Alta Wastewater Treatment Plant

Alta, IA | Water

Overview

After an evaluation, ISG designed a new activated sludge treatment system that is more energy-efficient and has a smaller footprint.


Opportunity

Originally constructed in the 1950's, the City of Alta's wastewater treatment plant could not meet recently updated water quality standards.

Solution

The City of Alta wastewater treatment plant utilized a trickling filter treatment system that was constructed in the 1950's and upgraded several times. Recent changes to the water quality standards required lower ammonia nitrogen and bacteria discharge limits that the treatment efficiency of the existing system could not meet.

Following an in-depth evaluation, ISG recommended that the City abandon the trickling filter plant and construct a new Aero-Mod, Inc. SEQUOX activated sludge system. This activated sludge treatment system is an innovative system that incorporates aeration tanks, clarifier tanks, and digester tanks into one unitized design. This system results in a more energy-efficient operation and a smaller footprint compared to other activated sludge designs, thereby lowering capital costs.

The new treatment system showed significant improvements over the existing system, yielding significant reductions of CBOD5, TSS, and ammonia compared to the former facility.


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