AWWA ACE58275

From the mid-1980s until July of 2000, water for the residents of Greenville County has come from three sources: a 30 MGD conventional filtration plant on Lake Keowee and two unfiltered sources at the Greenville Water System's Table Rock and North Saluda Reservoirs. In July of 2000, the Table Rock and North Saluda Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) Filtration Plant began operation, combining the Table Rock and North Saluda sources and providing Greenville County with filtered water. The process from design to operation was long and complex. Several key features emerged that made this project different from many others. However, two underlying aspects were present during the whole process: Operator involvement and management's respect for the operators' ideas and recommendations. This paper describes, from an operator's perspective, how the Greenville Water System (GWS) became ready to operate the largest DAF plant in the United States. Topics covered include: hiring/staffing; training; start-up; maintenance program; and, team approach.