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 ANSI/AWWA G510-13
(First Edition)

AWWA Management Standard

Wastewater Treatment
Plant Operation and
Management

Effective date: Feb. 1, 2014.

This first edition approved by AWWA Board of Directors June 9, 2013.
Approved by American National Standards Institute Nov. 26, 2013.

SM
AWWA Management Standard
This document is an American Water Works Association (AWWA) management standard. It is not a specification. AWWA
management standards describe consensus requirements for utility management practices. The use of AWWA man-
agement standards is entirely voluntary. This standard does not supersede or take precedence over or displace any
applicable law, regulation, or codes of any governmental authority. AWWA management standards are intended to
represent a consensus of the water industry of requirements and practices that utilities should strive to achieve. When
AWWA revises or withdraws this standard, an official notice of action will be placed in the Official Notice section of
Journal - American Water Works Association. The action becomes effective on the first day of the month following the
month of Journal - American Water Works Association publication of the official notice.

American National Standard

An American National Standard implies a consensus of those substantially concerned with its scope and provisions.
An American National Standard is intended as a guide to aid the manufacturer, the consumer, and the general public.
The existence of an American National Standard does not in any respect preclude anyone, whether that person has ap-
proved the standard or not, from manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, or using products, processes, or procedures
not conforming to the standard. American National Standards are subject to periodic review, and users are cautioned
to obtain the latest editions. Producers of goods made in conformity with an American National Standard are encour-
aged to state on their own responsibility in advertising and promotional materials or on tags or labels that the goods
are produced in conformity with particular American National Standards.

C aution Notice: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approval date on the front cover of this standard
indicates completion of the ANSI approval process. This American National Standard may be revised or withdrawn at
any time. ANSI procedures require that action be taken to reaffirm, revise, or withdraw this standard no later than five
years from the date of ANSI approval. Purchasers of American National Standards may receive current information on
all standards by calling or writing the American National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Fourth Floor, New
York, NY 10036; (212) 642-4900, or emailing info@ansi.org.

This AWWA content is the product of thousands of

hours of work by your fellow water professionals.
Revenue from the sales of this AWWA material supports
ongoing product development. Unauthorized distribution,
either electronic or photocopied, is illegal and hinders
AWWA’s mission to support the water community.

ISBN-13, print: 978-1-58321-969-0 eISBN-13, electronic: 978-1-61300-247-6

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information or retrieval system, except in the form of
brief excerpts or quotations for review purposes, without the written permission of the publisher.

Copyright © 2014 by American Water Works Association

Printed in USA

ii
 Committee Personnel
The AWWA Standards Committee on Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation and Management,
which reviewed and approved this standard, had the following personnel at the time of approval:

John Troutman, Chair

General Interest Members

A. Ambulkar, Brinjac Engineering Inc., Harrisburg, Pa. (AWWA)

A. Griffith,* Clemson University, Seneca, S.C. (AWWA)
G. Dechant, Laboratory Quality Systems LLC, Grand Junction, Colo. (AWWA)
L. Furatian,* University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. (AWWA)
T. Jordan, HDR Inc., Denver, Colo. (AWWA)
K. Mestayer, KMA Consulting, Williamsburg, Va. (AWWA)
B. Percy,* Garnsby and Mannerow Ltd., Guelph, Ontario (AWWA)
C.A. Rosado, ETAG, Cagus, Puerto Rico (PRWEA, AWWA)
D.L. Russell, Global Environmental Operations Inc., Lilburn, Ga. (AWWA)
J.S. Troutman, Miller Environmental Group Inc., Columbia, Pa. (AWWA)
G.S. Whitten, Southwest Water Consultants LLC, Phoenix, Ariz. (AWWA)
C.H. Sham,† The Cadmus Group Inc., Waltham, Mass. (AWWA)
D.M. Flancher,* AWWA Standards Engineer, Denver, Colo. (AWWA)

User Members

A.W. Fairey, Charleston Water System, Charleston, S.C. (AWWA)

D. Falkner, Village of Mukwonago, Mukwonago, Wis. (AWWA)
J.H. Meyer, Fort Meyers, Fla. (AWWA)
P.E. Petersen, Milwaukee Water Works, Milwaukee, Wis. (AWWA)
R. Komaragiri, California Water Service Company, Torrance, Calif. (AWWA)

* Nonvoting
† Liaison, nonvoting

iii
This page intentionally blank.
 Contents
All AWWA standards follow the general format indicated subsequently. Some variations from this
format may be found in a particular standard.

SEC. PAGE SEC. PAGE

Foreword 4 Requirements
I Introduction..................................... vii 4.1 Regulatory Requirements................... 3
I.A Background...................................... vii 4.2 Customer Considerations................... 3
I.B History............................................. vii 4.3 Operational Management
I.C Acceptance....................................... vii Practices....................................... 4
II Special Issues................................... viii 4.4 Plant: Real Property Management
II.A Advisory Information on and Maintenance......................... 9
Application of Standards........... viii 4.5 Effluent Quality and Biosolids
III Use of This Standard....................... viii Management.............................. 10

III.A Options and Alternatives................. viii 5 Verification

III.B Modification to Standard................ viii 5.1 Documentation Required................. 11
IV Major Revisions............................... viii 5.2 Examples of Documentation............ 12
V Comments...................................... viii 5.3 Human Resources............................ 13

Standard 6 Delivery.......................................... 14

1 General Appendixes
1.1 Scope................................................. 1 A AWWA Wastewater Treatment
1.2 Purpose.............................................. 1 Plant Operation and
1.3 Application......................................... 1 Management.............................. 15
B Additional Resources........................ 19
2 References......................................... 2

3 Definitions........................................ 2

v
This page intentionally blank.
 Foreword
This foreword is for information only and is not a part of ANSI*/AWWA G510.

I. Introduction.
I.A. Background. The AWWA standards program is designed to serve water,
wastewater, and reuse utilities—hereafter, the water sector—and their customers,
owners, service providers, and government regulators. The standards developed under
the program are generally intended to improve a plant’s overall operations and service.
Among these standards is this effort to establish formal management and operations
guidelines. These guidelines identify appropriate practices, procedures, and behaviors
whose implementation will promote effective and efficient plant operations and
contribute to protection of public health, public safety, and the environment.
AWWA’s standards process has been used for more than 90 years to produce Amer-
ican National Standards Institute (ANSI)-recognized standards for materials and pro-
cesses that are used by the water sector. These standards are recognized worldwide and
have been adopted by many utilities and organizations. Likewise, this management
standard is developed using the same ANSI-recognized formal process. Volunteer stan-
dards committees establish standard practices in a uniform and appropriate format.
Formal standards committees have been and continue to be formed to address the
individual standards practices for the diverse areas of water sector operation. A formal
standards committee was created in 2009 to develop a standard for wastewater treat-
ment plant operation and management. This standard is the outcome of the Wastewa-
ter Treatment Plant Operation and Management Standards Committee.
I.B. History. This is the first edition of this standard. It was approved by the
AWWA Board of Directors on June 9, 2013.
I.C. Acceptance. ANSI/AWWA G510 does not address additives requirements.
Users of this standard should consult the appropriate state or local agency having
jurisdiction in order to
1. Determine additives requirements, including applicable standards.
2. Determine the status of certifications by parties offering to certify products
for contact with, or treatment of wastewater, including reclaimed water.
3. Determine current information on product certification.
II. Special Issues.

