Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau aims to use state-of-the art instrument and equipment, with the help of professionals, to investigate and control some key industrial areas. The project was to be carried out from October 14, 2008 to October 13, 2009, the followings are some summarized achievements (up to October 13, 2009) :
One, set up the standard operational procedures for “Investigation of water pollution sources by high-tech instrument”
Our group had already submitted the standard operation procedure of this project at November 11, 2008, which has been approved by Tainan County EPB. This project was also carried out according to this procedure. As a result, the efficiency has been improved dramatically.
Two, sewer pipeline and ditches checking
(1) Survey and recover lost manholes
We used the metal detector to search the road and to recover the lost manhole, surveying and obtaining 21 lost manholes, labeled by spraying paint on the road surface, the achieving rate of this job is 105%. Have already confirmed and finished restoring and constructing by 20 - 24 of May, 2009. Follow-up unidentified pipeline is to examine, industry personnel utilized the rainwater ditch, which can help in restoring the manhole, utilizing scientific instruments such as the infrared ray, underground pipeline detector, etc. will help to detect the sources further.
(2) Branch tube or the telephotography within the side ditch
Have already checked the work of the telephotography carrying on 1002m of side ditch of key area, the achieving rate is 100%. 38 sites of unidentified pipeline are found. The unidentified pipeline which enters the side ditch can be divided into three kinds: The intubate is entered (include PVC intubate and ditch wall) 21 places, it has already confirmed the use of the intubate further. It also confirmed the majority is rainwater tube and sanitary sewage. We have finished drawing relevant geographical positions, waterway and pipeline. Suitable for pollution follow-up and tracks and collecting relevant databases.
(3) Draining water in the irrigation canals, ditches and culvert
This project is to drain off water in the irrigation canals, ditches and culvert in some key districts, we have already finished 10 sites of pipeline checking and examining, the accomplishment rate is up to 100%, including utilize the instrument to check 6 places. Among them, professional personnel checked 2 cases and found the unidentified pipelines. After utilizing the instrument to carry out the project, there is unidentified pipeline in 3 places, one pipeline was sealed, 1 place has been punished in accordance with the law, one is reconstructed for the farmland irrigation canal.
(4) Illegal pipes removal
After investigation, 10 illegal discharging pipes were discovered. All of them have been removed according to standard procedures. Follow up investigation will be carried out to ensure that no such illegal discharges would ever happen again.
Three, Water pollution investigation by using high-tech instruments
(1) Periodical water monitoring and evident collection
Our group used water quality monitors in succession the automatic monitoring equipment monitor to monitor 76 places of key district of Tainan, achievement rate exceeds 100% (76 of 75 required). 55 places have been monitored to have unusual situations, 33 sites discovered pollution sources already (success rate 43.4%, more than 4 times the success rate of the national average) ,22 sites no pollution sources found. Those sites were listed as key pollution areas for the following investigation.
(2) Investigations of illegal water pollution cases
33 illegal water pollution cases were found and given tickets by using high-tech scientific equipment. Among them, 14 cases were that the discharges wastewater did not pass the standard concentrations. 15 were illegal water discharges. 1 was wastewater discharged without permit. 2 were wastewater storage without permit. In addition, one case was that its wastewater spilled into ditches, and it had been properly punished. 31 tickets were given out, amounting to 5.85 million dollars. Within 2 months, we achieved a good result by discovering 10 illegal pollution cases, the relating articles were published by local newspapers.
By using the high-tech equipment for carrying out this project, the effective profit is estimated to 5.85 million dollars, and the total cost was 2.6145 million dollars. It makes the profit to cost ratio to about 2.24. In addition, the pollution reduction amount for BOD is 20,932.9kg/year, SS is 2,227,921.5 kg/year, Cu is 280 kg/year, Zn is 184.2 kg/year and Ni is 601.6 kg/year. It shows that by using high-tech equipment to help pollution investigation, it can improve the efficiency greatly and reduce the overall cost.
Four, Assessment of wastewater treatment facilities
We have contacted 10 industrial units for assessments of their wastewater treatment facilities by March 4th, 2009, and finished the initial assessments by March 20th, 2009. The secondary assessments were carried out within the period of April 27th to June, 4th. We invited Prof. Ru-xian, Huang to participated in the whole process, All assessments reports were done by the end of June, 2009. Consultation session were held from June 29th to July 3rd. Following checkups were also in the finishing processes.
By carrying out wastewater treatment facilities assessments of 10 industrial units, some suggestions were give to the people in charge to how to improve the functions of their wastewater treatment facilities. It can greatly help to reduce water pollution.
Five, Other achievements
As far, the correlation chart between pollution discharges and water channels was drafted, it contains the investigation results and charts, other related geographical information, water flowing charts, etc. Some information database was also established. This information can be used to shortened the investigation time by reducing the area covered. Some potential investigation targets were focused for following checkups. Project briefing was held at Nov. 21st, 2008 and training sessions were scheduled at Nov. 24th, 2008 to improve the quality of this project.
