Williford, Gearhart & Knight, Inc.
			Engineers & Surveyors
			Volume 1, Issue 7, September 19, 2008
www.wgkengineers.com
WASTEWATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS- Camp Shelby, MS.
					Let’s Go Walking on the Water I love the picture portrayed of Peter and John in Acts 4 after they have healed the crippled beggar in Solomon’s Colonnade in Acts 3. Peter is before the religious leaders of the day and he calls them out boldly. In Acts 4:13 it gives a description of what the onlookers saw, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” His disciples were ordinary men just like you and I. Now Peter was perhaps the boldest of the followers and Jesus recognized his great faith, but Jesus knew that Peter was missing something. As Jesus approaches the disciples on the Sea of Galilee walking on the water he speaks to their hearts, “Take courage! It is I, don’t be afraid. Peter boldly states, “If it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Of course Jesus says, “Come”. What happens next is astonishing, Peter actually walks on the water. Jesus realizes that what Peter is lacking is not faith in him; he steps out of the boat, but the belief or courage to know that he could actually walk on the water. Jesus believed in Peter, but Peter didn’t believe in Peter. Jesus knew he would need courage! What in your life is keeping you from having the courage to step out of your “boat” and be a bold witness for Jesus Christ? The greatest compliment that we can be given is this, “He has been with Jesus”. Step out of the boat!
	Camp Shelby was first established as a training base in the lagging years of World War I.
The Camp went through periods of boom and bust until World War II when Camp Shelby became a city unto itself, housing over 100,000 troops at one time. It was during this era that military planners installed the Camp’s wastewater treatment facility: a 10 MGD activated sludge process. This would be an ideal long-term solution if the population was going to remain at a consistent 100,000 person level. However, WW II, like all wars, eventually ended and Camp Shelby (like the rest of the Army) went through a significant downsizing. Going into the 21^st century, the Camp population now fluctuates with the needs of our national defense. There are 2,000 people permanently assigned to the Camp; however, during exercises and training, the camp population can go up to about 9,000 people. The activated sludge plant relies upon a healthy population of bacteria to function properly. When the flows fluctuate radically, the bacteria go through feast and famine cycles, resulting in busted discharge permit limits. During low-flow periods, plant personnel had to use dog food in the aeration basin to insure an adequate food-to-microorganism (F/M) ratio. Additionally, the plant had well outlived its thirty-year useful life by about thirty years. The Camp needed a newer treatment system that would meet current discharge limits and be able to handle the widely varying flows. WGK came up with a two-phased approach to solving all their needs. In Phase I, the Camp embarked upon an ambitious sewer rehabilitation program in order to reduce the amount of groundwater infiltration into their sanitary sewers. For Phase II, a new partially-mixed aerated lagoon system was designed. A lagoon has two distinct advantages over an activated sludge plant. First, it is simpler to operate and maintain. Second, lagoons typically have longer hydraulic retention times and can more easily absorb the shock loads of a widely varying population. Lagoons, however, typically cannot produce the same effluent quality as an activated sludge plant. This presented the Camp with a challenge. Their current discharge location was into the tiny Weldy Creek, necessitating tight compliance standards. However, the much larger Leaf River was a scant three miles away. If there was a way to get the treated effluent to the Leaf, it would be likely that the regulators would authorize higher limits. WGK, in coordination with the DEQ and Camp Shelby, devised a plan to pump the treated effluent to a new discharge location on the Leaf River in exchange for higher effluent limits. Completed just last year, the Camp’s public works personnel are extremely pleased with their new treatment system. Less maintenance, fewer headaches, lower operating costs, and keeping the regulators happy? What’s not to like? Article by: Brian Standley
					Michael McDade 325 Hwy 80 East, Suite 145 Clinton, MS 39056 601-506-3579 mike@eyesoftheheart.com
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT					WGK New Employees
		MAYOR NANCY CHAMBERS City of Forest Mississippi www.cityofforest.com							WGK Welcomes Tramone Smith to the WGK Family
Nancy Noblin Chambers was born and reared in the City of Forest, Mississippi. She attended Forest Municipal Schools and graduated from Forest High School. She attended Mississippi State College for Women where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Studies and a MED in History. She taught school at Forest Municipal Schools for 31 1/2 years and was chosen Star Teacher for the State of Mississippi in 1991. Her political career began when she was elected the first female alderman for the City of Forest in l991. Mayor Chambers was elected the first female Mayor of Forest in 2001 and is a Certified Municipal Official, a Member of the Mississippi Municipal League Executive Council and Board of Directors. She serves as Chair of the Mississippi Municipal League Education Committee.  She is also is a Member of the Forest Rotary Club, La Petit Club, Mid-Century Club, Garden Club and Retired Teachers. Mayor Chambers is married to Travis Chambers and is a mother of two sons, Tre’ Chambers, who is a Graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and Andy Chambers, who is a Graduate of the University of Mississippi. She is a proud grandmother to three beautiful grandchildren, Will, Ty and AnnaLea. She and her family are members of Forest United Methodist Church in Forest.					WGK is pleased to announce Tramone Smith has joined our firm as a Graduate Engineer. He is a 2006 graduate of Jackson State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and has been working in the field of civil engineering for the past 2 years. Tramone is married and has two children, Brandon who is 1 ½ and daughter, Simone is 3 years old. Tramone’s wife, Tatiana, is an English teacher at Forest Hill High School. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends and they are members of Pleasant Hill Church in Bolton.
