Village of Red Hook SEWER DEPARTMENT REPORT
August 2025
H2O Innovation Operation & Maintenance LLC has completed their first full month as our Water & Wastewater Operator. We had an operational meeting on August 20[th] where we reviewed sewer operations. We discussed a list of equipment and supplies needed for the Sewer plant.
H2O did a safety audit of the plants. We were waiting for the report. We discussed the various reporting sites, such as NY Alert, Dutchess County DRIP, DMR, where we are in the process of updating to the new operator. We reviewed lab companies. The longer term “temporary” surge tank has been installed on a concrete pad on site. We discussed some adjustments that have been made to optimize the pump sizes for best function.
For the “old plant” or Plant 1B, a pump is going to be installed in the EQ tank to allow for better management of the flow. Now that the biology or “bugs” are growing, there is a need to maintain the right amount which means sometimes the excess needs to be “wasted”. With the added pump in the EQ tank, that will allow for wasting to occur. The backwash procedure at the sand filters is being adjusted. Currently both filters are backwashed at the same time. If they were done separately, that would enable the plant to manage the flow better. Also the West side aeration tank is waiting for a valve so that the return activated sludge can function on this side. The East side is currently handling all the flow.
We discussed asking Rural Water if they could help us with an asset management plan. We are scheduled to begin this process with them in mid-November.
The first test report in August was in full compliance with our SPDES permit. The full second report has not yet been received. Fecal coliform (the only results received so far) is in compliance for both plants.
We received no odor complaints that tied to the WWTP in the month of August.
Jennifer Cavanaugh
From: Leslie Coon les.coon@h2oinnovation.com on behalf of Leslie Coon Sent: Sunday, September 7, 2025 7:46 PM To: Jennifer Cavanaugh Cc: highway@redhookvillage.gov; Roy Rysinger; Keith Herbert; Mayor Smythe Subject: Overview of Operations for the Board.
Village of Red Hook Town Board,
Since assuming the role of lead operators at the beginning of August, we have not made any significant changes to process control. Our initial goal has been to observe how the plants operate and to better understand the dynamics of each facility.
Water Plant
At the water plant, we implemented a more representative sampling method by collecting from a potable water source. During our review, we also discovered that the distribution flow was not being fully monitored. Working with the Village team, we determined that an open valve was diverting a significant portion of the flow away from the meter. In a joint effort, we closed Distribution Valve #2, which increased flow through the meter from approximately 84 GPM to 164 GPM. This improvement will allow us to accurately track usage across the village and better identify potential leaks before they surface.
Sewer Plant
At the sewer plant, we have made a few targeted adjustments that have increased our ability to process water and manage surge flows in Plant 1B. With the support of the Village team, we installed a pump that allows us to control forward flow at a set rate. Currently operating at ~6 GPM, this adjustment has increased available equalization (EQ) capacity and improved our ability to manage biomass and achieve a healthier food-to-mass ratio. We expect continued improvements in this area over the next one to two months.
We are also pleased to report that the 1B filter functions properly in automatic mode. However, given the current sensitivity of the biology, we are choosing to maintain manual operation for now to avoid unintentional disruptions.
Requests and Equipment Needs
Several quotes and requests have been submitted that will improve plant control and operational efficiency. I ask that these items be considered a high priority for approval. At present, we are sending some tests off-site and temporarily borrowing consumable items from another location with the understanding that the Village will replace them once approved.
Additional Improvements
The Village team also installed an additional surge tank to prevent overflows during peak usage and wet weather inflow/infiltration (I&I). Recent testing has shown this to be an effective temporary solution. Combined with the new EQ pumps in System 1A, this has helped stabilize operations and avoid potential emergency conditions.
Next Steps
With approval of the requested equipment, we plan to move forward with a mass control program using Mean Cell Residence Time (MCRT). Implementing this will be an important step in maintaining long-term process stability and efficiency.
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If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly or through the Mayor.
Respectfully,
Leslie A Coon Jr.
Sr. Area Manager
T: 845-888-5755 | M: 845-544-3151
E: les.coon@h2oinnovation.com - 4 Commerce Street, suite A 2, PO Box 3148, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603, United States a www.h2oinnovation.com — SF in®O@©
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