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Wastewater Treatment Systems-Public And Private

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OHM Advisors
OHM Advisors

http://www.ohm-advisors.com: Wastewater systems can be publicly or privately owned and operated. Learn the basic differences and the key elements to compare and evaluate systems.

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Wastewater System Alternatives: Public vs. Private Systems (The Basics) Vicki M. Putala, P.E. Director of Environmental & Water Resources Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. www.ohm-advisors.com
What makes up a wastewater system? Sanitary sewers Pump stations Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
What is the difference between a Public and a Private System? Public wastewater system Wastewater facilities (treatment and collection) that are owned, operated and maintained by a public body, usually a municipal government Private wastewater system Wastewater facilities (treatment and collection) that are owned by the users of the system and are operated and maintained by a private individual or company Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
System Requirements (Similar for Public and Private) New facilities require two permits from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in order to be constructed Discharge permit either to the ground or to a surface body of water. Discharge permits must be renewed every 5 years Construction permit for physical facilities (sanitary sewer, pump station and WWTP) Must follow MDEQ minimum standards for sizing and redundancy Designed to handle a certain amount of flow. Growth can be accommodated by good planning and modular design Successfully treat residential (and some commercial) type of wastewater Require skilled personnel to operate and maintain the facilities Require a financial plan to fund Construction Operation Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Key Elements for Comparing and Evaluating Systems Ownership and Construction Operation and Maintenance Billing Size Type of Wastewater Liability Cost Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Public Systems Ownership and Construction The facilities are owned by the municipality or authority WWTP and collection system can be owned by separate entities Materials used for construction are generally durable and long lasting A contract is needed between the service provider and the community, if the community is buying capacity from a different system Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Public Systems – cont. Operation and Maintenance The facilities are operated and maintained by the municipality or authority Costs are generally recovered in rates and/or connection fees Billing Billing is performed by the municipality or authority Bills cover treatment costs and transport costs No profits/restricted use of funds Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Public Systems – cont. Size Service Area Zoning plan Land use Type of Wastewater Residential Commercial Industrial (with pretreatment for very high strength wastewater) Liabilities WWTP discharge permit violations Fines or corrective action required for plants in noncompliance Potential for sanitary sewer overflows or basement backups (if extraneous flows are not managed well) Discharge permit renewal every 5 years Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Public Systems – cont. Cost New infrastructure – developer funded spelled out in development agreement Connection fees Lot fees New infrastructure – municipality funded General fund – paid back through connection fees Special Assessment District (SAD) Purchase capacity (for connection to an existing WWTP) Transport Cost (if using other existing sanitary sewers) Depreciation of new infrastructure (replacement costs) Skilled operators (employees or contract service) Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Private Systems Ownership and Construction The facilities are typically owned by an association, consisting of the users of the system, usually not educated about wastewater systems Materials used for private system construction may not be as durable as typically used for public systems unless the community has clearly defined standards. A special assessment district (SAD) often established at the beginning of the project to provide a funding mechanism for future system improvements Development agreement is needed up front that establishes ownership MDEQ and property owners usually look to municipality to solve problems Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Private Systems – cont. Operation and Maintenance The facilities are operated and maintained usually by a private company hired by the homeowners association/highly dependent upon them Costs are generally recovered in rates for O&M. This may require a legal mechanism to be established to ensure collection of individual bills Costs for capital expense are often recovered through SAD bonds Billing Billing is performed by the homeowners association Bills cover treatment costs and transport costs Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Private Systems – cont. Size Sanitary sewer service is usually restricted to a particular development or site plan Type of Wastewater Residential Minimal commercial Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Private Systems – cont. Liabilities Homeowners association responsible for permit violations; however municipalities often get involved to correct the problem Fines or corrective action required for plants in noncompliance Discharge permit renewal every 5 years Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Private Systems – cont. Cost New infrastructure – developer funded spelled out in development agreement Connection fees Lot fees SAD should be established for future capital expense Skilled operators (generally contract service) Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Public and Private Systems: Key Points Summary Public systems are the responsible of the municipality or authority in terms of operation, maintenance and liability Private systems are the responsibility of the homeowners association, but communities often get involved when there is a problem Public and private system can be developer funded provided a development agreement is drafted that stipulates cost sharing Contracts are needed if a community is utilizing another communities sanitary sewers for transport or treatment. Permits are required from the MDEQ for construction and discharge Skilled personnel are required to operate and maintain the facilities Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
Contact OHM | Architects. Engineers. Planners. On the web at: www.ohm-advisors.com Call: 888-522-6711 Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM

