Bromirski, Jason

Jason Bromirski is a Senior Engineer working at Charlotte Waters Field Operations Division with 18+ years of construction, operations, and utility experience. He received a masters from Western Carolina University and his bachelors from UNC-Charlotte, while currently holding an A-Distribution and Grade IV-Collection Operators Licenses. A former officer in the Army Reserve, he resides in Belmont, North Carolina.

Titles from this speaker

Automation Leads to a More Optimized and Resilient Collection System

Abstract

To better understand the operation of existing collection system infrastructure, many utilities have deployed real-time monitoring technology to minimize costs and target high risk areas. Charlotte Water is the largest water and wastewater utility provider in the Carolinas and serves a population of just over 1.1 million people. The Field Operations Division maintains and operates over 4,526 miles of sewer pipe and 115,528 manholes. SSO reduction has been a top priority to protect public health and maintain compliance with the system’s NCDEQ Collection System Permit. In response to an Administrative Order from the US EPA in 2007, Charlotte Water proactively focused its efforts on preventing SSOs, reducing I&I, and effectively scheduling preventative maintenance through the deployment of smart sewer technology in conjunction with their fully integrated CMOM program.

Charlotte Water is the largest water and wastewater utility provider in the Carolinas and serves a population of approximately 1.1 million people. The Field Operations Division maintains and operates over 4,526 miles of sewer pipe and 115,528 manholes. SSO reduction has been a top priority to protect public health and maintain compliance with the system's NCDEQ Collection System Permit. In response to a US EPA Administrative Order in 2007, Charlotte Water uses SmartCovers to reduce SSOs.

SpeakerBromirski, Jason

Presentation time

16:00:00

16:20:00

Session time

15:30:00

17:00:00

SessionTechnology Driven Optimization of Collection Systems

Session locationRoom S404c - Level 4

TopicAsset Management, Collection Systems, Intelligent Water, Intermediate Level

Author(s)

Bromirski, Jason

Author(s)J. Bromirski 1; G. Hill 2 ; J. Bromirski 1;

Author affiliation(s)Charlotte Water 1; SmartCover 2 ; Charlotte Water 1;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2023

DOI10.2175/193864718825159047

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count11

Description: Charlotte Water's Systematic and Comprehensive Sewer Maintenance and Rehabilitation...

Charlotte Water's Systematic and Comprehensive Sewer Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program Leads to a 75% Reduction in SSOs over the last 15 Years

