Sunday, October 13, 2013

Arlington's Wastewater Treatment Plant - Malfunction Junction

Hey Yupette,

Want to know the scariest place in Arlington? It's Arlington County's Wastewater Treatment Plant, on Four Mile Run. Anytime there's a major rainfall the alarms start going off non-stop and the alarms don't stop going off until it stops raining.

Apparently, $568 million isn't enough to ensure the plant can adequately treat a combined flow of wastewater and stormwater without humans constantly having to override automatic control systems, constantly repairing state-of-the-art wastewater pumps and other equipment, and preventing hazmat leaks from blowing the plant, the lovely Metrobus repair facility, and beautiful Arlington Ridge sky high.

As a member of my Kiwanis club, who's a fed up plant operator, stated to me: "There are about as many alarms going off in the plant's control center whenever there's a storm as on the bridge of the Enterprise when the Klingons get within a light year on Star Trek".

I live on Arlington Ridge and I would call the County Manager's office but the County Manager and County Board only listen to Vornado.Thanks for your blog.

John M.


21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't bother the First Responders. This month is Earthquake Prevention Month.

Anonymous said...

In all the Star Trek films and the TV series was there any explanation about where the wastewater goes from the crew of the Enterprise?

Bubba Smith - Certified Waste Water Technician said...

"I wonder what would happen if the peroxide comes in contact with the chlorine?"

Anonymous said...

Fireball and blast effects from a Certified Waste Water Technician opening the wrong valve would reach Crystal City, so why not call Vornado? 212-894-7000.

Anonymous said...

There are some SERIOUS problems with the operation of Arlington's wastewater treatment plant. Too many equipment failures and instrument failures after two years of operation.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't rain for weeks. So why can't the wastewater plant operators be trained and the equipment checked before a big storm?

Anonymous said...

This is an "award winning" wastewater treatment plant?

Anonymous said...

Wastewater would be beamed down from the Enterprise to be treated somewhere in the Federation.

Strange But True said...

"Can you verify the chlorine valve is closed...valves are not showing the proper position on the computer here".

Anonymous said...

Pretty serious when a control operator has to call techs to determine the status of valves in the plant.

Anonymous said...

OSHA and EPA are closed until further notice....

Anonymous said...

Doesn't Tea Party VIP Mark Kelly live close to the plant?

D.A. said...

"Hey Bubba, forget that there valve, we're going to stuff some old rags into the pipe at gate 3A and they will jam against that valve and block the flow until we can get a contractor here to replace the valve."

Bubba Smith - Certified Wastewater Technician said...

"D.A., I done a hard reset 3 times on that panel and she still don't work right. I hope they ain't having some backyard events up on the Ridge".

Anonymous said...

This has been going on at the wastewater treatment facility for a year or more.

Malfunction Junction? More like Dysfunction Junction.

Anonymous said...

No. "Dysfunction Junction" is on the third floor of 2100 Clarendon Blvd. where the County Manager's office and the County Board office are located.

Anonymous said...

Do they perform routine maintenance at the wastewater treatment or do they wait until something breaks down and replace whatever broke?

Anonymous said...

Appears they wait until equipment malfunctions repeatedly.

Anonymous said...

Do they ever perform routine maintenance on the pumps and pump motors?

Anonymous said...

They seem to have problems with instrument calibration.

Anonymous said...

Yeah the place could blow up, just from tanks being over pressure. Hopefully the safety devices around the plant are receiving adequate maintenance.