* American National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10036.

vii
 II.A. Advisory Information on Application of Standards. This standard includes
only those requirements that are limited exclusively to management practices for
operation and management of a wastewater treatment facility. Separate standards
adopted by the Standards program cover utility management programs, such as water
treatment, water distribution, source water protection, security, emergency preparedness
practices, business practices, and communication and customer relations. More topics
will be added over time, including wastewater collection systems.
III. Use of This Standard. It is the responsibility of the user of an AWWA
standard to determine that the products and practices described in that standard are
suitable for use in the particular application being considered.
III.A. Options and Alternatives. The following should be considered by the user:
1. Standard used—that is, ANSI/AWWA G510, Standard for Wastewater
Treatment Plant Operation and Management, of latest revision.
2. Details of other federal, state or provincial, and local governments (Sec. 4.1).
3. If a pretreatment program is required.
4. If a hauled-waste program is required.
5. If a fats, oils, and grease (FOG) management program is required.
6. Treated effluent requirements for reclaimed water use.
7. If a stormwater management system is required.
III.B. Modification to Standard. There is no applicable information for this
section.
IV. Major Revisions. This is the first edition; as such, there are no major
revisions.
V. Comments. If you have any comments or questions about this standard,
please call AWWA Engineering and Technical Services at 303.794.7711, FAX at
303.795.7603, write to the department at 6666 West Quincy Avenue, Denver, CO
80235-3098, or email at standards@awwa.org.

viii
 ANSI/AWWA G510-13
(First Edition)

AWWA Management Standard

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Operation and Management

SECTION 1: GENERAL

Sec. 1.1 Scope

This standard describes the essential or critical requirements for the effective
operation and management of a wastewater treatment plant.

Sec. 1.2 Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to define the minimum requirements for the
effective operation and management of wastewater treatment plants, including
water quality, system management programs, and operation and maintenance of
facilities.

Sec. 1.3 Application

This standard can be referenced in the evaluation of the operation and man-
agement of a wastewater treatment plant. The stipulations of this standard apply
when this document has been referenced and then only to the operation and
management of wastewater treatment plants.

1
2 AWWA G510-13

SECTION 2: REFERENCES

This standard references the following documents. In their latest editions,

they form a part of this standard to the extent specified within the standard. In any
case of conflict, the requirements of this standard shall prevail.
AWWA Manual M14, Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and
Cross-Connection Control.
ANSI/AWWA G400, Utility Management System.
ANSI/AWWA G440, Emergency Preparedness Practices.

SECTION 3: DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply in this standard:

1. Biosolids: The nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treat-
ment of sewage sludge. When treated and processed, sewage sludge becomes bio-
solids which can be safely recycled and applied as fertilizer to sustainably improve
and maintain productive soils and stimulate plant growth.
2. Effluent: Water flowing from a structure such as a treatment plant.
3. Influent: Water, wastewater or other liquid—untreated or partially
treated—flowing into a treatment process, or treatment plant.
4. National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit: The
regulatory agency document issued by either a federal or state agency that is
designed to control all discharges of pollutants from point sources into US water-
ways. These permits regulate discharges into navigable water from all point sources
of pollution, including industries, municipal wastewater treatment plants, sanitary
landfills, large agricultural feed lots, and return irrigation flows.
5. Potable water: Water that is safe and satisfactory for drinking and
cooking.
6. Pretreatment: One or more actions or processes occurring immediately
before water enters a downstream treatment unit process.
7. Programmable logic controller (PLC): A device that takes inputs from one
or several process variables, applies a logical or mathematical function, and sends
the resulting output to a final control device.
8. Publicly owned treatment works (POTW): A wastewater treatment facil-
ity owned by a municipality or local government.
 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 3

9. Reclaimed water: Wastewater that becomes suitable for beneficial use as

a result of treatment.
10. Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA): A system consisting
of one or more computers, often networked, that stores, displays, and analyzes data
and is an interface for system control.
11. Standard operating procedures (SOPs): A written document or instruc-
tion detailing steps and activities of a process or procedure.
12. Wastewater: A combination of the liquid and water-carried waste from
residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions, together with
any groundwater, surface water, and stormwater.

SECTION 4: REQUIREMENTS

The requirements for the operation of a wastewater treatment plant can be

divided into five main categories: regulatory compliance, customer considerations,
operational management practices, plant-real property management and mainte-
nance, and effluent and biosolids quality management. This standard requires that
the plant establish measurable goals for each category, implement a monitoring
system to measure performance against the goals, employ an optimization strategy
to identify opportunities for improvement, and maintain consistent operation that
satisfies the goals under all conditions. Goals must be set with the concept of pro-
tecting public health foremost.
Note: There are many relationships among major elements of wastewater treat-
ment plant operation and management. The requirements listed in this standard are
meant to apply to all wastewater treatment plants. However, the system operator is
cautioned to consider the effect of one requirement upon another based on site-specific
conditions.
Sec. 4.1 Regulatory Requirements
The plant shall satisfy the requirements of federal, state or provincial, and
local or other applicable regulations. Plants shall demonstrate that they meet or
are striving to perform better than applicable wastewater regulations for their own
jurisdiction.

Sec. 4.2 Customer Considerations

The minimum requirements for a communications and customer relations
plan are to establish communications and customer relations planning as a key
4 AWWA G510-13

management function. The plant shall develop a strategy to optimize efforts, peri-
odically review progress and make revisions as needed to improve the plan, keep-
ing it relevant to the plant’s need to communicate with its customers and promote
positive customer relations.
4.2.1 Customer communications. The plant shall provide adequate
resources for building and maintaining an effective communications and customer
relations plan. The plan shall include the following:
1. Customer service mission, guidelines, and procedures.
2. A public education and outreach component that describes activities that
will be undertaken to educate and inform customers.
3. An emergency communication plan to inform customers of spills, releases,
or releases that impose an immediate threat to the community.
4. A feedback system, such as surveys, for obtaining input on the plant’s
external communications efforts.
4.2.2 Customer inquiry tracking and response. The plant shall have a sys-
tem to document and respond to customer inquiries. The system shall designate
personnel who can explain system problems that are known and can collect perti-
nent information for response personnel.
Sec. 4.3 Operational Management Practices
4.3.1 Business practices. Each plant shall clearly identify the mission of
the organization, including how the success of the organization in fulfilling that
mission will be measured. The mission should be reviewed, at a minimum, at any
change in a regulatory document, like a permit, plan, or legal filing, and updated
as necessary. The mission should be written and available to plant personnel as well
as users of the system.
4.3.1.1 Budget and financial management. The plant shall assess the cost
of operation at least annually and provide input in terms of estimated expenses to
accomplish the requirements of this standard. The plant shall develop an annual
budget that estimates expenses, including equipment upgrades or other plant
expenditures. The budget shall include estimated revenue to show that adequate
funds are available for the next year (e.g., revenue not limited to but including
usage fees, biosolids products, biogas, and/or reuse water). Actual expenses should
be evaluated against estimates at least quarterly.
4.3.1.2 Treatment plant capital improvement planning. The plant
shall develop a long-term capital acquisition plan and assess the need for capital
 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 5

