March 2023 |
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| CENTRAL TEXAS WEAT PRESENTS
Freese and Nichols: Viraj deSilva, PhD, PE, BCEE
Addressing the Impacts of PFAS in Biosolids
Common sludge treatment processes, such as lime treatment, digestion, thermal drying, and composting do not reduce PFAS in sludge. Therefore, PFAS are present in both plant effluent and in biosolids at majority of WWTPs. As expected, the concentration of PFAS in biosolids is higher at WWTPs that serve industrial customers. Research has shown that plants can contain PFAS if they are grown in land applied biosolids containing PFAS. Consumption of crops containing PFAS has the potential to cause adverse health effects in people and livestock.
To reduce or eliminate PFAS in biosolids utilities must implement an industrial pre-treatment program for PFAS source reduction. Several emerging sludge treatment technologies exist that could meet the goal of reducing biosolids disposal costs and PFAS mitigation. Emerging technologies include pyrolysis, gasification, and supercritical water oxidation and will be covered.
Tuesday – March 21 at 11:30 am
Please RSVP by following the RSVP button below. |
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| Dr. Viraj deSilva is a Senior Treatment Process Leader at Freese and Nichols with more than 30 years of progressive experience in water and wastewater engineering, including landfill leachate and PFAS management, from concept through construction and start-up. His national and international experience includes specific expertise in PFAS regulation and treatment. Viraj provides consultation to municipal clients on upcoming regulations, such as PFAS, and how to upgrade existing treatment processes to comply with new regulations. He is the current Chair of the WEF PFAS Task Force and an advisor to EPA, AWWA and SAME on the topic. His PFAS Sampling and Investigations, PFAS Treatment, and PFAS Waste Management experience extends to six states. He currently serves on the Technical Advisory Group at four universities conducting PFAS Research.
Viraj has been published in or presented in more than 240 industry journals and conferences out of which 76 are PFAS related. He has authored EPA, WEF, ASCE and AWWA manuals of practice. His recent PFAS work is cited in AWWA and EPA publications. His AWWA paper “Managing and Treating PFAS in Membrane Concentrates” was selected for the 2021 AWWA Membrane Treatment Best Paper Award.
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| Cost for Member and Guests: $10 – includes lunch; Pre-register as walkups will not be allowed.
Austin Water Employee? – Cost is FREE but make sure to register as space is limited
If you are not able to RSVP and interested in getting the newsletter please sign-up with the following link : Sign-up Today to Get the Newsletter |
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| UPCOMING YP EVENT March 25, 2023 |
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Join the CAC TAWWA and WEAT CTS YPs for a post St. Paddy’s Day paddle to clean up Lady Bird Lake via kayak on March 25th! Breakfast, kayak rentals, life vests, and cleaning supplies will be provided for all participants. Take this opportunity to wear green, beautify our waterways, and try your luck at uncovering a find as rare as a four-leaf clover! Spots are limited, so register to secure a kayak rental.
When: Saturday, March 25 at 8:30 a.m. (On the lake by 9:00 a.m. and off the lake by 11:00 a.m.)
Where: Zilker Park Boat Rentals, 2101 Andrew Zilker Road, Austin, TX 78746
What to Bring: Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, sunglass, etc.) and GREEN attire!
Thank you to Victaulic for sponsoring this event!
Please contact Maia Dupes (Maia.Dupes@freese.com) if you have any questions. |
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Please visit CTS-WEAT website at (https://weat-cts.org) for the latest on the upcoming events, CTS-WEAT Scholarship Program information, board member contacts, an active Young Professionals community, current news, newsletters, and upcoming section meetings.
