Restoring Lost Wastewater Treatment Capacity through Innovative Technologies

During a comprehensive process review of the Daphne Utilities wastewater treatment facility in 2009, chokepoints were discovered in the headworks equipment at the “front door” of the plant and in the effluent outfall line at the “back door”. These conditions prevented the plant from reaching its full permitted capacity of 4.17 MGD. Peak flows exceeded hydraulic capacities for both the outfall line and the headworks, while the headworks also faced high influent concentrations of BOD and TSS that exceeded design. Upgrade projects on both systems were successfully executed which not only restored lost capacity but also accommodated a new higher peak flow capacity of 9 MGD and additional energy cost savings. By utilizing new screening technologies, sizeable reductions in influent BOD and TSS levels were also realized creating surplus capacity. This gained capacity, while not reflected at present in our permit, can be utilized in the future to reduce the amount of “new plant” required for construction during future upgrades.