improvements annually. The plan shall include, at a minimum, the following:

estimated costs, justifications, and income sources.
4.3.1.3 Energy management programs. The plant shall review and opti-
mize electrical usage at regular intervals, including review of energy trends and
costs, and shall consider energy costs in the evaluation of new or replacement treat-
ment system components.
4.3.2 Environmental impact. The plant shall evaluate its operations to
determine the environmental impact of discharges and disposals and shall have a
documented program to mitigate any impact.
4.3.2.1 Discharges and disposals. Management of discharges and dispos-
als, including overflows, air emissions, solids, and grease, shall be in accordance
with applicable federal, state or provincial, and local regulations.
4.3.3 Treatment plant design limits. The plant shall have a written policy
that establishes the design for each unit process, sets process objectives, and dem-
onstrates that the plant meets the objectives as well as the permitted or design
capacity. In the event a permit limit or design capacity is exceeded, a plan and
schedule will be developed to meet the limit or capacity.
4.3.4 Operating permits and licenses. The plant shall obtain necessary
operating permits and licenses according to the regulatory requirements. The
record-keeping system shall be used to maintain current documents.
4.3.5 Plant management. Management practices and policies shall support
the accomplishment of requirements of this standard. Management shall provide
evidence of documentation of its commitment to develop, implement, maintain,
and continually improve by ensuring the availability of adequate resources.
4.3.6 Quality assurance practices. The plant shall have written operational
practices and procedures for the operation and maintenance of the plant.
4.3.6.1 Equipment and instrumentation calibration. The plant shall have
an instrument calibration program that includes the frequency of calibration.
4.3.6.2 Record keeping and data review. The plant shall determine the
type and frequency of information collection, review, and retention required to
meet the operational control policy. A process shall be established to allow correc-
tion for any nonconformance. Refer to ANSI/AWWA G400 for details on record
keeping and data review.
4.3.6.3 Record review. A review cycle shall be established for operation
and maintenance of the plant to verify that the limits of the operational control
6 AWWA G510-13

policy are satisfied, including, for example, wastewater effluent and biosolids qual-
ity, laboratory operations, and mechanical equipment.
4.3.6.4 Regulatory reporting. The plant shall have a protocol to comply
with the reporting requirements of applicable regulations. The protocol shall des-
ignate who is responsible for the reports and the timing of submittal. The protocol
shall include lead-time to acquire necessary approvals and satisfy the deadline for
submitting the reports.
4.3.6.5 Standard operating procedures (SOPs). The plant shall have a sys-
tem to develop and update SOPs for equipment and plant treatment processes, and
a system to develop and update maintenance manuals. These procedures may be
developed specially for the plant or may be taken from manufacturers’ literature or
other appropriate sources.
4.3.6.6 Treatment chemicals quality assurance. Chemicals added to the
wastewater during the treatment processes shall be monitored and adjusted to
ensure compliance with discharge requirements. Monitoring may be accomplished
by recording volume levels to review usage. Adjustments should be performed
based on a standard operating procedure. Chemical delivery shall include verifica-
tion of requested chemical and verification of quality of chemical delivered. The
safety data sheet (SDS)* should be received with each chemical delivery.
4.3.7 Emergency preparedness and response. The plant shall have documen-
tation that describes emergency response plans and provides specific directions to
plant personnel in the event of an emergency. The program shall satisfy applicable
regulatory requirements. Refer to ANSI/AWWA G440 for additional information.
4.3.8 Security planning and implementation. The plant shall have docu-
mentation that addresses security issues and describes the response of plant person-
nel in the event of a security incident. Elements that address the protection of the
plant, personnel, and health of the public and environment shall be included.
4.3.9 Health and safety management. The plant shall document health
and safety procedures to ensure the safety and health of employees and visitors.
Documentation may include training materials and regulatory reference.
4.3.9.1 The plant shall develop training programs and provide applicable
employee training for safety, operations, and specific hazards of a process. The
plant shall require contractors to follow local, state, and federal safety require-
ments and maintain documentation/records of training. Employee training should

* Formerly known as the material safety data sheet (MSDS).

 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 7

be performed annually, at any change in process or equipment, or at frequencies

determined by labor and/or safety regulations.
4.3.9.1.1 The plant should maintain a log of accident “near misses” to iden-
tify areas of concern and plan for corrective action to improve the situation.
4.3.10 Process reliability. The treatment plant system shall have sufficient
flexibility and equipment redundancy to achieve reliable operation.
Examples include the following:
1. Redundant units and equipment for critical treatment processes and
systems.
2. An inventory of spare parts, repair parts, and spare replacement equipment
on-site sufficient to address routine equipment failures with minimum downtime.
3. Provisions to mitigate the impact of less-frequent equipment failures that
can have serious and immediate effects on the quality of treated water from the
plant. Less frequent equipment failures typically involve air blower failures, rotat-
ing mechanisms within the clarifiers, mechanical pump failures, disinfection sys-
tems, and chemical feed systems.
4.3.10.1 Power. The plant shall have power redundancy to treat waste-
water and process biosolids and achieve treatment goals. Alternate electrical feeds,
standby power generation equipment, or substitute fuels may satisfy this require-
ment. This requirement may be unnecessary where sufficient storage, such as an
empty clarifier or pond or alternative production capacity, such as another facility,
is adequate. Regulatory requirements regarding power reliability must be satisfied.
4.3.11 Unattended operation. If unattended operation is permitted, the
operation must include the following additional controls:
4.3.11.1 Control limits. Control limits must be set according to the
maximum practical response time.
4.3.11.2 Alarm notification. The notification protocol for alarms shall
be defined for each critical measure. Multiple notifications shall be used when
appropriate.
4.3.11.3 Backup notification. Systems must have defined provisions for
alternative notification in the event of primary notification system failure (tele-
phone or radio).
4.3.11.4 Default settings. A system failure shall result in automated
systems reverting to fail-safe default settings.
4.3.11.5 Notification system validation. The notification system valida-
tion program must be documented and validation tests performed quarterly.
8 AWWA G510-13

4.3.11.6 System failure training. Periodic training on operation during a

system failure shall include manual operation of the automated systems and situ-
ation drills.
4.3.11.7 Standard operating procedures (SOPs). Plant operation during
alarm and failure conditions shall be documented in the SOPs.
4.3.11.8 Failure log. The plant shall have a system to routinely review
alarm and failure logs. This review should be used to develop corrective or response
plans to address the root cause of the alarms and failures. If a log is part of a regu-
latory document, it must be maintained per applicable regulation. If a log is for
process control or any other nonregulatory purpose, it should be maintained for a
minimum of 1 year or as determined by the plant.
4.3.12 Human resources. Personnel performing work affecting the plant
operation shall be competent on the basis of appropriate education, training, skills,
test requirements, and experience. The plant shall verify that treatment plant per-
sonnel possess valid certification at the necessary level when required by applicable
regulations and requirements.
4.3.12.1 Wastewater competence, awareness, and training. The plant
shall have an education or training program in place to transfer appropriate knowl-
edge, skills, and experience necessary to maintain the competencies and certifica-
tions of plant personnel needed to fulfill their assigned tasks. The program must
include continued assessment of staff skills and knowledge required to support the
mission.
Elements of a wastewater competency training program include
1. Determine the necessary level of competence for the person to safely
perform work affecting the treatment plant.
2. Provide training or take other action to satisfy these needs.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the training actions.
4. Communicate to personnel to raise awareness of the relevance and impor-
tance of their activities.
5. Maintain appropriate records of education, training, skills, and experience.
4.3.13 Collection system. The plant shall develop a protocol with collec-
tion system to reduce the impact of harmful influent flows. The protocol should
reference inflow and infiltration (I & I) recognition to help determine corrective
actions.
 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 9

