concentration of BOD and suspend solids from septic tank pump-outs before the wastewater is conveyed to the Huntington Sewer District treatment plant influent wet well to allow additional treatment. The pre-treatment facility has a design flow of 86,000 gallons per day (gpd). The pre-treatment facility includes four RBCs. The RBCs have been in service for about 30 years and have reached the end of its useful life. Over the life of the equipment, the shafts on the first two RBCs had been reworked and shaft bearings had been replaced several times. H2M prepared the technical specification used by the District to bid the purchase of replacement RBCs. The specification included requirements for the shaft, media, bearings, and drives, along with manufacturer delivery and start-up services. The first two RBCs were replaced in 2016. Replacement of the third RBC will be completed in 2018. After each bid award, H2M also reviewed the manufacturers submittal. Removal of the existing and installation of new RBCs has been done under a District requirement contract.

The Riverhead Sewer District was required to upgrade the existing sewage treatment plant in order to achieve a total nitrogen effluent limitation of 3.2 mg’l based on the total maximum daily load (TMDL) conducted for the Peconic Estuary Program. Due to the location of the Suffolk County Indian Island Golf Course, adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant, wastewater effluent will be used seasonally as an alternative water supply source for irrigation of up to 450,000 gallons per day. This is the first wastewater reuse project in New York. Benefits from this project extend well beyond nitrogen loading within the Peconic Estuary. Water shortages may change the water supply conditions that are currently taken for granted. The golf course currently utilizes on-site wells for irrigation. Continued use of groundwater as the irrigation source of supply is bound to affect the salt water / fresh water boundary. Irrigation with potable water from the local municipal system is already expensive and puts a stress on the existing potable water supply. We designed the treatment plant upgrade and water reuse systems. The design included the installation of all process equipment including, but not limited to: headworks fine screen, screenings, washings, add air diffusers to the existing Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) tank, convert the existing post-equalization tank to Membrane Biological Reactor (MBR) system, aeration blowers, pumps, chemical feed equipment, polymer mixing and feed equipment, controls, piping, backflow preventers, convert the existing trickling filter tanks to treated effluent tanks, a booster pump for the treatment plant effluent re-use system, a booster pump to supply treatment plant effluent for irrigation use at the adjoining golf course, UV disinfection equipment for WWTP discharge, and a closed vessel UV disinfection system for the golf course re-use systems. The electrical design included a primary electrical service, main secondary feeders, power distribution, and instrumentation control wiring, standby generator for new equpment, and motor control centers. We also prepared the structural, architectural, mechanical, plumbing and HVAC designs. Since permit levels of treatment must be maintained during construction, certain existing process equipment and units cannot be taken offline until new facilities are placed into permanent, fault free operation. Consequently, we included the specifications a construction sequence. During construction we provided construction administration and resident construction inspection services. We also prepared an operation and maintenance manual for the upgraded advanced wastewater treatment system and the water reuse systems.

The Nassau County Bay Park Sewage Treatment Facility sustained catastrophic damage as a result of Super Storm Sandy and the associated high winds, flooding, and salt water intrusion. H2M was called upon for electrical engineering assistance and to provide design and construction administration services. The significant storm surge damaged various mechanical equipment, electrical equipment, electrical conductors and conduit, and in-turn shut down many of the plant’s operations and treatment systems. H2M was called upon for electrical engineering assistance to successfully complete the restoration of plant operations. Then H2M was selected to provide design and construction administration services for the Phase E2 upgrade work to the second unit substation providing power to several crucial treatment and operations systems throughout the facility. As part of the Program Management joint venture team, H2M worked closely with NCDPW employes and the joint venture team to prepare complete design documents for this $19 million upgrade project. The design was completed within an expedited five month time frame in order to meet FEMA reimbursement goals and County schedule requirements. The principle features of the work to be performed consists of designing a new/upgraded electrical distribution systems that are to be placed above the designated flood/surge water high water level of 18.25 above mean sea level (approximately 10 feet above current grade). The new substation architectural design was to be based on previous architecture concepts for earlier design phases but expanded to house the substation and external transformers within a single elevated building foot print. Demolition and removal of a two story masonry and concrete Odor Control building with all process mechanical piping, equipment, and associated appurtenances inside the Building was required to create space to construct the new unit substation. Demolition and construction of a new raised MCC room within the Effluent Screening and Disinfection Building (ESDB), and all related miscellaneous electrical power and control service interconnections, was determined to be a more cost effective approach to relocating all these systems to the new unit substation. Design services also included: concrete encased electrical ducts (medium voltage and low voltage), manholes and handholes including excavation, conduit, reinforcement, and concrete encasement, bedding, backfilling, and surface restoration; demoltion of the Odor Control Building; replacement of ESDB Roofing System; existing loads/MCCs served by existing Unit Substation #2 (USS2) were repowered via new USS2; and new raised electric service feeds to the Fire Protection Building and Dechlorination Building from USS2. H2M also performed construction engineering services for the Phase E2 project which included: shop drawing review, design document clarifications, periodic inspections, review of proposed modifications, and changes to the design.

