CITY OF PETERSBURG, WV WASTEWATER PLANT, A UNIQUE LOW O&M COST FACILITY FOR NUTRIENT REDUCTION

The City of Petersburg 1.35 mgd capacity wastewater treatment plant discharges to the Potomac River system draining to the Chesapeake Bay. The Bay is deteriorating from excessive nutrient discharges from both point (wastewater plants) and non-point (runoff) sources. The states that drain to the Bay have signed an agreement to reduce the nutrient discharges to stop and reverse its deterioration. This will result in more stringent discharge requirements for point sources, requiring costly and complicated nutrient reduction facilities. Small and remote communities such as Petersburg have insufficient resources to construct and operate complex wastewater plants. This paper will present the case history of the Petersburg wastewater plant, a unique configuration of the oxidation ditch, which has demonstrated nutrient reduction potential without further significant capital improvements or addition of costly chemicals.