ray hanson - orange county, florida library/water...ray hanson utilities department newsletter...

Utilities In Focus - Winter 2011-12 2

By Ray Hanson, Utilities Department Director

This edition’s Feature Article is a great example of how wecan provide better service to our customers by workingtogether as a team. When faced with a need to design

and install 1,500 feet of forcemain, our traditional approach wouldhave required having a consultant prepare a design and then getbids or quotes from contractors to do the work, a process thatwould take months, at best, to complete. I’ve seen from pastexperience that “crisis” mode (as with the 2004 hurricanes) oftenbrings out the best of us in terms of cooperation and teamwork.In this case, we combined the expertise of our Engineering Divisionstaff to perform the design with the Water Division assisting theWater Reclamation Division to accomplish the pipe installation.As you will read, using a cross-divisional team approach, theprocess of designing and installing the pipe took less than twoweeks.

This event highlights one of the fundamental concepts behind our reorganizational efforts, that is, that at abasic level, when we combine and coordinate our resources, we become more efficient. We also recognizethat much of the work that we do in our Water Reclamation Division and our Water Division is very similar. Aforcemain conveys wastewater, a reclaimed water main conveys reclaimed water, and a water main conveyspotable water. What they have in common is that they all require pipe and the same skill set and tools toinstall and maintain. By combining these and other like functions in our reorganization, I believe we canmake significant improvements in efficiency.

I know many of you are wondering what is happening with the reorganization, so I thought this would be agood opportunity to provide an update on our reorganization effort. Since we announced that we are lookingat reorganization nearly a year ago, we have been heavily engaged in discussions with subject matterexperts within every operational work group to determine how we can best deploy our resources to meet theneeds of our customers. Through these discussions, we have determined that a number of initiatives need tobe explored concurrently within the scope of the reorganization. Some of those key initiatives are Maximoutilization, automation development, and workforce skill development. Although we have accomplishedconsiderable work in each of these areas over the years, this has mostly been done independently by eachdivision. By working together, we can take advantage of the collective skills of all of our staff and develop auniform approach for our Utility.

We are getting close to finalizing the reorganization and hope to implement some changes early nextyear. We have evaluated the original organization chart that I distributed and determined that some of theoriginally proposed changes have merit. At the same time, new ideas have been introduced that are beingexplored. Most likely, we will phase some aspects of the reorganization in over time to start realizing somegains as soon as possible, and phase in other initiatives only after additional discussion and consideration.

It has certainly been a year of challenges for County employees and the community as well. It may be acliché to say challenges can become opportunities; however, I honestly believe that by managing the challengesthat we face as a Utility Department team, we will not only be improving the delivery of services to ourcustomers, but creating opportunities for our staff to improve their skills and value to the organization.

I would like to personally thank all of you for your support this year, and I wish you and your families awonderful holiday season and happy new year.

In T

ouch

Ray Hanson

Utilities DepartmentNewsletter Committee

EDITORTTTTTracy Newsomeracy Newsomeracy Newsomeracy Newsomeracy Newsome407-254-9644Fiscal & AdminSupport Division

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSMaxine LordeMaxine LordeMaxine LordeMaxine LordeMaxine Lorde407-254-9798

Construction Division

Chris HughesChris HughesChris HughesChris HughesChris Hughes407-254-9942

Customer Service Division

PPPPPaul Paul Paul Paul Paul Partlowartlowartlowartlowartlow407-254-9917

Engineering & DevelopmentEngineering Divisions

Elizabeth LeeElizabeth LeeElizabeth LeeElizabeth LeeElizabeth Lee407-836-6624

Solid Waste Division

Cheryl BobbCheryl BobbCheryl BobbCheryl BobbCheryl Bobb407-254-9832Water Division

Ann NorsworthyAnn NorsworthyAnn NorsworthyAnn NorsworthyAnn Norsworthy407-254-9686

Water Reclamation Division

GRAPHIC ARTISTChris De JesusChris De JesusChris De JesusChris De JesusChris De JesusWater Division

