FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE10-42
May 4, 2010
CONTACT:
Farrell Sklerov/Mercedes Padilla (718) 595-6600
DEP Holds 23rd Annual Operations Challenge
Four Teams Compete in Events that Test Skills of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators
Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today kicked off the 23rd annual Operations Challenge competition in which wastewater treatment plant operators compete to showcase the expertise and skills required to operate and maintain New York City's 14 wastewater treatment plants. After competing in five events that represent a cross section of essential wastewater treatment operations, the two winning teams will move on to compete at the statewide competition in June. The morning-long event is co-sponsored by the Water Environment Federation and DEP, and was held at the Jamaica Wastewater Treatment Plant in Queens.
"New York City produces more than one billion gallons of wastewater each
day," said Environmental Protection Commissioner Holloway. "We have 1,900
dedicated wastewater treatment employees who do crucial work to ensure that our
surrounding waterways are protected. Mayor Bloomberg has also committed billions
of dollars upgrading our 14 wastewater treatment plants. As a result of this
investment and the hard work of our employees, our harbor is the cleanest and
healthiest it has been in 100 years. Today's competition tests the critical
skills - including worker safety – that our operators exhibit each day. I
applaud the teams competing today and wish them luck."
This year's four competing teams - the Sludge Fellas,
the Trash Talkers, the River Rats and the Generators – hail from the Owls Head, Tallman Island and North River
wastewater treatment plants. Each team will compete in five timed events,
including:
-
Collections: Teams respond
to a leaking pipe and repair it while it remains in
service.
-
Water Quality Testing: Teams perform tests to determine
the pollution level in water to see if it meets discharge
standards.
-
Maintenance: Contestants
remove submersible equipment, make the necessary repairs and return it to
service.
-
Waste Treatment Process: Teams answer
multiple choice questions to demonstrate their knowledge of the wastewater treatment
process.
-
Worker Safety: Teams rescue a dummy in a
confined space while checking air quality using safety devices and perform
CPR.
The Operations Challenge is an excellent opportunity to showcase safety and
training skills while recognizing the work of wastewater treatment operators.
The two highest scoring teams will go on to compete in the statewide competition
in June. From there, winners of the statewide contest will participate in a
national competition in New Orleans in October. The Operations Challenge was
developed by the Water Environment Federation, the largest professional
organization representing the wastewater treatment industry. The event at
the Jamaica Wastewater Treatment Plant is sponsored by a local chapter of the
organization in conjunction with DEP, which has participated in the Operations
Challenge since 1987. A team from DEP has made it to the national competition
for 14 straight years.
Each day, DEP treats 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater. Since 2002, the City
has invested $9 billion to upgrade its 14 wastewater treatment plants. Because
of these investments, DEP has achieved a number of milestones recently: reaching
Clean Water Act secondary treatment standards for the first time ever – three
years ahead of schedule; ending Federal probation and monitoring this past
December that began in 2001; agreeing to a historic nitrogen-reduction program
with the State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Natural
Resources Defense Council.
DEP manages the City's water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of
water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8 million in New York
City, and residents of Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties. New York
City's water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from
the city, and comprises 19 reservoirs, and three controlled lakes. Approximately
7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and
businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,400 miles of sewer lines take
wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants.