Richmond Gas Works Breaks Record

Kent Foley monitors the demand for natural gas throughout Richmond and Henrico

On Sunday, January 7, 2018, the predicted low temperature was -3 degrees, but in Natural Gas Control Manager Kent Foley’s truck, the temperature gauge was reading -7.

He had two crews on standby that Sunday morning, ready to roll if the natural gas distribution system developed any safety issues. Back in the 1980s, before all the system improvements and replacements were made, if the predicted low for the day was 28 degrees, a crew had to go out at 4 a.m. to manually ensure there would be enough pressure in the valves. If the temperature was 24 degrees, they started at midnight.

Now, without the need for a crew to manually adjust the pressure, the automated system broke a new record, sending out 190,000 decatherms (dth). The previous record was in February 2015 with 183,000 dth.

(A decatherm is a unit of energy used to measure natural gas equal to 1 million BTUs [British Thermal Units]).

Foley, who has been on the job for 32 years, said, “A typical send-out on a cold day would have been 90,000.” If the record low temperature had been reached on a Monday instead of Sunday, the send-out would have been even greater because commercial demand increases on weekdays, and residential users use more natural gas earlier on weekday mornings than they do on weekends.

The increase in natural gas demand in January was a combination of low temperatures and more customers, brought on by DPU’s expansion into developing areas of Henrico County. Westgate is currently the biggest load station. A new station was recently built at Staples Mill and Hungary Road in Glen Allen, connected to the one at Woodman and Hungary roads.

“We’re always trying to get more gas to the West End,” Foley said. As the customer base expands there, and new commercial business is added on the Southside, expect more records to be broken.

City's Wastewater Plant Wins Award

The Wastewater Plant set new records in 2017 for nutrient removal after investing $100 million in plant upgrades, thanks to the hard work of the operations, maintenance and support staff. Total nitrogen released to the James River was reduced by 24,000 pounds over 2016 and phosphorous was reduced by 6,000 pounds.

As a result, the plant received the 2017 NACWA (National Association of Clean Water Agencies Award) for its environmental performance upgrade project.

“I expect the plant to again be the best performing plant on this stretch of the James River,” said Grace LeRose, program manager. “Richmond’s ratepayers are experiencing the benefits of their investment in this infrastructure with a cleaner James River and Chesapeake Bay.”

“We couldn’t have done it without our personnel,” Ed Edmondson, utility operations superintendent, said of the approximately 100 wastewater employees. As for the future, “We’ll focus on biosolids,” he said.

Two important ways citizens and Richmond businesses can help with biosolids management is to not pour grease and oils into drains and to properly dispose of medications, especially antibiotics, through means other than flushing down the drain. Conserving water and repairing leaks are other things citizens can do that will directly benefit their own utility bills.

Wastewater management is a challenging career for young people looking for steady, reliable employment.

“The schedule is tough, the work is tough. You spend a lot of time monitoring, and you always have to be ready to go if something happens. The stress is mental,” said Edmondson. As a result, there’s always vacancies to fill and opportunities for advancement. Successful wastewater personnel need quantitative, logic, reading and comprehension skills for analyzing data and solving problems.

“The pay is good, but there’s that ‘ick’ factor and it is rotating shiftwork,” he said.

Applicants, even those with a high school education, can look forward to a fulfilling career with opportunities to train and learn more about the profession. New hires have two years to earn their certification licenses.

It’s not an all-male profession either. Three women have advanced successfully through the operator ranks including Barbara Jackson, utility operations supervisor at the retention basin, and utility operators Jewel Minor and Vernia Hawthorne.

Supervisors Ed Edmondson (fourth from left) and Clair Watson (eighth from left) celebrate setting new nutrient removal records at the Wastewater Plant with some of the 100 division employees.

  

Time to Rake Again!

With temperatures predicted next week as high as 55 degrees, and rain in the forecast, the snow will be dissolving away and we’ll be looking at our autumn leaves on the ground once again. This is a reminder of the importance of not raking leaves, tree branches and excess trash into the streets where the rain will carry them to the storm drains and create flooding. Take advantage of the warmer (comparatively!) days ahead to bag up those leaves and debris.

