WASTEWATER PROCESS & TREATMENT

Our wastewater treatment plant is intended to remove pollutants from the wastewater before it is discharged into the receiving stream, the Antietam Creek. It employs a three-phase process, designated as primary treatment, secondary treatment and tertiary treatment. All of these steps are conventional and are approved and permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Primary treatment includes screening out solids from the wastewater, grit removal and initial settling of the wastewater.

Secondary treatment picks up after the initial settling process and is achieved through biological treatment using aeration of the wastewater. Aeration is achieved by pumping compressed air into the aeration tanks, naturally occuring bacteria use the oxygen and consume the organic matter in the wastewater as food. Through this process the majority of organic pollutants are removed. The process is called the activated sludge process.

Completing the treatment in the tertiary step additional aeration is used to remove ammonia-nitrogen then final settling occurs where the solids are separated from the clear water which is then disinfected and the treated water is discharged to the creek.

The solids that are removed from the system are digested in tanks called Aerobic Digesters until it is stabilized and the volatile organics are reduced to acceptable levels. This material called Biosolids is then dewatered on a Belt Filter Press and put into dumpster containers to be properly disposed of in a landfill.

"GO WITH THE FLOW"

Be in the Know ..."Go with the Flow" is a interactive story that allows you to walk step-by-step through the wastewater treatment process. The wastewater treatment process has been divided into 15 components represented by icons. When clicked on, each component's icon comes up with a one paragraph, non-technical narrative description. Follow the path step-by-step, or jump around to locate a particular area of interest.

Click here to view "Go with the Flow" *

Thanks to the Water Environment Federation, a national organization of wastewater professionals and the individuals interested in the environment, for this informative presentation on the the Wastewater process and treatment.

*Go with the Flow" requires the Macromedia Flash player. If you are unable to view some components, click here and follow instructions to download the required plug-in.