In Winter of 2014, NJ American Water Operations and Engineering identified a combination of planning trends that indicated a possible occurrence of peak demands for a series of 2-4 days, during the system’s Summer operating season, in excess of the system’s firm capacity. H2M was brought in to evaluate the various source treatment and property assets of NJAW in the Coastal North service area. After reporting on the logistical constraints and engaging in risk management reviews with NJAW, H2M acted as design engineer, permitting agent, and construction manager/inspector during the implementation and pilot-scale testing of two 1.15 MGD mobile ultrafiltration membrane treatment units at NJAW’s Swimming River Water Treatment Plant. After the success of the summer 2014 pilot program, NJAW decided to move forward with the implementation of membrane technology at a larger scale to supplement SRWTP capacity for all historic high-demand months of 2015. H2M provided services in detailed engineering design, permitting coordination, membrane technology and vendor selection assistance, bid phase services, full time construction administration, and observation services, as well as on-site commissioning and startup assistance. To fully support this implementation several facility process upgrades were necessary, such as the installation of new raw water feed piping, and construction of additional waste stream handling piping and related yard infrastructure. After the site improvements, major electrical upgrades and controls integration with existing plant SCADA were also required. Finally, with the new available supplementary treatment capacity, NJAW was able to meet its peak seasonal demand and provide greater operational flexibility and redundancy to the Coastal North Service area.

H2M WASselected by the Village of Patchogue in 2004 to prepare the engineering feasibility study followed by the Facility Plan in 2005 and design in 2007 to upgrade and expand from the existing 0.5 million gallons per day (MGD) rotating biological contractor (BNC) facility to a facility with new 0.8 MGD biological nutrient removal (BNR) processing and sludge thickening treatment processes. The design also incorporated future expansion capability to 1.2 MGD. With the new facility improvements, the Village of Patchogue has been able to provide better effluent quality discharge through the new process improvements thereby directly impacting the quality of the Patchogue River and South Shore Estuary Reserve. Additionally, the new facility allows the Village to expand the sewer district and accommodate future development and revitalization of the Patchogue waterfront. Raw sewage from the existing collection system is introduced into the new system through a new grinder and auger for solids removal followed by an aerated grit removal system. From a pump station using converted existing tanks, raw sewage is sent to new process tanks. Flow is diverted to an anoxic tank for denitrification followed by an aerated process tank for nitrification. The process which aerates and nitrifies the wastewater is the energy efficient Integrated Fixtaed Film Activated Sludge System or IFAS system using the STM-Aerotor. This novel system provides the oxygen necessary for biological processing through hollow discs attached to rotating wheels within the tanks. Once processed, the wastewater flows by gravity to a splitter box followed by settling through two new clarifiers. Effluent from the clarifiers is sent to and treated through two ultraviolet (UV) disinfection channels which house two banks each of lamps. The UV system replaces chlorine disinfection. The treated wastewater is then discharged to the Patchogue River. Waste sludge produced by the biological process is discharged to a membrane sludge thickening system. The existing digester and primary tank were converted to transfer and thicken waste sludge from 0.5% to 3% sludge for final disposal. Funding for the project was received through a number of sources, including $1.7 million from the CW/CA Bond Act and Environmental Protection Fund Grant provided by the New York State Department of Conservation; $2.8 million from the Green Grant Reserve; and $2.8 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The remaining $3 million was subsidized by a 20 year low interest loan through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation. We helped prepare the necessary applications and supporting documentation (including a full environmental assessment) to procure this funding. During project construction, we were retained to ensure contractors were adhering to the requirements of ARRA and NYSEFC in order for the Village to maintain these funding sources. Responsibilities included: verifying compliance with M/WBE and American Iron and Steel requirements; preparing quarterly progress status reports required by NYSEFC; providing close-out documents and final project certification to NYSEFC.

H2M was responsible for the professional engineering services associated with the design of two new identical wellhead treatment systems for volatile organic compound (VOC) removal at three pump stations servicing four wells. This project was noted as the highest priority project in the WAWNC Master Plan. A fourth pump station, servicing five booster pumps and one well, was also designed to be rehabilitated under this project. This four site, five well project is currently being constructed in three one year phases. VOC concentrations above the NYS Maximum Contaminant Level for VOCs. The fourth well, also impacted by VOCs, has been available for only the summer peak pumping season through use of temporary granular activated carbon vessels. When in operation, these wells feed directly into a 4.7 MG ground storage tank. The WAWNC has been unable to utilize the maximum storage capacity of the tank due to lack of acceptable water quality from the three wells. Restoring the capacity of these wells would provide the WAWNC with 5.55 MGD of much needed reserve capacity. H2M conducted a comprehensive engineering study which led to the preparation of design documents detailing the construction of two 27 foot tall air stripping towers, operating in series, for every two VOC impacted wells. Additionally, tower air discharge vents were specified to comply with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) air emission guidelines, as required by Nassau County Department of Health (NCDH). For system versatility, one treatment facility was designed with the option of pumping directly to the distribution system or to the 4.7 MG storage tank. Three separate chemical bulk storage systems for sodium hypochlorite, zinc orthophosphate, and sodium hydroxide were also detailed in accordance with NYSDEC and NCDH regulations. In addition to the capital upgrades for treatment, the WAWNC also chose to rehabilitate a fourth pump station within this wellhead treatment project. The fourth pump station required the reactivation of one groundwater well, and rehabilitation of five booster pumps that pump from the 4.7 MG storage tank to the distribution system. This groundwater well has been out of service for several years due to elevated nitrate levels. H2M redesigned the existing site piping system to blend the water from this well with the treated water from the aforementioned wells to reduce nitrate concentrations and improve the WAWNC system capacity. The scope of work included in the construction documents is generally described below:

