Many local authorities are looking at the finer details of their PHRMP and making informed decisions on managing the public health risk.
One of these risks is the potential ramifications of a chlorine gas leak. While that risk is extremely low, authorities must be mindful of the “what if” consequences. However, in situations where the water treatment plant is in close proximity to human habitation, a more proactive approach is required. This is especially so where treatment plants are built above townships (to provide natural head for the water supply) and have housing directly downhill from the chlorine storage facilities.
Two councils taking particular note of this in recent times have been Christchurch City and Queenstown Lakes. Both councils deemed that despite the extremely low probability of a leak, several treatment plants were too close to habitation to ignore and that risk mitigation was worth the investment. As a result Greg Gordon, Filtration Technology’s South Island engineer recently completed the installation and commissioning of four systems in Queenstown and one each at Duvauchelle and Akaroa on Banks Peninsula, utilising the HALOGEN Auto Shut-off Actuator, in tandem with Siemens Chlorine Leak Detectors.
HALOGEN systems use an extra heavy duty, high drain, 12 volt DC battery system that in turn operates extremely high torque actuators to close the gas vessel valve. While the HALOGENs can be made to close on station power loss, fire, E-Stops or even in an earthquake, the primary mode of operation for the HALOGEN system is the Siemens Chlorine Leak Detector for detection levels around 3 ppm.
For more information contact Greg Gordon on email: greg.gordon@filtec.co.nz or phone 03 488 6200
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