The lab professional presentation will be hosted on 10/23. We have seven speakers presenting on different topics. The purpose of the presentation is to provide an overview of the lab professional industry and to invite young professionals (YPs) to enter the field.

We plan to cover the following items:

Introduce what a water/wastewater lab professional does
Differences between private and public labs
Career paths and certification
Who to contact and the value of attending lab committee meetings
CWEA Mentorship Program (pair up with lab professionals) 
How to apply (any platforms, or notified the openings) and insights of their journey (Did you ask anybody to check your application before submission?)
Promotion of CWEA’s mentorship program
Providing lab committee contact information in the webinar 

No Contact Hours Offered

In this complimentary webinar learn how two engineering disciplines – Electrical (E) and Instrumentation (I) work together with other engineering disciplines (e.g., Civil, Mechanical, Structural, etc.). Learn about E&I deliverables, code requirements, project lifecycles, and career development. This presentation will share lessons learned from recent projects and give valuable insight to those considering pursuing or sticking with the E&I engineering path. This presentation will also give good general knowledge for non-EE/I&C engineers looking to round out their understanding of their cross-discipline counterparts.

Learning Objectives/Attendee Takeaways:

Learn how to get involved in the E&I industry
Identify common E&I deliverable drawings, calculations, and supporting documentations
Identify best practices and strategies for cross-discipline coordination
Discuss advice for young professional career growth and development

No Contact Hours Offered

Are you planning to apply for a CWEA certification? Whether you are pursuing Collection System Maintenance, Environmental Compliance Inspector, Laboratory Analyst, Mechanical Technologist, or Electrical & Instrumentation certification, this free online orientation will help you understand the process and prepare for success.

This session is ideal for first-time applicants or anyone looking for a refresher on CWEA's certification programs.
 
What You Will Learn:
How to navigate the application process
An overview of eligibility requirements and exam windows
What to expect on test day at a Pearson VUE test center or through online proctoring
How to use the Candidate Handbooks to prepare
The steps to maintain and renew your certification
 
There will be time for live Q&A at the end of the session.

Speakers:
Jerry Barajas, CSM4, City of Sunnyvale
Lydia Guerra, ICE-CCP, Director of Certification, CWEA

Operators, Maintenance Staff, Planners, Engineers, and others with little to no formal controls training who want to learn a layperson’s structured approach to the basics of Instrumentation and Controls (I&C), how such work is represented on a Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID), and how combining a P&ID with a corresponding Control Narrative provides a more comprehensive description of a process system.

Learning Objectives/Attendee Takeaways:

1. Be able to identify instruments represented on a P&ID
2. Be able to discern whether a represented instrument is intended to indicate measurement value(s) locally, remotely, or at all
3. Be able to read/comprehend a simple control narrative and find related instruments and measurement indications/actions represented on a P&ID. 

             . 

CWEA Members: $35.00
Non-Members $45.00
CWEA Contact Hours: 1.0 contact hours towards CWEA Certifications: AWT

Presentation Description: Water reclamation facilities are facing a variety of new challenges, including the move toward potable reuse and new regulations to limit nitrogen discharges. This presentation explores the interactions between secondary effluent quality, potable reuse, and nitrogen removal.

Successful potable reuse requires high-quality, consistent secondary effluent. The first part of this presentation will discuss typical advanced treatment trains for potable reuse and identify the critical design parameters impacted by the secondary treatment processes. Key differences between secondary treatment types will be quantified. The evaluation documents higher concentrations and higher variability in non-nitrifying facilities for several key parameters for potable reuse design, including total organic carbon (TOC), ammonia, and nitrite. For non-nitrifying plants, average TOCs ranged from 14 to 27 mg-N/L; nitrifying plants averaged 10 mg-N/L or less. Some non-nitrifying plants routinely reported nitrite concentrations above 2 mg-N/L, and even the fully nitrified facilities occasionally reported nitrite concentrations above 1 mg-N/L and ammonia concentrations above 2 mg-N/L. Plants considering potable reuse should begin monitoring TOC and nitrite to provide data for advanced treatment design. Optimization or upgrades to secondary treatment may be necessary, depending on the advanced treatment goals and requirements. The presentation will help planners and designers understand the suitability and challenges of their secondary effluent for potable reuse.

Plants with new nitrogen limits are considering multi-benefit solutions incorporating recycled water and potable reuse to reduce nitrogen discharges. The second part of this presentation will discuss the impact of potable reuse on nitrogen discharges. A variety of upgrade scenarios for a conventional BOD-removal only plant upgrading to potable reuse will be considered, and the impact on nitrogen removal will be quantified. Scenarios considered include different secondary treatment types (conventional BOD-removal like trickling filter solids contact and nitrification/denitrification in activated sludge), different management of reverse osmosis concentrate (discharge of concentrate, return of concentrate to the plant influent, and separate treatment of concentrate), and a range of potable reuse flows. Although each plant situation is unique, the results will help planners and designers understand the feasibility of using potable reuse to reduce nitrogen discharges and the key factors that impact nitrogen discharges.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to list three secondary effluent quality parameters key to potable reuse design.
Upon completion, participants will be able to describe the suitability and challenges of their secondary effluent for potable reuse.
Upon completion, participants will be able to understand the key potable reuse design decisions that impact nitrogen discharges."

