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Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

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The Saco wastewater treatment facility is currently undergoing two separate upgrades to significantly enhance the treatment process and its equipment. The upgrades are taking place at the same time, however, are being completed by two separate entities.

The storm water upgrade was designed by DeLucca-Hoffman Engineering of South Portland, Maine and is being completed by T Buck construction located in Auburn, Maine .The storm water upgrade entailed implementing a new 24" influent line from Wharf Street that will allow more flow into the facility. Upon entering the facility, the flow will now enter a newly constructed diversion structure that was built to only allow the designed maximum flow of 8.4 MGD to enter the facilities process. All excess flow will discharge over a designed wall in the diversion structure that sends the flow into a cyclone swirl tank called the storm king, capable of treating an additional 5.6 MGD. The grit from the influent waste water, along with that collected in and pumped out of the storm king will then enter the recently constructed grit swirl tank. Using the same centrifugal force technology as the storm king, the grit will be dewatered and removed.

This undertaking will now allow the facility to better treat its designed flows while giving all excess flow primary treatment and disinfection. Included in this upgrade was the addition of a new grit handling building and the removal of two offline 50' clarifier that were no longer being utilized.

The second upgrade, of which is primarily process equipment related was designed by Woodard & Curran of Portland, Maine and is being completed by plant personnel. The upgrade incorporates a multitude of new equipment and changes that will help the facility better remove nutrients, allowing more efficient air supply, pumping, and odor control measures while becoming more automated and decreasing the physical demands from the work force. The upgrade includes two new blowers, diffusers, and anoxic "no dissolved oxygen" zones for the aeration system, a rotary sludge thickener, an improved odor control system, many new pumps and piping, a drive unit for the primary clarifier and many other pieces of equipment that will further enhance the treatment process.

Both upgrades are nearing completion and should be done by the end of 2006. The facility is ecstatic with the progress of the upgrades and the improvements they are bringing. The final product should convey with it a significant step towards full automation, improved odor control, maximum equipment efficiency, enhanced waste water and storm water treatment, and a step towards complete combined sewer overflow (CSO) elimination.

Along with the upgrades, the facility is implementing alternative energy sources in an effort to become energy self sufficient. Currently, a plan is in place to add solar heat panels to the newly constructed grit handling building, geothermal heat pumps to its process control building, and a 1.8 kW wind turbine to supply power to its administration building.

The facility, as well as the City of Saco have accepted Governor Baldacci's "Carbon Challenge" and are hoping to fully eliminate all sources of hazardous air pollutants. Though near completion of the upgrades, the facility is continually dedicating its efforts to make the wastewater facility as environmentally friendly as possible while maximizing the quality of the water it discharges.