Happy Holidays from Tonka

Best Wishes for a Joyous Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.

Tonka Adds New Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky Representative

Tonka Equipment Company, a leader in the manufacturing of customized water treatment systems, is pleased to announce the addition of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky representative The Henry P. Thompson Company. 

The Henry P. Thompson Company was established in 1910 and is the oldest manufacturers’ representative in the water and wastewater industry.  With offices in Ohio and Indiana, The Henry P. Thompson Company provides the lowest total cost, least risk solution to each and every client throughout Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. 

Water Online Interview - WEFTEC 2012

Tonka's Executive Vice President, Gary Warner speaks to Water Online Radio at WEFTEC in New Orleans.

Click here to listen.

Refurbishment at the Town of Merrimac, MA

By Jeff Emerson

The Merrimac Water Treatment plant had three vertical pressure filters installed by Tonka in 1990 to remove iron and manganese and provide safe drinking water to the community. The 22 year old plant showed signs of aging and lacked the performance the town required for the current population and for future growth. The town hired Tonka to assist with the refurbishment improvements. 

Revised 10 State Standards Available Online

The Great Lakes – Upper Mississippi River Board of State and Provincial Public Health and Environmental Managers completed the revision of the 2012 Edition of the Recommended Standards for Water Works, commonly referred to as the 10 States Standards. The printed publication date has yet to be determined.

Participating State and Provincial agencies meet annually to establish design guidelines for the waterworks industry. Every five years the committee revises the standards to address design guidelines for any upcoming regulations and/or new technologies. Contact your state’s or province’s 10 States Standards representative with any comments or questions.

Engineers use the Recommended Standards in determining the water facility needs of a community and in sizing treatment processes. Engineers will need to check with their state or provincial agency to determine which year’s edition will be enforced in their area. For a full copy of the 2012 Revised Standards, go to http://10statesstandards.com. 

Since 1956, Tonka Equipment Company has incorporated the Recommended Standards into the design of Tonka products. Tonka will proactively update Tonka filter, ion exchange, membrane and other products as state and provincial agencies adopt the 2012 Edition.

The following article was published in the Tonka Talk - Fall 2012 issue. Click here to view the full newsletter.

President’s Corner - Industry Changes

By Tom Davis

Over the last several months, many changes have occurred in the water treatment industry. Mainstays of the industry have fallen victim of the recession and companies were sold and bought leaving the market unsure of their future. But, while the industry continues to change, Tonka maintains its strong presence in the marketplace.

For over 55 years, Tonka has been providing custom water treatment systems to municipalities throughout US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Whether you are looking at a new water treatment plant or an existing plant, Tonka can assist you.

At Tonka, we pride ourselves on timely, responsive customer service. And, because customer service never ends, we are continually available to provide service, whether that means answering questions over a help line, ordering new parts, or refurbishment as necessary – we do this for both Tonka plants and those built by others.

Contact us, and we’ll help customize the right approach for your project – no matter what the variables are – and guarantee the results, too.

The following article was published in the Tonka Talk - Fall 2012 issue. Click here to view the full newsletter.

Surface Water Treatment Options

By Rick Mann

The treatment of surface water requires the removal of suspended solids as well as debris and sediment. Since the water is open to the environment, there are pathogens and viruses that also need to be removed before the water can be distributed to the community for drinking. The turbidity of the surface water is the most significant determinant of the equipment solution for the best results.

Tonka’s Large Breadth of Surface Water Solutions

From system design, manufacture, start-up, training, support and warranty, Tonka can assist with your surface water needs. Tonka’s large breadth of surface water solutions cover small (50 gpm) to large (50 MGD) systems. Depending on the raw water quality, turbidity and operational needs, Tonka will provide one of the following approaches:

Biological Treatment of Ammonia and Other Contaminants

By Bryan Oakley, PE

Many treatment plants throughout the country have been surprised to find ammonia in their water. Ammonia exists naturally in a significant number of groundwater aquifers and is present in water reclamation plant effluent. Ammonia reacts with chlorine disinfectants, increasing disinfection doses and can cause objectionable off-taste and odors .

Ammonia can also accelerate corrosion of residential, commercial and industrial copper plumbing and cooling systems. This corrosion can raise copper concentrations at water reclamation plants, and if released to rivers and lakes at elevated levels, can be toxic to aquatic life.

Biological Filtration of Drinking Water
An economical and innovative way to treat ammonia and other related contaminants is through a biological treatment process. Instead of using chemicals, naturally occurring biology can oxidize contaminants such as ammonia, iron, manganese and organics that can then be removed by filtration.