•  Select site demolition across four sites
• Rehabilitation/reactivation of well and booster pumps
• Conversion of submersible well pumps to vertical well pumps
• Installation of four 27 foot tall air stripping towers with below grade clearwells
• Installation of transfer pumps and finished water pumps
• Installation of chemical bulk storage tanks and chemical feed systems
• Construction and/or rehabilitation of new and existing buildings
• Installation of generators
• Installation of motor control centers and power distribution
• Site piping and grading modifications
• Installation of new fences, gate operator, driveway, curbs and sidewalk

H2M is administering the construction of this multi-year project, including on-site inspection, shop drawing review, contractor and owner coordination, start-up operations, and regulatory approvals. Completion of the three phases will upgrade the entire group of stations and make them invaluable operating systems.

The Borough of Spring Lake Heights in Monmouth County owns and operates the Shore Road and Black Creek Pump Stations, of respective capacities 0.5 and 1.0 MGD. The facilities are located in areas that may be exposed to chronic flooding, when compared to 100-year and 500-year return period storm mapping produced by the FEMA National Flood Hazard program. Flood inundation at critical infrastructure facilities expose communities to risk of public health threats and environmental compliance hazards. In an effort to mitigate such risk, Spring Lake Heights has entered into a funding agreement with the State of New Jersey’s Office of Emergency Management via their Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The agreement provides access to funding in exchange for a commitment to deliver infrastructure upgrades associated with flood exposure risk mitigation, with a specified time frame. The approved Scope of Work for the project consists of a series of enhancements at both pump stations, including the purchase and installation of a generator at each site. Process electrical equipment and controls will be elevated to a minimum of three feet above the 500-year flood elevation, and flood-proofing measures to the existing wet wells and elevation of pump housings will be performed. The sub-agreement further specifies that the work is designed, bid, installed and commissioned into service on or before a deadline of September 17, 2018, with the potential for a schedule extension if circumstances warrant.

H2M was selected by the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority (BTMUA) to provide professional engineering services to comprehensively evaluate its system assets, existing and future demand centers, special regulatory criteria as a surface water supplier in NJ Water Supply Critical Area #1 - and combine those demands and constraints into a new Water Supply Master Plan document to be used as a living planning tool to assist in the MUA’s growth and resilience. The H2M team, utilizing a system model constructed for this engagement, will provide BMUA with an operational support tool designed to facilitate planning and operational decision making at the field and executive levels. Master planning, including robust regulatory status and future compliance evaluations are part of the deliverable. The analytical efforts conceived under this master planning effort is diverse. Once the existing conditions have been evaluated and a potential future state is defined, the H2M led team will assist BMUA in conducting a gap analysis, which identifies any differences between existing assets and goals for the planning period. The results of the condition assessment, supply source analysis, and water resources projections will be used to arrive at one of three potential outcomes:

1. A component meets its standard both now and at the end of the planning period.
2. A component meets its standard now, but may not meet it by the end of the planning period, either due to anticipated deterioration or different performance/capacity requirements in the future.
3. A component does not meet its standard now. The components that are not expected to meet their standards by the end of the planning period will then be assigned criticality scores, which will be combined with the magnitudes of the gaps to develop risk priorities. The components will be compared to two primary sets of constraints or regulatory stressors: performance criteria with regard to supply resiliency, and performance criteria with regard to finished water quality and quantity. The regulatory framework established by the MUA’s Water Allocation Permit and various Permits-to-Operate (via Bureau of Water System Engineering) will provide a clear picture of existing constraints, and a starting point for evaluating the effects of future environmental changes and finished water quality requirements.

