54th annual virtual conference...our usual “pre-conference workshops” will actually be held post...

October 20–22, 2020 | 54th Annual WWOA Conference 1

54TH ANNUAL WWOA CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

54th Annual Virtual Conference

54th Annual WWOA Conference | October 20–22, 20202

Tuesday, October 20, 20209:00am – 9:15am Welcome Address Jeff Smudde, WWOA President

9:15am – 10:00am Keynote Address: A Fireside Chat with Gilbert Brown

10:00am – 11:00am Hot Topic: PFAS Legislation & Future Directions Paul Kent, Esq., Stafford & Rosenbaum

11:00am – 12:30pm Virtual Exhibit Hall OPEN

12:30pm – 1:30pm Technical Sessions – (4)


Wednesday, October 21, 20209:00am – 10:00am Technical Sessions – (4)

10:00am – 11:00am Technical Sessions – (4)

11:00am – 12:30pm Virtual Exhibit Hall OPEN



Thursday, October 22, 20209:00am – 10:00am Technical Sessions – (4)

10:00am – 11:00am Technical Sessions – (4)

11:00am – 12:30pm WWOA Business Meeting



2:30pm – 3:00pm Passing of the Gavel Closing Remarks by President Don Lintner

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE Schedule subject to change.

Meet Gilbert Brown….Gilbert Brown grew up in Detroit, Michigan and lettered in football and track. His experiences in Detroit helped shape the man he would become, beginning with his choice of college. A two-sport star in high school…Aloha Bowl champion at Kansas…Super Bowl XXXI champion with the Green Bay Packers… race car enthusiast…anti-bullying spokesperson and most importantly, A PROUD MAMA’S BOY”.

Gilbert Brown is best known to Wisconsinites as a former nose tackle who played for the Green Bay Packers (1993–99, 2001–03). Brown played 125 Packers games (103 starts) recording 292 tackles (186 solo) and seven sacks. Nicknamed “The Gravedigger,” in honor of his celebratory dance following a thunderous tackle, Brown played in 15 Packers playoff games. He was a major contributor on strong defenses during the mid-1990s. His best season was 1996, when Green Bay won Super Bowl XXXI.

After football Gilbert is the founder of the Gilbert Brown Foundation and has donated to more than 140 Wisconsin based youth organizations.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER



Tuesday, October 20, 2020: 4 CECs Wastewater, 4 CECs Waterworks, 4 CECs General Septage9:00am – 9:15am Welcome Address Jeff Smudde, WWOA President

9:15am – 10:00am Keynote Address: A virtual fireside chat with Packer Legend Gilbert Brown

10:00am – 11:00am Hot Topic: PFAS Legislation & Future Directions Paul Kent, Esq., Stafford & Rosenbaum

11:00am – 12:30pm Virtual Exhibit Hall

Wednesday, October 21, 2020: 4 CECs Wastewater, 3 CECs Waterworks, 4 CECs General Septage

TECHNICAL SESSIONSSessions subject to change.

BIOSOLIDSModerator: Ricky Mealy

INFO TECHModerator: Randy Langer

LAGOONSModerator: “Juice” Simpson

ALTERNATE APPROACHES

Moderator: Tom Fitzwilliams

WATER QUALITY TRADING

Moderator: Bernie Robertson

ENERGY MANAGEMENT I Moderator: Don Lintner

FOG Moderator: Jeremy Cramer

OPERATIONS SCRAMBLE

Moderator: Neal Kolb

12:30pm – 1:30pm

Biosolids Drying to Eliminate Liquid Land Application

Presented by: Eric Lynne Chris Lefebvre

Using Process Modeling Software to meet stringent nutrient limits in Lagoon Based Treatment Systems

Presented by: James Martin

Artificial Intelligence is very real. Optimization through automation

Presented by: Dave Rutowski

Is Your New Wastewater Treatment Plant Right Under Your Feet?

Presented by: Bart Sexton

9:00am – 10:00am

City of Columbus WWTF Trading Programs

Presented by: Dave Arnott

Fats, Oil and Grease, Oh my

Presented by: Tom Fitzwilliams

Evaluation of Aerator Replacement vs Installation of Fine Bubble Aeration at an Oxidation Ditch

Presented by: Ron Groth Ryan Yentz

Industrial Discharge Control Programs

Presented by: Taryn S. Nall, PE

1:30pm – 2:30pm

Producing Class A Biosolids with a Thermal Dryer

Presented by: Dan Greve, PE

Alternative Solutions through Water Quality Trade and Watershed Plans to Meet the New Low Phosphorus Limits in WPDES Permits

Presented by: Brice Nelson, PE Tim Stockman, PE

SCADA Hardware and Software Maintenance - The New Reality

Presented by: Steve Muther

Construction, Commissioning and Start Up of the Village of Roberts Advanced Biological Nutrient Recovery (ABNRTM) Facility

Presented by: Autumn Fisher


Wednesday, October 21, 2020: 4 CECs Wastewater, 3 CECs Waterworks, 4 CECs General Septage

11:00am – 12:30pm Virtual Exhibit Hall

TECHNICAL SESSIONS CNT’DSessions subject to change.

