1st QUARTER NEWSLETTER 2016 
WELCOME PRESIDENT SCHWARTZ phil
In the English language a "quip" is a witty remark, a jest or a pun. When you meet Phil Schwartz for the first time, you quickly realize that you're in the presence of the "Quip-Master".

Phil Schwartz was elected President of the Eastern Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Operators Association in November and true to form, he quickly demonstrated his wit by suggesting that the Association change its name. Although that quip fell on a long moment of uncomfortable silence, he did get down to business and began leading our Association.

On a more serious note, Phil is one of the founding partners of Keystone Engineering Group in Frazer, Pennsylvania.  Keystone Engineering Group was founded in 1997 with three other partners to provide responsive electrical engineering services to municipalities and private industry. Phil has both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Cornell University. He enjoys kayaking, playing ice hockey, hanging with friends, as well as enjoying bourbon and (legally procured) Cuban cigars. It's been said that the secret to success in Phil's company is hard work, a sense of humor and a love of the Philadelphia Flyers.

So take some time to talk to Phil and congratulate him on his position with the Association.  When he calls to ask you to volunteer for something, stand up straight and with great seriousness say, "Yes Mr. Quip-Master".

Submitted by Scot Fertich
YUENGLING MEETING yuengling
Nobody Turns Down Beer and Ice Cream
Operators, Engineers, Vendors and just plain thirsty folk descended upon Pottsville, Pennsylvania on Friday, March 18th for the Yuengling Tour and Meeting.  A near record 266 Attendees preregistered for this event, along with 82 Vendors and Sponsors. I wonder why?

For those of you who have been living under a rock ( you know who you are), Yuengling is America's oldest brewery, dating back to 1829.  In fact, all you have to do is ask for "a Lager" in many places, and you will get a Yuengling, no questions asked.

One attendee was overheard saying "Wow, Phil Schwartz is a great President for coming up with this idea."  OK, I cannot tell a lie. It was actually me who said that.  But in reality, the idea came from Art Auchenbach and Carl Janson of Riordan who suggested I talk to Greg Unger of SDE (Systems Design Engineering).  Greg connected me to Mike Misstishin of Yuengling, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Seriously, many thanks go out to Mike and Joe Spotts, and the rest of the folks at Yuengling for their hospitality ( and $1 beers!)

Anyway, Yuengling recently completed the construction of a wastewater pre-treatment facility across the street from their original brewery.  The treatment system, designed by SDE, is an anaerobic process provided by Veolia/Biothane and includes Combined Heat and Power (CHP) utilizing methane to create electricity and heat.  It's pretty cool.  Plus, the pre-treatment system was built in and around the old Creamery Building (constructed in 1920 during prohibition) that formerly housed Yuengling Ice Cream.

Attendees were given a tour of the pre-treatment facility and the original brewery, including the caves.  A lunch and business meeting at the Pottsville Zone followed, which included $1 bottles of Yuengling and Yuengling Ice Cream (now a separate company from the beer).  Thank you, Jill Jordan of Veolia, for your interesting presentation about the pre-treatment facility.

Here is a nice article about the facility from the Republican Herald newspaper:
 
And finally, thanks to the following sponsors as well:
  • Miller Bros. Construction, Inc.  - Gold Sponsor / Bus Sponsor
  • Veolia Water Technology - Gold Sponsor / Lunch Sponsor
  • Systems Design Engineering, Inc. - Breakfast Sponsor
  • Kelso Solutions - Mailing Sponsor
  • Riordan Materials Corporation - Mailing Sponsor
  • Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP - Bronze Sponsor
  • D.G. Yuengling & Sons - Beverage Sponsor
  • Yuengling Ice Cream - Dessert Sponsor
  • A Special Thank You to Fanilli Warehouse for allowing us to use their parking area for our Vendors' Tent location

YP READING ROYALS EVENT royals
On Friday, February 19, 2016, the EPWPCOA Young Professional's hosted a family night out at the Reading Royals hockey game.  More than 40 EPWPCOA members and their families attended this event.  It was a fun-filled night of cheering on the Reading Royals!

HORSHAM WATER & SEWER AUTHORITY MEETING horsham
The May EPWPCOA Meeting and Plant Tour will be held at the Horsham Water & Sewer Authority on Friday, May 20, 2016. The Registration Deadline is May 6, 2016!  Click here  for the Announcement.  Click here  for Vendor information.

About Horsham Water & Sewer Authority
The Park Creek Sewage Treatment Plant is owned & operated by the Horsham Water & Sewer Authority. Horsham Township is divided into 5 drainage areas (A-E) & the Authority serves 8123 sewer customers in total. Park Creek STP treats the wastewater from area D & E which is 66 miles of collection system with 2 pumping stations in the western portion of the township & accounts for approximately 30% of the wastewater generated in the township. The treatment process is A2O & is currently rated for 2.25 MGD. 

The original Park Creek STP was constructed in 1990. It has been upgrade & expanded periodically with the most recent upgrade/expansion completed in 2015. The current plant configuration consists of: 2 Channel Monsters, 3 Raw Sewage Pumps, 700,000 gallon Equalization Tank, 3 Equalization Pumps, 3- A2O Trains, 3 Clarifiers, 3 Disc Filters & UV disinfection. The solids handling portion consists of 2 Aerobic Digester & a Centrifuge.




















2016 EPWPCOA SOIREE AT PENNTEC soiree
















MID-SUMMER EXPO expo












CALLING ALL OPERATORS!
If you know of money-saving solutions to costly plant challenges and would like to share your experience with others in the industry, please feel free to reach out to us at epwpcoa@ptd.net. We would be happy to highlight your story in one of our upcoming newsletter issues!

MEMBERS IN MEMORY
A list of members who have recently passed away is listed on our website under  Members in Memory . The Association is saddened by their passing and wishes to express sympathy to their family and friends. If you have any information on members recently deceased please forward it to the Association office.


UPCOMING EVENTS - 2016

May 20  - Regular Meeting at Horsham Water & Sewer Authority
May 25 - Education & Training Committee; "Troubleshooting Activated Sludge & BNR Processes" Training
June 5-8 - PWEA PennTec Annual Conference in State College
June 15 - Education & Training Committee; "Ultraviolet Disinfection Webinar"
June 24 - Mid-Summer Expo at St. Benedict's Picnic Grove in Mohnton, PA
Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Pickering, Committee Chair
Marykay Steinman, Executive Director
Philip Schwartz, 2016 President
Eastern Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Operators Association