Sec. 4.4 Plant: Real Property Management and Maintenance

4.4.1 Maintenance management. The plant shall have a maintenance
management system with practices to sustain uninterrupted performance. The
system shall document maintenance type, frequency requirements, and corrective
action if the goals are not being met. The maintenance process shall include inspec-
tion frequency for all phases and units associated with plant operation.
4.4.2 Cross-connection control. The plant shall have documentation of a
cross-connection control and backflow prevention program or be part of a cross-
connection control program by another entity. The program will follow the recom-
mendations found in AWWA Manual M14 or as required by local regulations. The
plant will use isolation (plumbing) and containment strategies to protect the water
supply and plant employees. The program shall include testing of all backflow pre-
vention devices at least annually or as required by local regulations.
4.4.3 Operation and maintenance of mechanical equipment.
4.4.3.1 Operating procedures. The plant shall establish written operating
and maintenance procedures that document the functioning of critical equipment
and process so as to meet the requirements of Sec. 4.3.6.5 and 4.3.11.7. The pro-
cedure shall cover routine operation and operating logs. Operating logs or other
supervisory data acquisition systems (SCADA) shall record operational conditions,
such as equipment run-time hours, and other operational variables.
4.4.3.2 Maintenance program. The plant shall have written maintenance
procedures for every major piece of mechanical equipment. The procedures shall
describe frequency, operating instructions, and maintenance procedures and records
requirements. Information shall include basic manufacturer operating instructions
and requirements along with any special operator training requirements. Records
shall include documentation of inspections and any service performed.
4.4.3.3 Maintenance assessment program. The operations logs and main-
tenance records shall be reviewed annually as part of the capital improvement and
asset management plan.
4.4.3.4 Record drawings. The facility record drawings shall be updated
in a timely fashion following any significant changes or additions to the facility.
This includes
1. New systems or equipment.
2. Documentation for PLC or other system software changes.
4.4.4 Housekeeping and plant cleanliness. Areas of the plant shall be main-
tained in a neat and orderly condition. Operation and maintenance functions
10 AWWA G510-13

should be conducted in such a manner that plant site safety and the health of the
public and environment are not compromised.

Sec. 4.5 Effluent Quality and Biosolids Management

4.5.1 Performance goals. In order to protect the environment and human
health, high-quality plant effluent, meeting the minimum water quality standards
required by the authority having jurisdiction, must be produced and distributed
regardless of plant influent characteristics. Biosolids management must include
achieving minimum standards for disposal/reuse. Staff shall establish goals for
plant performance for water quality and biosolids, conduct monitoring to deter-
mine conformance with the goals, and take appropriate action if goals are not
achieved.
4.5.2 Operational goals and objectives. The plant shall establish goals for
effluent and biosolids quality, conduct monitoring to determine conformance with
the goals, and take appropriate action if goals are not achieved. The goals should
provide a margin of safety so as to avoid exceeding regulatory limits.
4.5.3 Monitoring performance. The plant shall have a monitoring system
that can track plant performance and can be used to assess achievement of effluent
and biosolids quality and performance goals.
4.5.3.1 Monitoring for targets. The plant shall establish a routine sam-
pling plan that is representative of the monitoring points and adequately covers
all key elements in the process. The sampling plan shall be reviewed annually and
adjustments made based on historical trends, changes in treatment patterns, or
other changes affecting water quality, biosolids quality, or plant efficiency.
4.5.4 Control Measures.
4.5.4.1 Sample sites. The plant shall use sampling sites that are represen-
tative of all known system conditions, including where wastewater is stored and
where wastewater quality deterioration is known, or suspected, to occur. Samples
shall include locations that represent changes in treatment requirements.
4.5.4.2 Sample collection. Samples shall be collected in accordance with
the procedures approved by the appropriate regulatory permitting authority.
4.5.4.3 Laboratory analytical methods. The laboratory shall establish
basic quality requirements to be incorporated into any contracts for commercial
procurements for analytical services. The plant shall develop standard operating
procedures for all analytical measurements done by the organization. The SOP
shall include the analytical procedures, any instrument calibration requirements,
quality control practices and documentation, and reporting protocol sufficient
 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 11

to document the traceability and quality of the result. All personnel conducting
analysis shall be trained in the analytical technique.
4.5.4.4 Remote analytical measurements. The plant shall develop stan-
dard operating procedures for the care, calibration, calibration verification, and
data collection for any remote or in-line measurement devices.
4.5.5 Corrective response. The plant shall have defined corrective responses
for each of the effluent and biosolids quality goals. Response must include who will
take action and when to expect correction to achieve the goals.
4.5.6 Data evaluations. The process and compliance monitoring data
shall be entered into a process tracking system that facilitates routine data analysis
to ensure plant performance and regulatory compliance. Suggested input for this
system would also include data generated through the facility’s SCADA system,
including flow and other metering data, immediate action taken, results of an
investigation, formal response to the regulatory authority, and final disposition of
the issue. In addition, the plant shall collect and analyze data for trends and have
an action plan to respond to nonconformances or processes trending toward out-
of-control situations. For recurring or significant nonconformances, a root-cause
analysis and corrective action plan shall be conducted.
• The system shall record all compliance violations and the records shall
include date, parameter, actual value, and limits.
• The record shall include the immediate action, the investigation team and
investigation results, and the final disposition of the issue.

SECTION 5: VERIFICATION

Sec. 5.1 Documentation Required

This section pertains to records and reporting requirements of a wastewater
facility, including but not limited to availability of reports, retention time, content,
and signatory authority.
The plant shall maintain an adequate record-keeping system so that compli-
ance with this standard can be measured.
5.1.1 General. The documentation shall include
• Statements of quality policy and quality objectives.
• SOPs.
• Procedures and goals required by this standard.
12 AWWA G510-13

• Documents needed by the plant to achieve the effective planning, opera-

tion, and control of its processes.
• Control records required by this standard.
Note: Where the term documented procedure appears within this standard, it
means that the procedure is established, documented, implemented, and maintained.
5.1.2 Control of documents. Documents required for this standard shall
be controlled. Records are a special type of document and shall be controlled
according to the requirements given in Sec. 5.1.3.
A documented procedure shall be established to define the controls needed to
1. Approve documents for adequacy prior to issue.
2. Review and update as necessary and reapprove documents.
3. Ensure changes and the current revision status of documents are identified.
4. Ensure relevant versions of applicable documents are available at points
of use.
5. Ensure documents remain legible and readily identifiable.
6. Ensure documents of external origin are identified and their distribution
controlled.
7. Prevent the unintended use of obsolete documents, and, if such docu-
ments are retained for any purpose, apply suitable identification to them.
5.1.3 Control of records. Records shall be established and maintained to
provide evidence of conformity to requirements and of the effective operation of this
standard. Records shall remain legible, readily identifiable, and retrievable. A docu-
mented procedure shall be established to define the controls needed for the identifica-
tion, storage, protection, retrieval, retention time, and disposition of records.
5.1.4 Storage and archive. The plant should designate an employee or
team who is responsible for maintaining a logical file management system, where
records, including reports, files, and printed information, produced or used by the
plant, are stored. The records are then kept for a period of time and disposed of
according to the plant’s policies and procedures for record retention and storage.
Advanced information technologies shall be explored in archiving records and thus
saving storage space.
Sec. 5.2 Examples of Documentation
Documentation shall be sufficient to support the requirements in Section 4,
including
• Regulatory compliance records.
• Monitoring plan and test results.
 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 13

• Sample location and sample frequency.