Utilities In Focus - Winter 2011-12

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litie

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us Contents2 In Touch

4 Feature Article - Orange County Divisions Team Up to

Handle Emergency

6 Fire Management at the Orange County Landfill

7 2011 United Way Campaign

8 Employees on the Move

9 Our Family Album

10 Mayor’s Appreciation Coffee

12 Safety Corner

13 Water Conserv II Reclaimed Water Booster Pump Station

14 Requesting Information Technology Support Through

Dispatch

As part of our green initiative, only a limitedAs part of our green initiative, only a limitedAs part of our green initiative, only a limitedAs part of our green initiative, only a limitedAs part of our green initiative, only a limitednumber of hard copies of number of hard copies of number of hard copies of number of hard copies of number of hard copies of Utilities In FUtilities In FUtilities In FUtilities In FUtilities In Focusocusocusocusocus are are are are areprinted. An electronic version is available forprinted. An electronic version is available forprinted. An electronic version is available forprinted. An electronic version is available forprinted. An electronic version is available foremployees with computer access. Femployees with computer access. Femployees with computer access. Femployees with computer access. Femployees with computer access. For thoseor thoseor thoseor thoseor thoseemployees who do not have computer access,employees who do not have computer access,employees who do not have computer access,employees who do not have computer access,employees who do not have computer access,please call your divisionplease call your divisionplease call your divisionplease call your divisionplease call your division’s representative on the’s representative on the’s representative on the’s representative on the’s representative on theUtilities Department Newsletter Committee forUtilities Department Newsletter Committee forUtilities Department Newsletter Committee forUtilities Department Newsletter Committee forUtilities Department Newsletter Committee fora hard copya hard copya hard copya hard copya hard copy.....

3

Please share your newsletterideas, comments, and/or sugges-tions with the editor or yourdivision’s contributing editor.


Emergency calls are a part of everyday responsibili-ties for Orange County Utilities (OCU) employees.Water Reclamation Division crews are often called

into the field to swiftly and efficiently respond to emergencysituations. On some occasions, employees from several OCUdivisions unite to help Orange County customers in need.Such an occasion happened last summer in a subdivision onthe east side of Orlando when a forcemain had several breakswithin days of each other.

David McNamara, Utilities Supervisor for Support Opera-tions in the Water Reclamation Division, said the responsewas a joint effort from several OCU divisions. “It was a call toarms,” McNamara said. “We all came together for a commongoal to prevent anything else from happening.” The “happen-ing” began on Monday, June 13, 2011, when Utilities Mainte-nance Coordinator Scott Martin responded to a call off ofValencia College Lane. He and a standby team from Trans-mission Operations arrived at approximately 8:00 p.m. Theirtask was to locate and fix a forcemain break that had causedsanitary wastewater to overflow into a stormwater retentionpond located behind several homes.

Following standard procedures, when a Water Reclama-tion Division standby crew arrives on a scene, their first prior-ity is to stop the flow of wastewater at the forcemain break.To do this, the local pump station is shut down to stop the

overflow, and it is maintained by tanker trucks that prevent aninterruption in customer service. The standby crew then ex-cavates down to the pipe and, in this case, repairs a 20-footsplit in an 8-inch forcemain. The crew removed and replacedthe section of the broken pipe and worked until 4:00 a.m.repairing the forcemain, backfilling the excavation section,and cleaning up the surrounding area.

But the project did not end at dawn. Early the next morningon June 14, Water Reclamation Division employees were on-site and began pumping an estimated 2.55 million gallons ofmixed water from the stormwater pond. In one week, runningtwo six-inch pumps 24 hours a day, more than three milliongallons of mixed water was removed from the stormwater pond.

Three days into the cleanup, the same forcemain pipe brokein another location near the stormwater pond. Within a periodof 16 days, there were three separate incidents involving thisforcemain. A decision was made to replace the entire pipe.The Engineering and Water Divisions now joined the collabo-rative effort by designing and installing, respectively, the newforcemain.