More Related Content

Wastewater Treatment Systems-Public And Private

  • 1. Wastewater System Alternatives: Public vs. Private Systems (The Basics) Vicki M. Putala, P.E. Director of Environmental & Water Resources Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. www.ohm-advisors.com
  • 2. What makes up a wastewater system? Sanitary sewers Pump stations Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 3. What is the difference between a Public and a Private System? Public wastewater system Wastewater facilities (treatment and collection) that are owned, operated and maintained by a public body, usually a municipal government Private wastewater system Wastewater facilities (treatment and collection) that are owned by the users of the system and are operated and maintained by a private individual or company Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 4. System Requirements (Similar for Public and Private) New facilities require two permits from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in order to be constructed Discharge permit either to the ground or to a surface body of water. Discharge permits must be renewed every 5 years Construction permit for physical facilities (sanitary sewer, pump station and WWTP) Must follow MDEQ minimum standards for sizing and redundancy Designed to handle a certain amount of flow. Growth can be accommodated by good planning and modular design Successfully treat residential (and some commercial) type of wastewater Require skilled personnel to operate and maintain the facilities Require a financial plan to fund Construction Operation Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 5. Key Elements for Comparing and Evaluating Systems Ownership and Construction Operation and Maintenance Billing Size Type of Wastewater Liability Cost Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 6. Public Systems Ownership and Construction The facilities are owned by the municipality or authority WWTP and collection system can be owned by separate entities Materials used for construction are generally durable and long lasting A contract is needed between the service provider and the community, if the community is buying capacity from a different system Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 7. Public Systems – cont. Operation and Maintenance The facilities are operated and maintained by the municipality or authority Costs are generally recovered in rates and/or connection fees Billing Billing is performed by the municipality or authority Bills cover treatment costs and transport costs No profits/restricted use of funds Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 8. Public Systems – cont. Size Service Area Zoning plan Land use Type of Wastewater Residential Commercial Industrial (with pretreatment for very high strength wastewater) Liabilities WWTP discharge permit violations Fines or corrective action required for plants in noncompliance Potential for sanitary sewer overflows or basement backups (if extraneous flows are not managed well) Discharge permit renewal every 5 years Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 9. Public Systems – cont. Cost New infrastructure – developer funded spelled out in development agreement Connection fees Lot fees New infrastructure – municipality funded General fund – paid back through connection fees Special Assessment District (SAD) Purchase capacity (for connection to an existing WWTP) Transport Cost (if using other existing sanitary sewers) Depreciation of new infrastructure (replacement costs) Skilled operators (employees or contract service) Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 10. Private Systems Ownership and Construction The facilities are typically owned by an association, consisting of the users of the system, usually not educated about wastewater systems Materials used for private system construction may not be as durable as typically used for public systems unless the community has clearly defined standards. A special assessment district (SAD) often established at the beginning of the project to provide a funding mechanism for future system improvements Development agreement is needed up front that establishes ownership MDEQ and property owners usually look to municipality to solve problems Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 11. Private Systems – cont. Operation and Maintenance The facilities are operated and maintained usually by a private company hired by the homeowners association/highly dependent upon them Costs are generally recovered in rates for O&M. This may require a legal mechanism to be established to ensure collection of individual bills Costs for capital expense are often recovered through SAD bonds Billing Billing is performed by the homeowners association Bills cover treatment costs and transport costs Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 12. Private Systems – cont. Size Sanitary sewer service is usually restricted to a particular development or site plan Type of Wastewater Residential Minimal commercial Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 13. Private Systems – cont. Liabilities Homeowners association responsible for permit violations; however municipalities often get involved to correct the problem Fines or corrective action required for plants in noncompliance Discharge permit renewal every 5 years Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 14. Private Systems – cont. Cost New infrastructure – developer funded spelled out in development agreement Connection fees Lot fees SAD should be established for future capital expense Skilled operators (generally contract service) Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 15. Public and Private Systems: Key Points Summary Public systems are the responsible of the municipality or authority in terms of operation, maintenance and liability Private systems are the responsibility of the homeowners association, but communities often get involved when there is a problem Public and private system can be developer funded provided a development agreement is drafted that stipulates cost sharing Contracts are needed if a community is utilizing another communities sanitary sewers for transport or treatment. Permits are required from the MDEQ for construction and discharge Skilled personnel are required to operate and maintain the facilities Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM
  • 16. Contact OHM | Architects. Engineers. Planners. On the web at: www.ohm-advisors.com Call: 888-522-6711 Vicki Putala, PE www.ohm-advisors.com Director of Environmental & Water Resources OHM