• Daily records of flows into the plant.
• Chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of influent and effluent.
• Amount of chlorine or hypochlorite used.
• Unusual happenings.

Sec. 5.3 Human Resources

5.3.1 General. Personnel performing work or functions covered by this
standard shall be competent on the basis of appropriate education, training, skills,
test requirements, and experience as required by the governing regulatory agency.
The plant shall verify that treatment plant personnel possess valid certification at
the necessary level when required by applicable regulations and requirements.
5.3.2 Succession planning: hiring, retention, development. This section per-
tains to workforce retention, development, and internal advancement and should
focus on the following:
1. Organizational structure/chart showing chain of command.
2. Need for up-to-date job descriptions that include roles and responsibilities
and requisite skills, education, and certification.
3. Training and development plans. The plant must have an education or
training program in place to transfer appropriate knowledge, skills, and experi-
ence necessary to maintain the competencies and certifications of plant personnel
needed to fulfill their assigned tasks. The program must include continued assess-
ment of staff skills and knowledge required to support the mission and training
that would address the following:
a. Specific skills development: The management shall make available the
necessary training tools in order to help the operators understand how to do their
job safely and correctly according to federal guidelines.
b. Required training such as mandated OSHA training and other agency-
specific requirements that may include harassment, ethics, work rules, security,
workplace violence, etc.
c. Management development.
5.3.3 Workforce planning. Management shall determine workforce
planning based on the need for additional staffing, depending on whether there
are additional work activities because of plant expansion, employee promotion,
employee retirement, or employee medical conditions.
14 AWWA G510-13

5.3.4 Continuing education. The plant shall define what type of continu-
ing education is appropriate to support the functions and tasks required for its
operation. The plant shall support these types of training.
5.3.5 Competencies and certifications. The plant shall develop processes to
determine competencies of its personnel.
5.3.6 Assessment of skills and knowledge. The management shall assess the
participant’s knowledge.
5.3.7 Right to know. The right-to-know is a form of hazard communica-
tion, regarding all aspects of hazardous materials handling and use, and is a federal
law. It is important to train operators to safely work with chemicals to reduce the
risk of exposure. All hazardous chemicals must be properly labeled, and a safety
data sheet (SDS) should be made available for all chemicals.
5.3.8 Work-related illness and injury. All plant personnel shall report
to their immediate supervisors any work-related illness and injury according to
OSHA requirements.

SECTION 6: DELIVERY

This standard has no applicable information for this section.

 APPENDIX A
AWWA Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation and Management

Standard G510 Checklist

Date
Section Task Yes No N/A Completed
4.1 Review water quality permits issued to facility   
4.1 Review biosolids permits issued to facility   
4.1 Review air permits issued to facility   
4.1 Verify permits have not expired   
4.1 Verify certificates have not expired   
4.1 Review discharge monitoring reports   
4.2 Review customer service mission   
4.2 Review public education and outreach program   
4.2 Review emergency communication plan   
4.2 Review all consumers’ surveys and any feedback that   
they might have to improve plant and consumer service
relationships
4.3 Review chemical storage inventory for any potential   
hazardous chemicals
4.3 Review electric power consumption   
4.3 Review disinfection (such as chlorine) consumption for   
any abnormalities
4.3 Review effectiveness of training programs, particularly   
with emergency preparedness
4.3 Review all safety-related equipment to ensure they are in   
proper working order
4.3 Review all areas that are defined as confined space to   
ensure they are properly labeled or marked off as such
4.3 Review written standard operating procedures to   
determine whether they are up to date or need
modification, and review them with the operators
4.3 Review all emergency and nonemergency phone numbers   
and contact personnel to ensure they are up-to-date and
that plant personnel understand their responsibilities in
case of any emergency
(Checklist continued next page)

15
16 AWWA G510-13

Date
Section Task Yes No N/A Completed
4.3 Review all data relating to sludge handling, such as volume   
of sludge wasted, volume of sludge returned, amount of
polymer used to thicken sludge, and volume of thickened
sludge generated from gravity belt, filter press, or other
mechanical means
4.3 Review all data relating to the sludge characteristics of   
the sludge blanket in the clarifiers, such as depth of the
blanket, its ability to settle, and types of microorganisms
present that may affect its ability to settle
4.3 Review all data related to the anaerobic digesters, such as   
percentage of total solids and volatile solids, pH, volatile
acid and alkalinity, temperature, and gas production for
efficient operation and for any abnormalities, such as upset
or sour digestion
4.3 Review all daily logs that operators record during their   
rounds to ensure accuracy and legibility, and to observe
any abnormalities that require corrective action
4.3 Review qualifications of existing workforce to ensure   
workers are adequately trained to perform their
responsibilities and provide additional training for those
who want to advance
4.3 Review operators’ records in terms of their level of training   
and years of experience and advise them of necessary
continuing education courses to maintain their license
requirements
4.3 Review all applicable employment laws and administrative   
policies with regard to hiring potential operators
4.3 Review all examination materials used in the selection   
process of hiring operators to ensure they are relevant to
the treatment plant, whether they may be in operations or
maintenance, and they are current, in order to effectively
measure skills and knowledge
4.3 Review the effectiveness of the safety training programs   
4.3 Review all work-related illnesses and injuries to determine   
if improvements can be made to reduce accidents
4.3 Review all the materials relating to the right-to-know   
forms (MSDS) to ensure they are current and are
associated with the chemical(s) that are on the premises
4.3 Review all laws relating to harassment and resolve any   
issues that arise among operators
4.4 Review O&M manuals for inventory of parts   
4.4 Review maintenance schedules with O&M manuals   

(Checklist continued next page)

 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 17

Date
Section Task Yes No N/A Completed
4.4 Review maintenance records on all plant equipment and   
processes for frequency repairs, replacement parts, and
potential upgrades
4.4 Review the plant facility to ensure proper housekeeping is   
enforced for the safety of the public and employees
4.4 Review all the maintenance and operation tasks to ensure   
efficient use of the existing workforce
4.5 Review daily incoming flow reports for any abnormalities   
4.5 Review daily reports on the chemical, physical, and   
biological characteristics of the influent and effluent for
any abnormalities
4.5 Review calibration reports for lab and field equipment   
4.5 Review data from which the sampling is taken to ensure it   
is representative of either the influent or effluent, and make
changes if necessary
4.5 Review data for the volume of sludge that has been   
disposed of for any abnormalities
4.5 Review all laboratory data as it relates to the everyday   
operations to determine if any abnormalities are present in
the treatment process and to ensure laboratory data results
are meaningful and representative of the process
4.5 Review all laboratory data to ensure the laboratory   
technicians followed the quality assurance procedures
4.5 Review all quality assurance procedures to ensure they   
follow the permitting authority’s requirements
Fwd III.A Pretreatment Program Required   
Fwd III.A Hauled Waste Program Required   
Fwd III.A Reclaimed Water Program Required   
Fwd III.A Fats, Oils, & Grease Management Program Required   
This page intentionally blank.
 APPENDIX B
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

