Development of Chemical Precipitation Purchased 

Equipment Costs: Sand Filters 

 

 

The following emails support EPA’s development of purchased equipment cost equations for 

sand filters by documenting EPA's communication with a vendor regarding freight costs and 

other specifications for continuous backwash gravity sand filters used in the Steam Electric cost 

model. 

From: "Gutierrez, Miguel (WT)" <Miguel.A.Gutierrez@siemens.com> 

To: "Kavya Kasturi" <Kavya.Kasturi@erg.com> 

Date: 4/25/2011 6:27 PM 

Subject: RE: Continuous Backwash Gravity sand Filter- Vendor request 

Kavya: 

 

Shipping weight information is included in the drawing I sent. 

 

To estimate freight cost for unit only; you can use the following basis: 

1. (1) truck per unit 

2. Cost of mileage: $3.5/truck mile 

 

Thus $3.5/truck mile x 1 truck/unit x 500 miles = $1750/unit 

 

For the sand: 

assume a weight limit of 22 tons per truck; figure out how many trucks 

you need; and apply the sand per truck mileage cost as above. 

 

 

Miguel Gutierrez 

Siemens Industry, Inc. 

Water Technologies Business Unit 

1828 Metcalf Ave. 

Thomasville, GA 31792 

Tel 229-227-8778 

Fax 229-228-0312 

Confidentiality Note: This e-mail message and any attachments to it are 

intended only for the named recipients and may contain confidential 

information. If you are not one of the intended recipients, please do 

not duplicate or forward this e-mail message and immediately delete it 

from your computer. 

 

________________________________ 

From: Kavya Kasturi [mailto:Kavya.Kasturi@erg.com] 

Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 1:27 PM 

To: Gutierrez, Miguel (WT) 

Subject: RE: Continuous Backwash Gravity sand Filter- Vendor request 

Hi Miguel, 

 

I have one (hopefully) final question for you on the sand filters. Can 

you provide the approximate weight of the filters or the cost to ship 

the filters 500 miles? 

 

Thanks again for all of your help. 

 

Kavya 

 

Kavya P. Kasturi, Environmental Engineer 

Eastern Research Group, Inc. 

Phone: (703) 633-1701 

Fax: (703) 263-7280 

kavya.kasturi@erg.com 

>>> "Gutierrez, Miguel (WT)" <Miguel.A.Gutierrez@siemens.com> 3/24/2011 

1:40 PM >>> 

Kavya: 

 

The only major power requirements is the motive air requirements of the 

process. 

This range from 1 to 8 scfm at a minimal pressure of 30 psi. 
This air can be supplied by air compressors systems that are in the 5 HP 

range. 

 

Miguel Gutierrez 

Siemens Water Technologies Corp 

1828 Metcalf Ave. 

Thomasville, GA 31792 

Tel 229-227-8778 

Fax 229-228-0312 

Confidentiality Note: This e-mail message and any attachments to it are 

intended only for the named recipients and may contain confidential 

information. If you are not one of the intended recipients, please do 

not duplicate or forward this e-mail message and immediately delete it 

from your computer. 

 

________________________________ 

From: Kavya Kasturi [mailto:Kavya.Kasturi@erg.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 12:03 PM 

To: Gutierrez, Miguel (WT) 

Subject: RE: Continuous Backwash Gravity sand Filter- Vendor request 

Hi Miguel, 

 

Could you also provide us the power consumption (if any) associated with 

the sand filters? 

 

Thanks, 

Kavya 

 

Kavya P. Kasturi, Environmental Engineer 

Eastern Research Group, Inc. 

Phone: (703) 633-1701 

Fax: (703) 263-7280 

kavya.kasturi@erg.com 

>>> "Gutierrez, Miguel (WT)" <Miguel.A.Gutierrez@siemens.com> 3/21/2011 

1:43 PM >>> 

Kavya: 

 

Attached some marketing info about the technology described. 

Alos attached are GA drawings of the tank units described. 

 

Let me know if there are any questions. 

 

Regards 

 

Miguel Gutierrez 

Siemens Water Technologies Corp 

1828 Metcalf Ave. 

Thomasville, GA 31792 

Tel 229-227-8778 

Fax 229-228-0312 

Confidentiality Note: This e-mail message and any attachments to it are 

intended only for the named recipients and may contain confidential 

information. If you are not one of the intended recipients, please do 

not duplicate or forward this e-mail message and immediately delete it 

from your computer. 

 
________________________________ 

From: Gutierrez, Miguel (WT) 

Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 10:39 AM 

To: 'Rekha Hareendran' 

Cc: Kavya Kasturi 

Subject: RE: Continuous Backwash Gravity sand Filter- Vendor request 

Rekha: 

 

Left a voicemail in Kavya phone number........... 

Give me call to convey the info by phone. 

 

Regards 

 

Miguel Gutierrez 

Siemens Water Technologies Corp 

1828 Metcalf Ave. 

Thomasville, GA 31792 

Tel 229-227-8778 

Fax 229-228-0312 

Confidentiality Note: This e-mail message and any attachments to it are 

intended only for the named recipients and may contain confidential 

information. If you are not one of the intended recipients, please do 

not duplicate or forward this e-mail message and immediately delete it 

from your computer. 

 

________________________________ 

From: Rekha Hareendran [mailto:Rekha.Hareendran@erg.com] 

Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 4:42 PM 

To: Gutierrez, Miguel (WT) 

Cc: Kavya Kasturi 

Subject: Continuous Backwash Gravity sand Filter- Vendor request 

Hi Miguel, 

 

My name is Rekha Hareendran of Eastern Research Group, Inc., a 

contractor to the USEPA supporting the development of effluent 

guidelines for the steam electric power industry. 

 

As I mentioned during our conversation, we are working on conceptual 

level costing of a chemical precipitation wastewater treatment system to 

treat FGD (flue gas desulfurization) wastewater from steam electric 

power plants. As a part of this project, we are trying to collect cost 

information on different components or units of a chemical precipitation 

system. 

 

I would really appreciate it if you could provide us the purchase cost, 

cost for ancillary equipments and the power consumption (if applicable) 

for continuous backwash gravity sand filters. 

 

-Flow range : 30,000 gpd- 1,000,000 gpd or 20 gpm-700 gpm (Please 

provide cost estimates for various flow rates in this range). 

 

If any of this information is considered confidential business 

information (CBI), do not send a written response via e-mail. Instead, 

please call Kavya directly to discuss the details. 

Please let Kavya know if you have any further questions. We look forward 

to hearing from you. 

 

-Thanks, 

Rekha Hareendran 
703-633-1610 

 

Kavya P. Kasturi 

703-633-1701