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Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP)
AWOP is a national program sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and established at the state level by participating state regulatory agencies including the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals/Office of Public Health (LDH/OPH). The goal of the program is to optimize particle removal and minimize disinfection by-product (DBP) formation at existing surface water treatment plants (SWTPs) to achieve higher-quality finished water and maximize public health protection. Through Comprehensive Performance Evaluations (CPEs), the ability of a SWTP to optimize can be evaluated by a team of OPH specialists. In addition to CPEs, optimization training for plant staff is offered through AWOP's Performance-Based Training (PBT) events. A Surface Water Treatment Plant is considered optimized if it meets the AWOP Performance Criteria Goals.
For over 15 years, OPH has recognized that optimizing the performance of Louisiana's SWTPs (which serve approximately 2 million people in the state) is an important safeguard that should be pursued to protect public health to the greatest extent possible. The LA AWOP Team consists of Engineers and Sanitarians from each of OPH's Central, Regional, and District offices. These team members continue to receive training from USEPA, Process Applications, Inc. (PAI), and the University of Cincinnati to properly conduct CPEs and PBTs.
Downloadable Software and Files
- ETurb ver 3.0R - An electronic form for surface water treatment plants (SWTPs) to enter their monthly turbidity results and submit to AWOP program at AWOP@dhh.la.gov. The data is then compiled into the Optimization Assessment Software (OAS) and the system is ranked on how effectively it meets optimization goals. Note: Reporting Eturb data to AWOP is not sufficient to meet the requirements of submitting your Monthly Operating Reports (MORs) to your LDH District Office.
- Optimization Assessment Software FY2013 - Designed for SWTPs to self-assess annually over 1 fiscal year each of their treatment barriers against the AWOP Optimization Goals. This is achieved by water system personnel entering raw, settled and finished turbidity data. Note: Reporting an OAS spreadsheet to AWOP is not sufficient to meet the requirements of submitting your MORs to your LDH District Office.