American Water Works Association

• Selecting Disinfectants in a Security-Conscious Environment, 2010
National Electrical Code (NEC), Article 708, Critical Operations Power Systems
Water Environment Federation
• http://www/wef.org
• Wastewater Sampling for Process Control and Quality Control—
MOP OM-1
• Safety and Health in Wastewater Systems—MOP 1
• Septage Handling—MOP 24
AWWA/WEF Member Associations
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
• The Clean Water Act
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/cwa.cfm?program_id=45
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES):
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/index.cfm
• Wastewater Management:
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/wastewater/
Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)
• WERF 03-CTS-5SCO Emergency Communications with Your Local
Government and Community
Water Research Foundation
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater
(latest edition)
• Code of Federal Regulations
Title 29: Labor
Title 40: Protection of the Environment

19
6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235-3098
T 800.926.7337
www.awwa.org

Dedicated to the world’s most important resource, AWWA sets the

standard for water knowledge, management, and informed public policy.
AWWA members provide solutions to improve public health, protect the
environment, strengthen the economy, and enhance our quality of life.

1P–2M 47510-2013 (1/14) Printed on Recycled Paper

Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Small voice, big
man
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Small voice, big man

Author: Stewart Pierce Brown

Illustrator: George Schelling

Release date: December 6, 2023 [eBook #72347]

Language: English

Original publication: New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company,

1962

Credits: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SMALL

VOICE, BIG MAN ***
 small voice, BIG MAN

By STEWART PIERCE BROWN

Illustrated by SCHELLING

No one had heard of Van Richie for years.

Now his songs whispered ghostly through the
air, and did their work of love and hate.

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from

Amazing Stories December 1962.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Car 43 cruised slowly up Eighth Avenue. At the wheel, Patrolman
Vince Ferraro thought mixed thoughts about Patricia Ann Burke.
Beside him, Sergeant Gus Kleiber watched the city in a bored and
automatic way, his mind on Augustus Junior, about to take his bar
exams. The radio crackled in a low key. The evening traffic was light,
few people were on the streets.
The Sergeant turned heavily in his seat. "You hear that?"
"What?"
"A guy singing. Over the radio."

Ferraro shook his head. He pulled over and they listened. Routine
police calls squawked from the speaker. Kleiber frowned. "No, this
was singing. It—there!" Faintly behind the official monotone they
heard a man's voice singing. "You know who that sounds like? Van
Richie."
"Van Richie? Come on. He's dead."
"Could be a record. Anyway, he ain't dead. He made a movie here a
while back."
"Ten years ago."
"Yeah, but he ain't dead."
"He isn't singing on the radio, either."
Kleiber stared at the radio. The singing had faded out. Ferraro eased
the car back into the stream of traffic and his thoughts back to
Patricia Ann. They were interrupted again as he drove past the
Garden. "I tell you," Kleiber said, "that was Van Richie."
Oh, great, Ferraro thought. Now he won't be able to let up on that for
a week.

"It's cold in here," the girl said. The man at the easel didn't answer.
She hugged herself and tucked her feet under her, frowning
petulantly. "Alex?"
"Put a sweater on," the man said without looking away from his
painting. His voice echoed in the huge loft.
"I've got one on."
"There's a blanket there."
With a sigh, the girl lay back on the bed, pulling the blanket around
her. She draped one arm over her eyes, shielding them from the
banks of fluorescent lights. Under her ear, on the not-very-clean
pillow, she tucked a tiny pocket radio.
In the corner, water dripped from a tap into the chipped basin. Dimly
the sounds of the traffic on Tenth Avenue floated up to them. Almost
an hour passed. When she looked up, the man was standing back,
frowning at the canvas.
"That's enough for now," she said gently.
He dropped the brushes on the taboret and wiped his hands
absently, his eyes on the half-finished painting.
"Alex?"
"Hmm?"
"Keep me warm."
Only then did he look at her. He came and stood over the bed, faintly
smiling. She lifted a corner of the blanket like a tent flap.
They lay watching the lopsided moon inching over the edge of the
streaked and gritty skylight. In the dark, she giggled.
"What's so funny?"
"I just heard Van Richie. Right in the middle of the news."
"Get that thing out of here."
"He just came right in while the man was talking."
"Give it to—"
"Listen." She held the radio to his ear. He listened briefly, then turned
the radio off and put it on the table.
Later, when he got up for a cigarette, he saw it in the light of the
match. "How did you know that was him? You weren't even born
then."
But she was asleep.
Harry Freed locked up on the dot of nine. He left a night light over
the rear counter, connected the alarm, and walked wearily to the car.
The traffic was lighter tonight. Thank God. He was exhausted.
Waiting for the light at Seventh Avenue, he leaned his head back
against the seat and closed his eyes. It would be nice if Edith had a
cup of hot cocoa ready for him. But tonight was Perry Como. She'd
be glued to the set.
A horn honked behind him. He started, jerked forward and stalled the
car. The light changed back to red before he could get it started
again. People at the crosswalk stared at him. He felt himself
blushing. Edith was right. They should have bought her brother's car
last spring and got rid of this one.
The pavements were still wet, repeating the lights of Times Square in
blurred patches of color. The rain had killed the day's receipts. He
dreaded telling Edith. They said tomorrow would be better. He
switched on the radio to get the news and weather.
The traffic moved slower now. He looked nervously at his watch.
Even with Perry Como, she didn't like it when he was late.
Why hadn't Saul made both deliveries today? Why only one?
Reminder: see Hodges at the bank tomorrow. And write Ruth; ask
about his nephew's broken arm.
Horns again. A cop waving him on. God, he was tired. His eyes.
Edith wanted him to get glasses.
"... clearing, with some cloudiness. Wind from the north ..." Van
Richie singing.
Why are they always digging up Ninth Avenue? Maybe Eleventh
would be better. Crazy taxis. Look at that nut, cutting in and out.
Van Richie?
He twisted the dial. "Wheat was off but cotton was higher...." "Our
love came much too soo-oo-oon!" "Next news at 10:30...." "Real,
unfiltered tobacco flavor...."
He had heard him, though. He was sure of it. He told Edith about it
when he got home. She said he was crazy. Van Richie had retired
long ago.

