A department of Johnson County, KS

Derek Long named 1st quarter 2010 STARS recipient

Kenny Kellison, (left) presented Derek Long (center) with the STARS Award for 1st quarter 2010. Steve Laws (right) nominated Derek for the award and was on hand to congratulate him as well.

Derek Long, DLSMB electrician, stepped up and solved several problems with the programmable logic controllers at the Tomahawk Creek Plant. Not only did he correct the initial problems staff were having, but he delved deeper into the system and diagnosed several other issues, all of which he corrected. Consequently, the plant is fully prepared to maintain proper treatment if there are power issues. He also saved time and expense of going outside for repairs. Great job Derek!

Wastewater receives four gold, two silver Peak awards

Olathe, Kansas September 4, 2009 - Johnson County Wastewater (JCW) was recognized by the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners at its regular meeting on September 3 for be-ing selected to receive six Peak Performance awards. The Peak Performance Awards program, presented by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), recognizes public wastewater treatment facilities for their outstanding compliance records in the 2008 calendar year. NACWA was proud to include Johnson County Wastewater among the Peak Performance Award facilities during the association’s 2009 Summer Conference and 39th Annual Meeting.

JCW received four Gold Peak Performance Awards which honor treatment works that have achieved 100 percent compliance with the NPDES permit for an entire calendar year and two Silver Peak Performance Awards which recognize facilities that have received no more than five NPDES permit violations per calendar year

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Gold Peak Performance Award recipients:

• Blue River Main
• Douglas L. Smith
• Middle Basin
• Mill Creek Regional
• Myron K. Nelson

Silver Peak Performance Award recipients:

• New Century AirCenter
• Tomahawk Creek

“This recognition is a testament to our employees as they work hard to fulfill our Mis-sion Statement: Protecting Our Environment—Serving Our Customers—Enhancing Our Communities, said John O’Neil, general manager of JCW.

 

Officials Break Ground on Largest 'Green Infrastructure' Project

http://recovery.jocogov.org/transport.htm

Federal, state and local officials broke ground today on the largest "green infrastructure" project in the State of Kansas to be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009--a $16 million series of improvements to Johnson County's Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin Treatment Plant.

The wastewater treatment plant improvements are chiefly financed by $15 million in Recovery Act funding, with the balance provided by the Kansas Clean Water State Revolving Fund. According to estimates, the project is expected to create 270 new green jobs, result in almost $600,000 in annual cost savings for Johnson County wastewater utility rate payers, and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 9,700 metric tons.

The project, which will be built by contractor BRB, of Topeka, Kan., was officially approved by the Johnson County Board of Commissioners in March. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

"Investing in green projects is a win-win situation because of Johnson County’s strong commitment to sustainability, energy conservation, and reduction of greenhouse gases,” said Annabeth Surbaugh, Chairman of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners. “Achieving sustainability and accomplishing our environmental goals are important because county government is helping to provide a more sustainable future for all our citizens.”

Surbaugh was joined by Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby, Johnson County Wastewater General Manager John O'Neil, and EPA Acting Regional Administrator William Rice at today's groundbreaking event. Ceremonial shovels used by officials at the event will be donated to Heartland Habitat for Humanity.

"Strategic investments, such as the Johnson County, Kansas, wastewater treatment plant's green innovations, will help protect the environment and improve the economy," Rice said. "This is a stellar example of Recovery Act funds being utilized to drive innovation in green technologies and energy efficiency practices."

Components of the treatment plant improvements include the construction of a new anaerobic digester, a FOG (fats, oils and greases) station to more efficiently receive and treat used greases and oils from restaurants and industries, and a cogeneration system to produce virtually all of the plant's annual operating energy from captured biogases.

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