WATER QUALITY TRADING

Moderator: Bernie Robertson

ENERGY MANAGEMENT 1

Moderator: Don Lintner

FOG Moderator: Jeremy Cramer

OPERATIONS SCRAMBLE

Moderator: Neal Kolb

PHOSPHORUSModerator: Rick Mealy

ENERGY MANAGEMENT II

Moderator: Jeff Smudde

PLANT REHAB Moderator: Cody Schoepke

TIPS & TRICKSModerator: Jeff Bratz

10:00am – 11:00am

An Innovative Water Quality Trading Approach to Meet Low Level Phosphorus Limits at a Wisconsin WWTP

Presented by: Bradley J. Lake, PE

Lifting the Fog from FOG Receiving

Presented by: Lindsey Busch Rashi Gupta

Aeration Efficiency: Reduce your energy bill 50%

Presented by: Trevor Ghylin, PhD, PE

Land application education: What operators can learn from farmers about biosolids management

Presented by: Matt Seib

12:30pm – 1:30pm

Achieving Ultra-Low Phosphorus and sNRP Removal Using Reactive Filtration

Presented by: Nick Janous

Pumping Station and Force Main Rehabilitation vs Replacement Across the Wisconsin River

Presented by: Ryan Giefer Ryan Yentz

Got a Minute? I have a Quick Generator Question

Presented by: Steve Muther

Tricks of the Trade

Presented by: Troy Larson Tom Steinbach Sharon Thieszen

1:30pm – 2:30pm

Getting it Right the First Time: Use of Operational Workshops to Optimize Complex Processes During Start-up

Presented by: Troy Larson

Lift Station Rehabilitation Case Study: Boosting Efficiency and Reducing Grease Accumulation

Presented by: Mark B. Van Weelden

Energy Recovery at NEW Water

Presented by: Bruce Bartel Jake Becken

Wastewater and Process Flow Measurement: Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned

Presented by: Randy J. Langer, PE



Thursday, October 22, 2020: 4 CECs Wastewater, CECs Waterworks, CECs General Septage

11:00am – 12:30pm WWOA Annual Business Meeting

2:30pm – 3:00pm Passing the Gavel / Closing Remarks by WWOA President, Don Lintner Introduction of 2020-21 Board

PFASModerator: Kevin Freber

I/I REDUCTION Moderator: Jenny Pagel

PHOSPHORUS II Moderator: Troy Larson

PUMP IT UPModerator: Josh Voigt

PFAS IIModerator: Marc

Stephanie

OPTIMIZATION & RETROFIT

Moderator: Nate Tillis

PHOSPHORUS III Moderator: Ben Brooks

COLLECTION SYSTEMS

Moderator: Rick Mealy

9:00am – 10:00am

PFAS - Treatment and Concern

Presented by: Alan Labisch Katie Buchalski

Designing an Algae-Based Nutrient Recovery System

Presented by: Leo Kucek Katie Hassing

Community Implemented Sanitary Lateral Replacement Programs

Presented by: Joe DeYoung, PE

Real World Considerations for Pump Design, Operation and Troubleshooting

Presented by: Steven Truitt

12:30pm – 1:30pm

Forever Chemicals - Science v Regulation

Presented by: Paul Junio

Using Reactive Filtration to Achieve Ultra-Low Phosphorus and Metals Targets

Presented by: Nick Janous

Leveraging Data to Optimize Treatment

Presented by: Colton Janes, PE

RIsk Management of Wastewater Force Mains

Presented by: Evan Bidenbach

10:00am – 11:00am

What’s New With PFAS and is it Going to Affect Your System

Presented by: Chris Groh

Theory and Practice of Chemical Phosphorus Removal Implementation at Small WWTFs

Presented by: Pat Morrow, PE

Roxbury Sanitary District I&I Reduction Project, A Case Study

Presented by: Andy Zimmer, PE

Lift Station Replacements - How Much Can I Pump?