Finally, a triple-bottom-line framework will be applied to project alternatives. In order to streamline the planning and execution of sustainable practices, our team has employed the triple bottom line framework of the Envision Sustainable Rating System as a powerful project guidance and decision-making tool, successfully using it as a vehicle to address the full spectrum of disciplines under the umbrella of sustainability. Envision was developed by the Zofnass Institute of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, in collaboration with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Council of Engineering Companies, and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

At the Water Authority of Western Nassau County’s (WAWNC) Plants 28 and 30, 7.0 MGD of potable drinking water is supplied to consumers through a series of four groundwater wells. Iron concentrations at both plants had exceeded the established standard and rendered the existing treatment ineffective. The presence of iron in the groundwater had also severely impacted the well itself, leading to a considerable reduction in capacity. WAWNC made the decision to install an iron treatment system to remove the iron from the groundwater—making sure to keep in mind that the site in question was located in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Sand filtration technology is a proven, cost-effective approach for the removal of iron from drinking water. WAWNC elected to install a pressurized sand filtration system that would be fully automated, which simplifies operations and requires only routine maintenance from plant personnel. To situate this plant in the residential neighborhood, all aspects of the plant, including filters, the control room, chemical storage, piping and equipment, were designed to blend in, utilizing features consistent with surrounding properties. Sustainable design elements such as LED lighting and cementitious siding were included to lessen the project’s impact on the environment. Since inception, the result has been iron-free water, reducing rusty water complaints and ensuring a clean, reliable source of drinking water to WAWNC’s customers for years to come. The completed design met and exceeded the client’s desire for a sustainable-oriented facility that blends in with the existing neighborhood. The automated controls of the facility will continue to add to the cost efficiency of this plant.

California-based Sunkist Growers wanted to reduce their water supply costs, and with a remote farm property that was going to be sold for development, they needed to eliminate the need for the existing discharge to the property. H2M traveled cross-country to review Sunkist’s existing facility, its water use, and discharge permits. Inspections of the facility were then performed to best identify and evaluate how and where water was being utilized and wastewater was being generated. During the course of the inspection, two studies were conducted—a wastewater management study and a bench scale treatability study. The wastewater management study was able to establish an overall water balance for the facility, identifying high water consumption areas and wastewater generation; provide recommendations for water conservation and reuse; and present a preliminary design for wastewater reclamation. The bench scale treatability study demonstrated the importance of solids removal in improving wastewater quality. These studies, combined with the inspections of the facility, led to a preliminary design that would provide Sunkist the ability to properly plan its cost-cutting plant upgrades.

South Farmingdale Water District was ready for an upgrade to its iron removal system. The existing system had been designed and constructed in 1998 and used a Ferrosand for filtering. Experiencing reduced back wash run times and iron clogging, the District chose H2M for the upgrade of the filter media. H2M specified a manganese greensand for the new filter media. Greensand is an organic clay mineral product that is bluish-green in color. As water is passed through the greensand material, soluble iron is oxidized from the solution and becomes a solid particle. The solid iron oxide is then trapped in the greensand filter. Updating the filter media to this material allowed the District to switch from using potassium permanganate for regeneration of the greensand to using only chlorine; chlorine being both cheaper and easier to use and store than potassium permanganate. A second benefit was the durability of the greensand, which allowed for less frequent backwashes and a lower percentage of waste. Reusing the two 8-foot diameter, 23-foot long horizontal pressure vessels for the iron removal system, the upgrade included updated controls and chemical treatment safety panels. The project met its goals for both time and budget.

Completely surrounded by salt water, Long Island derives almost all of its drinking water from groundwater aquifers. Suffolk County alone uses nearly 200 million gallons of groundwater daily. Protecting the underground aquifers that supply that water is a key mission of the County. With most of the county unsewered, the majority of homes and businesses have septic tank systems that discharge their wastewater back into the ground. This presents a risk to our aquifers, as nitrates leach from the septic systems into the groundwater. Suffolk County recently hired H2M to investigate alternatives to septic systems using alternative on-site sewage disposal system (AOSSDS) technologies. The goal of the study was to explore the viability of alternative systems to traditional cesspools and leach fields. The systems investigated had to meet effluent requirements for total nitrogen of 10 mg/L or less. Studying over 60 technologies for both residential and commercial applications, we developed a short list of five technologies that would reduce nitrogen concentrations by 87%. We also presented costs for design, installation, operations, and maintenance. A review of other states’ alternative treatment technology implementation and regulations included Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Routine inspection of the South Huntington Water District’s Plant 13 concrete tank revealed deficiencies that needed to be addressed. The concrete dome roof was in poor condition. Patch repairs weren’t holding. Something was going to give. The District hired H2M to design a replacement for the 50-year-old, post-tensioned concrete dome roof. An aluminum geodesic dome design was selected for its lightweight, low-maintenance construction and ease of installation; with an aluminum frame and panels, corrosion would not pose an issue, and no painting or coating system would be required. New OSHA-compliant interior and exterior access ladders, complete with a stainless steel cable safety climb system, were also installed. The District took this opportunity to coat the exterior of the tank. The existing coating had become unsightly and unflattering for the highest visible point in the Town. Selecting a modern, high-performance coating system compliant with all New York State Department of Health VOC emission regulations, H2M specified a breathable, waterborne, single-component, acrylic elastomeric coating. The roll-on and spray-on coating system was easy to apply to the tank’s exterior after cleaning. Providing design services, construction administration, and inspection, H2M brought the project in both on time and under budget, a win-win for everyone.

