DWM | April 2021

April 2021

The Department of Watershed Management is encouraging everyone to help reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19 by receiving one of the authorized vaccines. Please “Mask Up. Sleeves Up.” for your family, friends, and community. #SleeveUpDWM

For more information, visit atlantawatershed.org/maskupsleevesup/.

DWM Receives High Honors from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals

Congratulations to the Office of Water Treatment and Reclamation (OWTR) for receiving the 2020 Gold Awards from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP). Two awards go to the drinking water facilities: Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant and the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant; a third GAWP Gold Award goes to the wastewater facility: Utoy Creek Water Reclamation Center.  Each award recognizes the DWM drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities for having no permit violations in the 2020 calendar year for Maximum Containment Levels (MCLs) and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES).  Deputy Commissioner Quinton Fletcher oversees the Office of Water Treatment and Reclamation (OWTR). He shares the importance of receiving the 2020 GAWP Gold Awards. "Our water treatment plants are recognized for having met all federal, state, and local requirements. No permit violations, no record keeping violations, we have met all the standards regarding turbidity limits, disinfection by-products limits, as well as our Chlorine limits." DC Fletcher adds, "There is something called the Surface Water Treatment Rule. EPA requires that the plant’s individual filter effluent turbidity is recorded and documented every 15-minutes throughout the day. Also, our Tap Water chlorine residual must be continuously monitored. Operators are also responsible for taking hourly analysis of the entire treatment processes." DC Fletcher recognizes the OWTR team for the hard work they put in every day, especially during the pandemic. "This pandemic has definitely heightened the awareness of water reclamation, water treatment and being an essential worker. However, even before this pandemic, our operators are on staff 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. We are on duty during inclement weather; if there is snow, rain, thunder and lightning, those operators put their lives on the line to provide potable drinking water to the citizens of Atlanta."

DWM Awarded Local Issue Authority of Year DWM was recently named the 2021 Local Issue Authority (LIA) of the Year by the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC). The responsibilities of a LIA include upholding the state model ordinance for Soil Erosion, Sedimentation, and Pollution Control.   DWM received the award for its commitment to providing customers with access to safe, clean drinking water, while responsibly investing in the City of Atlanta’s infrastructure. The Department has consistently submitted semiannual reports to the GSWCC since 2009. DWM has completed 33,360 plan reviews and 245,389 site inspections. Team members have distributed 11,255 ‘stop-work’ orders and have issued $827,861 in fines while conducting these assessments. The City received an exceptional rating during its last overview after resolving 2,037 erosion and pollution control complaints in a timely manner.    “It is not often that regulators win awards, but we are proud and honored to be highlighted in this manner,” said DWM Commissioner Mikita Browning. “We look forward to continuing working with the Commission and District to fulfill our mission of protecting our soil and water resources through a strong, but fair, approach that holds polluters accountable.” Read the full press release at atlantawatershed.org/newrelease-apr-2021-14/.

Stay in the Know Even on the Go  Get emergency notifications on any mobile device and choose the alerts you want to receive. From water utility notifications to public safety to road closures and severe weather, the alerts will be right at your fingertips. Sign up for NotifyATL at http://bit.ly/Notify-ATL, or text NotifyATL to 888777.   You can also receive DWM emergency notifications by subscribing to our News Splash External Newsletter, which also provides information on the latest department news and initiatives at https://conta.cc/3jOKdCc.

Water Supply Program Quarry/Chattahoochee/Hemphill

Update: Completed The Water Supply Program will increase Atlanta’s reserve water supply from three to five days to 30 to 90 days. The $320 million investment includes the construction of a five-mile tunnel connecting the Chattahoochee River, the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant, and the former Bellwood Quarry, which will be transformed into a 2.4 billion-gallon water reservoir.  Important Notice The Department of Watershed Management (DWM) is working to secure Atlanta’s water future. The Water Supply Program (formerly the Bellwood Quarry) is now a drinking water reservoir and is a RESTRICTED site. Recreational activities such as swimming, scuba diving, kayaking, canoeing, etc. is PROHIBITED due to the potential contamination of the water supply. There are also massive pumps in the 2.4 billion gallons of water. When activated, the force of the pumps can drag a person underneath the water and pull them into the pumping manifold causing serious injury or death. Additionally, the Westside Park is an active construction site and anyone trespassing the park or the reservoir are in violation of federal laws and will be arrested. For more information, please visit http://h2o4atl.com/.   Project Completed   Project Location: Northwest Atlanta   Council Districts: 3, 9   Neighborhood Planning Units: C, D, G, J, K

Upper Proctor Creek Capacity Relief Project Rodney Cook Sr. Park in Historic Vine City

Update: Completed The Upper Proctor Creek Capacity Relief project: Rodney Cook, Sr. Park in Historic Vine City is a multi-phase effort to reduce flooding and combined sewer flows in the Vine City neighborhood. This project consists of a collection of innovative stormwater practices designed to redirect surface runoff away from the Beckwith Trunk and Mineral Springs combined sewer systems.   The capacity relief facility is currently under construction led by the Astra/Rohadfox, Joint Venture. The components of this project include a 2-acre pond (9+ MG capacity), green infrastructure (bioretention, stormwater planters, rainwater harvesting cisterns, and soil restoration), aerating water features, separated storm drain pipelines, new sidewalks and roadway improvements.    The Department of Watershed Management is working concurrently with The Trust for Public Land who is responsible for the build out of the adjacent park. In addition, The National Monuments Foundation will be constructing statues of historic figures throughout the finished park. Project Completed Project Location: Vine Street NW Council District: 3  Neighborhood Planning Unit: L