The area needed some preparation before the pipe couldbe replaced. Working with the Engineering Division, the Wa-ter Reclamation Division’s Transmission Operations crewsbegan to dewater the area so when digging to install the new

A Call to Arms:Orange County DivisionsTeam Up to Handle EmergencyBy Ann Norsworthy, Utilities Services Specialist, Water Reclamation Division

One of the teams who worked on the job from start to finish. Fromleft to right: Lorenzo Hunter, Troy Corn, Kevin Crowdus, Jeff Baker,Mike Krapf, Angelica Arce, and Milton Moreno


pipe, groundwater would not seep into the excavationarea and make replacing the pipe more difficult. Oncethe groundwater table was stabilized, it was time toinstall a new 1,500-foot forcemain. A team from theWater Division spent six days laying the pipe, fillingthe forcemain with water, and pressure testing the line.Once the forcemain was laid, two Transmission Opera-tions crews went to work tying and securing both endsof the new pipe to the local pump station and to theexisting forcemain on Valencia College Lane. On July25, after many hours of tireless effort by an ensembleof OCU employees, the new forcemain was put intoservice.

The final step of this project was to restore thestormwater pond and surrounding area. Even before thedecision to replace the forcemain, the Water Reclama-tion Division team had begun the restoration of the pond.On June 20, Water Reclamation employees began topump an average of 154 gallons per minute of cleanwater into the pond in an effort to dilute the remainingmixed water. Orange County’s Environmental Protec-

tion Division was on hand to ensure the environmentalintegrity of the area and the pond. Chlorine tablets, incontainers similar to the ones used to disperse chemi-cals into a swimming pool, were placed at specific ar-eas around the pond. These were used to diffuse thewater and to increase oxygen levels within thestormwater pond.

For several weeks following the repairs, the WaterReclamation Division and the Public Works Departmentcontinued to refurbish the area by replacinghomeowners’ sod and keeping the area mowed andfree of garbage. They also attended to any concerns ofthe neighborhood residents. Lorenzo Hunter, UtilitiesSupervisor for Transmission Operations in the WaterReclamation Division, whose team was an integral partof the project, said the ability to quickly and effectivelyexecute this large task was the result of working asone team for the satisfaction of our customers, OrangeCounty citizens. “I think this was a great team effortfrom beginning to end,” Hunter said. “It is another ex-ample of how OCU can accomplish anything as a team.”

Christina Crosby, Engineer II in the EngineeringDivision, designed the new forcemain for theproject with assistance from Water Reclama-tion Division staff.

6Utilities In Focus - Winter 2011-12

By Jim Flynt, Sr. Engineer, Solid Waste Division

In the early 1990s, Orange County purchased approxi-mately 3,500 acres adjacent to the existing 1,500-acrelandfill for expansion of the Orange County Landfill. As

part of the permitting for the landfill’s Southern ExpansionSite, several areas of wetlands were required to be removedto allow for construction. To mitigate this, the County putover 2,000 acres into a conservation easement. Approxi-mately 350 acres of the conservation area were upland ar-eas composed of sand pine scrub, oak scrub, scrubbyflatwoods, and sandhill communities. The majority of theseare fire-dependent communities, including the pine forestthat requires some fire to process the pine cones for newseedlings.

Prior to the County purchasing the property, cattle grazedfor several years over much of the property, which kept theunderbrush down. Initially the County looked at performingcontrolled burns in the area, but difficulties arose regardingthe procurement process and the potential impacts on SR528 or SR 417. In 2004, Hurricane Charley came throughthe area downing many trees that added to the fuel load ofthe area. Considering that too much fuel will make the firetoo hot, killing pines that would survive a normal fire, a planwas developed to grind/chop the area and then institute aregular burn program.

In early 2008, an invitation for bid (IFB) for fuel reductionwas issued but had to be pulled after the County was in-formed by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) that thearea was part of the Pine Castle Jeep Bombing Range, ademonstration range used during World War II. Subsequentinvestigations by ACOE indicated that the upland conser-vation area was not likely impacted by the bombing range.A report summarizing ACOE’s findings was presented tothe public in summer 2010.

A new IFB process was started and a contractor wasselected in spring 2011. The area was divided into 21 veg-etation zones separated by fire lines. The areas were to be

chopped to a height of six inches, and trees smaller thanfour inches in diameter were to be ground and left on-site.The project was divided into two years. Eleven of the zoneswere to be chopped the first year, and the remainder pro-cessed the second year. The fire lines were installed aspart of the first year’s work. Spreading the grinding overtwo years was designed to reduce the potential impactsto the area’s wildlife.