Tonka Adds New Virginia Representative

Tonka Equipment Company, a leader in the manufacturing of customized water treatment systems, is pleased to announce the addition of Virginia representative RITCHIE Environmental Solutions. 

A newly formed company, RITCHIE Environmental Solutions has over 17 years of experience in the municipal water and wastewater industry.  RITCHIE Environmental Solutions is the new manufacturer’s representative for Tonka and other manufacturers.  RITCHIE Environmental Solutions provides solutions for the municipal water and wastewater industry throughout Virginia. 

Tonka Adds New Georgia and Alabama Representative

Tonka Equipment Company, a leader in the manufacturing of customized water treatment systems, is pleased to announce the addition of Georgia and Alabama representative Heyward Atlanta. 

Heyward has been a manufacturing representative since 1908, originally starting in the power equipment industry.  As the company evolved, Heyward Atlanta developed a strong presence in the municipal water and wastewater industry throughout Georgia and Alabama. 

Frankfort, Illinois Awarded APWA Project of the Year

by Steve Montray
Tonka Equipment Company

The Frankfort, Illinois water plant, designed by Robinson Engineering, was awarded an APWA Project of the Year.

Before the water treatment project began, the Village of Frankfort faced high levels of iron in Well #7 and started looking for a way to provide clean drinking water for the community. Robinson Engineering, Ltd. was commissioned soon after with the design and construction observation. During the contracting process, Robinson Engineering saw an opportunity for Frankfort to save money by dividing the project into two contracts; one contract for the filter manufacturer and the other for the installation of the filters. The Village saved roughly over $50,000 with two separate bidding contracts. 

Tonka Adds New North Carolina and South Carolina Representative

Tonka Equipment Company, a leader in the manufacturing of customized water treatment systems, is pleased to announce the addition of North Carolina and South Carolina representative W2O. 

A newly formed company, W2O has experienced representatives with a combined 13 years of experience.  W2O not only promotes the equipment, but also supplies solutions.  W2O provides solutions for the municipal water and wastewater industry throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. 

“We were interested in Tonka because of their innovative products and ability to solve problems.” said Buck Watkins of W2O. “Tonka has superior technology with an innovative approach to meet the client’s needs.”

Schultz and Summers Engineering Awarded for Hayti Project

by  TJ Stroebl
Tonka Equipment Company

This year at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri, Schultz and Summers Engineering received an award for their work in Hayti, Missouri.    

Tonka Adds New Tennessee Representative

Tonka Equipment Company, a leader in the manufacturing of customized water treatment systems, is pleased to announce the addition of Tennessee representative BarEnvironmental. 

Bar Environmental has been a manufacturing representative since 1984.  With over 30 years of experience in the municipal water and wastewater industry, Bar Environmental provides the highest quality process equipment and solutions to meet the needs of municipalities throughout the state of Tennessee. 

Tonka is Hiring a Drafting Manager

Tonka is seeking a motivated Drafting Manager who has manufacturing knowledge and experience with welding and steel fabrication. This person will have the ability to read and interpret drawings, manage the department software, schedule work assignments and identify and implement change within the department. 

For more information about the position or to apply, click here.

Tonka is Hiring a Field Service Technician

Tonka is seeking a Field Service Technician with formal training from a technical school or university, who has experience in industrial systems, instrumentation, and a strong mechanical aptitude.  Knowledge of water treatment desirable.

For more information about the position or to apply, click here.

Arsenic in the Southwest

by TJ

Tonka Equipment Company

Arsenic continues to be a concern throughout the Southwest as many communities have levels just above the maximum contaminant limit of 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L). These cities are looking at Tonka’s co-precipitation filtration process paired with Simul-Wash™ for an efficient, cost-effective way to remove arsenic, while conserving water and reducing operating costs.

The process

Iron is removed from water by oxidation, precipitation and filtration, a process where Tonka has particular expertise and rich history. Arsenic, in its oxidized state, will bind and coprecipitate with iron, which can then be removed through conventional media filtration. 

Arcadia, Wisconsin Water Plant Wins 3rd Place

by TJ Stroebl
Tonka Equipment Company

At the 2012 AWWA conference in Dallas, Gary Skrotch, a water operator from Arcadia, WI won 3^rd place in the national “Best of the Best” Water Taste Test! Gary became eligible last September after winning 1^st place in Wisconsin's taste test. 

The Arcadia water treatment plant was constructed in 2007, finished in 2008 and included one of Tonka's horizontal pressure filter and a forced draft aerator which worked together to remove iron and manganese. After great results, Arcadia’s water plant now has the award to prove it.      

Congratulations Gary! 