Upper Proctor Creek – Boone Boulevard Green Infrastructure and Capacity Relief Project

Update: Completed This project will provide capacity relief to the North Avenue Combined Sewer Area and water quality improvements using the green infrastructure practice called bioretention, which is a specially landscaped area that captures runoff from an impervious surface and allows water to enter the soil. Proposed bioretention areas will span approximately 1.2 miles along Boone Blvd from Mayson Turner Road to Northside Drive that will collect stormwater runoff from along the sides of the road. Project Completed   Project Location: Northwest Atlanta   Council District: 3   Neighborhood Planning Unit(s): L

West Area Water Quality Control Facility (WA WQCF) Improvements

Update: Work continues on the construction of two sludge tanks. The sludge thickening units will increase solid content of the sludge by removing some portion of the liquid fraction. This is beneficial for subsequent treatment process, such as digestion, dewatering, drying, and combustion; also due to stabilization that will come from these units, pathogens present are removed making putrefaction not possible. The West Area Water Quality Control Facility (WQCF) treats excess combined sewer overflows (CSO) from Clear Creek, Tanyard Creek and North Avenue Combined Sewer Control Facilities (CSCF). Flows from these CSCFs are transported to R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center during dry weather conditions, and most storm events for treatment. The capacity of the West Area WQCF is 85 million gallons daily (MGD). The treatment consists of fine screening, grit removal, disinfection, and dechlorination. The West Area WQCF is relatively new and in fair condition, and these upgrades will ensure efficient operation.  Expected Completion:           December 2022   Project Location:                   West Area WQCF   Council Districts:                        3, 6, 8, & 9   Neighborhood Planning Units:  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, K, L

R.M. Clayton WRC Digester Improvements and Rehabilitation, Phase 1

Update: Crews continue to remove the sludge from the Digester 200 in order to perform the needed improvements. The sludge will be transported and disposed at a landfill.  City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM) owns and operates the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center (WRC). Located in northwest Atlanta along the Chattahoochee River, R.M. Clayton WRC provides wastewater treatment for a service area that encompasses north of I-20, a small portion of north Fulton County adjacent to Sandy Springs, and most of north DeKalb County. The facility is designed to treat an average daily maximum monthly flow of 122 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater. The proposed improvements include implementing needed improvements at the R.M. Clayton WRC to replace aging equipment for improved performance, permit compliance, reliability and safety.  Expected Completion: October 2022       Project Location: Northwest Atlanta       Council Districts: 9       Neighborhood Planning Units: C and D

Energy Services Performance Initiatives – Noresco

Update: At RM Clayton (WRC) Noresco will be conducting Balance of Plant (BOP) reliability testing. Upon completion, all equipment will be handed over to the RMC team to operate.   Three Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) for a software system to optimize the City's water distribution system is being implemented. This includes: A new Class Abio-solids system, office space at R.M. Clayton WRC, and a replacement of ultraviolet disinfection system with new Trojan UV Signa System.   Expected Completion: June 2021 Project Location: R.M. Clayton WRC Council Districts: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Neighborhood Planning Units: C, D, G

Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) The City of Atlanta is divided into 25 Neighborhood Planning Units (NPU), which serve as citizen advisory councils that make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on zoning, land use, and other planning issues. NPUs also allow citizens to receive information about all functions of city government.

See neighborhoods located within listed NPUs below:

NPU-B Brookhaven Buckhead Forest Buckhead Village East Chastain Park Garden Hills Lenox Lindbergh/Morosgo North Buckhead Peachtree Heights East and West Peachtree Hills Peachtree Park Pine Hills Ridgedale Park  South Tuxedo Park NPU-C Arden/Habersham Argonne Forest Brandon Castewood Channing Valley Collier Hills Collier Hills North Colonial Homes Cross Creek Fernleaf Hanover West Memorial Park Peachtree Battle Alliance Ridgewood Heights Springlake Wesley Battle Westminister/Milar Westover Plantation Wildwood Woodfield Wyngate NPU-D Berkley Park Blandtown Bolton Hills Park Riverside Underwood Hills Whittier Mill Village   NPU-G Almond Park Atlanta Industrial Park Bolton Hills Brookview Heights Carey Park Carver Hills Chattahoochee English Park Lincoln Homes Monroe Heights Rockdale Scotts Crossing West Highlands NPU-J Center Hill Dixie Hills Grove Park Harvel Homes Penelope Neighbors West Lake

NPU-K Bankhead Hunter Hills Knight Park/Howell Station Mozley Park Washington Park NPU-L English Avenue Vine City NPU-M  Castleberry Hill Downtown Old Fourth Ward NPU-O East Lake Edgewood Kirkwood The Villages at East Lake NPU-P Arlington Estates Ashley Courts Ben Hill Brentwood Briar Glen Butner/Tell Cascade Green Deerwood Fairburn Greenbriar Village Heritage Valley Huntington Kings Forest Lake Estates Meadowbrook Forest Mellwood  Mt. Gilead Woods Niskey Cove Niskey Lake Princeton Lakes Wildwood Forest NPU-S  Bush Mountain Cascade Avenue/Road Fort McPherson Oakland City Venetian Hills Westmont Estates NPU-T  Ashview Heights Atlanta University Center Harris Chiles Just Us The Villages at Castleberry Hill West End Westview

For more information about Watershed Management's Capital Improvement Program, please visit http://cip.h2o4atl.com/.

Department of Watershed Management 72 Marietta Street NW Atlanta, GA 30303

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