Overview

Hemlock Farms (Hemlock) is a private 3,500 home residential community nestled in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. The community has its own private water system, which is sourced from a handful of wells throughout the system. We helped Hemlock design and build a water treatment plant to remove iron and manganese from a primary water source well in their system.

Well #4, which supplies 600 gallons per minute, experienced rising levels of iron and manganese, which are naturally occurring mineral contaminates. While not of any health concern, the iron and manganese created objectionable taste and particulate deposits that caused problems for Hemlock’s residents.

After we studied their treatment options, Hemlock selected an oxidation filtration process to remove the iron and manganese. The process uses chlorine to oxidize the iron and manganese in the water, so it can then be captured in the manganese oxide filters. Those filters are then routinely backwashed and cleaned, with the slurry transferred into one of four cone shaped tanks that allow the minerals to settle to the bottom and be removed, while the clean water is recycled and run back through the filtration system.

The engineering design included all process piping, equipment, and SCADA controls. Additionally, our architectural staff crafted the building’s exterior to coincide with Hemlock’s existing facilities aesthetics and blend into its surroundings, which included close proximity to homes in the community.

The completed water treatment plant is performing excellently, with undetectable post-treatment water output levels of iron and manganese. Hemlock residents have noticed the positive change in the water quality and Hemlock’s staff is working to eliminate any existing residual minerals within their distribution system, via routine system flushes.

"Many residents have commented about the water quality improvement with the new plant. I’m quite proud of this project."

-Director of Engineering & Public Works