SOW_Bio_Workshop_mar_4.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOP ON BIOCONTAMINATED WASTEWATER BY WRRFS

TITLE

Collaborative Workshop on Handling, Management, and Treatment of Bio-Contaminated Wastewater by WRRFs

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for the tasks detailed in this Statement of Work (SOW) shall be eight (8) months from contract award.

BACKGROUND

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) conducts research to detect, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks on the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure. This workshop, to be facilitated by the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), is the third in a series of similar workshops conducted by WERF for NHSRC, and will focus on biological contamination impact on Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs), previously known as Publically Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) or Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs).

A scenario that must be examined is bio-contaminated waste, e.g. containing Bacillus spores, entering a wastewater collection and treatment system. This could occur through two main approaches such as;

Decontaminated water entering the collection system or a decontamination operation within the WRRF or via discharge into the collection system.

Introduction of a bio-contaminant, either accidentally or intentionally into the wastewater collection system. Recent cases have been noted of polychlorinated biphenyl PCB waste into collection systems at WRRF in the US.

The Contractor will develop the requested technical information through a subject matter workshop. The purpose of the workshop will be to identify and convene highly qualified subject matter experts, with unique expertise in this field, to advise EPA about what technical information operators of waste water collection and treatment systems across the United States need in order to minimize the impact on public health, worker safety, wastewater system efficacy, and the environment. This technical information, along with recommendations for research on this topic, shall be contained in the workshop report.

OBJECTIVE

The Contractor will organize and provide logistical support for conducting a two-day expert workshop on the acceptance of bio-contaminated wastewater from water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) and deliver a written summary report to EPA with recommendations including technical information and research gaps in the topic area.

The purpose of the workshop as follows:

Understand the research needs from the national perspective using lessons learned from affected regions, states and/or cities as a starting point.

Gather input from wastewater sector on what research experiments would be most appropriate to generate results that WRRF can utilize when faced with receiving biologically contaminated wastewater intentionally or unintentionally.

Identify what is needed/ required for utilities to accept bio-contaminated wastewaters.

Identify the appropriate tests, protocols, and regulatory guidance needed, including what is needed for permit authorities to guide/allow utilities to accept bio-contaminant wastes.

Identify the appropriate tests, protocols and regulatory guidance required for design and/or implementation Identify what is needed to address concerns and issues raised by the public, wastewater workers, and operators.

Describe the research data gaps.

The vision of the workshop outlined above builds on several research and data gathering activities, meetings on how states (e.g. EPA Region 4) and utilities would handle bio contaminated wastewater, and on lessons learned from experiences with some WRRF unintentionally receiving contaminated wastewater. The technical information developed during the workshop will provide guidance on a number of meaningful experiments and research that can be conducted with bio-contaminants in receiving wastewater. Results from research will provide wastewater plant operators additional information on how to handle bio contaminated wastewater. The technical information will be developed in a manner that wastewater operators can implement it without pilot testing at the plant.

The Contractor shall plan and facilitate the discussions, handle key logistics, identify key issues and needs, identify and invite recognized subject matter experts from the scientific and wastewater utility communities, prepare an agenda for the workshop, and perform other aspects of developing the workshop that will identify and address the most pertinent technical information and research gaps useful to EPA and the wastewater utilities. Specifically, participants in the workshop will include individuals identified by EPA, subject matter experts from relevant wastewater utilities, WEF (Water Environment Federation), and NACWA (National Association of Clean Water Agencies), EPA Office of Wastewater Management, and other appropriate experts. The contractor will also include EPA and other organizations that understand the needs of wastewater collection and treatment system operators in developing the agenda to ensure that the goals of the workshop are achieved.

What Will Success Look Like?

A workshop summary and final report that can help NHRSC, the Contractor, and/or other organizations plan research or activities to address the following Worker Safety and Capacity.

Preparing the public.

Working with wastewater utilities, WERF, and WEF before an incident.

Fate and Transport of bio-contaminated wastewater during collection, normal WRRF operations, and active decontamination.

Decontamination and other steps to control contamination Sampling – Collection of samples Sample Preparation and Analysis.

On line monitoring for contaminants.

Sustainability of capability to deal with biocontaminated wastewater Mobile process that can be put in place on an as needed basis Disposal of biosolids.

Regulatory issues Application to utilities of varying sizes Performing research and piloting systems

SCOPE

This workshop will serve to guide the research of the EPA National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) to provide States and WRRF operators with technical information about how wastewater collection and treatment systems can handle wastewater contaminated with bio-contaminants.

TASKS

The Contractor will perform the following tasks:

Task 1. Provide technical and logistical support necessary to plan, organize, and conduct a two-day workshop. Support includes developing and distributing an agenda and research problem statement and identifying and inviting 15 to 20 technical experts, such as researchers, plant operators, state and federal pre-treatment staff, and other stakeholders. The Contractor will mail or email invitations providing details of the workshop to invitees within 14 days following contract award. The EPA COR will approve all aspects of the meeting prior to the Contractor sending invitations, including location, agenda, facilitation, etc.

Task 2. The Contractor will arrange for meeting space suitable for the workshop in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and for required audio visual equipment (laptop computer, microphone, LCD projector) and flip charts. The Contractor will also make travel arrangements for at least four and up to eight participating subject matter experts from outside the metro area, and reimburse travel expenses, with prior approval by the EPA COR, if needed.

Task 3. The Contractor will facilitate and take notes for the work shop. The facilitator will have demonstrated expertise and experience in facilitating workshops with similar goals to this one, particularly those in homeland security topic areas. It is important to record the thoughts, observations, and recommendations of the participants as accurately as possible, including dissenting positions. The Contractor will provide to EPA all meeting notes within 45 days following the workshop.

Task 4. The Contractor will deliver a draft report summarizing discussions, the technical information, conclusions about technical information, and research recommendations to the EPA COR within 45 days following the workshop for review and approval. The report will present the technical information and accompanying conclusions in a format that operators of wastewater utilities will find actionable. After EPA review of the first draft and provision of comments to the Contractor, the Contractor will incorporate changes and deliver a final draft to EPA within 30 days for EPA approval. Within 14 days following EPA approval, the Contractor shall mail a copy of the final draft to the EPA COR, all workshop participants, and other necessary experts in subject areas that may arise during the workshop, for their review and written comment over a 60 day period. The Contractor shall collect all review comments received and, within 14 days after the completion of the 60-day review period, deliver them to the EPA COR. EPA shall review the comments, and, if necessary, the Contractor shall revise and the report and deliver to the EPA COR within 14 days.