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new chief operator, spent many hours reviewing historical data and current operational strategies. With the help of staff, he was able to make numerous changes over the course of a year, and within that time, reduced the average effluent nitrogen from 15 mg/L to 6 mg/L.

The initial operational changes included reducing and optimizing the internal nitrate recycle and relocating the dissolved oxygen (DO) sensors in the aeration basins to provide more consistent and representative DO readings. Then, the staff focused its attention on the current DO control strategy by reviewing the existing control logic associated with the blowers, DO setpoint, proportionalintegral-derivative (PID) control, and mostopen-valve (MOV) strategies. The previous strategy utilized only a PI control method in the programmable logic controller (PLC) and had issues maintaining the DO setpoint within the basins.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), in partnership with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, has purchased a 578acre parcel in Gulf County within the St. Joe Timberland Florida Forever project.

The property lies within the Apalachicola River and Bay watershed and expands upon the state’s recent 20,168-acre addition to the Lake Wimico tract. Through this acquisition, the public will have access to large expanses of natural areas throughout north Florida. These tracts include examples of almost all the natural communities of north and central Florida, including scrub, swamps, and springs.

“This land is one of the most undeveloped, diverse, productive, and economically important natural systems in the southeastern United States,” said Noah Valenstein, FDEP secretary. “This acquisition will protect drinking water supplies, preserve the vitality and connectivity of wildlife habitats, and expand public lands access. This success is the result of cross-sector partnerships and dedicated coordination.”

“The permanent protection of Lake Wimico is a great example of Florida Forever dollars being used to protect numerous aspects of Florida’s resources,” said Callie DeHaven, director of FDEP division of state lands. “We’re proud that we were able to work with our partners to complete this important acquisition and we look forward to continuing to build

After looking at historical DO and air flow trends, the staff started utilizing the D function of the PID control loop by creating a new strategy looking at the rate of change of the actual DO measurements to come up with an additional parameter to adjust the proportional gain. The results of the new strategy, developed in-house, achieved DO measurements in the basins much tighter to the actual DO setpoint, which in turn saved energy on the blower usage and improved the TN removal process. After these changes, the WRF saw an improvement in pH and a remarkable reduction in effluent TN from an average of 15 mg/L to 6 mg/L.

Matthew and his team have also taken on major, in-house projects, such as rebuilding electrical panels, completely rehabilitating the sodium hypochlorite storage tanks and pumps, and numerous updated and optimized control schemes on supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), including in-house PID

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these types of partnerships to acquire additional lands for conservation and recreation.”

Said Andrew Walker, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida president and chief executive officer, “We’re thrilled to partner with FDEP to add to the Apalachicola River wildlife and environmental area, ensuring that future generations can experience its natural beauty. The public is also part of this effort by purchasing the Wildlife Foundation of Florida license plate. Twenty-five dollars from each purchase supports protection and management of public lands.”

“The public will benefit from this partnership as it provides more access to enjoy natural Florida,” said Kipp Frohlich, director of Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) division of habitat and species conservation. “This project aligns perfectly with our mission to manage fish and wildlife resources and provide recreational opportunities—now and for future generations.” Florida Forever is the state’s conservation and recreation lands acquisition program, a blueprint for conserving the state’s natural resources and renewing its commitment to conserve its natural and cultural heritage. The FDEP division of state lands is Florida’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship.

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The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board has tuning. They created a cascade and PID control loop after installing a free chlorine analyzer on the influent side of the CCC to automate the sodium hypochlorite dosing for the CCC. Since this improvement, the WRF has saved over 300 gallons of sodium hypochlorite per day and found the new strategy to be much easier to operate versus the original scheme.

The dedication and hard work of the entire maintenance, electrical, and operational staff resulted in the Southwest WRF consistently producing exceptional effluent quality, exceeding all regulatory requirements, in addition to reduced chemical usage and energy demands.

Matt Tebow, P.E., is a water/wastewater engineer

with Kimley-Horn in West Palm Beach. S unanimously approved full funding for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project’s Stormwater Treatment Area (STA).

“This vote will fully fund the Stormwater Treatment Area, the state’s portion of the EAA Reservoir Project, and help us continue to expedite this critical project,” said Chauncey Goss, SFWMD governing board chair. “Under the leadership of the governor, we are already turning dirt ahead of schedule to make this project a reality even sooner. The EAA Reservoir Project is critical to reducing damaging discharges, sending more water south, and storing excess rainfall.”

