SALEM — A consultant who studied how to optimize Salem’s water treatment plant operations said the city overall has good water quality, a knowledgeable staff willing to learn new ways and a 26-year-old treatment process design that’s in good shape.

But he also indicated there’s room for improvement, actually at very little cost, with the staff already instituting some of his suggestions.

“I try to find avenues that don’t cost huge capital dollars up front,” Marvin Gnagy of PMG Consulting said.

Gnagy presented the findings of his optimization study during a work session for the Salem Utilities Commission Thursday afternoon. The work began last January and involved studying water plant operational records, an in-depth tour of the plant, testing and sampling with the goal of finding ways to remove organics and improve plant operations.

The report looked at every aspect of the operation and made recommendations for tweaking system operations and use of chemicals to improve water quality both for the city of Salem and customers in other communities, along with improving efficiencies for each of the processes for treating the water.

Some of the suggestions dealt with improved use of mixing equipment, changing out filter materials, adding a second timer for sludge release, relocating some of the waste streams going into sludge lagoons and the addition of phosphate treatment for corrosion control improvements. The idea of adding phosphorous at the water treatment end was a cause of concern for commission Chair Bob Hodgson, due to the effect it could have at the other end, at the wastewater or sewage treatment plant.

The utilities department has taken great measures to make improvements at the wastewater treatment plant, including reducing the amount of phosphorous as required by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Gnagy said that’s something all utility operators are dealing with.

For the future, he said they need to “look at what you feel you can implement at little to no cost.”

He said they may want to consider looking at the distribution system and how it can be optimized. He also said they can expect orders from the OEPA in the near future regarding a requirement for a corrosion study and an eventual requirement for reducing lead and copper in drinking water.

Hodgson acknowledged that they’re not looking at a major capital outlay at this time, but down the road, they’re going to need to look at the rate structure on the water side and upgrading the water treatment plant due to the aging equipment and the age of the physical plant.

He told the water plant personnel that the commission appreciates that they care about the job and what they can do to make the plant operate more efficiently.

During the regular meeting which followed the work session, the commission authorized spending up to $27,000 for a new professional service emergency electrical generator that’s been in storage for two years for use at the Stewart Road water tank pumping system and auxiliary water pumping system. The purchase price is under negotiation, with the authorization also meant to cover the cost of wiring and anything else needed. The generator will be covered with a warranty that’s the same as one for a new unit.

The commission was also updated on a few longterm projects, learning the permit to install is still pending from the OEPA for the new water well at the Cold Run Creek well field and they’re still awaiting the engineering cost estimate for Phase 3 of the wastewater treatment plant upgrade. Burgess & Niple is also awaiting word from the OEPA on the permit to install for Phase 2 of the wastewater treatment plant upgrade.

For the Snyder Road sewer line project, Howells & Baird engineer Jon Vollnogle said he has received two of the three approvals needed from Ohio Edison for the transmission line easement needed for the route, with the third approval expected in a matter of days. He also reported that a layer of rock was found in the soil boring report that they’ll have to deal with, noting that the route can’t be rerouted to avoid it. The bid documents will include a separate pay item for rock excavation.

Utilities Superintendent Don Weingart said that may up the costs a bit, but Vollnogle said in a note to Weingart that the extra should be covered by the contingency already established in the opinion of probable cost.