Presented by: Diane Thoune, PE

1:30pm – 2:30pm

Innovation in Water Treatment -PFAS Removal by Aqueous Electrostatic Concentration (AEC)

Presented by: Tonya Chandler Randall Moore

A Roller Coaster Tour of Nitrification in Operation

Presented by: Bill Marten

How are the seven MBBR/IFAS retrofit plants in Wisconsin working today? A review

Presented by: Meg Hollowed Larry Li

Alternative Grit System Design Approaches

Presented by: Ryan Asbury


CONFERENCE PRIZE

• Mark your calendars for 2021 •

WISCONSIN WASTEWATER 0PERATORS’ ASSOCIATION55th Annual Conference

Radisson Hotel La CrosseLa Crosse, WI

October 3—October 8, 2021

Hotel reservation information will be on the WWOA website under Annual Conference.

Throughout the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to win Gilbert Brown autographed memorabilia pieces, such as the “Gravedigger” mini-shovel!



WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRThe WWOA Board of Directors welcomes you to the 54th Annual WWOA Conference! The great pandemic of 2020 has required us to cancel the “in-person” conference this year, to ensure all members’ safety. Nevertheless, the Board of Directors has put together a “virtual” conference that I think you all will enjoy.

Our usual “Pre-Conference Workshops” will actually be held POST conference this year. The 2-day technical program will offer one session on laboratory testing of phosphorus, and a second session on the most current information on wastewater microbiology. We will be scheduling these in early December on separate days to allow more laboratory time and other interested folks to attend them.

This year’s conference will be a 3-day event running from 9:00am until 2:30pm each day. The conference officially opens on Tuesday, October 20th, at 9:00am with a brief Welcome Address from President Jeff Smudde, followed by this year’s Keynote presentation, a “Fireside Chat” with Green Bay Packer legend Gilbert Brown.

Then we will kick off the Technical Program at 11:00am with a talk by Paul Kent (M.E.G. and Stafford& Rosenbaum) on current legislation and future directions of PFAS testing. From 1:00 to 12:30pm, we encourage you to check out the virtual exhibit hall. Our exhibitors have been provided with an area through our virtual platform where they can post videos, set up face-to-face sessions, and even provide for live chatting with representatives. The day will round out with four tracks of technical sessions. Throughout the conference, there will also be opportunities for attendees to win Gilbert Brown autographed memorabilia!

The program planned for you on Wednesday will continue with:

• Technical Sessions with four tracks, scheduled from 9:00am until 11, and again from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.

• From 11:00am – 12:30pm we again encourage you to explore the virtual exhibit hall, where you can see, hear, and ask questions about the latest materials and process innovations.

On Thursday, the learning and fun continues with:

• Technical Sessions with four tracks, scheduled from 9:00am until 11:00am, and again from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.

• The Annual Members Business Meeting - 11:00am to 12:30pm. You won’t want to miss this important opportunity to elect new members of the WWOA Board of Directors, and vote on critical ByLaws changes.

The conference will close on Thursday with a ‘passing of the gavel’ from Jeff Smudde to incoming President Don Lintner, closing remarks from President Lintner, and introductions of the 2021 Board of Directors.

On behalf of the WWOA Board of Directors, the Technical Program Committee, the Exhibits, Manufacturers & Consultants Committee, and everyone that has worked to bring this 54th Annual Conference together in virtual form, we look forward to ‘seeing’ you over the next few days!

Rick Mealy, 2020 WWOA Technical Program Committee Chair

WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENTOn behalf of the Wisconsin Wastewater Operator’s Association Board of Directors, I would like to welcome everyone to the 54th Annual WWOA Conference October 20-22. The Board is excited to host the first ever virtual conference, where we will offer the educational opportunities the conference is known for. I hope you enjoy the technical sessions and take part in the virtual exhibit hall. Don’t miss the annual business meeting

Thursday at 11:00 for election of Board members and voting on other important matters. This virtual event is sure to be memorable, and I hope you make the most of it.

Enjoy the conference! Jeff Smudde, WWOA President


WISCONSIN WASTEWATER OPERATORS’ ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIPSThe Wisconsin Wastewater Operator’s Association is dedicated to elevating and advancing professionals in the water and wastewater fields. One of the ways this organization continues to promote growth and education is by offering scholarships to students enrolled in related programs of study.

This year there were nine qualified applicants for scholarships. Two students were awarded $1000 scholarships sponsored by the WWOA. One student was awarded a $1000 scholarship sponsored by Crane Engineering. One student was awarded a $5000 scholarship sponsored by North Central Laboratories. Congratulations scholarship recipients! Everyone at WWOA is excited to see the great things these students will bring to the water and wastewater treatment field in the years to come.