Abstract

Charlotte Water, located in Charlotte North Carolina, is the largest sewer utility in the Carolinas with approximately 4,500 miles of gravity sewer. Charlotte has been implementing a substantial and aggressive long-term sanitary sewer maintenance and rehabilitation program to reduce sewer system overflows (SSOs), correct historic maintenance problems, and reduce infiltration and inflow (I/I) into aging sewers. Charlotte Water was placed under an EPA Administrative Order in 2007 mandating the reduction of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). Charlotte developed a systematic and comprehensive sewer maintenance and rehabilitation program to address the Administrative Order. Due to the success of Charlotte's program, EPA lifted the Order in 2012, five years after it was issued. Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program Direction and Approach With the Administrative Order, Charlotte was faced with expanding their program and expediting the SSO reductions. Over the last 15 years, Charlotte Water has been rehabilitating their sewer system to address known maintenance issues and structural defects and to remove inflow and infiltration (I/I). Charlotte has developed a very specific, systematic maintenance and rehabilitation program and approach to renew and restore the sewer system. Charlotte's program approach has been focused on targeting known SSO areas and expediting the identification and prioritization of sewers to be rehabilitated and cutting out the lengthy review, analysis, evaluation, and reporting that is often done by municipalities that are implementing similar programs. Charlotte's sewer problems were obvious there was a list of known maintenance issues, there was a list of repeat backup areas and customer complaints, and there was detailed information on where sewer system overflows (SSO) were re-occurring that clearly showed high-density SSO problem areas. With all of these known and obvious problems, Charlotte had a very clear direction for their maintenance and rehabilitation program. Charlotte moved immediately to implementing a sewer rehabilitation program to repair the known and obvious problems while systematically implementing improved and targeted maintenance measures focused on fixing the problems, instead of proceeding along a 'traditional' approach of prolonged, expensive engineering evaluations, studies and reports. Program Components Charlotte has been systematically implementing their sewer maintenance and rehabilitation program over the last 15 years. The key components of their program include the following: 1.Implementation of a find-and-fix sewer rehabilitation approach to fast-track sewer rehabilitation construction every year. Charlotte's sewer rehabilitation budget is currently about $25.5 million. Charlotte performs three find-and-fix rehabilitation projects yearly totaling approximately $10 million per year to rehabilitate their 8' to 24' sewers. Separate large-diameter rehabilitation projects are also performed every year at a typical budget of $6 million per year. In addition, Charlotte's maintenance department manages a $1.5 million per year maintenance rehabilitation contract to repair issues identified by Charlotte's in-house crews. Charlotte follows the find-and-fix approach exclusively to rehabilitate their sewer system. The find-and-fix rehabilitation approach quickly and efficiently targets the sewer areas/basins with the highest density of SSOs. This targeted rehabilitation approach directly eliminates SSOs. 2.Implementation of a significant root control program, treating over one million feet of sewer every year. This root control program is believed to be one of the largest in the country. Roots have been a major reason for SSOs in Charlotte's sewer system. 3.Implementation of enhanced and increased sewer cleaning and television inspection efforts. The increased efforts included increased assistance from outside contractors as well as significantly increasing Charlotte Water's maintenance staff and equipment. Many of Charlotte's SSOs are caused by debris, roots, grease, and sags in the sewers, so the increased cleaning efforts directly eliminates SSOs. Charlotte Water also implemented a siphon cleaning contract to clean all of their existing 56 siphons every year, with the problematic siphons being cleaned twice per year. 4.Implementation of a targeted 'right-time' cleaning program to focus cleaning efforts on the sewers that actually need cleaned. The targeted cleaning approach efficiently utilizes the sewer cleaning crews' time and focuses the work where it needs to be done. 5.Implementation of a Smart Cover flow metering network to monitor sewer levels throughout the system. Smart Cover meters are level-only meters installed in manholes to measure wastewater flow levels. Charlotte currently has over 400 Smart Covers throughout their system and will be increasing their network to over 500 meters in 2024. When the Smart Cover meters transmit a high level alarm in the manhole, Charlotte Water crews mobilize to clean the sewers before an SSO occurs. 6.Implementation of a Multi-Sensor Inspection (MSI) program to evaluate Charlotte's largest sewers and most critical assets. A 5-year $5 million MSI inspection program will begin in 2024. Proven Success Charlotte has reduced SSOs by over 75% since 2007, an unprecedented reduction of SSOs in a relatively short period of time. Charlotte met the terms of their EPA Administrative Order by 2012 (within 5 years) due to the success of their find-and-fix sewer rehabilitation program and their enhanced operation and maintenance efforts. Charlotte has quickly and systematically fixed problems instead of studying problems. Charlotte has completed over $150 million of sewer rehabilitation construction work over the last 15 years following their find-and-fix approach. And on top of all of these significant successes, Charlotte has saved over $15 million in engineering and construction costs by following their find-and-fix approach. This presentation will review Charlotte Water's systematic and comprehensive sewer maintenance program and find-and-fix sewer rehabilitation approach/concept in detail. The presentation will detail how various maintenance programs were developed and are being implemented, how priorities are quickly developed without prolonged study and analysis, how the program is implemented including the find-and-fix construction projects, and the benefits of the approach. Documented successes, results, and the significant cost savings will be presented. And most importantly, the presentation will clearly detail how any utility can develop and follow a similar program and achieve similar results, including sharing years of lessons learned and tweaks made to the program to further achieve success.

This paper was presented at the WEF/AWWA Utility Management Conference, February 13-16, 2024.

SpeakerFrazier, Aaron

Presentation time

13:30:00

14:00:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionAsset Management and Capital Program Frameworks

Session number06

Session locationOregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon

TopicAsset Management and Capital Program Frameworks

Author(s)

Frazier, Aaron

Author(s)A. Frazier1, K. Shirley2, J. BROMIRSKI2

Author affiliation(s)CHA Consulting, Inc. 1; Charlotte Water 2;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Feb 2024

DOI10.2175/193864718825159315

Volume / Issue

Content sourceUtility Management Conference

Word count23

Description: Charlotte Water's Use of a Risk Management Tool to Effectively Mitigate Sanitary...

Charlotte Water's Use of a Risk Management Tool to Effectively Mitigate Sanitary Sewer Overflows

