How Can My Plant Participate in TOP?
Since the TOP Recognition Program is not a regulatory
requirement, you will need to let the TCEQ know that you are
interested in participating in the voluntary program. If you are
interested in participating the TOP Recognition Program criteria,
contact Jack Schulze or Cindy Bronnenberg of the Surface Plant
Evaluation Team and request a copy of the TOP's participation
agreement and some additional information about the program. Once
you sign and return the agreement, you are enrolled in the program
and can begin submitting the TOP Monthly Optimization Report
(TOPMOR) form.
Although the information that you will receive with the
agreement form will contains more facts about the TOP Recognition
Program, some of the highlights of the program are:
- Each filter at your plant must be equipped with an on-line
turbidimeter that continuously monitors the performance of the
filter.
- You do not have to conduct a CPE before joining the Recognition
Program.
- You may withdraw from the program at any time.
- The plant must submit a one-page TOP Monthly Operational Report
each month. This TOPMOR must be submitted in addition to any other
reports required by the TCEQ.
- If you do not receive at least one TOP Recognition Award every
18 months, you will need to withdraw from the program or have a CPE
conducted by the TCEQ or an independent party. You are not required
to provide the TCEQ with a copy of the CPE results but you will
need to tell them that the CPE has been completed.
TOP Routine Monitoring Requirements
A water treatment plant that participates in the TOP Recognition
Program must monitor the performance of each major treatment unit
at the plant. While some of this testing is required by state and
federal regulations, other tests are used to show that each
treatment unit is achieving optimized performance. For example:
- Raw water turbidity levels (i.e., the turbidity of the water
entering the plant) must be tested at least once each day.
- The turbidity of the water leaving each sedimentation basin or
clarifier must be tested at least once each day.
- The turbidity level of the water leaving each filter must be
continuously monitored.
- The turbidity level water leaving the plant must be monitored
at least once every four hours.
TOP Special Monitoring Requirements
At least once each month, the performance of each filter must be
recorded during an entire filter run using an on-line turbidimeter
with a continuous recorder. The purpose of this special study is to
determine how quickly the filter is recovering to normal conditions
after it is placed into service and to determine if there might be
any unusual performance characteristics that are not detected by
routine filter monitoring. During the first 30 minutes of the
filter run, data must be collected at 1-minute intervals. After 30
minutes, the data should be collected at 5-minute intervals but
must be collected at least once every 15-minutes.
Every plant that is participating in the TOP Recognition Program
must submit a TOP Monthly Operational Report (TOPMOR) each month.
The plant staff must record the following information on that
form:
For each monitoring site:
- Total number turbidity readings
- Maximum turbidity level recorded
- Minimum turbidity level recorded
For specific monitoring sites:
- Number of settled water readings > 2.0 NTU
- Number of settled water readings > 5.0 NTU
- Number of filtered water readings > 0.10 NTU
- Number of filtered water readings > 0.1 NTU
- Number of filtered water readings > 0.5 NTU
For each filter profile:
- Maximum turbidity level during filter run.
- Minimum turbidity level during filter run.
- Post backwash turbidity level after 15 minutes of
operation.
- Post backwash turbidity level after 15 minutes of
operation.
TOP Forms
To Learn More
For more information on the Texas Optimization Program, contact
our Public
Drinking Water staff and mention the Texas Optimization
Program.
