Water Conservation Contingency Plan
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1. Contingency Plan for Watertown's Water Distribution System >>
2. Contingency Plan for Watertown's Wastewater Collection System >>
Contingency Plan for Watertown's Water Distribution System
The City's Water Distribution System consists of 3 wells, 300,000 gallon watertower and a 1100 gpm filter plant. The
water system has a dialer alarm system.
1. Objective of plan: Normal level of service.
2. Criteria for invoking plan: Severe Storms and Power Outages to water tower and well #3.
3. Life of Plan: Until electricity is restored.
4. Roles, responsibilities, and authority: The Public Works Director will be in charge of operating this
contingency plan. He/She will assign workers in the department as needed. If additional personnel are needed, he/she will have the authority to
use personnel starting from the water/wastewater departments, street department and the parks department. If the Public Works Director is
unavailable, the Utility Superintendent or the Water/Wastewater operators will assume the responsibilities outlined in this plan.
5. Procedures for invoking contingency mode: The public works director will assign employees to monitor
the system beginning March 1, 2004 on an emergency basis until it is clear that there are no problems with the operations of the system.
There is only one alarm for the water system which is at the water facility. It reports problems with the water facility and wells. The
water tower has no alarms and when loses power the pressure needs to be monitored either at the public works building or at the base of
the water tower. The level of the tower remains the same when the power goes out. To fill the tower the water plant needs to be run manually.
If an employee discovers a problem, he/she will notify the public works director immediately and describe the nature
of the problem (e.g. no electricity to one or all lift stations). The public works director will determine if additional employees are
needed and if so will notify the other employees to report to duty. He/she will assign them emergency responsibilities.
6. Procedures for operating in contingency mode.
* Portable generators - The city has a portable generator that can operate well #3. This well
will only be used if the water facility loses its backup power. The generator that we use to power this well is also used to run two lift
stations. The water facility, well #2 and #4 are powered by the stand-by generator at the water facility. If necessary, the public works
director will try to obtain an additional generator through rental or mutual-aid agreement.
* Water restrictions - If a city-wide or region wide power outage lasts more than one day,
the city will consider restricting community water usage. We need to make sure we have enough reserve for safe drinking water and fire
fighting.
7. Resources plan for operating in contingency mode.
* Personnel - 2 water/wastewater employees, 3 public works employees.
* Portable generator
* Trucks to transport or tow generator
8. Criteria for returning to normal operation mode: Electricity restored
9. Procedures for returning to normal operating mode.
* Disconnect the portable generator that is connected to well #3
* Put controls on auto
10. Procedures for recovering lost or damaged data: Inapplicable
11. Estimated cost of plan
* Personnel including regular, overtime and holiday pay for three workers for a five day period: $3000-$4000
12. Post contingency plan: The public works director will meet with the personnel who assisted in operating this
plan to determine how it worked. If necessary, changes will be made for any future emergencies.
13. Testing of contingency plan: Prior to May 1, 2004, the water/wastewater departments will provide training
to all employees on how to implement this plan.
Contingency Plan for Watertown's Wastewater Collection System
The City's Wastewater Collection System consists of 5 lift stations, light alarm system, dialer alarms and gravity sewer lines.
1. Objective of plan: Normal level of service
2. Criteria for invoking plan: Severe Storms, Heavy rains and Power Outages to one or more lift stations
3. Life of Plan: Until electricity is restored and flows have peaked.
4. Roles, responsibilities, and authority: The Public Works Director will be in charge of operating this
contingency plan. He/She will assign workers in the department as needed. If additional personnel are needed, he/she will have the authority to
use personnel starting from the water/wastewater departments, street department and the parks department. If the Public Works Director is
unavailable, the Utility Superintendent or the Water/Wastewater operators will assume the responsibilities outlined in this plan.
5. Procedures for invoking contingency mode: The public works director will assign employees to monitor the
system beginning March 1, 2004 on an emergency basis until it is clear that there are no problems with the operations of the system. Four of the
lift stations have battery back up on the alarm systems.
If an employee discovers a problem, he/she will notify the public works director immediately and describe the nature of the
problem (e.g. no electricity to one or all lift stations). The public works director will determine if additional employees are needed and if
so will notify the other employees to report to duty. He/she will assign them emergency responsibilities.
6. Procedures for operating in contingency mode
* Portable generators - The city has two portable generators that can operate three of the lift
stations. Two of the lift stations have the same receptacle so that they can be run with the portable generator. Based on the storage in the
lines and the wet well of the lift station, the public works director will assign employees to transport and hook up the portable generator
to the lift stations. If the two lift stations are not working, the public works director will establish a schedule to rotate the generator
between the two lift stations. The main lift station is connected to the wastewater treatment facilities generator. If necessary, the public
works director will try to obtain an additional generator through rental or mutual-aid agreement.
* Vacuum Truck - There is one lift station that does not have a generator receptacle so we
will use the vacuum truck to pump sewage if need be. Also if the generators are not able to handle the flow, the city will pump sewage out
of the lift stations with the vacuum truck. The public works director will assign employees to pump sewage using this truck.
* Lift Station Bypass - Because of the vicinity of two of the lift stations, we would be able
to establish a line to by pass the lift station. If needed, the public works director will contact a contractor to construct this line. This
is not an option for the other two lift stations because either crossing a highway or the distance is too great.
* Temporary overflows - To avoid sewer back-ups in many citizens' homes, if the above options
do not handle the flow, the city may have to establish temporary overflows from manholes and from lift stations. The city will work with the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to try to minimize the use of this option.
* Water restrictions - If a city-wide or region wide power outage lasts more than one day, the
city will consider restricting community water usage (this is to reduce flow of wastewater through the system).
7. Resources plan for operating in contingency mode
* Personnel - 2 water/wastewater employees, 3 public works employees.
* Vacuum truck
* Portable generators
* Hydraulic pump and two trash pumps for lift station bypasses
* Trucks to transport or tow generators
8. Criteria for returning to normal operation mode: Electricity restored to all lift stations and flow returns to
normal to wastewater plant.
9. Procedures for returning to normal operating mode
* Disconnect any portable generators that are connected to lift stations.
* Remove any bypasses from any manhole or lift stations
* Clean up any temporary overflows
10. Procedures for recovering lost or damaged data: Inapplicable
11. Estimated cost of plan
* Personnel including regular, overtime and holiday pay for three workers for a five day period: $3000-$4000
* Bypass pumps and hose: $250 a day
12. Post contingency plan: The public works director will meet with the personnel who assisted in operating this
plan to determine how it worked. If necessary, changes will be made for any future emergencies.
13. Testing of contingency plan: Prior to May 1, 2004, the water/wastewater departments will provide training to
all employees on how to implement this plan.
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