Registrants who view the live webinar to see the slides and hear the audio and then enter the correct attention check code (directions below)1.0  contact hours towards CWEA's Contact Hours. AWT

To receive your contact hours for viewing the live webinar, please note the one (1) attention check code that will be displayed during the webinar in the top left or right corner of the presentation for approximately 90 seconds.  Please enter this code in the Attention Check Code component under the "Contents" tab.  

Please note, all user activity of CWEA certification holders on the Online Wastewater Education Network is subject to the CWEA Code of Ethics standards for professional conduct and ethics. Certification holders should receive credit for a training only once within the same contact hour period. Any attempt to undermine the certification process may be subject to ethics procedures and possible sanctions. It is not possible to receive contact hours for both attending the live webinar and viewing the recording.  

Once you have entered the correct attendance check code, you will be able to create and download an electronic "Certificate of Completion" under the "Contents" tab.

CWEA Members: $35.00
Non-Members $45.00
CWEA Contact Hours: 1.0 contact hours towards CWEA Certifications: AWT

Presentation Description: California DPR Regulations require ozone and biological active carbon (BAC) filtration ahead of full advanced treatment consisting of reverse osmosis (RO) and advanced oxidation process (AOP). The main purpose of ozone and BAC is to address low molecular weight organic compounds some of which such as acetone, formaldehyde cannot be effectively removed by the full advanced treatment. The other purpose of ozone-BAC is to provide an additional barrier for chemical peak “averaging”. 

While Ozone-BAC can provide an effective barrier for low molecular weight compounds that are poorly removed by full advanced treatment, the capabilities of ozone-BAC is limited to relatively small chemical peaking based on North City chemical spike studies. However, one critical area has not come to closer attention of State Water Board. That is the secondary treatment. In this presentation, we will explain inevitable role of secondary treatment in a DPR train. First, an activated sludge based secondary treatment can provide excellent removal for slowly biodegradable organic compounds such as acetone, formaldehyde and all other low molecular alcohols and ketones that are poorly removed by full advanced treatment. Second, a secondary treatment can provide nitrogen control which is critical to meet nitrite and nitrate nitrogen primary MCLs of 1 and 10 mg/L, respectively. These limits may not be reliably met in RO-based full advanced treatment if no nitrogen control is provided in the upstream wastewater treatment plant (e.g., Hyperion WRP). 

Third, a good nitrogen control is essential to minimize secondary effluent nitrite concentration which creates very high ozone demand during ozonation. Last but not least, a well-designed and operated secondary treatment can provide a high-quality effluent with reduced suspended solids, phosphate and metals which can create operational challenges at downstream advanced water purification facility (AWPF).

In summary, how a robust secondary treatment along with performance requirements make DPR possible and case study examples will be presented to demonstrate how secondary process performance affects & defines AWPF design, performance & operation in a DPR train. It will provide an unmatched value for public and regulatory agencies to explore how secondary treatment that makes DPR projects more robust and resilient.
Learning Objectives:
To understand capabilities and limitations of ozone and BAC for chemical control in DPR projects
To understand role and superior benefits of activated sludge based secondary treatment in DPR
To understand how we can configure secondary treatment to make DPR projects more robust and resilient"

Registrants who view the live webinar to see the slides and hear the audio and then enter the correct attention check code (directions below)1.0  contact hours towards CWEA's Contact Hours. AWT

To receive your contact hours for viewing the live webinar, please note the one (1) attention check code that will be displayed during the webinar in the top left or right corner of the presentation for approximately 90 seconds.  Please enter this code in the Attention Check Code component under the "Contents" tab.  

Please note, all user activity of CWEA certification holders on the Online Wastewater Education Network is subject to the CWEA Code of Ethics standards for professional conduct and ethics. Certification holders should receive credit for a training only once within the same contact hour period. Any attempt to undermine the certification process may be subject to ethics procedures and possible sanctions. It is not possible to receive contact hours for both attending the live webinar and viewing the recording.  

Once you have entered the correct attendance check code, you will be able to create and download an electronic "Certificate of Completion" under the "Contents" tab.