Plainview Water District’s 1.25 million-gallon elevated water tank, constructed in 1970, was in need of a full interior and exterior coatings rehabilitation. Inspection of the carbon steel tank revealed that its existing coatings system had reached the end of its expected service life and was exhibiting blistering, delamination, and corrosion across 60 percent of the structure. Rehabilitation of the carbon steel tank required abrasive blasting, a process that generates an enormous amount of dust. With the tank located in the middle of a residential neighborhood, it was critical that a fully engineered containment system alleviate dust nuisance. H2M specified a containment system that resulted in not a single dust complaint from the surrounding neighborhood over the six-month term of the project.

Looking for a rehabilitation of one of their three water tanks, the City of Yonkers called H2M. After performing a structural and coating systems evaluation on the 1 million gallon steel elevated storage tank, H2M recommended full rehabilitation of the interior and exterior coatings. The existing systems were chipping, peeling and chalking, signs that they had reached the end of their expected service life. H2M also recommended installation of a passive Tideflex mixing system, which would allow the Water Department to easily turn over the tank’s contents and mitigate stagnant water inside the tank. Construction was timed to start in the fall, after the City’s pumping season ended. Early winter weather caused a delay that put the project at risk of missing the next pumping season. Reworking the schedule, H2M directed the interior coating and the Tideflex installation during the winter months, and the exterior prep and paint work in the spring. The schedule was met and the project completed on time. H2M provided the traditional services of contract administration and construction inspection as well as a newer, but much needed service, cellular coordination. As water towers are often the tallest structures in the area and cell phone networks continue to fill in their missing service areas, the two have come together, with cell phone antennas mounted to the exterior of the water tank. For the City of Yonkers, their 202 foot tall tank was home to 18 antennas from multiple wireless phone companies. H2M coordinated the removal and re-installation of antennas, routing of conduits, and upgrade of equipment during the rehabilitation.

When West Hempstead Water District was ready to start developing their digital water supply and distribution system management program, they asked H2M to create a new GIS. In the process, we converted their existing AutoCAD-based distribution map into an ArcGIS geodatabase format. The new GIS map contains over 15 themes, including roadways, street names, water mains, valves, fire hydrants, tanks, buildings, parcels, and municipal boundary lines. The water distribution system was also digitized into a “geometric network” format. This format allows the District to perform special GIS functions in the future, such as plotting a main break and automatically identifying which valves need to be closed. In addition, the District could automatically determine which customers are affected by the break and generate notification emails. Distribution system water mains, valves and fire hydrants were all placed into the GIS along with the available attribute data, such as main sizes. Over 167 historical valve sketches and field notes were scanned and hyperlinked to their respective geographic valve locations. We provided and installed the new GIS on the District’s computers, making a free, read-only version of the GIS map available for District personnel use. The District is in the process of planning the continued development of the GIS to further improve their operations and management capabilities.

Long Island American Water (LIAW) was concerned about the condition of two of its water mains; crossing the Reynolds Channel, both mains serve as transmission mains to supply water to the Village of Atlantic Beach, a barrier beach community located on the south shore of Long Island. After conducting visual inspections and leak detection surveys of the two transmission mains, LIAW determined that the west crossing was partially undermined and exposed at the bottom of the channel. A considerable leak was also discovered in this same main. The east crossing was found to be in satisfactory condition. LIAW elected to plan for the replacement of both crossings, with priority given to the west crossing because of its poor condition. Ultimately, the west crossing was completed in September 2011, while the east crossing is slated for replacement within three to 10 years. H2M prepared design documents for the replacement of approximately 1,400 LF of existing 16” water main at the west crossing and approximately 2,200 LF of existing water main at the east crossing. The replacement consists of new 20” diameter, corrosion-resistant High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, installed via horizontal directional drilling (HDD). This trenchless excavation method eliminates the need to dig elaborate trenches in order to replace piping, reducing construction costs and minimizing the project’s impact on the surrounding area.

Serviced by onsite sanitary systems, the business districts of Kings Park and Smithtown are constrained from future growth. Future development in these growing downtowns is limited due to the capacity of cesspools, septic tanks, and leach fields to handle sanitary output. Providing sewers to these downtown areas will benefit existing businesses and make future construction of apartments, medical offices/practices and restaurants possible. H2M performed an engineering design report for both communities as part of a study commissioned by the Suffolk County Department of Public Works (SCDPW). Due to the distance between the two downtowns, two separate reports were developed for the communities. The Kings Park Business District consists of 140 business establishments across a 65-acre area within the Town of Smithtown. With a projected average design flow of 329,000 gallons per day, the proposed sewer system will include 8,200 LF of gravity sewers and a conventional pump station with a 1.4 mile long force main. A gravity sewer will need to be jacked under the LIRR in order to service the entire business district. The Smithtown Business District is larger, with 350 business establishments across a 280-acre area. The proposed sewer system will include a 22,500 LF low pressure sewer, 1,600 LF of gravity sewer, and a conventional pump station with a 3.2 mile long force main. The projected average design flows are in excess of 500,000 GPD. Upon approval of the engineering reports, H2M will proceed with the design of sewerage systems and begin the subsequent planning and design for the filter and effluent pump station upgrades to the Suffolk County Sewer District No. 6 Sewage Treatment Plant.

