Project Highlights

• Upgrade oxidation ditches to BNR process with turbo blowers
• Rehabilitation of structures & process equipment, including concrete tanks, clarifier equipment, pumps, the UV system, and the PAA system
• Added second electric service with backup generator & tertiary disc filters
• New UV structure to improve hydraulics

Project Description

This project involved the evaluation and design of upgrades to the Max Rhoads Water Reclamation Facility.

The existing Wastewater Treatment Plant requires both hydraulic and biological treatment improvements to meet current and future flows and loadings. Through UV and other hydraulic improvements, capacity has been increased to 42MGD. By upgrading the oxidation ditches, the ditches are now capable of Bio-Nutrient Removal and can handle future BOD loadings as well as the ability to treat for Phosphorous and Nitrogen removal.

The BNR process allows the facility to meet future nutrient effluent limits and, coupled with turbo blowers, will provide a reduction in energy consumption. The decision to use Tertiary disc filters instead of adding a fourth clarifier provides reduced effluent TSS levels, which improves the operation efficiency of the UV system.

The existing gravity sludge thickener has reached the end of service life and will be rehabilitated. An existing sludge pump station/holding tank that is currently divided into a wet well and an unused dry well is being modified into a single larger wet well inclusive of a new aeration system. This provides the operations staff with needed flexibility in solids processing by providing additional capacity. The facility receives hauled waste from septage haulers, refinery brine, and leachate. This side-stream waste was causing process disturbances leading to effluent limit issues and requiring additional maintenance. Diversion of the leachate and brine flow to a refurbished digester used as an equalization basin allows for a slow blending into the influent, reducing biological shocks.