CWEA Members: $35.00
Non-Members $45.00
CWEA Contact Hours: 1.0 contact hours towards CWEA Certifications: AWT

Pathogen control and monitoring in water reuse applications is critical to public health protection and gaining public trust. As more utilities and water agencies consider implementing water reuse programs, obtaining credit for log reduction values (LRV) achieved through secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment processes will be an important consideration. While many utilities exploring reuse options are currently focused on membrane processes to achieve additional virus log removal credits, questions remain regarding LRV achieved through various conventional treatment trains. In addition, while molecular assays exist for the detection of viruses, the majority of these methods provide no information on culturability or infectivity thus making extrapolation of end-user exposure risk and identification of suitable applications challenging. The objective of this study was to assess the removal of human infective viruses throughout the stages of wastewater treatment in a full-scale, tertiary municipal wastewater treatment plant in Canada. 

The plant resells 20% of its secondary effluent to an industrial partner after additional treatment by membrane filtration and chlorination. The remaining 80% of the secondary effluent undergoes UV disinfection prior to release into the environment. The partnership between the plant and the industrial partner produces 15 million liters of high-quality water for processing each day, which are used in the refinery cooling tower, boiler and hydrogen plant. Virus concentrations and infectivity were analysed using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and integrated cell culture (ICC) to identify infective human viruses. Seven viruses including Norovirus (NoV), Rotavirus (RV), Sapovirus (SaV), Astrovirus (AsV), Adenovirus (AdV), Enterovirus (EV) and JC virus (JCV) were detected in 16 primary effluent samples in which infective viruses were present. Different treatment steps showed various efficiencies in infective virus removal, with membrane filtration exhibiting the highest at 4.6–7.0 log reductions. 

The overall treatment virus LRV ranged from 1.1 (RV) to 2.8 (EV) for UV-treated final effluent and from 4.6 (EV) to 7.0 (AdV) when membrane filtration and chlorination were applied. The LRV for the six viruses (except for EV) by membrane filtration were significantly greater than that obtained by UV. EV had the highest inactivation by UV but the lowest by membrane filtration.

Learning Objectives:
After the presentation, participants will be able to articulate the benefits and limitations of different viral testing methods and the potential value that coliphage testing might add.
After the presentation, particpants will be able to compare the removal of viruses after various treatment steps.
After the presentation, particpants will have more data to highlight the value and potential virus log removal credits that can be achieved by ultrafiltration (6–7 LRV)."

Registrants who view the live webinar to see the slides and hear the audio and then enter the correct attention check code (directions below)1.0  contact hours towards CWEA's Contact Hours. AWT

To receive your contact hours for viewing the live webinar, please note the one (1) attention check code that will be displayed during the webinar in the top left or right corner of the presentation for approximately 90 seconds.  Please enter this code in the Attention Check Code component under the "Contents" tab.  

Please note, all user activity of CWEA certification holders on the Online Wastewater Education Network is subject to the CWEA Code of Ethics standards for professional conduct and ethics. Certification holders should receive credit for a training only once within the same contact hour period. Any attempt to undermine the certification process may be subject to ethics procedures and possible sanctions. It is not possible to receive contact hours for both attending the live webinar and viewing the recording.  

Once you have entered the correct attendance check code, you will be able to create and download an electronic "Certificate of Completion" under the "Contents" tab.

CWEA Members: $35.00
Non-Members $45.00

The aerobic granular sludge activated sludge process using batch reactors has received attention for the potential it offers to intensify activated sludge. Intensification allows WRRFs to improve effluent quality with a smaller footprint. Alternate technologies like hydrocyclones have become commercially available, which help to retain faster settling particles while the slower-settling particles are wasted out of the system. This type of technology can be more easily incorporated into plug flow reactors. At some plug flow facilities that have both hydrocyclones and unaerated high food-to-microorganism (F/M) selector zones, a relatively high fraction of the activated sludge can become granules producing a “densified sludge”.

In 2020, the City of Wichita installed a four-cyclone skid (180 gpm of return activated sludge [RAS]) on one of six nitrifying activated sludge trains at the Plant 2 WRRF (rated 54 million gallons per day [mgd]). The benefits to settleability through reductions in the sludge volume index (SVI) of the mixed liquor and improved water clarity in the test basin was observed. The SVI in the main basins averaged 120 mL/g compared to 91 mL/g in the hydrocyclone pilot basin. The City has started sampling E. coli in its secondary effluent prior to ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. Initial sampling has indicated about a 0.5-log reduction in E. coli counts in the hydrocyclone train compared to the non-cyclone trains.

Current biological nutrient removal (BNR) improvements project at the Plant 2 will incorporate a full-scale hydrocyclone system. This presentation will present the design criteria and layout of the new hydrocyclone facility and BNR facilities, a 5-stage Bardenpho process with high F/M selector zones and 19 cyclones for sludge wasting. Design considerations for the ancillary support facilities will also be presented, including a cyclone feed sludge (RAS) pumping, discharge of the cyclone underflow into the selector zones of the BNR process, and overflow as waste activated sludge (WAS).

