Restoration of Active Anaerobic Digestion in Charleston, West Virginia

The upgrade to the Charleston, West Virginia wastewater treatment plant is a 50-million dollar project that is being conducted in two phases. The first phase of the project included specific unit processes at the plant that were failing or causing significant operational impairments. This first phase included the emergency renovation of four (4) existing anaerobic digesters that at the onset of the project were impairing the operation of the facility. The renovation of these digesters consisted of the replacement of the covers, mixing systems, heating system, and gas handling system. The newly renovated digesters provide a significantly higher level of operational flexibility and automation. However, the startup and initial operation of the digesters proved to be quite challenging and required modifications in the operational protocols for the facility.