After the grinding is completed next year, a routine fireschedule will be implemented. Proper management of theconservation area will increase the diversity of the floraand fauna in the area, as well as help reduce the potentialfor uncontrolled wildfires.


By Colleen Puglisi, Utilities Agreements Manager, Director’s Office

This year’s United Way campaign is over, and the results are in. Even during another year of financialchallenges, Utilities Department employees generously donated $40,964 through pledges andfundraisers to help those less fortunate in our community! This is an incredible achievement!

The Division United Way Coordinators should be commended for their hard work putting together fundraisersand for their true belief in helping others. Whether you’re a manager who bought a cup of coffee at a bakesale, a supervisor who allowed your United Way Coordinator time to work at events, or a field employeewho pledged a payroll deduction–every contribution is greatly appreciated!

The overall Countywide donation to United Way was $409,357! The top five contributing departmentswere:

1. County Administration: $54,3852. Convention Center: $45,2853. Community & Environmental

Services: $42,2634. Utilities: $40,9645. Public Works: $38,229

We should all be grateful to be a partof an organization with such a givingspirit. Should you ever be in need, it isreassuring to know you are surroundedby people who care. Thank you all!

“We make a living by what we get, butwe make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill

2011 United Way Campaign

Utilities Department United Way TeamFront Row (left to right): Amrita Rampersadsingh, Shawn Wilkins, LeslieTruluck, & Robin Hritz; Middle Row: Jayne Koon & Deniece Keller; BackRow: Shaquita Borders, Amanda Newson, Tom Radzai, & Colleen Puglisi;Not Pictured: Ann Norsworthy, Maxine Lorde, Melissa Mathews, & DebbieSponsler

Utilities In Focus - Winter 2011-12

August, September, & October 2011

8

30 Years Harvey Tillman25 Years Melvin Black

James BoothGeorge RobinsonMalcolm SkinrudKeith StahlIrene TaylorBrian Valance

15 Years Lynda AyalaWilliam DuncanShirley LanoScott RampenthalGalina Sobolevskaya

10 Years Laz HerediaJulian MaloneDemetries WarrenGina Wright

5 Years Aaron AndersonGriselle BarbosaRay BilodeauMary BrakeallRaynaldo CruzDolores DanielRobert FaulknerDamaris FernandezCrystal GarciaWilliam JacksonAndy JonesJames MontalvoJerry OdumJose OrtizStacie PloofAmrita RampersadsinghBrian RossellJoe StalcupAnnette Tippins

Retirements

Silvio CastilloEquipment Mechanic III

Solid Waste Division

Myron ClaxtonPlant Specialist I


David PattersonPainter I


Service AwardsWelcome to the Utilities Department

Customer Service DivisionTorris Lewis, Meter Reader IMark Penrod, Meter Reader I

Felix Rivera, Customer Service RepresentativeKristal Vazquez, Customer Service Representative

Cedric Williams, Meter Reader

Engineering DivisionMorgan Heyser, Utilities Services Coordinator

Fiscal & Admin Support DivisionJames Boyer, Network Operations Specialist

Jennifer Buzzard, Network Operations Specialist

Solid Waste DivisionStephen Brockman, Equipment Mechanic III

Christine Fallon, WeighmasterAllen Tillman, Maintenance Person

Water DivisionGary DeSantola, Industrial Electrician II

Everett Kamuchey, Laboratory TechnologistRobin Matuseski, Laboratory Technologist

Jamie Schell, Laboratory Technologist

Water Reclamation DivisionCarlene Francis, Customer Service Representative

Emiro Gonzalez, Project CoordinatorWilmarie Jeremy, Plant Specialist Trainee

Ernest Moore, Field Specialist TraineeJeremiah Ofori, Field Specialist TraineeLeonard Parent, Industrial Electrician II

Jancarlos Rivera, Equipment Operator IVChristopher Smith, Field Specialist Trainee

Jeffrey Thompson, Field Specialist II

Promotions

Customer Service DivisionToni Jarrett, Administrative Assistant

Water DivisionGevanlal Bhagan, Field Specialist IIRandy Falconer, Field Specialist II