With constant flooding of its parking lot and difficulty maintaining its leaching pools, Simply Lite Food Corp. knew it was time for a change. Discharging approximately 5,000 gallons per day of processed wastewater to groundwater, Simply Lite retained H2M to determine where, how and how much water was being used; identify where process wastewater was being generated; and define the characteristics of the process wastewater. A comprehensive inspection of the facility was performed, uncovering several areas of highly excessive water use. H2M proposed immediate recommendations, which resulted in a reduction of water use at the facility of over 30%. These recommendations, coupled with a 20,000 gallon hold-and-haul tank, allowed Simply Lite to meet local agency regulations.

A fire left most of Oak Tree Dairy destroyed, but its wastewater treatment plant was left unscathed. As part of the plant’s reconstruction, and because of new permit limits for nitrogen removal, a new treatment plant design was created. H2M prepared a facility plan that would maintain the original design flow of 80,000 gallons per day. After evaluation, it was discovered that the new treatment plant will meet the requirements for nitrogen removal at the existing flow because of the three blowers incorporated within the design, which are turned on and off the achieve the required degree of nitrogen reduction.

The sewage treatment plant at the Lakes at Setauket condominium complex was beginning to show its age in both operation and capacity. The plant featured a manual airlift wasting system which used compressed air to transfer sludge from one tank to another. This system required the plant operator to manually open and close air valves each day to maintain proper biology and prevent build-up of older, odor-causing sludge. A missed day often resulted in unpleasant smells emanating from the plant. H2M redesigned the wasting system with an automatic sludge pump, featuring a peristaltic-style hose pump. This new pump automation allowed for the transfer of older sludge without the operator visiting on a daily basis. The new control panel allows for periodic adjustment of the pump duration in response to different loading during weekends and weekdays. These improvements created a more efficient, automatically operated treatment plant that keeps the biology, air mixture, and sewage treatment optimized for the community’s needs. The outcome to the residents was reduced operating costs and a treatment plant with fewer odors.

The Hicksville Water District faced a difficult task when high levels of nitrates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in two of their water supply wells. The source of the contamination was determined to be former residential septic systems that were still in place, over-fertilization of lawns and farms, and industrial operations in the area. H2M was tasked with finding the most viable and cost effective treatment solution to correct the nitrate and VOC problem. The nitrate issue was addressed with the addition of an ion exchange system. The idea behind an ion exchange system is to run a water stream through a pressurized vessel containing ion-exchange resin. The resin consists of small beads (0.5 to 1 mm in diameter) made from an organic material. The beads appear solid, but allow for microscopic particles to pass in and out of their skins, much like living cells transfer solutions through their cell walls. In this case, the ion exchanger removes nitrates from the water stream, which is then blended back into the pumped well water. Removal of VOCs was handled using an air stripping system. Using a tower for this process, the contaminated water is sprayed into the top of the tower and allowed to filter down through a plastic packing medium which increases the surface area of the water. At the same time, air is forced into the base of the tower and exhausted out the top. As the air and water droplets collide, VOCs attach to the air molecules and are “stripped” out of the water stream. The cleaner water then exits the tower base and is returned to the water supply. H2M’s completed design included a new building to house the ion exchange process, a new air stripping tower, pump modifications and a new process control system. With a flow rate of 3.4 MGD, the new water treatment processes reduce nitrates and VOCs to well below maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for both compounds.

When Port Jefferson’s wastewater treatment facility was faced with more stringent Long Island Sound nitrogen pollutant loading, the Suffolk County Department of Public Works sought to increase the quality of the plant’s effluent while preserving as much of the existing plant infrastructure as possible. H2M proposed a new sequencing batch reactor (SBR) that reused all of the plant’s existing process tanks. A multi-stage, absorption odor control system was provided for the thickened sludge storage tank, and the plant’s original chlorine disinfection system was replaced with an ultraviolet disinfection system. In addition, a new operations building was constructed to house control ancillary equipment such as: the sludge belt thickener; polymer feed and mixing system; air supply blowers; electrical motor control centers; and control panels. The new facilities were designed into the site’s natural steep slopes to maximize the buffer distance to neighboring residences and to maintain the existing natural landscaping. The new process system discharges a superior-quality effluent with less than 4.0 mg/l total nitrogen, in accordance with the Long Island Sound Study requirements.

At a time when the United States Postal Service was washing its fleet of trucks at an outside facility, H2M was retained to determine whether or not a truck wash facility would be a realistic goal at one of their Mail Processing and Distribution Centers. After carefully evaluating several locations, a determination was made as to which of the locations would best be suited for the new USPS truck wash. Consideration was given to each facility’s age, traffic flow and current utilities. Additionally, water reuse and sewage disposal were also considered as an investigation was performed to determine whether the facility would connect to a nearby municipal sewer or have its own on-site wastewater treatment and disposal plant. According to the specific needs of the client, recommendations led to a preliminary building layout and the eventual design of a 50-foot by 120-foot truck wash. The structure was designed with masonry walls, handheld prewash equipment, a full-contact vehicle wash system and a 70% washwater recycling system.