More about the winners of the “Best of Best” Water Taste Test: http://www.awwa.org/files/GovtPublicAffairs/PressReleases/061212TasteTestWinner.pdf

Baker Water Treatment Plant

by Tim Grogan
Tonka Equipment Company

Nearly two years ago, Hardy County needed a small facility to test their water before the construction of their new water plant. The county chose a 20 gpm pilot trailer plant to test the high turbidity water for a twelve week period. After testing the water, the project was split into two phases. Phase I involved bidding a site security package while Phase II involved getting permits, certificates and building the new plant. Construction of the new plant began near the end of 2010.

The new Baker Water Treatment Plant removes high levels of turbidity, iron, manganese, and organics. The plant uses two surface water pretreatment systems for turbidity removal, two Ultrafiltration membrane systems for bacteria and virus removal, one clean in place system, and a Master PLC control panel to automate cleaning and operation.  How it works: Water from Parker Hollow Lake is pumped through the Unitized Treatment System, which combines flocculation, clarification and filtration to remove the large contaminants, then pumped through the membrane system, which removes the microscopic contaminants. Chemicals are added before the water is collected into a storage tank where the water is gravity fed through lines.

With the start up in January 2012, the community of Baker officially has clean water. 

More articles about the Baker Water Treatment Plant process:

http://www.moorefieldexaminer.com/pdf/ME_4_21_10.pdf

http://www.moorefieldexaminer.com/pdf/ME_6_23_10.pdf 

http://www.thrashereng.com/newsroom.cfm?myArticle=CountyPSDisTestingBakerWaterPlant

Radium Removal in Seneca, Illinois

by Gary Warner

Tonka Equipment Company

It’s a fact that contaminants exist, but there are some places where they cannot be allowed.

Water is one of them.

Naturally occurring radium, hydrogen sulfide, and iron kept reappearing in well two and three of Seneca, Illinois. With the leadership of Seneca's water operator, Paul Rivett and the engineer, Chamlin and Associates, the village renovated the existing facility, bringing contaminant levels greatly below EPA standards. 

The equipment for the project included three vertical pressure filters, one Forced Draft Aerator, a Detention Chamber and an HMO Chemical Feed System. Because of the renovations, the village's water system can safely be taken off the watch list for radium. The plant’s new HMO System utilizing a pre-mixed solution guarantees to remove the radium. As for the hydrogen sulfide in well two and the iron in well three, the new system also removes them. The turbulence and airflow from the tower pushes the hydrogen sulfide out into the atmosphere while simultaneously oxidizing the iron to an insoluble ferric hydroxide state that forms a floc, allowing it to be filtered. 

With their new hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) radium removal plant, the Village of Seneca won’t have to worry anymore about water contaminants. Everyone involved with the plant made sure of it!     

Read the WSO article here:  Right At Home | Water System Operator

Make Backwash More Effective

by Rick Boyum
Tonka Equipment Company

Improve your overall filter performance and help reduce backwash frequency by optimizing every backwash.

Increased backwash frequency is recommended for:

• Excessive headloss (debris buildup in media)
• Diminished effluent water quality

About once a month:

• Gather a sample of backwash water halfway through Simul-Wash™ or a backwash.

Congressman Visits Arsenic Removal Plant

by Rick Mann
Tonka Equipment Company

Congressman Fred Upton visited the new Iron and Arsenic Removal system serving the community of Mattawan, Michigan. Before the new system was installed, arsenic levels in the town’s three wells exceeded EPA’s requirements of 10 parts per billion (ppb).

Looking into all their options, they determined investing in a new treatment system was their only option. The arsenic was removed with iron co-precipitation absorption followed by filtration with Greensand Plus Media. Equipment  installation included four vertical pressure filters (VPF) to treat both the well on 25^th street and  the well on Main Street. This plant now provides clean drinking water to the small rural community of 3,000.           

Click here for more:
MRWA spot on Rep Upton's visit

New Sugar Creek Water Plant

by Amanda Conley
Tonka Equipment Company

Sometimes an existing water facility will not always get the job done. In Boone County, Indiana, the Sugar Creek Water Plant’s two outdated filters were coming to an end in life. The plant needed a system that would remove the iron from their water as well as create an easier backwash process that did not waste water or power. Investing in new filters was an obvious solution.

The county chose to replace the existing facility with equipment for an iron removal plant. A new aerator and three, 10’ by 38’ Horizontal Pressure Filters (HPF) had been exactly what the county needed. In Lebanon’s local news, a reporter filmed the start of the HPF installation process when the crane horizontally inserted the filters. After all the coordination efforts and construction, controls were installed and Sugar Creek’s newly improved plant started up in March.