The book had pictures of things he knew, with the English names
beneath them. Each word was spelled the way it was pronounced.
With the rug wrapped around him and the book spread on top of the
radiator, Gabriel Sangre said the word aloud, slowly, trying to
remember what Miss Alvirez had said: where the mark was, was
louder.
He was hungry. But he did not eat. What was left in the window-sill
box had to last until Friday.
"Chay-r." "Tay-bel." "Kow-ch." He shivered, forcing his knees
between the uprights of the radiator. In bed, he knew, he would be
warmer. But also he would fall asleep. He wanted to finish the
lesson. He did not want to disappoint Miss Alvirez.
Tomorrow would be hard again. A long day, with the stacks of trays
and the heavy dishes and the miles of running around the big
kitchen, with the old Italian barking at him and the waiters pushing
him and cursing him. But he could not go to bed.
He rested his forehead on the book. The heat bathed his face. It felt
good. It made him forget the cold wind outside and the grey and
gritty buildings. It felt like the sun. The island sun that warmed him as
he worked with his father in the fields. Down the long rows side by
side, with the sound of the sea far away and the shrill voices of his
sisters coming faintly across the valley.
The tears came again. He could not stop them. But this time as they
came, he heard music. Singing. A man singing. Faintly, like the
sound of his sisters far away. It was in English. It was not a song he
had ever heard on the Sebastiano's radio. It was not one from the
juke box at El Puerto, uptown. It was a small voice, a gentle voice,
and he liked it. Once or twice he caught a word he knew.
He sat there with his head bowed forward, the rug wrapped around
him, crying for the sun and listening to the singing in his head.

The secretary was nice to him. He could tell she had heard of him.
Not heard him. She was too young. But heard of him. Well, small
favors. She called him Mr. Richie, which nobody in Hollywood would
have done.
Feldt was nice, too. Up from his chair, hand out. Some of them just
sat there and let you come to them. But he had that same quick,
searching look as they shook hands.
"Sixty-three," Van Richie said.
Feldt smiled but did not quite blush. "I figured it had to be around
that. For what it's worth, you don't look it."
"Thanks." Richie sat down. Feldt returned to his chair behind the
desk.
"I talked to Marvin on the coast last night. You're it for us, he says."
"Good. I hope so."
"Yeah, we do, too. It's been a while." Feldt looked at the paper in
front of him. "1941."
"I did some stock out there after the war."
"Yeah. But the last feature was '41. And you were still a, you
know...."
"A crooner." Richie smiled with one corner of his mouth.
Feldt smiled, too. "Yeah, a crooner. This one's only got two songs,
y'know."
"I know."
"It's mostly light comedy."
"Marv explained all that."
"Yeah, well...." Feldt carefully squared the paper with the corner of
his blotter. "1941, y'know that's sort of a while ago."
"Yes, it is," Richie said evenly. "Look, Mr. Feldt, if you're trying to tell
me I'll have to read for it, just say so."
"Okay, I just said so."
Richie fitted a cigarette into his holder. His lighter failed and Feldt
held a match for him. "Thanks." He exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Who
for?"
"Oh, Abe. Me. Probably the producing team."
"It's always a team today, they just don't have a producer any more,
do they?"
"Just a few of us. Six people, maybe. Seven."
"Just lines?"
"Well, mostly, yeah. We may have a piano there."
The corner of Richie's mouth turned up again. "I can carry a tune,
you know."
Feldt laughed. "Sure, sure. But just to see how it sounds and all."
Richie stared at him, not smiling. Feldt turned off his own laughter.
He shrugged. "What the hell, Van, 1941. We got a bundle in this one.
We're taking no chances. None."
Outside, the secretary's typewriter chattered unevenly. Richie blew a
smoke ring. "Okay," he said, feeling suddenly tired, "Any time you
say."
Feldt walked to the elevators with him. "Incidentally, Van, I hate to
ask, but what's with the sauce problem these days?"
Richie shook his head. "Seven years. Eight now, in fact."
"Oh, great. That's great."
"And for your information, it never was what you'd call a problem."
"Well, the papers and all, y'know. We couldn't tell." The elevator
doors hissed open. "Thanks for coming up, fella. See you tomorrow."
Halfway down, the only other man in the car looked up, startled.
"Pardon?"
"I said 'son of a bitch'," Van Richie said. "With feeling."

"Good God, you can't even hear him!" one of the men whispered.
Someone else in the darkened theatre called, "Hold it! Can you give
it a little more, Van? We can't hear it out here."
Van Richie squinted toward the seats. "Are the mikes up?"
"All the way. You're going to have to push it."
The piano resumed. Richie's voice was true but small. The whisperer
groaned. "He could use that old megaphone right about now."
When the number was over, Richie came down from the stage and
joined them. "You need help, Van," Feldt said bluntly.
"What about it, Ben?" They all turned to a man sitting alone, several
rows back.
"You don't want a lapel mike?" Ben asked, coming slowly down the
aisle.
"Too much cable trailing around. There'll be dancers all over that
stage."
"Lavalier the same thing?"
"The same thing."
"Look, why hide it?" asked the man who'd mentioned the
megaphone. "Just fly a pencil mike. When he's ready, drop it down."
"It breaks the mood," one of the writers said.
"Nuts, the mood. You can't hear him."
"There's one thing we can do...."
"A microphone out of the sky?" the writer groaned.
"Awright, a floor mike, then."
"There is one thing," the electrician began again.
"What's that, Ben?"
"Well, it isn't cheap."
"Of course not," the senior member of the producing team said.
"You mind if you look a little fat, Mr. Richie?"
"Not if they can hear me, Ben. What's the gimmick?"
They listened grimly to the electrician's plan. Feldt glanced at Richie.
He looked old and tired and small. God, Feldt thought, I hope we
haven't pulled a rock.

"For your information," Sergeant Kleiber said, "Van Richie hasn't

made a record in 26 years. 1936."
"Fine. Great," Ferraro answered. Inwardly, he groaned. It was weeks
now.
"And he sure ain't dead."
"Okay, you looked it up and he's alive." Ferraro moved the car
skillfully through the traffic. "Fine. I'm glad to hear it."
"Looked it up nothing. He just opened in a show right here on 46th!
That's him in person we been hearing. I told you. I know that voice."
"Yeah, you told me."
"Look, why don't you admit you were wrong for once?"
"The hell do you mean? I heard the singing. I said that."
"All you said was he was dead or it was a record or something."
"All I said was I never heard him sing those songs. Where'd you get
all this about he's in a show?"
"Drive by! Turn in 46th! It's right on the sign! Turn in!"
Oh, nuts, thought Ferraro, what do I care if the guy is in a show?
"There. See? Slow down."
"I can see it."
They moved on down the block, past the other theatres. Ferraro
shrugged. "Okay, he's still around."
"Sure is. And that's him we hear singing."
"But at night. How can he be on the radio if he's in a show? They
wouldn't be doing a broadcast from the stage every night."
Typical, thought Kleiber. In the wrong, so now he attacks. He couldn't
say I was wrong or you were right or sorry or anything. "Okay, he's
still around." Big deal. And now boring in about the broadcasting.
Well, the hell with him. They were getting too many of his kind from
the Academy nowadays. The know-it-all, you-heard-it-here-first type.
He was coming up for an advance in pay-grade on the first of the
month. He had big plans to get married. Well, let him stay in the
barrel a while longer. It wouldn't hurt him. Pat or Peg or whatever her
name was could wait. He made a mental note to get Ferraro's fitness
report form from the clerk when they got back to the precinct house.

"Can you turn that down a little?"