At a time when there had been a lull in occupancy at this Manhasset, NY building, the property owner received a letter from the Nassau County Department of Health (NCDH). They were proposing that, through implementation of a water conservation plan, the sanitary sewage discharge limit was to be reduced to 4,700 gallons per day (GPD). However, NCDH’s proposed number was not indicative of full occupancy for the 220,000-square-foot, four-story office building, which had originally received approval from NCDH to design a 28,000 GPD on-site sanitary system. That system, which was currently in place, was designed to accommodate a fully occupied building of 2,071 people. With NCDH proposing significant changes, H2M conducted a water usage analysis of the building. Through the analysis, H2M reviewed the relation between building occupancy data and water usage from 1999 through 2007, also reviewing the water usage date for the property’s irrigation meter. H2M was then able to determine the water usage of the building at full occupancy with current plumbing fixtures. This led to a request for a proposed discharge limit of 14,414 GPD from NCDH, which was approved, avoiding the major cost of replacing the current on-site sanitary system.

If a new house went up on your block, would you bake a cake, take a walk over to your new neighbors, and welcome them to the neighborhood? Not in this case. If you happen to live on Meleny Road in Locust Valley, your new neighbor is the Locust Valley Sewage Pump Station, operated by the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County. The pump station is cleverly disguised in this attractive little house designed and landscaped by H2M. H2M’s wastewater engineers designed a pump station and conveyance system for 60 homes in the Continental Villas subdivision that would allow for the future connection of an additional 120 homes. Most of the 3 mile long force main was installed using the directional drill method, which minimized restoration time and construction impacts. Wastewater from these areas will be carried to the newly-constructed pump station for conveyance to a nearby treatment plant. In addition to vastly improving water quality and sanitation for residents, the project eliminated septic system discharge to nearby wetlands and removed a chlorine discharge to neighboring Mill Neck Creek.

H2M's client, a global cosmetics company, uses its Kentucky-based plant to manufacture shampoos, conditioners, hair gels and hairspray for national distribution. The facility discharges both sanitary and industrial wastewater streams through separate building sewer laterals. However, its permit to discharge the waste, some of which contains greater concentrations than normal sewage, came with a surcharge. A review of the facility was conducted by H2M as it relates to water usage and wastewater generation, with the objective of identifying means to reduce wastewater strength to minimize the surcharge fees being imposed by the sewer district. In its assessment of the plant, H2M uncovered that the cleaning procedures used were responsible for the spikes in the plant’s effluent stream. After discussions with the plant’s staff, a cost-saving measure was proposed to modify the current cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedure. The modified CIP would repeat only the final rinse cycle of products in need of cleaning. This, in turn, reduced the chemical and water usage. Conversely, it was also uncovered that products were using an excessive water amount for cleaning. H2M recommended the operator control panel be reprogrammed to allow for the cleaning duration to be selected based on the product in the tank, thus reducing water usage and wastewater generation.

When the South Farmingdale Water District sought to enhance their existing water supply and distribution system management program, they turned to H2M to create a GIS to meet their needs. And when they decided that they would need on-the-go access to their data, they requested a mobile GIS solution. The District’s new ArcGIS-based map contains over 40 layers, including road right-of-ways, street names, water mains, valves, fire hydrants, tax parcels, water plant sites, buildings, boundary lines, and land surface contours. Over 1,000 valve sketches were scanned and hyperlinked to the valve layer, providing the District with quick access to vital information in an emergency situation, such as a water main break. Updates to the GIS are able to be made as the distribution system changes and newer data becomes available. H2M also developed a new mobile GIS system using tablet computers for the District. Setting up a secure ArcGIS.com cloud-based web map, the maps can be viewed on Apple iPads and other tablet computers. The free ArcGIS mobile app provides the same capabilities of their existing desktop GIS, such as the ability to identify features’ attributes, switch basemaps, measure lengths and areas, and access valve sketches and record maps quickly and effortlessly in the office and out in the field. The iPads also provide the ability to collect additional GIS data and photos, leveraging the tablet’s internal GPS to zoom directly to a specific location.

What does it take to revitalize a struggling downtown in the midst of an economic downturn? Leadership, public and private investment, and community support—not to mention a first-class wastewater treatment plant. With H2M’s help, the Village of Patchogue, NY, recently upgraded and expanded their Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP); the new upgrades include a new headworks section with grinder and auger, grit removal, pump station, IFAS STM-Aerotor process, Secondary Clarifiers with a dry pit sludge pump station, ultraviolet disinfection, and a Membrane Sludge Thickening (MBT) system. The upgrade and expansion reduced the plant’s average nitrogen loading by 80 percent—from 47.5 lbs. per day to less than 9 lbs. per day—improving the water quality of the Patchogue River, Great South Bay, and South Shore estuary. The use of a Membrane Sludge Thickening (MBT) process reduced the amount of sludge to be hauled to another Suffolk County facility, saving the Village $330,000 per year at the current flow rate, and over $1.0 million per year at full capacity. Fast-track design enabled the securing of grants to cover 66% of the project’s budget. Most importantly, the project has created an engine for revitalization of the Village of Patchogue’s downtown and surrounding areas, as expanding the sewer plant’s capacity provided opportunities to connect new and existing businesses. New connections have resulted in additional revenue for the Village, offsetting maintenance operation and future expansion costs. The result has been a staggering multi-million-dollar investment in Patchogue’s revitalization efforts. "Over the past eight years, there has been over $150 million dollars’ worth of public and private investment in the Village of Patchogue, with another $150 million currently underway,” said Village Mayor Paul Pontieri. “This type of investment doesn't happen without a wastewater treatment plant. It also doesn't happen without the right partners, and for Patchogue, that partner has been H2M.”