Gavin Gurgel Recipient of the 2020 WWOA ScholarshipGavin Gurgel is a student at Moraine Park Technical College in the Water Quality Technology program. He did some job shadowing with the Eau Claire Wastewater Plant and then a formal internship with the Reedsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant . He is excited to finish up his studies and pursue a career in the wastewater treatment field.

WWOA, I am sincerely honored to have been selected as the recipient of the WWOA scholarship. Thank you for your generosity, which has allowed me the opportunity to continue my education.

Gavin Gurgel

Gage Hirdler Recipient of the 2020 WWOA Scholarship

To the WWOA Scholarship Committee, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for the $1,000 scholarship awarded to me for the 2020-2021 school year. The contribution you have made has greatly relieved me of my financial burdens.

With the advent of CoVID-19 and the resultant quarantine measures, it has been a challenge to secure the funds necessary to pay for tuition as I continue my Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering Technologies. In order to cover the costs, I worked as a third shift stocker at a local grocery store until I was hired as a Lab Assistant under my former professor at NWTC. I cannot express enough how grateful I am to receive the scholarship from WWOA.

My plans are to finish a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering Technologies at UW Green Bay and work at an engineering consulting firm or government agency. Adaptive Management has been a very interesting topic to me, and the head of the Environmental Engineering Technologies program at UW Green Bay has conducted undergraduate research in this particular field. I hope to pursue these projects, and aid in the reduction of phosphorus and agricultural run-off in the Fox River watershed.

Once again, thank you for the $1,000 scholarship, and I wish the best for the WWOA in the upcoming year.

Kindest regards, Gage Hirdler



Congratulations, Brooke!

Crane Engineering is proud to support you on your educational journey. Crane Engineering helps water and wastewater treatment systems in our communities perform at their best.

We support municipalities and industries through high quality service and repair, rehabilitation of aging infrastructure, and replacement or upgrades to equipment like pumps, valves, lift stations, and more.

Visit us at CraneEngineering.net

Brooke Lotto Recipient of the 2020 WWOA Scholarship sponsored by Crane Engineering

Dear WWOA, It is my honor to be awarded the WWOA Scholarship sponsored by Crane Engineering to go towards my tuition. I am currently starting my second year in the Environmental Engineering - Waste & Water Technology program at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. I will be graduating in Spring of 2021 with hopes of joining the workforce in the wastewater treatment field or continuing my education at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay in Environmental Science & Engineering.

I want to again thank you for your generous donation towards my educational and career goals. Knowing that my community, the same community I hope to give back to while working in wastewater treatment, is supporting me through my journey is really intriguing. I was thrilled to discover that organizations in my community have as strong of a passion for restoring water resources and using them in a sustainable way as I do. I was drawn to apply for this scholarship because I want to continue my path towards becoming a steward of the environment and being able to “recycle” used water to our surface water streams. Environmental science and education is important to me because it teaches and motivates me to address complex environmental challenges in a world where most of those challenges are not being met. Through my journey thus far I have learned how my decisions today affect the environment in the future and I cannot wait to continue that journey. Because of your generosity, I can.

Sincerely, Brooke Lotto

http://craneengineering.net


North Central Laboratories has been providing Wastewater plants with lab equipment and supplies for 35 years and has been a proud member of the WWOA since 1987. We have served over 5000 wastewater plants over the years and are currently serving over 600 facilities in Wisconsin.

It is our pleasure to serve you,and we are grateful for the relationships and friendships that we havedeveloped with many of you over the years. We greatly appreciate all of the business you have done with us over the years which has helped NCL to grow to become a significant supplier to the environmental industry. This scholarship is one way that we “give back” to the wastewater community.

We have come to appreciate the complexity of operating a treatment plant and the importance of a plant operating at maximum efficiency to protect our environment. We feel that many Job positions in a treatment plant would warrant and benefit from a 4- year college degree.

In 2014, we introduced the NCL-WWOAScholarship for the purpose of financially assisting a person pursuing a 4-year degree leading to employment in the operations of a treatment plant. The student should be starting or Into their junior year in college. The scholarship amount is a total of $5000: $2500 to be paid for the student’s junior year, and $2500 for their senior year.

This year, it is our pleasure to award the 2020 WWOA-NCL Tuition Scholarship to Tyler Luebke. Tyler has already had experience working in water and wastewater plants. He is now pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from UW - Green Bay.

