The new panels will transform clean solar light into electricity. When the sun shines, energy travels from the panels through wires into an inverter, which converts the electricity produced by the panels into available power, which ASA can readily use, as well as ease the demand on an already stressed power grid.

The forty panels that will be installed will produce about 12,500 kWh each year; more than enough to power an average-sized home. One panel will provide power for ASA’s visitor center, which offers hands-on water treatment exhibits for students of any age. ASA believes that every bit of energy conservation counts and every cost-saving is important to its ratepayers.

Using solar panels to provide electrical power is part of ASA’s comprehensive approach to sustainability.

“Installing solar panels is part of the Alexandria Sanitation Authority’s overall strategy and business plan to reduce the use of precious and costly natural resources and focus on renewable energy sources as much as possible,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch.

“The solar panels are one part of a much larger picture of sustainability or portfolio of sustainable projects we’re creating at ASA. We also use recycled water to help cool our equipment, digester gas to heat our buildings, and nutrient-rich soil amendments created using biosolids to keep our landscaping green. Sustainability at ASA is not a catchword, but an efficient way of doing business that is also another way to be a good environmental steward and to give back to the City of Alexandria, its people and businesses we proudly serve every day and hour of the year,” added Ms. Pallansch.

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Lester is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in financial management. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Wayne County Airport Authority, where he managed the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the 13^th largest passenger airport in North America.

In that position, he was responsible for an operations budget of $264.5 million and a capital improvement budget exceeding $3 billion. In addition to managing 710 employees, he developed and implemented new procurement and purchasing process, adopted new budget management systems, and established a new budget management system. He also gained experience in wastewater and storm water management.

Previous serving the airport, he served as the founder and managing member of Capital Financial Advisors International, located in Detroit, which provided financial advisory services to a broad range of public debt issuers. He was also Vice President for Public Finance for the First of Michigan Corporation and Chief Financial Officer of Wayne County, Michigan.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration, accounting and finance from Michigan State University.

“ASA welcomes Lester Robinson as our new Chief Financial Officer. His extensive fiscal experience is an important and critical component to ASA’s future. We are pleased that Mr. Robinson is joining our team as we move forward and continue to serve as a responsible economic steward for ratepayers,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch.

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Twelve ASA employees with three from CH2M Hill made a presentation to the students on the subjects of wastewater treatment and World Water Monitoring Day. Young people around the world sampled and analyzed water from local sources to enter the results in the WWMD database.  The purpose of the activity was to raise awareness about the importance of protecting water resources.  Given the science focus of the Cora Kelly curriculum and its location adjacent to one of ASA’s pump stations, presenting this program at Cora Kelly was a natural fit.

Before starting the monitoring activities, the students received a lesson in wastewater treatment that explained the basic chemistry, biology, and physics that go into making  wastewater safe for release back into the environment. After donning safety glasses and protective gloves, the young scientists were divided into small groups to collect water samples and use issued official WWMD monitoring kits provided by CH2M Hill. Each sample was analyzed for temperature, pH, turbidity (transparency), and dissolved oxygen content. The standards for these water quality parameters determined the health of a water environment for supporting aquatic life and suitability for human use. The students took turns conducting each test. The results from each group were averaged to determine representative values for entry in the WWMD database.

World Water Monitoring Day™ (WWMD) is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.

Correct bills will be sent to those who were charged incorrectly. This affects those who were charged for using 9,000 gallons of water, while records showed that they used less the previous quarter.

“On behalf of Alexandria Sanitation Authority, I offer my sincere apology for this billing error. ASA continues to work with Virginia American Water to solve this problem. VAW has assured ASA that it will send corrected bills for customers affected. ASA will do all it can so its customers receive the highest quality of service they deserve,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch.

This problem is being resolved, so no action is required by ASA or VAW customers. However, those who believe their bill is incorrect or do not receive a revised bill in the next few weeks should e-mail ASA at info@alexsan.com.

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ASA’s innovative design is in keeping with the City’s broader vision to transform Alexandria into an Eco City of the future. The design weaves together the best in water treatment technology and engineering to meet tough new environmental regulations standards with appealing, community-friendly features not usually associated with such a facility.

For example, the design includes a new athletic field that will be placed on top of a large wastewater tank, which will be partially buried underground to improve aesthetics. The new field, which is scheduled to be completed in 2016, will be located off Hooffs Run Drive and accessible to the public. Parking and a restroom facility is included in the design. In addition, the design adds an administration building, a terraced deck, and a pedestrian/bike trail.

“First, let me applaud the City Council for approving our design and pushing this important expansion forward. It’s a victory for the people of Alexandria and all those who care about its bright future,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch. “From the very first days of discussing what the expansion would look like, we were focused on giving back to the community and our neighbors in meaningful and visible ways. The final design, which the City Council approved, reflects that perspective.”

Under state requirements, ASA must remove 62% more nitrogen from treated wastewater, starting this year. Meanwhile, Alexandria is projected to grow in population by at least 25% in the next 40 years. In order to meet the requirements and allow Alexandria to continue to grow economically, ASA’s capacity to treat wastewater must increase. The design is a creative approach that will allow ASA to do more in a constrained urban space.

