DELPHOS — Phase III is about to begin at the Delphos Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Phase III is the final build out of the plant and includes establishing new blowers for the system
“Phase
I and Phase II used as much of the existing equipment as possible. We
used existing blowers, piping and pumps and mixers. What Phase III will
do is address that and include the properly-sized blowers, which will be
more efficient, and a third membrane cassette train that will increase
capacity back up to what the plant was originally designed to do,”
Wastewater Superintendent Todd Teman said.
The plant will be
brought up to the original design of 3.83 million gallons a day capacity
and lower peak wet weather flow/combined sewer overflows that are
limited by the EPA.
The technology itself is also more efficient
than the original used. The membranes are a hybrid of the plate
technology and the noodle technology. The membranes can be pulled out
and rinsed off, put back in place and will operate almost like new.
“Cleaning
the old technology was very labor-intensive and the performance didn’t
come back the way they were when they were new,” Teman said.
The footprint of the newer technology is also smaller.
“They
also use less air. Air to me is power,” Teman said. “You have to
provide the blower and the newer technology lowers the dependency on
pumps and blowers, lowering the plants energy costs. Less equipment also
means less service and replacement costs. Our efficiency has improved
tremendously.”
The city struggled with the original membranes at
the plant from the previous supplier with fouling and hydraulic issues
for nearly eight years and received notice in January 2015 from the Ohio
EPA of impending findings and orders if the issues were not addressed
in a timely manner.
Work at the plant to incorporate new
technology and procedures for Phase I was completed mid-December 2015
with the one-year Fibracast Pilot Program beginning in January 2016.
Phase
II was completed in 2019 and included smaller intake screens with 1
millimeter pores as well as a second train of membranes. The new screens
keep out debris, including leaves, sanitary wipes and more. The screens
are self-cleaning.
“I’m excited that we’ve found a solution for
the plant that won’t be as taxing to our citizens,” Teman said. “This
project has been all about the community and not passing on the costs to
fix the problem. We have spaced out the phases so we have a good start
on paying for the previous one before we started a new one.”
Phase III is estimated at $6.8 million, including engineering. The city will take a 0% loan for Phase III.
Council will hear the second reading of legislation to start the engineering of Phase III on Monday.