Large Scale and Commercial Treatment Systems

Large Scale and Commercial Treatment Systems
Low-pressure distribution system replaces failing septic

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Low-pressure distribution system replaces failing septic

Problem: In 2009, Prospect Mountain Campground in Granville, Massachusetts, wanted to expand and repair its existing conventional septic system. The original system was broken into four separate fields with two zones failing and the other two located within 100 feet of public water wells. There was limited space for a new system to handle the 10,000 gpd design flow and meet the mandatory advanced treatment requirements.

Solution: A low-pressure distribution Eljen GSF Treatment System was chosen for the job. It treats wastewater to NSF Standard 40 requirements and needs little to no maintenance. The 10,000 gpd system was separated into three zones alternately dosed throughout the day. The system was designed by T. Reynolds Engineering of Whately, Massachusetts, and installed by Geeleher Enterprises of Southampton, Massachusetts.

Result: The system allowed the campground to expand and replace the existing failing system, while fitting into the limited space available. The system was installed in 2010, allowing the campground to provide its customers expanded services and features. 800/444-1359; www.eljen.com.


Community solves overflow challenges with chamber drainfield

Problem: Wastewater produced by Gold Beach, Oregon’s 2,250 residents is treated by a sequencing batch reactor plant, disinfected with UV disinfection and then discharged to a series of subsurface drainfields located at the nearby airport. The existing drainfields didn’t have the capacity for peak wet weather flows and were experiencing effluent surfacing along with overflows discharged to a creek. The Port of Gold Beach, which leases the property to the city, was concerned about construction of additional drainfields and requested that drainfield operations be confined to the limited, existing easement.

Solution: The new treatment plant and chamber drainfield system from Infiltrator Water Technologies, designed by The Dyer Partnership Engineers, is based on the maximum allowable area within the existing easement and is strategically placed adjacent to an airport runway. It is designated as a runway safety area (RSA), which is defined as an area “prepared or suitable for reducing the risk of damage to airplanes in the event of an excursion from the runway.” As the RSA must be clear of obstacles and capable of supporting the occasional aircraft, the 2 mgd chamber drainfield design was modified to include stone. This increased the structural capacity in case of an airport emergency condition. The system is covered with a geotextile to prevent sand intrusion into the stone.

Result: The innovative design has 21 drainfields rather than the original nine, and offers flexibility and redundancy to the city. 800/221-4436;
www.infiltratorwater.com.


Pump station maximizes holding capacity for hotel and restaurant expansion

Problem: The Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Manheim, Pennsylvania, underwent a hotel and restaurant expansion, adding a new 130-room Warehouse Hotel and 260-seat restaurant to support the complex. The facility needed a submersible wastewater pump station to handle the additional wastewater capacity required. It needed to fit within a small area of land located adjacent to the hotel portion of the complex.

Solution: Oldcastle Precast provided a OneLift RC611 pump station, with a 25-foot depth and storage capacity of 468 gallons per vertical foot, to accommodate the expansion requirements. The station is designed with an integral valve vault built into the unused top portion of the wet well, solving differential settlement issues. The preassembled single-structure design reduces the product footprint for sites with tight area restrictions. The manufacturing schedule was also a benefit to Ashlin Woods, the general contractor. The standard design and stock castings allowed the pump station to be delivered six weeks after release for production.

Result: The station was installed in March 2015 and has operated flawlessly. “The total setup took about two hours,” says Matt Dobroskey of Mid Atlantic Pump & Equipment Company. 888/965-3227; www.oldcastleprecast.com.


Effluent sewer with AdvanTex replaces failing onsite systems

Problem: Public concern was mounting over the lack of adequate wastewater treatment for homes in Fulton, Alabama. High groundwater levels contributed to septic system failures at some residences, while others had no septic system at all. In addition to mounting environmental concerns, affordability was a major obstacle.

Solution: Mayor Mike Norris researched alternatives that could provide cost-effective treatment with subsurface discharge and meet permit limits of 30 mg/L BOD5/TSS and 20 mg/L TKN. He chose an effluent sewer followed by AdvanTex treatment systems from Orenco Systems. This combination produced high-quality effluent with low maintenance and energy consumption. Phase I, consisting of 65 on-lot STEP packages with service lines connecting to nine AX-100 units, was completed in 2006. Norris then pursued additional funding and, in 2013, Phase II included 132 additional STEP connections and five AX-Max units – premanufactured secondary treatment facilities that integrate the recirculation tank with the media, reducing installation time.

Result: Effluent quality averages 7 mg/L BOD5 and 3 TSS, with 6 mg/L TKN, and residents pay monthly rates of $37.50. “The system is doing what it’s supposed to do, our property owners are satisfied and the city council is tickled to death,” says Norris. 800/348-9843; www.orenco.com.


Cluster system provides passive community treatment with denitrification

Problem: The Town of Newbury, New Hampshire, had a problem with the existing 50,000 gpd sand filter system. Parts of the system routinely froze during winter months, inhibiting the nitrification and denitrification process. The facility had an antiquated 34,000-gallon Imhoff tank that required replacement, and the system was not large enough to handle the growing community.

Solution: Engineers at Stantec consulted with the town to use the passive wastewater treatment system from Presby Environmental to meet strict treatment levels with a small budget. The Blodgett Landing Treatment Plant was designed as a recirculating system with the multi-level configuration handling flows ranging from 2,500 to 88,000 gpd. The wastewater goes through an initial screening, then to one of two Imhoff tanks where sedimentation and separation occurs. The effluent then flows to an equalization tank before it is dispersed to one of the four 90- by 50-foot passive Enviro-Septic treatment beds. The beds consist of 48 rows of pipe that are each 86 feet long. At 50,000 gpd, the 16,400 feet of pipe treats roughly 3 gallons per linear foot per day.

Result: The town has been able to exceed treatment standards while keeping overall costs down. Current treatment levels include TSS of 4.73 mg/L, BOD of 5 mg/L, TN of 3.6 mg/L, TKN equal or less than 0.82 mg/L, and fecal coliform of 44.9 MPN/100 ML. 800/473-5298; www.presbyeco.com.


MBBR system retrofitted at a highway rest stop

Problem: A wastewater treatment system failed, causing persistent odor issues and inability to meet effluent requirements. This prompted the owners of Seguin Trails Rest Stop, a highway commercial plaza with a Tim Hortons doughnut shop, Dairy Queen and Lick’s Burger near Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada, to explore options for an upgraded wastewater system.

Solution: RH2O North America, working with Van Harten Surveying, recommended a 15,850 gpd WSB clean pro MBBR system. Repurposing the original tanks and using the existing leaching bed area enabled the property owner to save over $1 million on the cost of the upgrade. The system employs a plastic carrier media that doesn’t need to be cleaned or replaced to support biofilm growth. Click+Clean control panels with cellular remote monitoring alerts the service technicians of problems with mechanical components immediately and minimizes
onsite service.

Result: Into the third year of operation, the leaching bed is functioning well and the system is meeting the effluent objectives of CBOD5 of less than 10 mg/L, TSS less than 10 mg/L and total phosphorus less than 0.5 mg/L. Phosphorus reduction is achieved using PAC dosing prior to the final clarifier. 519/648-3475; www.rh2o.com.



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