Why aren’t they at the gate?

Occasionally tanker drivers will find that a treatment site operator may not be immediately available and maybe, just maybe wonder where they are. What could be more important than the arrival of a tanker loaded with organic waste?

So what do operators do - besides looking after the Organic Waste customers?

Sites like Avomouth and Holdenhurst have full time staff who deal with the Organic Waste business. Some operators have more than one site and have to rely on the booking systems to ensure they are at the right site at the right time.

 hugely variable number of tankers using the site and a busy daily work schedule that has to be completed. The site is a modest sized treatment centre serving a resident population of around 21,000 and safely treating and returning to the local watercourse between 60 and 80 litres of sewage per second.

Charles Hancock has been with Wessex Water for nearly three years and is the operator at Glastonbury and this is his story of juggling the tanker traffic with his other day to day work.

Charle's day starts just before 8am when he opens the works and sorts out any 'early bird' tankers that are at the gate. For every tanker the sampling audit trail never varies - ensure it's domestic, how much, where from, test the PH, thickness, colour and odour and if it is ok, complete the records, sign it off and allow it to discharge.

On a busy day this is a ritual that can be repeated many times!
When Charles is not dealing with the tankers his duties include clearing rags from the inlet screens - a must every day - and equally important, the de-sludging of the eight primary and 10 secondary tanks.

When the 'absolutes' are complete there are the relentless maintenance tasks such as ensuring the 18 filter bed rotary arms are kept running freely, that storm tanks are kept clean and a dozen other jobs that take Charles away from the treatment centre reception area.

To overcome the problem of trying to be in two places at the same time Charles has adopted a two pronged strategy. Firstly, he has built up a relationship with the drivers who regularly use the site and then he tries to work his regular work around their schedules. Secondly, he makes sure that when he is away from the treatment centre reception his mobile phone number is prominently displayed where any visiting drivers can see it and call him. Fortunately there is nowhere on the Glastonbury site that is a dead zone for his mobile.
 
 
While the systems generally work well Charles has still not found an answer to one recurring problem, the 'late Friday syndrome'. If someone is running late and phones ahead Charles is more than willing to wait and see them through the works. But he takes a very dim view of those who appear 'always on a Friday' just as he is about to finish his full day's juggling act.

Organic Waste news - Summer 2010