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Celebrating Winkelman’s Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year Award are, from left, Winkelman Mayor Louis Bracamonte, John Wallestad, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Arthur Monterde and Wastewater Specialist Sam Polk of the Rural Water Association of Arizona.
The Town of Winkelman was awarded the Wastewater Treatment Center of the Year award after making upgrades to its facility when it was found to be non-compliant with state regulations.
Many of these upgrades had to be done as they did not comply with the operating permit Winkelman had.
In a letter to Vern Camp, the RWAA Executive Director, from the Mayor of Winkelman, Louis C. Bracamonte, the mayor writes that the town received federal funding to get the necessary materials to upgrade the facilities old parts.
These upgrades included:
• Modification of piping for RAS and denitrifications
• Construction of drying beds
• Installation of a new back-up generator
• Installation of a continuous flow meter device.
Included in the initial letter from the mayor was a request that the two operators of the Wastewater Treatment Facility, Arthur Monterde and John Wallestad, be recognized for their work and improvements to the facility.
“Many hours of hard work have been demanded of them, and as of this date, they have achieved all the requirements of ADEQ (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality),” the letter states. “It is my desire that these two individuals be recognized and that WTTP be recognized for their improvements on the plant.”
Sam Polk, a Wastewater Specialist from the Rural Water Association of Arizona, came to Winkelman to help train operators in the area on the skills they needed to help keep the waste water treatment center up to regulations, according to a letter written to Camp from Gloria Ruiz, Winkelman’s Deputy Town Clerk.
He helped train them on the new equipment and to maintain the regulations they worked to achieve.
Polk said over a phone interview that once he was in Winkelman and got to talking to the people there, they developed a trust and were able to open up to him on what problems the facility was having.
“They built a friendship and trust with me to the point where I was able to train them and assist them in their non-compliance issues,” he said.
He also said that the Rural Water Association receives a list of places that are non-compliant and that representatives are sent out to help those that need it.
Polk said the association offers free assistance to water treatment plants.
“We make various stops and offer our assistance at no charge,” he said.
Polk also discussed that each waste water treatment plant is assigned their corresponding permits from three different agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Arizona Department of Health Services.
“There are quite a bit of protocols to stay in compliance (with the permits),” he said.
Some of the protocols include maintaining bio-solids and meeting regulations on sewage discharge.
Polk said in regards to how awards are given out, representatives are sent out to see who can be nominated to be a potential winner.
“There are representatives throughout Arizona that screen and select the nominations,” he said.
Article by Joshua Delauder
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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