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i <br />TECHNICAL <br />SERVICES <br />TheTechnical Services sectionconsists of three <br />subgroups -Computer Services, Special Projects, <br />and Environmental Services -that provide a <br />^ COMPUTER SERVICES SECTION <br />The Computer Services Sectionoperates andmain- <br />tains the plant process computer system and the <br />software and hardware of the plant minicomputer. <br />The plant's process computer monitors and con- <br />trols the processes of the regional treatment plant. <br />The minicomputer manages information and sofC- <br />ware programs and will serve as the data historian <br />for the new distributed control system. Successful <br />operation of the process control computer is criti- <br />cal if the plant is to perform optimally. The <br />unreliability and limited functions of the Cyber, <br />the original centralized process control computer, <br />resulted in considerable expense. After four years <br />of struggling with the problems, the plant imple- <br />mented the initial steps to replace the original <br />computer with a new distributed process control <br />system. The new system was expected to reduce <br />costs and provide more flexibility and processing <br />capabilities. <br />Linking the distributed control system to a mini- <br />computer was selected as the most cost-effective <br />alternative to the original system as well as one <br />that would meet the long-term memory require- <br />mentsfor plant process operations. IC also serves as <br />a computer management information system with <br />the ability to access plantprocess datafrom any on- <br />site terminal. The minicomputer and networked <br />terminals operate plant software programs without <br />the need for personal computers and allow data to <br />be shared electronically. <br />STAFFING <br />The Computer Services Section was staffedby one <br />variety of support services, specialized operations, <br />and administrative assistance in the operation of <br />the wastewater system. <br />full-time position until May 1991 when a Data <br />Processing Specialist II was added. The first posi- <br />tion was titled Programmer Analyst until 1989, <br />when it was upgraded to Senior Programmer Ana- <br />lyst because of the additional responsibility in- <br />volved inthe purchase, installation, and operation <br />of the minicomputer and distributed control sys- <br />tem. The analyst receives general direction from <br />the wastewater systems manager, who ass igns work, <br />monitors progress, and evaluates performance, and <br />by a software development manager in the City's <br />Information Services Department (ISD) who en- <br />sures that technical knowledge, skills, training, <br />and other job-related criteria are consistent with <br />those ofotherISDpersonnelwhowork in the same <br />job classification. <br />The Senior Programmer Analyst is responsible for <br />managingandmaintaining theprocesscontroland <br />minicomputer software and for developing sofC- <br />ware and hardware. The analyst is on call 24 hours <br />a day, seven days a week, to keep the system <br />operational and to perform emergency repairs, as <br />needed. The analyst and the Data Processing Spe- <br />cialist II train all plant users on the process com- <br />puter and serve as consultants to other work sec- <br />tions for specialized needs. They also assist with <br />shore- and long-term computer projects and de- <br />velop related database applications. <br />COMPONENTS OF THE ORIGINAL <br />CENTRALIZED COMPUTER SYSTEM <br />The original centralized process control computer <br />system consisted of a central processing unit, re- <br />