| SPONSORSHIP
Sponsorship alternatives have been developed in a way of keeping meeting cost low for all attendees. Sponsorship options include Classic (meeting), Gold, Platinum, and more! For more details, please contact Sean Mason 512-646-2238, sean.mason@kimley-horn.com |
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| Special Thanks to the Central Texas Section
Platinum Sponsors |
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 Freese and Nichols, Inc. (FNI) is a client-focused, regionally based firm with national expertise. From 17 offices across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and Oklahoma, we work seamlessly together across all disciplines, giving our clients the benefit of multi-service integration with an approach that is as innovative as it is practical. Together, more than 500 professionals deliver top-tier professional services that reflect the FNI vision – to be the firm of choice for clients and employees. In the last 10 years, FNI has performed more than 350 treatment projects and designed more than 730 miles of pipeline and pump stations that provide more than 3.9 billion gallons per day to municipal and industrial clients. |
 Hartwell Environmental Corporation represents leading manufacturers of water and wastewater treatment equipment used in municipal and industrial treatment facilities. Hartwell Environmental Corporation was founded in 1997. We have expanded from our headquarters in Houston to three branch offices in Austin and Arlington, TX and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our expansion has allowed us to better serve the municipal and industrial facilities in the states of Texas and Oklahoma. |
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 Environmental Improvements, Inc., established in 1966 is a Manufacturer’s Representative firm specializing in water and wastewater treatment. We represent a complete line of manufacturers capable of treating all variations of municipal water and wastewater applications. Coupled with our product service we have been providing treatment equipment and solutions in Texas for over forty-five years. |
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 CP&Y, an STV Company, is an innovative and progressive full-service architectural and engineering firm. CP&Y has successfully completed numerous civil infrastructure projects across the state, specifically in South Central Texas. These projects are always carefully managed and coordinated with the clients who consistently choose us for our versatility, experience, quality, and on-time performance. |
 For more than 50 years, Kimley-Horn has been providing planning and engineering consulting services to clients nationwide. Kimley-Horn has 1,500 employees across Texas and more than 6,600 employees nationwide that provide water/wastewater engineering, transportation planning and engineering, aviation, community planning services, and site planning and design. Kimley-Horn’s long record of technical achievements is enhanced by our reputation for effective management and personal service. Our engineers, planners, urban designers, and landscape architects develop insightful solutions to deliver practical results that consistently exceed our clients’ expectations. |
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 At Plummer, we truly believe that Water is Precious. As a result, our practice has been focused on the protection and development of water resources for our clients and their customers for 40 years. We are a firm of over 120 engineering and scientific professionals dedicated to planning and design of water infrastructure. Dedicated to water resources and environmental engineering, our firm balances sound engineering principles with innovative technology tailored to our clients’ needs. From initial project kick-off, through stringent QC review, to a completed project, our focus stays on developing cost-effective solutions for our clients. We are involved from project inception to implementation and every step in between. It is what we do every day, as opposed to what we do when we have that type of project. We are proud to be one of the top engineering firms in Texas and Louisiana (ENR TX&LA 2018). Because of our focus on water-related matters, our engineers and scientists have become recognized experts in their fields at the local, state, and national level. Our motto is “quality deliverables on schedule…without exception.” |
 HDR provides tailored, strategic wastewater solutions that are innovative, cost-effective and sustainable.
Historically, keeping wastewater and potable water separate was the pressing goal when designing water and sewer systems. Today, integrated planning is driving the future of one water.
Our advanced treatment professionals tackle the most complex projects with innovative yet practical applications of technology to collect, treat and renew water to meet the demands of today and tomorrow. We will partner with you to develop customized infrastructure management plans and assist in optimization to help you better manage assets, extend useful life and lower operating costs.
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| Every community deserves safe, affordable drinking water and clean rivers and streams. That’s the mission Garver and our partnered utilities work toward every day. And every day, these utilities are faced with challenges of aging infrastructure, increasing water quality requirements, and concerns over funding.
 Garver’s Water Team is uniquely built with client-focused, local teams that provide constant support, four design centers providing sophisticated design of all engineering disciplines, and a Water Technology Team comprised of national experts that can innovatively solve the most challenging water and wastewater quality concerns.
Whether it’s replacing aging infrastructure or designing new facilities, Garver will rise to the challenge. Even as our industry changes, one thing will remain the same—Garver’s dedication to delivering first-class client service to our communities. |
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| Special Thanks to the Central Texas Section
Meeting Sponsor
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| WEAT Membership |
| Are you a member of WEAT? If not, here are a few reasons why you should
become a member TODAY:
· Great training and networking opportunities with continuing education credit to maintain licenses
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You can join online today at www.weat.org or e-mail julie@weat.org |
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