With many utilities in California facing addition of nutrient limits in their discharge permit, the approach provided in this presentation will help these utilities save capital dollars on their improvement projects.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will have a good understanding of densified sludge and the benefits it provides for wastewater plant operations.
Upon completion, participants will learn the key elements to consider when designing a full-scale hydrocyclone based system to provide densification in a plug flow reactor.
Upon completion, participants will learn about the latest research associated with hydrocylones, which indicates that they can potentially reduce disinfection dose at WRRFs, in addition to process benefits .

CWEA Members: $35.00
Non-Members $45.00

Presentation Description: The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts and Carollo Engineers, Inc. have participated in a Department of Energy project called “Transforming Aeration Energy in Resource Recovery Facilities through Suboxic Nitrogen Removal.” The project seeks to operate the activated sludge process at dissolved oxygen (DO) levels that are significantly below 1.0 mg/L while maintaining nitrification. The aeration process in a water recovery facility (WRF) typically consumes approximately 50% of the total energy of the plant. This project aims to reduce that energy consumption from 1500 to below 650 Kwh/MGD . This project involved pilot work as well as conducting full-scale modifications at the Pomona WRF to accommodate low DO operation.

The Pomona WRRF was built about 50 years ago and has not had any significant controls modifications since then. This may be typical of many WRF's in California. This presentation will cover in detail the significant modifications that were made to the facility and the costs. The old single speed centrifugal process air compressors were replaced with turboblowers. The old aeration control had one valve which controlled numerous aeration zones. New valves and flowmeters were installed to allow individual aeration zone control. A third-party control system was installed to allow precise DO control as well as ammonia-based aeration control. A solids retention time control system was also provided. To facilitate these control systems additional instrumentation, including sensors for ammonia, nitrate, DO, TSS, and sludge blankets, were installed. Details on the installation and maintenance of these sensors will be discussed.

The project team will also discuss the approach to reducing the DO while maintaining compliance. Results of low DO activated sludge transition will be presented. This project is due to be completed at the end of September 2024. Pomona WRF is currently operating an average daily DO of 0.85 mg/L. There is some disagreement about how low DO activated sludge works. It may be different organisms doing the nitrification or the existing population adapting to the low DO. The presentation will provide batch kinetic and nitrification test results as well as microbial analysis to try to provide an answer to that question.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, the participant will be able to understand the equipment and controls required to perform low DO operation.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to formulate a plan to transition a facility to low DO operation.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to understand the costs and benefits associated with low DO operation."

CWEA Members: $35.00
Non-Members $45.00

Adaptive planning serves as a valuable means to conceptualize and create designs for water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) that accommodate various stages of growth, even those that are yet unknown. By offering flexible and high-performing technology options, intensification can assist in adaptive planning and effectively address the multiple challenges that WRRFs encounter today. This presentation will highlight the adaptable planning approach and intensification strategies implemented in the secondary treatment system design for the Town of Windsor Water District (Town) to:

• decarbonize their biological nutrient removal (BNR) system in line with net zero sustainability goals
• plan for uncertain growth in a space constrained site
• meet stringent nutrient limits, both nitrogen and phosphorus

The Town’s WRRF has a limit for effluent total nitrogen and phosphorus in their NPDES permit (set at 10.5 mg-N/L and below detection limit respectively). While the WRF has been consistently meeting their permit, these stringent limitations have become constricting when considering Town’s ability to meet growth requirements. Current average influent TSS and ammonia loadings have already exceeded the WRRF’s design capacity. In addition, the Town will be consolidating with an adjacent sanitation district whose growth comes with a substantial degree of uncertainty.

The Town conducted a nutrient removal study and conceptual design in 2020, and is now implementing the detailed design of the secondary treatment system. A roadmap will be presented of the adaptive planning design for this system, which considers multiple growth scenarios for each of the Town’s influent sources.

A variety of intensification options were considered in the design, including aerobic granular sludge (AGS), primary filters and hydrocyclones. Membrane aerated bioreactors (MABR) were ultimately selected for their modular nature, low footprint, and low energy requirement, which perfectly aligns with the Town’s drivers above. The roadmap will illustrate how intensification strategies such as MABR can facilitate adaptive planning by providing phased growth design options that don’t necessarily mean expansion at each step. This part of the presentation will also include an audience driven discussion about how intensification strategies can more broadly be tailored to specific drivers, just as it was in Town’s adaptive design.
Learning Objectives:
View a roadmap of how adaptive planning can be used for phased design under uncertain and unexpected growth for WRRF’s with a multitude of drivers
Understand an example of how a specific intensification option can facilitate adaptive phased design and help tailor the design to a specific client’s needs
Describe how a variety of intensification options can meet various drivers for WRRFs including but not limited to: meeting permits, decarbonizing, address site specific challenges such as space constraints, etc.