The Greenlawn Water District owns and maintains the tallest water storage tank on Long Island. At 219 feet above grade, the tank holds 1 million gallons of water to help support water pressures to Greenlawn’s 12,000 customers. H2M performed preliminary inspection, prepared plans and specifications for the rehabilitation of the tank and provided inspection services during the rehab. Beginning with a Present Condition Evaluation (PCE), H2M conducted a comprehensive, on-site evaluation of the structure’s current condition. Certain design elements required specialized treatment, such as containment during abrasive blasting operations, considerations for the height of the structure and VOC limitations for potable water interior coating systems in New York State. Upon completion of the project on schedule and within budget, Robert Santoriello, Superintendent of the Greenlawn Water District said, “This is a prime example of a well-organized firm, keeping us informed throughout the project. H2M has an intimate involvement with the project to ensure success when the final product is completed.”

Covering 1,400 acres and over 220 buildings, the Hauppauge Industrial Park is the second largest industrial park on the east coast. Despite being home to 1,300 businesses employing more than 55,000 people, only a portion of the parcels within the park were connected to sewers. The two existing treatment facilities in the district had a combined flow capacity of 450,000 gallons per day. H2M designed an expansion of the Suffolk Business Center treatment plant, which allowed an increase in capacity to 1.65 million gallons per day. The expansion will allow 250 additional properties to be connected to sewers. The expansion plan also includes construction of nine additional miles of gravity sewer; three new sewage pumping stations with three miles of force main piping; and conversion of a smaller WWTP into a wastewater pumping station. The benefits of the project are many. Placing all of the businesses in the park on sewers will remove hundreds of septic systems, making a major positive impact on Long Island groundwater quality. The project also allows for expansion of the industrial properties both horizontally and vertically beyond their current footprint, allowing for two- and three-story buildings to be developed. All around, the project is a win-win, allowing for growth and economic development in Hauppauge while protecting the environment. The $44.8 million project was completed within the client’s budget, and has since won over a once skeptical community. It has garnered positive feedback from area residents, as well as local politicians, and won a 2015 Silver Engineering Excellence Award in the Waste and Storm Water category from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC NY).

Located within New Jersey’s Passaic County, the Borough of Ringwood’s water utility needed upgrades to its outlying area—the Upper Ringwood Service Area. H2M was retained to provide reliable, quality water supply without excessive levels of unaccounted water loss. Long-term solutions for reliable water service were found by identifying the most critical water infrastructure features in need of resolutions. Prior to the project, pressure regulation and disinfectant application was labor-intensive, requiring water treatment operators to visit the chemical feed system, which was located in a confined space, twice daily, every day to adjust dosage. Another issue due to the manual operation of the tank, was its frequent overfilling, wasting nearly 1 million gallons of water per week. H2M incorporated a SCADA system into a Chemical Safety Panel to improve operations and system performance. Upon system startup, the SCADA flow control immediately stopped the tank from overtopping when excess water was introduced into the system. A large leak in the system was also discovered by the system, which led to recovering 100,000 gallons of unaccounted water per day. Solar panels were also designed to provide power to the instruments and radios. The project demonstrates that even small systems can deploy SCADA technology effectively, and at reasonable cost. Overall, the project saves the client approximately $106,000 per year in wasted water, leading to capital recovery in less than five years.

With Wells 7-1 and 7-2 impacted by contamination, H2M was retained by the South Huntington Water District (SHWD) to evaluate and determine the most viable and cost-effective VOC-removal treatment technology. H2M prepared an engineering study for SHWD to evaluate available VOC removal alternatives, which concluded that granular-activated carbon (GAC) pressure filters would be the best treatment solution for the client. H2M later went on to design and prepare construction documents for a new GAC treatment facility and would be able to treat a total of 4.0 MGD through four carbon pressure filters. The scope of the project included rehabilitation of two 2.0 MGD ground water wells, modifications to existing site piping, and the demolition of the existing pump houses. A 2,780-square-foot masonry building was constructed to house Well 7-2, four 12-foot diameter GAC pressure filters, a 4,000 gallon horizontal caustic storage tank, calcium hypochlorite tablet chlorinators and chemical metering pumps for pH adjustment and disinfection. A 245-square-foot masonry building was built on site to house Well 7-1. There is also a 500 kW standby generator to feed power to both wells in the event of a power outage.