Here are some simple steps to keep our storm drains and waterways clean:

• Keep a tight lid on your trash cans and recycling bins, especially during windy days. 
• Pick up trash in your community. 
• Do not rake leaves into the street or create large piles near the curb 
• Limit use of sand and salt on your driveway and walkways. Sweep up residual sand once the snow and ice has melted and before the next rain storm so the sediment doesn’t end up in the stream or storm drains. 
• Pick-up after your dog! Stormwater will pick up the waste and wash it into the storm drain (and nearby streams). Pet waste contains harmful bacteria that impact stream wildlife and water quality.

Robert Steidel Promoted to Deputy Chief Administrative Office of Operations

DPU Director Robert (Bob) Steidel accepted the position of Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Operations for the City of Richmond, effective Sept. 30, 2017.

The position oversees Public Utilities, Public Works, and Animal Care and Control.

Steidel was appointed director of DPU in March 2011.

Why DPU Cares About Leaf Collection

Last year, the Department of Public Utilities contributed $625,000 to the city’s General Fund for leaf collection. So, why is the Department of Public Utilities concerned about leaf collection? It’s simple, really. When city residents don’t rake and bag their leaves, they have the potential to end up in the sewer system.

Each year, beginning in the fall, the Department of Public Works sweeps and cleans an estimated 22,000 lane miles of streets to keep debris and leaves from clogging the stormwater system. Due to the type of equipment used, only streets with curbs and gutters are routinely swept.

In 2016, 13,521 tons of leaves and debris were collected and accounted for in the annual report the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities provides to the Department of Environmental Quality.

This is especially important in the Combined Sewer System area of the city, which is the oldest part of the city primarily north of the James River. A Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) occurs after a heavy rain when there is too much water entering the storm basins and the excess water is released into a stream or river. In Richmond, the major overflow points are found on the banks of the James River and Gillies Creek.

There are 29 CSO outfalls located at various points along the James River and within the city’s CSO area.

Leaves clogging the storm drains would create localized flooding and prevent sewage from draining to the CSO outfalls. The proper bagging and disposal of leaves and regular street cleaning schedules play an important role each fall and winter season in the prevention of flooding during heavy rain events.

This year the Department of Public Works has made it easier for residents to dispose of leaves:

1 – Place leaves in bio-degradable bags by your supercan and DPW will pick up to 10 bags on trash day until they are gone

2 – Place bagged leaves out by the published dates and an unlimited number of bagged leaves will be picked up through the end of the corresponding schedule

3 – Pay $30 for vacuum service. Make the request by calling 646-LEAF.

For more information visit http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/Leafcollection.aspx, email LeafProgram@Richmondgov.com or call 646-LEAF.

Know Where Your Gas Appliances are Located

When a technician comes to your home or apartment to investigate a gas leak or a problem with a natural gas appliance, it saves time and return visits to know where all your natural gas appliances are located.

Is your stove natural gas or electric? If you see blue flames, it's natural gas. Whether water heaters, dryers, or furnaces are natural gas or electric might be harder to tell, but you should know where they are all located, whether in the attic, the basement, a closet, outside, in a utility room of an apartment building.

Also be aware of any other possible natural gas appliances you may have -- generators, gas logs, pool heaters, outdoor grills?

When a service technician is looking, and time is vital, all the help you can provide is important.

DPU Streetlighting Makes "Back to School" a Safe Experience

In 2017, the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Streetlighting utility was doing its part to keep Richmond Public School (RPS) students safe once they are back in school. With RPS reopening this fall, students will be waiting at school bus stops early in the morning when the city is still dark. The DPU Streetlighting utility has partnered with RPS to ensure that there are no obstructions to streetlights from trees at school bus stops where students will wait to be picked up and transported to their respective school.

In ramped up efforts that began in mid-August with tree trimming at Anne Hardy Park in Richmond’s Highland Park area, DPU Streetlight technicians are trimming any tree branches, limbs and leaves that might hamper or block the light from ornamental lights or cobra head lights positioned at RPS bus stops.   

Although this comes at a time when the DPU Streetlighting utility has adjusted service levels to meet staffing challenges, this effort is being given high priority. 

Ann Hardy Park