 An aerial view of ISD’s Walnut Meadows facility in Oakley. The fields at right will soon be home to the district's new wastewater treatment plant, currently under construction. |
Over the past few months, district employees have been working diligently on regular upkeep on all fronts. On any given day ISD crews can be seen throughout the streets of Oakley and Bethel Island maintaining pipes, service lines, pump and lift stations and other sewer service infrastructure.
ISD operates 32 pumping stations throughout our service area. Pumping stations, also called lift stations, are designed to handle raw sewage that is transported through underground pipelines.
Raw sewage is stored in an underground pit, commonly known as a wet well. The well is equipped with instruments that detect the level of sewage present. When the sewage level rises to a predetermined point, a pump is automatically activated to lift the sewage upward through a pressurized pipe system so it can be sent to the treatment plant. ISD technicians assure that the pump stations are maintained for optimal performance.
Another ongoing project is the internal inspection of pipelines being performed by field crewmembers. Workers feed closed-circuit video equipment into sewer access points to inspect a pipe’s condition. The equipment can pinpoint blockages, cracks or other problems that would be impossible to spot with the unaided eye.
When problems in the pipes are detected, field crews use a special truck called the Vac-Con, which possesses vacuum and pressurized water capabilities. These tools allow for a thorough cleaning of the collection pipelines, enabling ISD to maintain high performance of its sewer collection system. It is part of ISD’s commitment to provide the most reliable service at a cost-effective price.
Over the past few months the district has also been working to clean one of its storage ponds located near ISD’s Walnut Meadows offices. Storage ponds fill with biosolids that are unable to break down. The biosolids collect on the bottom of the pond and, if not regularly removed, can cause the treatment plant to run at less efficiency. ISD drained the pond and contracted with a company to remove the accumulated biosolids.
Once ISD’s new wastewater treatment plant is built and becomes operational around October 2011, the process of draining the retention ponds will no longer be necessary, as biosolids will be removed daily in the treatment process.
Members of the district’s maintenance staff have also been repairing effluent lines on ISD property that run from the existing treatment plant in Oakley to Jersey Island, where the district currently disposes of its reclaimed water. The underground lines were constructed 27 years ago and periodically need repairs.
An Overflow Protection Device can save a property owner from the very unpleasant and often costly experience of a sewage backup into your home.
Wastewater flows from the house through a private side sewer that connects to the main sewer line. In the event of a blockage, the overflow device allows an overflow to occur outside the building rather than inside.
If you have one — not everyone does — the Overflow Protection Device is the responsibility of the homeowner. In older homes, occasionally the device will become lost or broken and need to be replaced.
You should check on the side or front of your house for the “building sewer cleanout” pipe. Check the pipe for the presence of a conical top. Under the cone there should be a small ball that lifts in case of overflow.
Overflow Protection Devices can be purchased at retail hardware and plumbing supply stores.
The type of water softener you choose for your home or business can impact the environment as much as the quality of the water that comes from the tap.
State water officials are asking sanitary districts throughout the state to reduce the amount of salt they release back into the waterways and ground through their wastewater systems. In turn, ISD customers must do their part by reducing the amount of salt that leaves their individual residences.
Simply changing the type of water softener you use not only can help the Delta, farmers and sanitary districts, including ISD, but also can help you save money in more ways than one.
All softeners remove the undesirable minerals associated with “hard water.” However, some recharge their filters by simply flushing their contents, and the salt that is used to free the contents, into the sewer. The result is that the extra salt and potassium chloride these systems generate is returned to the environment. Others, such as EcoWater Systems’ Series 3500 HydroLink Remote, offer a portable cylinder discharge, exchange and cleaning service.
“We have some of the most environmentally friendly units on the market,” said Brentwood EcoWater’s Rob Kinslow. “These systems save money, energy and water.”
The HydroLink Remote features a portable cylinder discharge system. The brine the cylinder collects is used by the East Bay Municipal Utility District to recycle into energy.
“Using these types of water softeners can save money in the reduction of chemical products that are used,” Kinslow said. “Soft water requires less shampoo and soap. Which means the consumer saves money.”
Kinslow said these systems reduce scale buildup in pipes, allowing appliances such as water heaters, dishwashers and washing machines to run more efficiently and to last longer.
Likewise, you’ll save money by not having to buy bags of salt, and when fewer salts are discharged into the sewer system, it helps ISD comply with its river discharge requirements.
For 20 years Jim Moore, ISD maintenance worker grade II, commuted three hours each day for his job as a mechanic for United Airlines. That was until cuts in the airline industry a couple of years ago left Jim looking for work.
A Bethel Island resident, Jim looked for a new career closer to home and is delighted that his commute now takes him no farther than Oakley.
“I am so glad to be working for the district,” Jim said. “I’m not always doing the same things every day and the variety of work is very rewarding.”
One of Jim’s hobbies is tinkering with different projects and he likes the fact that he can translate that ability to his job. “I am amazed at the different skill level of the jobs we take on. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked on some good projects,” Jim said.
One of the first tasks was to strip the area of vegetation and raise its elevation. Crews brought in truckloads of fill material that was compacted to raise the elevation of the site by two feet. Using a high-impact vertical rammer the crews drilled 2,500 individual holes and backfilled them with gravel to create the rammed aggregate piers that will support the foundation of the new plant. Crews then raised the site another three feet and have also been laying pipework in the area.
The plant is scheduled to be operational by October 2011. In the coming months you will begin to see the plant literally rise from the field.
Residents are invited to ISD’s website to view monthly construction progress reports. The reports include a project manager’s summary, construction status updates, weather related details and photos of recent progress at the site.
Before you pour out your cooking grease remember: “The Drain is not a Dump.” Putting fats, oils and grease (FOG) down the drain can lead to sewer clogs in your house as well as in public sewers that eventually lead to ISD’s treatment plant.
Instead, store FOG-producing items in a recycled metal vegetable can. Keep the can in the freezer until it is full. Finally, cover it with a tight plastic lid (such as a pet food lid like those pictured) and toss it in the trash.
Remember, many kitchen items contain FOG. It is also found in: meat fats, lard, cooking oil, shortening, butter and margarine, food scraps, baked goods, sauces, soups and dairy products.
Our sanitary detectives have been sleuthing out nefarious clogs beneath the streets of Oakley. ISD has had to remove the nasty gunk that lurks in these sewers several times over the past few months. Please do your part to fight FOG by not dumping fats, oils or grease down the drain.
Presently Oakley Disposal Service offers two bins. The blue bin is for newspapers and cardboard. The white bin is for plastics, glass and aluminum. These are collected weekly with the regular garbage pick-up.
Please take our quick and easy survey to let us know how you would like to handle your recycling needs.
Q: I never receive a bill from Ironhouse Sanitary District. How do I pay my Sewer Service Charge?
A: The district uses the Contra Costa County Tax Rolls as the primary method of collection of the Sanitary Sewer Service Charge on an annual basis. This line item shows up on the property owner’s tax bill under the Special Assessments section. If your mortgage service provider takes care of paying your property taxes, then the amount is most likely deducted from your mortgage impound account.
The amount you pay is periodically adjusted by the ISD Board of Directors, with rates taking effect annually in July at the beginning of the new fiscal year.