Abstract

Purpose of Presentation: This presentation will enable the following learning objectives: -Understand the use of a risk assessment tool and its application in infrastructure management. -Understand the factors considered in risk assessment for potential sanitary sewer overflows, such as previous spills, infrastructure conditions and potential impact areas. -Understand the benefits of smart sewer technology and its role in improving wastewater management. Benefits of Presentation: Charlotte Water, the largest water and wastewater utility provider in the Carolinas, received an Administrative Order from the US EPA mandating the reduction of sewer overflows occurring throughout the system. To combat the overflows, Charlotte Water deployed real-time satellite sewer monitoring technology in targeted creek basin hotspots utilizing a unique risk assessment tool which helped identify and prioritize locations where spills were most likely to occur. In order to assess vulnerable regions and spill risks within their collection system, Charlotte Water employed a tool called Smart Nodal Analysis Protocol (SNAP). This GIS-based tool provided a means to maximize the effectiveness of smart sewer monitoring, while reducing risk and minimizing cost. SNAP incorporated Charlotte Water's field historical data with the physical properties of the collection system to identify and prioritize locations for smart sewer monitoring. This analysis allowed Charlotte Water to provide effective tradeoffs between risk reduction and the costs of basin coverage, producing an 'optimized solution' for deployment plans. All study basins were able to achieve Administrative Order compliance with less than 1% of manholes having a unit across the study areas. The SNAP tool incorporated the evaluation of the probability of an event and the potential consequence of that event. Spill probability included elements such as previous spills, intense cleaning areas, aging infrastructure, I&I regions, lift stations, etc. as compared with the evaluation of the consequences of a spill where it could potentially occur such as schools, parks, commercial areas, high density areas, beaches, rivers, lakes, etc. Status of Completion: Charlotte Water has thus far analyzed 8 out of 33 total basins covering 258 of 546 square miles or 47.25% of geographic area. This included approximately 68,201 gravity mains (out of 115,453 total) which covered 59% of gravity mains and about 2,650 miles of pipe (out of 4,430 total miles) or 59.8% miles of pipe. Conclusion: Charlotte Water currently has more than 450 monitoring units installed in targeted watershed basins to monitor trends and protect the collection system. Charlotte Water has seen substantial success with the placement of their smart sewer technology, reducing the number of SSOs by nearly 70% through FY2023. The location of the technology has prevented 33 SSOs in FY2022 and 60 in FY2023, preserving public health, the environment, utility assets and resources.

This paper was presented at the WEF Collection Systems and Stormwater Conference, April 9-12, 2024.

SpeakerBromirski, Jason

Presentation time

08:30:00

09:00:00

Session time

08:30:00

10:00:00

SessionAlternative & Innovative Collections Systems

Session number14

Session locationConnecticut Convention Center, Hartford, Connecticut

TopicCollection Systems, FOG, Innovative Technology, Liquid Only Sewer, Modeling, New Technology, Odor and Corrosion Control, Sanitary Sewer Overflow, Septic to Sewer

Author(s)

Bromirski, Jason

Author(s)J. Bromirski1, P. Neofotistos2

Author affiliation(s)Charlotte Water 1; SmartCover 2

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Apr 2024

DOI10.2175/193864718825159397

Volume / Issue

Content sourceCollection Systems and Stormwater Conference

Word count15

Charlotte Water's Use of a Risk Management Tool to Effectively Mitigate Sanitary Sewer Overflows

Abstract

Charlotte Water, the largest water and wastewater utility provider in the Carolinas, received an Administrative Order from the US EPA mandating the reduction of sewer overflows occurring throughout the system. To combat the overflows, Charlotte Water deployed real-time satellite sewer monitoring technology in targeted creek basin hotspots utilizing a unique risk assessment tool which helped identify and prioritize locations where spills were most likely to occur. In order to assess vulnerable regions and spill risks within their collection system, Charlotte Water employed a tool called Smart Nodal Analysis Protocol (SNAP). This tool provided a means to maximize the effectiveness of smart sewer monitoring, while reducing risk and minimizing cost. SNAP incorporated Charlotte Water's field historical data with the physical properties of the collection system to identify and prioritize locations for smart sewer monitoring. This analysis allowed Charlotte Water to provide effective tradeoffs between risk reduction and the costs of basin coverage. All basins were able to achieve Administrative Order compliance without 100% manhole coverage. The SNAP tool incorporated the evaluation of the probability of an event and the potential consequence of that event. Spill probability included elements such as previous spills, intense cleaning areas, aging infrastructure, I&I regions, lift stations, etc. as compared with the evaluation of the consequences of a spill where it could potentially occur such as schools, parks, commercial areas, high density areas, beaches, rivers, lakes, etc. Charlotte Water has thus far analyzed 8 out of 33 total basins covering 258 of 546 square miles or 47.25% of geographic area. This included approximately 68,201 gravity mains (out of 115,453 total) which covered 59% of gravity mains and about 2,650 miles of pipe (out of 4,430 total miles) or 59.8% miles of pipe. Charlotte Water currently has more than 450 monitoring units installed in targeted creek basins to monitor trends and protect the collection system. Charlotte Water has seen substantial success with the placement of their smart sewer technology, reducing the number of SSOs by nearly 70% through FY2023. The location of the technology has prevented 33 SSO's in FY2022 and 60 in FY2023, preserving public health, the environment, utility assets and resources. Learning Objectives: Understand the use of a risk assessment tool and its application in infrastructure management. Understand the factors considered in risk assessment for potential sanitary sewer overflows, such as previous spills, infrastructure conditions and potential impact areas. Understand the benefits of smart sewer technology and its role in improving wastewater management.

This paper was presented at the WEF/AWWA Utility Management Conference, February 13-16, 2024.

SpeakerBromirski, Jason

Presentation time

09:30:00

10:00:00

Session time

08:30:00

10:00:00

SessionOptimization of Operation & Maintenance

Session number32

Session locationOregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon

TopicOptimization of Operation & Maintenance