City of Taft POTW
Taft, California
One solution to address overloaded collection and treatment systems is to develop satellite units for wastewater treatment. The challenge is to implement a treatment system of such efficacy that these satellite units can exist throughout an area without a large footprint. Membrane bioreactors are one option; electrocoagulation is another. Ecolotech systems are designed to meet effluent criteria that allow the non-potable reuse of the effluent, while solids are transmitted to the centralized wastewater treatment plant. The system can create an unobtrusive water recovery facility by replacing tradition treatment equipment. A small footprint can be used to effect a 95% reduction in wastewater effluent to the collection system, an odor-free system, rapid implementation, and a source of emergency non-potable water. This paper describes the electrocoagulation process, Ecolotech system components, and case study results providing proof of concept for use in small wastewater treatment and water recovery facilities. Pilot testing of the Ecolotech system has demonstrated that that electrocoagulation is a viable technology and that each unit can treat up to 250 gallons per minute (gpm) of wastewater. The Water Recovery Treatment Center is a viable option for communities that want to offer wastewater treatment to new development without having to invest heavily in new or upgraded infrastructure. Reusing treated wastewater will reduce the use of potable water for non-human consumption uses, therefore conserving a valuable resource for the community. Small-scale (<2 mgd) MBR systems typically cost about $10 million per mgd capacity. The Ecolotech system is estimated to be approximately 40% to 60% of the MBR cost, depending upon site conditions and other factors. Source: WEFTEC 2008 Proceedings
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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Achieving Greater Throughput, Cost Savings, Energy Savings, Improved Treatment, Increased Treatment Capacity | No Comments »
Southwest WWTP and Dillman Road WWTP
Conroe, Texas and Bloomington, Indiana
Studies conclude the aeration process in an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant consumes 40 to 60 percent of a plant’s power usage. With the dramatic impact of the aeration process on the overall operational expenses of a plant, the last three decades has seen increased focus on the design, implementation, and operation of high efficiency single-stage centrifugal blowers and aeration control systems. State and local agencies offer a variety of funding options that favor energy-minded aeration systems due to the increased global emphasis on energy conservation. This paper will discuss the different types of high efficiency single-stage centrifugal blowers used in wastewater treatment plants, along with blower and aeration system control methodologies to maximize the overall aeration process efficiency. In addition, this paper will detail two case studies where alternative funding options allowed the implementation of high efficiency single-stage centrifugal blowers and aeration control systems, which yielded significant energy and operational savings. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Energy Savings, Environmental Impact, Plant Optimization, Reduced Carbon Footprint | No Comments »
Town of Sturbridge WWTF
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Sturbridge, MA WWTF has experienced steadily increasing flows over the last 20 years due to significant population growth in the community. Plant loading rates are now above design levels, and NPDES permit requirements are becoming more stringent for both nitrogen and phosphorous. Furthermore, a limited footprint is available for expansion. The Town and its consulting engineer, Tighe & Bond, considered many potential solutions to address these issues, including a system upgrade using Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology. During an evaluation of treatment alternatives Tighe & Bond recognized that while MBRs can provide high level treatment in a small footprint they can also be energy intensive, relatively expensive to own and operate, and subject to membrane fouling, cleaning and replacement issues. Based on these issues the Town decided to explore an emerging ballasted biological treatment technology called BioMag. The results of this successful full scale demonstration show that BioMag is a promising new technology for upgrading many activated sludge treatment facilities. Existing systems can be reconfigured to implement biological nutrient removal, and/or to operate at higher flows and loadings without adding new aeration tanks and/or clarifiers. BioMag proved to be a stable, reliable, operator-friendly process. The Town concluded that the demonstration was a success, and is moving forward with the design and installation of a full scale BioMag system in Sturbridge. Capital costs for the BioMag upgrade were determined to be substantially lower than those of a comparable MBR upgrade. O&M costs for BioMag are also expected to be lower than those of a comparable MBR system, resulting in a substantial lifecycle cost savings of nearly 30 percent for the Town. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Energy Savings, Environmental Impact, Innovative Technology, Reduced Carbon Footprint | No Comments »
Gippsland Water Factory
Gippsland, Victoria (Australia)
The Gippsland Water Factory (GWF) will be one of Australia’s most innovative wastewater treatment and recycling systems. With the advent of a carbon constrained economy, infrastructure projects will be required to demonstrate reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) compared to existing practice. Placing a GHGe constraint on the GWF project drove innovation: in the conceptual stages of design; in research conducted through the pilot plant facility; in determining operational electricity and chemical input requirements; in sourcing electricity inputs; and in carbon accounting techniques. An unambiguous target to reduce GHGe by 20% off a theoretical benchmark of 52,102 tonnes CO2-e/year was set, to ensure that the project was well placed for the introduction of an emissions trading scheme in Australia. A 13,681 tCO2-e per year (29% reduction) from the original concept design (June 2006) to final design (June 2009) was achieved. The GHG assessment included scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions which was important for minimising both onsite and offsite emissions with particular emphasis on reducing chemical consumption. The most significant process design features and characteristics that minimised GHGe were: anaerobic reactors for treatment of the industrial pulp and paper wastewater; methane recovery; membrane bioreactors; cogeneration and micro-hydro energy generation; and biological odour and H2S treatment systems. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Environmental Impact (Reduced Carbon Footprint), Innovative Technology, Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions | No Comments »
City of Tavares
Tavares, Florida
Utilities must be prepared to respond to lift station emergencies. This can be accomplished by creating a Lift Station Power Failure Emergency Response Plan (ERP). This manuscript describes the City of Tavares, Florida, development of a lift station emergency response plan.
