Wastewater treatment plant repurposes lagoons to manage wet weather flows

A Wastewater Digest 2023 Top Project repurposed its existing lagoons to hold water during rain events, finding unique purpose for old infrastructure amid plant upgrades.

Wastewater Digest published a story about the Gravel Ridge Sewer Improvement District’s 213 wastewater treatment plant upgrade project. The project was honored by the brand as one of its Top Projects for 2023, recognizing remarkable projects in the wastewater sector. This year, the Gravel Ridge project’s unique solution involved a creative stormwater management solution.

“The lesson for others here is you can upgrade small to mid-size treatment facilities to meet the more stringent discharge limitations while still utilizing current facilities and existing treatment operations,” said Michael Marlar, vice president and water/wastewater deputy practice leader for Halff, who worked on the project, in the article.

The plant’s upgrade faced a challenge in finding use for its existing lagoons after constructing new treatment infrastructure. By repurposing the lagoons as equalization basins to maintain consistent flow for the plant, the project saved more than $2.5 million in project costs.

“We achieved this by modifying the piping so that the existing lagoons could be used for an equalization basin to hold wet weather flows during rain events,” said Marlar in the Wastewater Digest article. “In addition to the lagoons being used as equalization basins, they held sludge waste for storage.”

The full article, “Gravel Ridge SID 2013 WWTP | 2023 WWD Top Projects” is published on Wastewater Digest, an Endeavor Business Media Water Group partner brand.