The Operations Division consists of four crews of 16 people per crew including a Shift Superintendent for each crew. The crews rotate shifts of six days on and two days off to operate the plant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition, there are daylight operations employees who include mobile equipment and triaxle operators, and truck processors and dispatchers. There are two process superintendents who oversee the daily operations and a manager who heads the Operations Division. The process involved for the treatment of raw sewage include pumping at the Main Pump Station, pre-chlorination, screening, grit removal, primary sedimentation, secondary aeration (biological nutrient removal), secondary clarification, disinfecting, biosolids removal to dewatering (belt presses), lime stabilization, incineration and land application.
The Maintenance Department, headed by a manager, consists of two distinct groups. The first group is Plant Maintenance and the second group is Interceptor Maintenance.
Plant Maintenance's main purpose is to support the operational personnel and to ensure that equipment is maintained on a regular basis and kept in operating condition at all times. Other responsibilities include maintenance of the facilities within the fenced-in area of the plant. This area includes the interiors and
This Division operates and maintains the treatment plant and interceptor system in a cost-effective manner to meet permit requirements and to provide ALCOSAN customers and its community with a sanitary environment in which to live and grow.
The responsibilities include operation and maintenance of the treatment plant and its interceptor system in addition to ensuring coordination and efficiency of the day-to-day activities within the department. The Director works closely with both department managers, not only on wastewater treatment process issues, but also on staff development and management, interdepartmental relations, budgetary matters, safety issues and the implementation of improved information management technology. The Director initiates policies for review and discussion by senior staff and participants who review other Authority policies, and also confers with the Engineering and Environmental Compliance Directors regarding operations, maintenance and environmental issues. As a result of these reviews and discussions, process improvement recommendations are submitted to the Executive Director for consideration.
exteriors of the buildings, other structures, machinery, equipment, vehicle fleet and the grounds. These highly skilled employees posses various disciplines which range from mechanics, welders, electricians, building and trade mechanics (including carpenters and painters), to air conditioning mechanics, automobile and truck mechanics and laborers. Supervisors oversee these specialized groups.
Interceptor Maintenance's main purpose is to maintain over 80 miles of pipelines, remote pump stations, and over 290 structures and manholes throughout the service areas in Allegheny County on a daily basis. Interceptor Maintenance makes sure that equipment is operating properly and that the controls and instrumentation are properly maintained. Its other goal is to ensure that there are no overflows or bypasses into other rivers and creeks, and that sewage and run-off water are brought into the plant as efficiently as possible. The Interceptor Maintenance personnel, overseen by a superintendent and two supervisors, are on call 24 hours a day for emergencies, line breaks and overflows that may occur. When special skills and/or additional labor is required, Plant Maintenance supplements the Interceptor Maintenance crews.