The main idea in developing an ERP is:
1.) To have all the information organized so that it can be easily located for reference, 2.) To cover all scenarios that could occur and would affect the operation of the wastewater collection system, 3.) To supply as much information as possible to facilitate effective and timely emergency responses, 4.) How to respond to real time flows and the levels of the equipment in the lift station, 5.) Creating the ERP is a team effort, 6.) The leader of the Team needs to have an analytical mind, be familiar with operations, but able to step back to take an unbiased overview of the system, 7.) Illustrations and tables are encouraged. ‘A picture is worth a 1,000 words,’ 8.) The emergency response plan is a living document, the plan needs to be updated so the most current information is available. It is recommended to place the date of any revisions in the footer of that page so when spot reviews are performed on the books, one can tell if the most current revisions have been included and 9.) Produce sufficient copies of the ERP, books should be issued to each operations personnel, dispatchers, utility supervisors, and other key personnel. ERPs can be tailored to the needs of the Utility of Municipality. ERPs are inexpensive to develop and can be one of the best resources for responding to an emergency. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater | Tags: Emergency Response Plan | No Comments »
City of Bozeman Water Reclamation Facility
Bozeman, Montana
The City of Bozeman, Montana (pop. 36,000) recently converted the operation of its complete mix activated sludge aeration basins to plug flow basins operating in a phased nitrification-denitrification mode. Operation in phased nitrification denitrification mode has reduced the plant’s effluent total nitrogen by 40% without sacrificing ammonia removal. Sludge volume index values also dropped slightly with this modification. Chlorine use for filament control and disinfection has dropped from 52 tons per year to 32 tons per year. The total capital cost for project implementation was $180,000. The process uses pH and ORP probes to control and optimize nitrogen removal efficiency. This case study shows that with PNDN:
• Ammonia removal goals can be met with appropriate process control and cycle times.
• Significant total nitrogen removal can be achieved with the process.
• Modest improvement in phosphorus removal may be observed.
• Bulking may be reduced significantly.
• ORP/pH control can be used to create repeatable and reliable nitrogen removal.
• The process is flexible and allows the operator to set cycle times and the ORP set point as needed to respond to plant conditions as needed. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Environmental Impact, Phased Nitrfication-Denitrfication Operation | No Comments »
Durham AWWTP
Durham, Oregon
Commisioned first commercial phosphorus recovery facility that removes 83% of soluble PO4-P from sludge dewatering centrate while recovering 20% of the plant influent phosphorus load. To date this is an average of 1.1 tons per day and is a sellable product. The dewatered recycled phosphate load was reduced from 55% to 9% and the mixed liquor phosphorus inventory dropped from 4.9% to 4.4%. The cost of the facility was $2.5 million dollars, not including the cost of a building to house the recovery facility, with a projected return on investment of only 6 years. Source: WEFTEC Proceedings 2009 Startup of the First Commercial Phosphorus Recycling Facility in the US at Durham AWWTP.
25 MGD Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
Metric Used: tons of phosphorus, cost recovered from sale of phosphorus
Posted: May 26th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Phosphorus recovery | No Comments »
Village of Grafton Wastewater Utility
Grafton, Wisconsin
A way to increase plant capacity without adding new tankage, improve effluent quality and decrease energy costs. These improvements will extend service life, add cost reductions in energy savings, chemical reductions and allow efficient sludge disposal. Providing alternatives to teaming up with neighboring community to construct a new joint treatment plant. Achieved this through: Providing new liquid sludge truck loading station, Installed new WAS gravity belt thickening and handling facility, and Converted 2-stage activated sludge process to single-stage. Source: WEFTEC Proceedings 2009 Facility Optimization Trifecta: Capacity Increase, Effluent Quality Improvement and Energy Reduction.
2.5 MGD, Single-stage Activated Sludge Wastewater Treatment Plant
Metric Used: cost reductions in energy savings, chemical reductions
Posted: May 26th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Environmental Improvement | No Comments »
Oak Lodge WWTP
Oak Lodge, Oregon
Cannibal solids reduction technique integrated with activated sludge process requires lowest construction and operational costs, without generating a carbon footprint substantially larger than other alternatives. Source: WEFTEC Proceedings 2009 Plant Upgrades Optimized by Efficient Whole Plant Evaluations.
3.4 MGD, Conventional Secondary Treatment Facility, Oak Lodge WWTP
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Posted: May 26th, 2010 | Filed under: <50K, Sanitary Sewer, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Sludge Handling, Solids reduction | No Comments »