					WGK Welcomes Ray Duncan to the WGK Family
					WGK is pleased to announce Ray Duncan has joined our firm as an Engineering Assistant and Surveyor Intern. He is a 2004 graduate of Mississippi State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering, Technology, and Business. Ray is a Land Surveyor Intern in the State of Mississippi and has been working as a surveyor in the fields of wastewater and storm water for the past 6 years. Ray is a resident of Copiah County.
RECOVERING FROM DISASTER We probably all know what to do “before” a natural disaster but do you know what to do “after” a natural disaster? According to FEMA, recovering from a disaster is a gradual process. Safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. If assistance is available, knowing how to access it makes the process faster and less stressful. FEMA offers some general advice on steps to take after disaster strikes in order to begin getting your home, your community, and your life back to normal.
Click on following steps to find out what to do:
Where can I get assistance? What precautions should I take when returning home? What health and safety guidelines should I follow? How do I clean my damaged home or repair and rebuild it safely for the future? How do I cope with the emotional effects of a disaster?
For more on recovering from a specific disaster or information on assistance please visit www.fema.gov
If something is happening in your town/city that you want to include in this section please send me an e-mail at srand@wgkengineers.com
The Forest Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the City of Forest and the Mississippi Development Authority, Tourism Division, are pleased to announce the honor of a historical Mississippi Blues Trail Marker for its contribution to Mississippi’s music legacy and its impact around the world The Blues Trail Marker will be presented on Friday, September 26 honoring the birthplace of “Big Boy Crudup” who wrote the song, “That’s Alright Mama” for Elvis Presley and also honoring James “T Model” Ford another legend. It will be a fun weekend with all kinds of events. For more information please visit www.msbluestrail.org				26^th Annual Old Court House Flea Market Saturday, October 4, 2008 Vicksburg, Mississippi (8 a.m. until 5 p.m. rain or shine) Two hundred booths of arts, crafts, collectibles, plants, antiques, food, etc., and vendors are set up on the square at street level around the Old Court House.  Applications to reserve space may be printed from this website under “Frequent Downloads.”  For more information contact George “Bubba” Bolm at 601-636-0741 or visit www.oldcourthouse.org and click on upcoming events.
							Destination Downtown Regional Main Street Conference Bay St. Louis, Mississippi October 6-8
				34th Ole Brook Festival Brookhaven, Mississippi Saturday, September 20, 2008 This all day event features over 200 booths, Veggie Tales, giant inflatable kid’s area, Art Alley (featuring MS artisans), and much more! Free Concert Saturday Night at 6:30 p.m. Big Daddy Weave, Rush of Fools & Jason Gray Free Admission - Downtown Brookhaven Mid-South Fair Youth Talent Contest Friday Night 6:00 pm -9:00pm Watch for Bob the Tomato & Larry the Cucumber celebrity appearances. 2008 Lincoln County Wildlife Expo Lincoln County Multipurpose Building 1096 Beltline Drive, Brookhaven Friday 5:00 - 9:00 pm; Saturday 9:00am - 7:00 pm			MORE THAN A FLEA MARKET! The South’s Finest Arts & Crafts Show October 9, 2008 8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. on the Historic Square in beautiful downtown CANTON, MISSISSIPPI The Canton Flea Market Arts & Crafts Show 1-800-844-3369
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