The $64 million transfer from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) will provide SFWMD all the funds it needs to complete the 6,500-acre STA that will clean water stored in the 240,000 acre-foot EAA Reservoir and allow it to be moved south to the Everglades. The SFWMD expects to complete the STA portion of the project by 2023.

When used in conjunction with other critical Everglades restoration projects that will be completed over the next several years, the EAA Reservoir Project will reduce environmentally damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the northern estuaries. The project will also increase the flow of clean water south to Everglades National Park.

The reservoir and STA are a combined Everglades restoration effort being completed by SFWMD and the U.S. Army Corps of Continued on page 48

I currently serve as CDM Smith’s client service I was a student at the University of Florida. leader for various municipalities in Palm Beach I participated in the Student Design and Broward counties and the South Florida Competition and had an opportunity to Water Management District. I have extensive attend WEFTEC and compete. The FWEA project management experience working on has always been an outlet to a community large planning-level efforts, design projects, of dedicated water professionals and my construction management, and design-build. engagement in FWEA has enabled me to News Beat Continued from page 47 Engineers (USACE). The reservoir is one of more than two dozen projects that Gov. DeSantis identified shortly after taking office in 2019 as key priorities for Everglades restoration. DeSantis directed state agencies in Executive Order 19-12 to expedite the completion of these projects to support Everglades restoration and state water quality improvements.

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The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the 2020 version of a biennial water bill that prioritizes federal water projects, which this year includes several to help clean the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and Indian River Lagoon. Pending final approval from the Senate, the legislation will be sent to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature.

Earlier versions of the Water Resources and Development Act were approved by the Senate on July 10 and the House on July 29 of last year.

Provisions in the WRDA bill affecting What education and training have you had? relationships. Through FWEA, I engaged in

I have a master’s degree in engineering the WEF Water Leadership Institute, which from the University of Florida. I’m a is an amazing program for connecting with professional engineer and board-certified similar professionals nationwide. environmental engineer. south Florida include an amendment requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to minimize harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, and consider prohibiting them to the St. Lucie.

The Corps is in the process of rewriting management guidelines for the lake, known as the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM). The bill mandates that the Corps minimize discharges to the estuaries as part of the new guidelines.

The amendment also calls for the Corps to accelerate construction of the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir by not considering it a “new start” project. R.D. James, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, gave the project that designation, making it ineligible for federal construction funds until Oct. 1, 2021. The designation, however, shouldn’t slow the project because planning, designing, and permitting will keep construction from beginning for a couple of years.

The South Florida Water Management District has started work on its part of the project, a 6,500-acre marsh known as a stormwater treatment area (STA), and plans to grow in my career and develop long-lasting

What do you like best about your job? The commitment to the public to manage I like serving clients and solving problems, our water resources, provide clean water, applying innovation and creativity, and the and serve the needs of our communities.

Suzanne E. Mechler opportunities to advance the profession. I just love water. This is a dedicated group of people who serve every day without any expectations of

CDM Smith, Boca Raton acknowledgment. They do their job because What professional organizations do you it’s important, and it has to be done. These are Work title and years of service. belong to? my people!

I am an associate and client service I belong to the Florida Water Environment leader with CDM Smith and have been with Association and currently serve as secretary/ What do you do when you’re not working? the company for 18 years. treasurer. I also belong to American Public I’m a mom to my amazing eight-yearWorks Association and American Water old son, Ryder. I also enjoy photography, What does your job entail? Resources Association-Florida. mountain biking, and traveling. Somehow

I’ve been on the front lines of water, we squeezed in snowmobiling in Colorado in wastewater, and stormwater work in south How have the organizations helped your early 2020 and a RV virtual school tour of the Florida for almost 20 years, focusing on solving career? Great Smoky Mountains in September. S issues and implementing infrastructure projects. I have been involved in FWEA since

What do you like best about the industry?

finish by December 2023, although parts of the project could be pressed into service earlier.

Other Treasure Coast-specific provisions in the WRDA bill include: • An amendment requiring that the Corps coordinate with federal and state agencies to monitor, forecast, and notify the public of blue-green algae levels in Lake Okeechobee. • The Loxahatchee Watershed Restoration

Project in northern Palm Beach County and southern Martin County, to help restore the river’s natural flow and improve aquatic ecosystems and vegetation. • A new federal project to build structures to help restore Fort Pierce beaches and prevent further erosion. • An amendment to remove the cap on the cost of the C-43 reservoir on the west side of Lake Okeechobee to prevent delays in the project. The reservoir is designed to collect local stormwater runoff and lake discharges in the wet season, when flows can cause harmful algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee

River estuary. The water would be released during the dry season, when it’s needed to stop saltwater intrusion. S