The girl shrugged and turned the volume control on the tiny radio. A
sudden blare of sound crashed and echoed in the quiet studio.
"Sorry," she called, hastily twisting the knob the other way.
"Damn it, Nell, you do that every time. You've had that thing a year
now."
"Every time! You always exaggerate when you're mad. The other
one was just the opposite, is all."
He didn't answer. He turned back to the canvas and worked silently
for several minutes. It was not going well but he kept at it doggedly,
frowning in concentration, his lower lip trapped between his teeth.
Suddenly he whirled. "Nell, turn that thing down or get it out of here!"
"It is down! I can't get it any softer."
"Then shut it off."
"Why should I? I want to—"
"I said shut it off!"
"I want to hear if Van Richie comes on with the news again."
"What kind of foolishness—?"
"Ye Gods, can't a person even breathe around here any more?
You're so mad about that lousy painting—"
"Nell." His voice was taut but he didn't shout.
"It is. It's lousy and you know it. That's what makes you so—"
"Nell." He started across the room toward her.
"You're not going to take it out on me. It's not my fault if you can't
paint. I don't think—Alex!"
She only partially blocked the blow. Holding his wrist, she tried to bite
his arm. He flung her off, sending her reeling against the bed. "Lousy
painting!" she screamed. She threw the radio at the canvas. "It
stinks! It's so bad it makes me sick! It's awful!" Her face was twisted
and flushed and her body jerked with the violence of her shouting.
She tried to run then but he caught her and spun her around. He hit
her with his fist and knocked her down. He stood above her,
breathing in great gulps, his eyes blazing.
She didn't cry. She got to her feet slowly, stumbling once when she
was erect. She walked behind him and he heard the water running in
the basin. He didn't turn around. Her footsteps crossed the room.
"That's the last time, Alex," she said in a small, lifeless voice. He
heard the door close.
It was a miracle, Gabriel decided. The singing was a miracle. It was
to tell him to go on, to keep studying, to stay in New York and make
Miss Alvirez proud of him. And when he could speak and read
English well, then he would get a better job. A job in an office,
maybe, where it was quiet and people were kind and he could go
home at five o'clock. He would have enough money to go to the
movies every night.
And so he worked hard at the words and the sentences, while the
radiator and the singing in his head kept him warm. Every night at
the same time he heard the singing. He understood more and more
of the words.
But it was not the words that helped him through the cold and
loneliness. It was the voice. It seemed to be singing just for him. It
was inside his head. Nobody else heard it. It was like a friend, a
friend he didn't have to share with anyone.
When the tests came, he got the second highest mark in the class.
Only one girl scored better. Miss Alvirez shook his hand and was
glad for him.
Later, he told her about the singing. She looked at him curiously but
she didn't laugh. He even sang the parts he could remember. She
did not know the songs.
It wasn't until he'd been working in the travel office almost six months
that she came by and told him they were from one of the big plays
downtown. She had seen it and had come all the way to his office to
tell him. That made him feel very good.

"Listen, if you don't get a clerk in there. You're all jumpy. That's why
you keep hearing that singing."
"Edie, I told you—that's got nothing to do with it," Harry Freed said.
"The man said there was absolutely nothing wrong with the radio.
Nobody else hears any singing. I never get it on the set upstairs."
"I know what I heard, that's all. Four times now."
"You're just getting sicker, that's all that proves."
"Honey, I don't think you should say things like that."
"Yeah? Well, I don't think you should hear voices either. Why don't
you see a doctor? My God, consider somebody else's feelings for a
change. How do you think it would make me feel, having a husband
everybody knew was mentally ill? Around this town? That never
occurred to you, did it? You're too busy thinking of yourself. I try to
get you to go to a doctor. I worry about it until I'm practically sick
myself. But, oh no, you're all right. You just hear voices, that's all. So
you don't care what anybody else is going through. Not you."
Harry sat very still. Then slowly he stood up. "Put your coat on," he
said.
"What do you mean, put—?"
"Just what I said. Put your coat on."
"Oh, Harry, stop. I don't like to be talked to like that and you know it."
"Edith." He walked across the room until he was standing very close
to her. "Edith, put your coat on and get in the car. We're going into
New York and you're going to hear Van Richie on that radio if I have
to tie you to the seat."
"You're out of your mind. You must be out of your mind! Have you
been drinking or something?"
He stepped closer. Instinctively she stepped back. They stared at
each other. After a moment, she went over to the closet. "Well, if
that's the way you're going to be," she said, taking down her hat and
coat. "I still say it's the silliest thing...."
He found the corners of his mouth were dry. His knees felt watery.
But he drove steadily and surely through the heavy traffic. She kept
repeating how silly it was.
He showed her the theatre with Van Richie's name out front. They
drove back and forth along his homeward route. Three times they
heard Van Richie sing.
On the way back, she began talking again. "Shut up," he said,
without raising his voice, without looking at her. She gasped. But she
knew enough to remain silent.
The critics called it the best musical since My Fair Lady. They had
special praise for Van Richie: "He has made the transition from
crooner to comedian with grace and style ... the years have left the
familiar voice intact."
"Bless our boy Ben," Feldt said. He sat on the bed, the newspapers
strewn on the floor at his feet. The cast party crashed and roared in
the next room.
"Van Richie and His Electric Voice," Richie said, dropping the phone
back in the cradle. He'd been trying to call California since midnight.
"Now, listen," Feldt said.
"I know, I know. It's a hit. Sure." Richie was looking out the window.
The senior producer's apartment commanded a view of two-thirds of
Manhattan. The blinking signals of a plane headed for Idlewild. A set
of lights far downtown told him it was 1:57. Seconds later it told him
the temperature was 39 degrees.
"What now?" Feldt asked.
"What?"
"The big sigh."
"Oh, I was just thinking. How it's all different this time."
"We're all thirty years older, dad."
"No. Something else, too. The—what would you call it—the
immediacy?"
"You want to call it that, you call it that. Only what the hell are you
talking about?"
"Well, back with the band in the old days, you were right there. They
were right there. Swaying there right in front of the stand and you
were singing right to them. I saw kids falling in love right in front of
me. Maybe they got married after that. Maybe they didn't get
married. But I was reaching them, I was communicating."
"When I hear an actor use the word 'communicate', I leave the
room."
"This time around I can't get any feeling that I'm reaching anybody,
that it makes any difference."
The party sounds burst in on them. The producer stood in the
doorway. "What, are you memorizing those reviews? Come on,
everybody's asking where you are."
"Here we are."
"Yeah, but come on. They want you, Van. Sibi's at the piano. You're
on."
"Sing Melancholy Baby," Van Richie said. But, he went out into the
bright, crowded room and over to the piano.
In a corner of the room, Ben listened, smiling and tapping his foot to
the rhythm of the song. The room had quieted down while Van
Richie was singing. There was a crash of applause when he
finished.
"Such a little voice," a woman said to Ben. He recognized her as one
of the writers' wives. "What did you do for it, Ben? Arthur said you
did something perfectly amazing."
Ben shrugged. "Not so amazing. We had a little belt made. About—"
he stretched the thumb and middle finger of one hand "—six inches
high, maybe an inch-and-a-half thick. It was a transmitter, actually—
a miniature radio station."
"But I never saw any wires. What did he have, batteries?"
"Transistors. Like the astronauts in the space capsules. He wore the
whole thing under his clothes. We had an amplifier in the wings to
pick up the signal and beam it out to the house speakers." Ben
laughed. "It probably loused up a few radios in the neighborhood but
it worked."
"I think it's just incredible. That little voice!"