Environmental Health & Safety Compliance Blog

Waste Water Flood Plans

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By Greg Rosinski, Chemist II

It is not an every day occurrence where flood waters close down a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW); however, it is possible. In order to be ready for such an event safety plans should be established to help alleviate some of stress associated with this type of emergency. The goal of this plan should involve working with a disposal company that can provide the proper amount of tanker trucks to maintain levels of waste water discharge as to not slow down a facilities production. A list of aspects the plan should consist of, but not limited to include the following:

• Proper waste water analysis to help obtain facility approval
• Volume of Waste Water needing to be disposed of per day
• Method of transfer to trucks
• Proper equipment for process including
  

• Secondary containment for tanker truck
• Spill Kits
• Device to aid in raising transfer hoses to the tanker truck
• Lighting if project should occur during the night
• Proper personal protection gear
  

• How to staff the project, and the length of time each it will require staffing.
• Organizational plan for truck staging
• A estimate of the total cost for budgeting purposes

Preparing for an event like this allows a facility to limit the different situations that could slow down or stop the manufacturing of their product. It also helps the local community focus on re-establishing order that was lost due to flooding.