GS&P’s Jody Barksdale and Hal Humphrey to Present at Florida Water Resources Conference
Gresham, Smith and Partners is proud to announce that Jody Barksdale, P.E., ENV SP, a senior vice president in the firm’s Water + Environment market, and Hal Humphrey, P.E., a senior engineer in the firm’s Water + Environment Market, will participate in panel discussions at the Florida Water Resources Conference (FWRC). In a technical workshop and presentation, Barksdale will discuss the latest advancements in biosolids energy recovery, focusing on considerations to promote resiliency and sustainability. In a workshop hosted by the Florida Water Environment Association’s Collection Systems Committee, Humphrey will discuss best practices for sanitary sewer overflow abatement. The conference will be held April 15-18 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Gresham, Smith and Partners is proud to announce that Jody Barksdale, P.E., ENV SP, a senior vice president in the firm’s Water + Environment market, and Hal Humphrey, P.E., a senior engineer in the firm’s Water + Environment Market, will participate in panel discussions at the Florida Water Resources Conference (FWRC). In a technical workshop and presentation, Barksdale will discuss the latest advancements in biosolids energy recovery, focusing on considerations to promote resiliency and sustainability. In a workshop hosted by the Florida Water Environment Association’s Collection Systems Committee, Humphrey will discuss best practices for sanitary sewer overflow abatement. The conference will be held April 15-18 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“As U.S. infrastructure continues to age and we experience extreme weather events, it’s important that municipalities consider how to best improve and safeguard their water and wastewater infrastructure,” commented Barksdale. “Biosolids management and energy recovery, as well as combined sewer overflow abatement, are ways that we can promote sustainability and resiliency in wastewater operations. Hal and I look forward to discussing these topics with our peers at this year’s Florida Water Resources Conference.”
Summaries of the panel discussions follow.
Biosolids and Energy Recovery Considerations to Promote Sustainability
Traditionally, the options for managing wastewater residuals have been limited. However, in recent years the wastewater industry has seen a shift towards recycling biosolids, completing a natural cycle in the environment and harnessing the energy available.
In this panel discussion and workshop, Barksdale will discuss best operating practices for co-digestion digestion and biogas production, as well as lessons learned for implementing and operating a co-digestion/co-generation facility. Additionally, he will cover the steps to developing overall biosolids goals such as energy recovery, reduced reliance on utility power and diversion of wastes from collection systems and landfills. Finally, Barksdale will highlight ways to assess the viability of high strength waste sources for anaerobic digestion to determine if a co-digestion/cogeneration program is practical for a utility.
Infiltration and Inflow from Cradle to Grave
As collection systems age and deteriorate, they typically experience a variety of inflow and infiltration issues. Panelists in this workshop will discuss a holistic approach to reducing inflow and infiltration, quantification and detection approaches, methods and tools, as well as success stories and lessons learned.
During the discussion GS&P’s Hal Humphrey will present case studies on consent decree programs that GS&P worked on, including programs with the Jefferson County Environmental Services Department, the Knoxville Utilities Board, the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District and Nashville Metro Water Services, walking attendees through abatement strategies for both wet and dry conditions. He will provide lessons learned, general best practices, a discussion regarding the different approaches required for wet and dry weather sanitary overflows and how to determine the optimal solution through data-driven approach.