Total Liquid Management

Gannett Fleming's staff has developed a comprehensive liquids management approach for solid waste landfills.  This program compares historical leachate generation rates with predicted rates in order to estimate future patterns.  This process can also help predict the absorptive capacity of the solid waste.

Re-circulating leachate into waste mass offers significant cost savings by:

• Accelerating waste stabilization

• Creating airspace savings

• Increasing methane gas generation

• Improving settlement.

Beneficiaries of this new process include landfill operators attempting to reduce costs while improving site performance.

For more information, contact Bioreactor Specialist Robert Hasemeier.

Water: Our Most Precious Resource
Part 1: System Vulnerability Assessments 

Part one of our series, "Water: Our Most Precious Resource," focuses on water system vulnerability assessments (click here for full article).  In this issue we'll identify the status of government funding, examine potential supply system threats and provide some risk management strategies. 

"Environmentally Speaking" has covered water, wastewater and dam security concerns in past issues.

Subtitle D Amendment Supports 
Newer Technologies 

MOLO Instruction

Solid Waste Specialist Chris Campman recently served as the lead instructor for the Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) course in Charlotte, NC.  Sixty-seven landfill managers attended this intensive 3-day course, which ended with an comprehensive exam. 

During the course students learned about landfill design, permitting, operations, equipment, bioreactor technology and landfill gas and leachate.  Over 24 states require the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) MOLO course for landfill manager certification.

Chris additionally serves as Technical Divisions Representative to the Executive Committee of SWANA.

Virginia Water/Wastewater

HDD Force Main Replacement   

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a hot topic  at Virginia's upcoming "Water JAM" (see our "Events" section for more details).

The conference features a Gannett Fleming presentation entitled “Fast Track Replacement of an Aging Subaqueous Force Main.” This paper examines the selection, design and construction of a 36-inch-diameter, high-density pipe installed by HDD under the surface bed of Virginia's Elizabeth River.  The main crossed 1,700 linear feet of the river's eastern branch. 

The new pipe replaces a 24-inch cast iron main installed in 1947.  The project owner is Hampton Roads Sanitation District.

For additional information, contact paper co-authors Randy Grubbs or Tom Trask.

A Virginia First:
A 10 MGD Underground Pump Station

In her paper entitled, "It's Not Just Groundwater, It's Just Water Underground," Gannett Fleming's Jessica Waibel discusses the creative challenges involved with designing a 10 mgd underground water booster pumping station.  

The facility, designed for the City of Falls Church, VA, was the largest underground water booster pumping station ever supplied, by the largest package pumping station manufacturer in the U.S. (Engineered Fluids, Inc.).

The paper explains how this fast-track design project was accomplished in less than 90 days, while overcoming several obstacles along the way.

As reported last issue, Jessica presented her paper at Water Jam 2002. Contact her for more information, and be sure to check back next issue for more on this for more on this feature project.

Dam Safety 2002

The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) will hold its annual national conference in Tampa, FL, this year from September 8 – 11.  Dedicated to dam safety engineering and technology transfer, “Dam Safety 2002” targets dam safety officials, dam engineers and dam construction-related equipment suppliers.  A wide array of technical issues will be covered, including dam security (“Environmentally Speaking” previously discussed dam safety concerns in Issue 3).

In the presentation mix are Gannett Fleming Earth Science and Hydraulics Experts Paul Schweiger and Dave Wilson.  Paul's presentation is on “Timber-Faced RCC Dam – A Historic Look With State-of-the-Art Technology,” while Dave will discuss “A New State-of-the-Art in Grouting – AIA Grouting Systems.”

Approximately 600 attendees are anticipated at this year's conference.  For more event information, visit the ASDSO web site.

Water Jam At The Beach   

The Virginia Section AWWA and the Virginia Water Environment Association Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) is scheduled for September 9-12 in Virginia Beach.  The conference features an extensive technical session, focusing on a variety of water and wastewater topics.  

Featured presenters include staff from Gannett Fleming’s Newport News, VA, office (refer to our "papers/presentations" section for more details).  

Gannett Fleming is also exhibiting and will feature a multi-media presentation at its booth.  

Click here to visit Water JAM's conference web site.

Water Vulnerability Assessments
AWWA/WWOAP Joint Meeting

The Pennsylvania Section AWWA and Water Works Operators' Association will hold a joint meeting on September 20th in Harrisburg, PA, to discuss regulatory and legal issues involving water utility vulnerability/risk assessments.  

Other agenda topics include an update on the 2002 Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Act and a water operator certification workshop.

Contact Ricardo Duarte for more AWWA/WWOAP event information. 

WASTECON 2002

SWANA's WASTECON 2002 convention will be held in Long Beach, CA from October 28-31.  The event offers extensive technical programs, training/certification courses and a 100,000 square-foot exhibit area.  

Solid Waste Specialists Chris Campman and George Barstar will be staffing the Gannett Fleming display booth.  A feature project this issue, George will also present a paper on the Full-Scale Bioreactor Landfill, Cumberland County, NJ.  

This is SWANA’s national convention, which typically draws over 6,000 attendees.  Click here for more information from the conference web site. 

PMAA Features Pittsburgh Plants

The Pennsylvania Municipal Authority Association (PMAA) held its 60^th annual conference in the Pittsburgh Hilton from August 18-21.  The conference, attracting over 1,000 attendees, included approximately 20 sessions in administrative, policy and environmental subjects.  It also featured tours of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) Highland Park Microfiltration Plant and the ALCOSAN Wastewater Treatment Plant.  

Rulison Evans, Gannett Fleming Pittsburgh, and John Kasper, PWSA, additionally presented a paper entitled “Micro Filtration: Is this process in my Authority’s Future?”.

For more PMAA, project or presentation information, contact Rulison.   

Representative Solid Waste Sites:

Air and Waste Management Association

Environmental Industry Associations

Maryland Department of the Environment

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP)

Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)

USEPA National (Landfill Methane Outreach) 
USEPA Region 2
USEPA Region 3