We hope this scholarship will aid Tyler in his career endeavors.

Sincerely, Mike Raynovic, President

Tyler Luebke Recipient of the 2020 NCL ScholarshipTyler Luebke became interested in the water and wastewater treatment field while working part time with Manitowoc public utilities during High School. That work helped him decide to go to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for his degree in Environmental Engineering-waste and water technology. He is now working as a wastewater operator at the Sheboygan treatment plant and pursing a Bachelor’s degree at UWGB in Organizational Leadership. His goal is to continue to work in the wastewater field and to work toward a leadership role in the field.

Dear WWOA and North Central Laboratories,

I was happy to learn that I was the recipient of the WWOA-NCL Tuition Scholarship. I am writing to thank you for your generous financial support towards my higher education.

I am a Wastewater Treatment Operator for the city of Sheboygan. I am currently enrolled in my Junior year at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. The bachelor’s degree that I am working towards right now consists of many different leadership classes. These two years of leadership work and the two years I completed at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College will boost my education greatly. My future goals involve moving up the ladder in the wastewater field. This could be from a lead operator to the plant supervisor.

Once again, I would like to thank North Central Laboratories and WWOA for organizing such an amazing opportunity for a wastewater student. I would also like to thank North Central Laboratories especially for the financial part of this scholarship. This opportunity now allows me to finish out all of my education goals.

Sincerely, Tyler J Luebke



WWOA AWARD WINNERS 2020

Congratulations to ALL our Winners!

George F. Bernauer AwardAaron Dose

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

Koby Crabtree AwardRyan HennessyMidwest Contract Operations

Newcomer of the Year AwardMatt BottlemyCity of Owen

Service AwardKevin Freber

City of Oconomowoc Utilities


LEADERSHIPPresidentJeff Smudde

President-ElectDon Lintner

Vice PresidentRick Mealy

Past PresidentJeff ‘Juice’ Simpson

Directors (2020)Joshua Voigt Marc Stephanie

Directors (2021)Jeremy Cramer Jenny Pagel Ben Brooks

Exhibits, Manufacturers & Consultants CommitteeTom Mulcahy, Chair Carol Strackbein, Co-Chair

Committee Members:Dave Dodge Kevin Freber Kelly Zimmer

Technical Program CommitteeRick Mealy, Chair

Committee Members:Jeff Bratz Lyle Lutz Rusty Schroedel Jake Becken Bernie Robertson Troy Larson Marc Zimmerman John Bond Kevin Freber Nate Tillis Tom Fitzwilliams Cody Schoepke Ryan Hennessy Neal Kolb

Plus Board Members: Jeff Smudde Juice Simpson Don Lintner Jeremy Cramer Josh Voigt Ben Brooks Jenny Pagel Marc Stephanie

WWOA Past Presidents1967-68 Clyde Lehman 1968-69 Karl Zuehlke 1969-71 Dave Martin 1971-72 Cary Coates 1972-73 Grant Haugstad 1973-74 Tom O’Keefe 1974-75 Bob Deering 1975-76 John Wagner 1976-77 John Allen 1977-78 Stan Budrys 1978-79 Willis Stubbe 1979-80 Pete Albers 1980-81 Leo Templeton 1981-82 Roger Sherman 1982-83 Frank Munsey 1983-84 Al Winter 1984-85 Nancy Mann 1985-86 Ron Perkovich 1986-87 Joe Gehin 1987-88 Jack Budde 1988-89 Pete Wachs 1989-90 Bill DeBauche 1990-91 Don Lythjohan 1991-92 Jim Krueger 1992-93 Joe Mandala 1993-94 Dean Falkner 1994-95 Lamont Albers 1995-96 John Leonard 1996-97 Carol Strackbein 1997-98 Gary Hanson 1998-99 Dan Busch 1999-2000 Wally Thom 2000-01 Rich Boden 2001-02 Judy Tholen 2002-03 Dale Neis 2003-04 Randy Herwig 2004-05 Timothy Nenning 2005-06 Tom Kruzick 2006-07 Kay Curtin 2007-08 Jim Thalke 2008-09 John Bond 2009-10 Bruce Bartel 2010-2011 Dave Carlson 2011-2012 Randy Thater 2012-2013 Wade Peterson 2013-2014 Kevin Freber 2014-2015 Kelly Zimmer 2015-2016 Lyle Lutz 2016-2017 Sharon Thieszen 2017-2018 Jeff Bratz 2018-2019 Jeff Simpson

54th annual virtual conference...our usual “pre-conference workshops” will actually be held post...

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