4/28/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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also pointed out that during the past year there have -been several episodes where water quality issues arose with the laboratory and that there is a little bit more to it than just collecting samples and handing them in for analysis. At those particular points, the field data became crucial to resolving the laboratory issues. If the laboratory issues cannot be resolved, it will be very difficult to increase the flow to the wetland, which is designed for 6 million gallons per day (mgpd). It is currently permitted for 2 mgpd. As it stands, the County has to demonstrate that it can operate at 2 mgpd, which, according to the permit, is to provide two years of operational data, which means the water has been flowing through the wetlands, and demonstrating that it can operate at the current levels. When that is achieved, the flow could be increased to 3 or 4 mgpd for another two-year period and then increase it again. The same also applies to the total phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. The reason the phosphorous is at a low level is because this wetland is out on the edge as far as design is concerned. The County had a very ambitious plan; there are no other wetlands in the world that operate at those hydraulic loadings and those nutrient loadings, so DEP was obviously wanting to take this a step at a time. He did not necessarily blame them, but he would have liked to have had it the other way so he could have bragged about it. The State is stepping it up to demonstrate that, in fact, it is going to work as it was designed. Those issues are imbedded within Ecotech's responsibilities, as Ecotech sees it. Mr. Swindell suggested another option available to the County which they recently permitted to another entity. Their reject water goes to the wetlands, so there is no need for a separate reject water holding system. Because the County's treatment plants will soon be completely interconnected, it means that it would be possible at some point in the future, that all the reject water could be discharged without spending the money to develop a separate reject water holding system and re-treating the water. There are several issues that are not readily apparent on the surface of their contract which they agreed to with former Director Pinto originally. It was envisioned as a symbiotic relationship in the sense that if Ecotech was able to get the wetlands to work as designed, obviously there would be benefits to the company for that and, in return, all the benefits to the County because the wetlands would then serve as the ultimate backup system for all the wastewater treatment plants and give the County a surface water discharge. Mr. Swindell believed the County and Ecotech have had a very good working relationship to this point and they would like it to continue. April 28, 1998 91 r Uo