Sonia Galeas-Ramirez, Sr. Engineering TechnicianRobert Hardy, Sr. Utilities Maintenance Coordinator

Gary Humphreys, Sr. Utilities Maintenance CoordinatorDallas Smith, Plant Specialist II

Benigno Velazquez, Field Specialist IIGreg Walton, Plant Specialist I

Water Reclamation DivisionLeonard Ledwell, Field Specialist II


Mayor’s Appreciation CoffeeCongratulations to the following Utilities Department employees who were

recognized at the Mayor’s Appreciation Coffee on August 26, 2011:

Frank Mooney, Victor Rodriguez, Jim Webb, & Ralph CresswellWater Division

A customer reported a leak in the Deerwood subdivision. Ralph investigated the leak and determined that theservice line was leaking and needed to be replaced. The replacement was done the following day by Frank,Victor, Jim, and Ralph. The customer said the problem was small but could have escalated into a larger problemfor more residents. The customer extended thanks from the entire neighborhood for the crew’s efficient andcourteous manner while repairing the leak.

Gary Morris, Engineering DivisionGary is the project manager for the County’s East Service Area Potable Water and Reclaimed Water Storageand Repump Facility. Orange County Utilities was recently contacted by a representative from the nearby MossPark Landings Homeowners’ Association (HOA). The HOA had questions regarding the project and was concernedthe project would negatively impact their community. Gary addressed the citizens’ concerns in a thorough andtimely manner. He also offered to personally drive the citizens to the project site to provide them with a firsthandlook and reassure them the project would have a minimum impact to nearby property owners. The HOArepresentatives, as well as Commissioner Thompson’s office, were very impressed with Gary’s prompt anddetailed explanations of the project and his willingness to provide a personal tour of the project site.

Mona Jones, Solid Waste DivisionMona is a Sr. Customer Service Representative who has worked in the Solid Waste Division for 21 years. Oneof her responsibilities is to answer Solid Waste Hotline calls from customers who have questions or concernsabout their garbage, yard waste, or recycling services. Mona is also responsible for setting up free rear-doorservice for residents who are physically unable to take their garbage out to the curb for collection. Recently,Mona spoke with an elderly resident’s son who was concerned about his mother’s inability to take her garbageto the curb for collection. She verified the resident’s physical limitationsand then set up service with the hauler to pick up her garbage next tothe garage door. Mona then followed up to ensure the hauler wasproviding the rear-door service. The resident’s son was extremelyhappy with the service and sent in a compliment that noted,“It was truly a pleasure to work with you in helping this87-year-old lady who lives alone but needed just a littlehelp. Thanks again, you are a star in your department.”


Mayor’s Appreciation Coffee

August 26 Mayor’s Appreciation CoffeePictured are staff from the Water, Engineering, Solid Waste, and Water Reclamation Divisions.

Mike Byrd, Scott Martin, Ed Williams, & Jeremiah O’SullivanWater Reclamation Division

Staff received a page from Emergency Dispatch to respond to an address. When the crew arrived on-site, theymet with the customer. The customer stated that he had a plumber investigate the problem over the weekendbecause he was having a problem with the bathrooms draining properly. The cleanout cap by his home waslocated, and the crew televised the pipe. There was a blockage under the sidewalk in the County right-of-waycaused by a broken pipe with roots growing inside of the pipe. The crew cut out and removed the sidewalk,excavated and replaced the broken pipe, and cleared the blockage. The customer asked about the plumber’sbill, and the crew informed him that they would complete the paperwork and report the incident for follow-up.The customer was very impressed with the crew’s efficiency and thoroughness, and he appreciated thesmooth interaction in getting his issue resolved.


By Larry Tunnell, Chief Engineer, Engineering Division

Since 1986, the Water Conserv II project (WCII) in western OrangeCounty has been providing reliable reclaimed water service to cus-tomers, freeze protection to citrus growers, and recharge of the

aquifer. WCII is a cooperative effort between the County and the City ofOrlando, with each owning a 50% share. A major component of the sys-tem is the large pipeline that conveys an average of 30 million gallons aday (MGD) of reclaimed water from the County’s South Water Reclama-tion Facility (SWRF) and the City’s McLeod Road Wastewater TreatmentFacility to the Water Conserv II Distribution Center (WCII DC). During freezeor extreme rain events, flows may dramatically increase to as much as 75MGD, the peak capacity of the pipeline.

