Overview

An industrial client with a small <.02MGD wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was facing a multitude of challenges to meet compliance regulations. Significant peak flows from Inflow & Infiltration (I&I), new discharge permit requirements, and a package treatment plant that was at its end of useful life, summarize the client’s challenges. Teaming with the client to understand their challenges and situation, we were able to help create options that resulted in successful compliance, within both deadlines and budget, through an I&I investigation and remediation, and a design/build WWTP replacement.

I&I:
Upon analyzing flow and rainfall data, coupled with a site inspection, it was clear to see the client was facing an I&I problem causing peak flows to push and exceed permit limits.

To identify I&I sources, we inspected manholes and unit processes, and televised mains. We worked with the client and regulators to finalize a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) that outlined many small and inexpensive projects to correct issues discovered. The projects ranged from simple manhole dish installation to subsurface contractor repairs.

Following a 3-month period of I&I projects, the WWTP flows dropped significantly following wet weather. The peaking factor during intense wet weather dropped from a 4-6 range to a 1.5, successfully remediating the I&I.

WWTP:
A new NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit was issued to the client, imposing stricter effluent discharge limits for BOD, COD, & TSS (Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, & Total Suspended Solids) respectively, within 7 months.

The current WWTP was complicated - wrought with unnecessary processes that demanded staff’s time, had reached its end of useful life, and was not capable of consistently meeting the new permit requirements – a new treatment plant was needed.

The client’s needs for a new plant were many: operator friendly, highly automated, and reliable, and the budget scarce and the timeline short – our work was cut out for us!

We were able to evaluate and recommend converting existing unused concrete stormwater tanks into wastewater treatment tanks, saving much cost. The Amphodrone® reactor treatment system, recommended and installed, provided for remote monitoring & control, easy operations, and a consistent treatment process, unaffected by peak and low flows. A UV disinfection system removed chemical storage/handling needs and automated operations. Once design and permitting were finalized, we teamed with a contractor to design/build the plant, in order to truncate the timeline and meet the tight compliance deadline.

The plant was completed ahead of the stricter permit effluent limitations and within budget. Since completion, the plant has consistently met their permit limits, leaving the client confident in their compliance and plant.

"Our new plant is much simpler and easier to operate, allowing us to focus on our plant’s production and bottom line."

-Operations Staff