The design will next be circulated and reviewed by a number of other City regulatory agencies.

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The design will allow ASA to continue to meet stringent environmental standards as Alexandria grows.

The design includes a new athletic field to top a large wastewater tank, which will be partially buried underground. The new field, which is scheduled to be completed in 2016, will be located off Hooffs Run Drive and accessible to the public. Parking and a restroom facility is included in the design.

In addition, the design would add an administration building, a terraced deck, and a pedestrian/bike trail.

“This is a very exciting time for ASA,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch. “The Alexandria Planning Commission is to be commended for its decision. With this design, ASA will be able to continue to meet stringent environmental standards that protect the health of our watershed as Alexandria grows. ASA will also be able to benefit the community with a new athletic field, green space, and a walking or pedestrian trail in an area that has largely been used as a landfill.”

Under state requirements, ASA must remove 62% more nitrogen from treated wastewater, starting this year. Meanwhile, Alexandria is projected to grow in population by at least 25% in the next 40 years. In order to meet the requirements and allow Alexandria to continue to grow economically, ASA’s capacity to treat wastewater must increase. The design is a creative approach that will allow ASA to do more in a constrained urban space.

The design must be approved by the Alexandria City Council, which is scheduled to meet on October 15^th.

To learn more about the design, go to ASA Expansion

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Adrienne is a licensed professional engineer with over 15 years’ experience in project management, environmental engineering design, operations and leadership. Previously, she served as a Corporate Technical Services Project Engineer for United Water of Harrington Park, NJ. United Water is the operator of 226 municipal water systems, including three of the nation’s largest contract services operations, and is the owner of 20 regulated water utilities. In her position with the company, Adrienne was responsible for engineering and management support of contract operations facilities. She has a record of providing guidance and direction in areas of process control, quality assurance and regulatory compliance to water and wastewater facilities.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Princeton University.

Ronald is an organizational leader with executive management experience in operations management, supply chain logistics and performance management. He has worked as a manager for several Fortune 500 companies, including Waste Management Inc., Target and Federal Express. He has a track record of increasing productivity through process efficiencies and extensive experience in inventory management.

Ron has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication and a Master’s of Science Degree in Management from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI.

“ASA is pleased at the addition of two outstanding new members of our team. We look forward to working with Adrienne and Ron as we continue to build upon ASA’s innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective approaches to clean wastewater for the citizens of Alexandria and the region,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch.

The quake occurred at 1:51 PM eastern standard time. Employees left their workplaces and met at their designated emergency locations when the quake began. After the tremors ended, teams of employees began the damage assessment of the facility. So far, little or no damage has been reported.

Inspections of the facility and its equipment and structures will continue. Teams of ASA employees will review the facility’s methane gas and natural gas equipment, chemical systems, water lines and connections, and all other ASA equipment and tanks. ASA’s buildings will be visually inspected to ensure they are safe. In addition, a structural specialist will review the ASA buildings in the coming days.

“Safety is first at Alexandria Sanitation Authority. I am very proud of ASA’s employees, who responded appropriately and responsibly when the quake occurred. We will continue to review ASA facilities and equipment to ensure that our wastewater treatment facility is sound and employees are safe,” said ASA General Manager Karen Pallansch.

 ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – August 9, 2011 – The Alexandria Sanitation Authority (ASA) was recently presented with a Platinum 6 Peak Performance Award, a special tribute to agency facilities that have maintained 100 percent compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for six consecutive years. 

 The Peak Performance Awards program, presented by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), recognizes public wastewater treatment facilities for their outstanding compliance records in the 2010 calendar year. Karen Pallansch, General Manager, accepted the award on ASA’s behalf at NACWA’s 2011 Summer Conference and 41^st Annual Meeting, held July 20, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. 

 “We take great pride in the work we do here at ASA, and it’s definitely an honor to again be recognized by NACWA,” said Pallansch. “This award is really a team achievement. ASA has great people working together to keep ASA innovative, while continuing to do their part protecting our natural resources.”

 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issues the state specific version of the NPDES permit, referred to as the Virginia Pollutant Discharge System (VPDES). The VPDES permit mandates acceptable levels of nutrients found in the effluent – treated water leaving the facility and being returned to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. ASA has met or exceeded those requirements consistently, removing over 90 percent of the nitrogen and close to 100 percent of the phosphorus from the dirty water coming into the plant. These nutrients are what fuel the growth of algae blooms in the waterways.

 “The Alexandria Sanitation Authority is an outstanding example of environmental efforts.   NACWA is honored to showcase the achievements of ASA and our nation’s public wastewater utilities through the Peak Performance Awards program.” Ken Kirk, NACWA’s Executive Director.

 The Alexandria Sanitation Authority operates one of the most advanced wastewater reclamation facilities in the United States, located on a 35-acre site within walking distance of Old Town Alexandria in Northern Virginia. ASA serves about 350,000 people in the City of Alexandria and part of Fairfax County, processing an average of 13 billion gallons of wastewater every year. ASA is committed to being an environmental steward, good neighbor, and industry leader in its day-to-day treatment of water. Visit www.alexsan.com for more information.