Reclaimed water sent to the WCII DC flows through a 54-inch-diameter pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP). This54-inch pipeline begins in the Florida Turnpike right-of-way near Conroy-Windermere Road and extends northwest along theturnpike for 4.2 miles then turns west and continues for an additional 11.6 miles to the WCII DC. Reclaimed water from thetreatment facilities flows to the 54-inch transmission main through separate 42-inch-diameter PCCP. Total pipeline distance from the SWRF to the WCII DC is 20miles.

As early as 2015, projected peak flows may exceed the 75-MGD capacity of thetransmission main. Orange County Utilities (OCU) has looked at a number ofalternatives to provide more capacity, including parallel pipelines, flow diversion,and booster pumps. OCU’s 2003 Water, Wastewater and Reclaimed Water Mas-ter Plan recommended a parallel pipeline to boost capacity at a cost of approxi-mately $31 million. Because of easement availability, the high construction cost,and a limited budget, a more economical alternative was needed.

In late 2010, a solution was brought forth by OCU’s Hydraulic Modeling Team inthe form of a booster pump station sited near the discharge of the pipeline. Previ-ous evaluations had assumed a booster pump station sited near the midpoint ofthe pipeline. This had the drawback of potentially rupturing the pipe by exceedingits pressure rating. By locating the pump station near the discharge, on propertyalready owned at RIB Site 6, the problem of high pressure in the pipe was elimi-nated. The team’s modeling indicated that an additional 16.8 MGD of capacitycould be obtained by this new plan at about a quarter of the cost and withoutendangering the integrity of the pipe due to high internal pressure.

The City and County are currently finalizing a cost-sharing agreement that will provide the County with two-thirds of theadditional capacity and the City with one-third. The proposed project has been included in the five-year capital improvementproject budget and advertisement of a request for proposals for a design engineer is planned in the next several months.

Existing pump station at theWater Conserv II Distribution Center

These pumps routinely pump 75 MGD during freeze events.

The 54-inch-diameter pre-stressed concrete cyl-inder pipe during construction in the mid-80s


Computer Not Working?Requesting Information TechnologySupport Through Dispatch

By Bennie Smith, Dispatcher, & Armando Aguilar, Utilities Account Supervisor, in the Customer Service Division

The Utilities Dispatch team operates 24/7 to facilitate communication throughout the Utilities Department during emer-gencies and other activities. One of those activities includes reporting computer system issues encountered by staff toensure adequate response and support.

We can all probably agree that computer problems seem toalways occur at the busiest and most inconvenient times.If your computer isn’t working as it should, it’s a goodidea to do a quick self check before notifying Dispatch.First, check all the cables and power cords to be surethey are snuggly secured to each piece of your com-puter system. Next, save any open files, close allapplications, and restart your computer. Doing thesesimple quick steps may solve the problem, savingyou and other staff valuable time and effort. If theproblem persists after the computer is restarted,then notify Dispatch to request Information Tech-nology (I.T.) support. To process your requestin the most efficient and timely manner pos-sible, the Dispatch team will need (at a mini-mum) the following information from you:

• Name• Division• Section address• Work phone number• Computer number• I.T. complaint/problem in as much detail

as possible

Whenever possible, please send this information to Dispatch via email to [email protected]. If your system isnot operating, use a different computer or ask someone to send the email on your behalf. Sending these types of requests byemail allows Dispatchers to service your request accurately and efficiently without disrupting emergency operations.

Once Dispatch is notified of an issue, the Dispatcher on duty creates a work order and assigns it to the Utilities I.T. Supportteam. Utilities I.T. will then assess the issue and take it on or assign it to other teams as needed, such as the County’sInformation Systems and Services (ISS) Division.

Work priority and subsequent assistance is determined by the assigned team. Please be aware that Dispatchers send yourmessage and don’t know when or how the requested service will be performed, so the only information Dispatchers can sharewith you at the time you send your email is the work order number created on your behalf. If later you need to know the statusof your issue, you will need to contact the assigned team directly with the corresponding work order number.

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