More about Lebanon's Plant Upgrade:

http://www.lebanon-utilities.com/w_projects.html

Germantown Complies with EPA Radium Regulations

by Todd Butz
Tonka Equipment Company

Germantown, Wisconsin has a small-town rural atmosphere, but its easy access to Milwaukee offers suburban amenities that attract many newcomers. The residential and business growth of the area has been steady, allowing this unique community to maintain its rural charm and distinct German heritage.


A major concern of the community was the need to remove radium from its potable water source and bring the water treatment plant into compliance with current USEPA regulations. After consultation with Ruekert-Mielke Engineering, the village chose the Hydrous Manganese Oxide (HMO) radium removal technology offered by Tonka Equipment Company.  HMO is a chemical that can be fed into the raw water that binds with radium. The HMO/radium particle can then be filtered through a conventional pressure or gravity filter.

South Florida Town Solves Color Challenges

by Tom Davis 
Tonka Equipment Company

Lantana Ion Exchange Plant

The Town of Lantana is located on the southeast coast of Florida, in an area that uses groundwater exclusively for its municipal water supply. The groundwaters in the area typically contain excessive iron, organically bound color compounds, and high hardness levels. Historically, the Town of Lantana had used chlorination and fi ltration to treat iron and color. The aggressive chlorination that was used unfortunately resulted in the formation of disinfection by-products (DBP) such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids – in concentrations that exceeded newly promulgated federal standards.


To address this problem, the Town considered installing membranes as a treatment alternative. But with reject rates as high as 20%, and costs nearly twice the allowable budget, membranes were difficult to justify. Withdrawal limitations imposed by the South Florida Water Management District contributed to ruling out membranes because of the high reject stream volumes. Membranes also have high capital and operating costs and would have resulted in a complete and costly re-work of the existing plant site. 

Illinois Rural Water Association recognizes Village of Ohio

by TJ Stroebl
Tonka Equipment Company

Ohio, IL treatment plant

Ohio, IL was recently awarded Runner-up Water Plant of the Year by the Illinois Rural Water Association.  The Village of Ohio is a small rural community in northern Illinois with well water requiring arsenic removal, color removal, iron removal and manganese removal.  Tonka designed and manufactured a 275 gpm Dualator® packaged treatment system incorporating aeration, detention, and filtration in one unit to remove the arsenic, iron and manganese followed by an Ion Exchange vessel to remove the color.  The system utilized arsenic co-precipitation with iron as the most cost effective arsenic removal  solution to comply with EPA regulations and provide the community with safe drinking water.  


Congratulations to Ohio, IL and their operator, Jim Lamkin!


Read a news article about the award:
http://www.bcrnews.com/2012/02/28/ohio-water-plant-selected-runner-up-plant-of-the-year/aeor5qs/

Filter Media Core Sampling

by Jeff Emerson 
Tonka Equipment Company



Let’s take a look at how to assess the health of your filter media!


Filter media has a typical life expectancy of 10–15 years. Based on your raw water quality and filter maintenance, media life can be shorter or longer.  Knowing the quality of your filter media will help to understand many performance and operational issues.  Tonka provides media analysis for filters or softeners at any time. Taking an accurate core sample is a critical step in having your filter media analyzed for quality.

Michigan Utilities Choose Co-Precipitation Arsenic Removal

by Rick Mann 
Tonka Equipment Company

There are several Best Available Technologies (BAT) for arsenic removal from potable water, and after careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each, many Michigan water utilities have chosen Oxidation/Filtration, specifically in the form of Iron Co-Precipitation Filtration. Recently, Tonka has provided systems for Michigan communities that treat over 50 million gallons of water per day.

Arsenic Removal in Holly, MI

Airwash Blowers Operating Tips

by Dave Mielke
Field Service, Tonka Equipment Company


Moisture in your airwash blower?  This is the Number 1 cause of blower failure. 


The Sutorbilt or Turbotron blowers used by Tonka are large volume air supply blowers with pressure under 7 psi. These blowers are designed to run 24/7; however, when used as an airwash blower for the Simul-Wash™ cycle, their cycle duty is very infrequent and poses a different maintenance schedule.  The Tonka airwash blower is always started and stopped "dead headed" to  prevent water migration to the blower unit. 


The following simple maintenance rules should provide you with many years of trouble free operation of your airwash blower: 

How Good is Your Pilot Study?

by Tom Davis
President, Tonka Equipment Company


A good design starts with a careful and complete water analysis – because all waters are different and respond differently to treatment.  Frequently, a water analysis alone may not be sufficient information to conclusively move toward a final design, and in these cases, a pilot study is required.  A dependable, high quality pilot study, like many services encountered in the water industry, is reflective of the ultimate relationship an engineer or City may have with a chosen responsible manufacturer.