Virtual Tour

STAGE ONE: SCREENING - HEADWORKS BUILDING

Screening is first stage of the wastewater treatment process. Screening removes large objects like diapers, sanitary items, and even broken bottles, bottle tops, plastics and rags, from the sewage influent, that may block or damage equipment. Special equipment is also used to remove grit and sand that gets washed into the sewer. The removed items and grit are washed of all organic material, compressed, and placed in a dumpster for delivery to the landfill.

STAGE TWO: EQUALIZATION - INFLUENT PUMP STATION AND EQUALIZATION BASIN

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Flow equalization is the process of controlling hydraulic velocity, or flow rate, through a wastewater treatment system. Flow equalization controls the flow through each stage of the treatment system, allowing adequate time for the physical, biological and chemical processes to take place.

STAGE THREE: BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT – BIOREACTORS

Screened and equalized wastewater is now mixed with a controlled population of microorganisms and an ample supply of oxygen. The microorganisms digest the fine suspended and soluble organic materials, reducing significantly the amount of nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) in the wastewater. The wastewater remains in the Bioreactors for 18-24 hours.

STAGE FOUR: CLARIFICATION – SECONDARY CLARIFIERS and RAS/WAS BUILDING

The wastewater, now called ‘effluent’, then flows to the secondary clarifiers, where the biological solids (made up of the microorganisms) are settled by gravity. Most of the settled solids, called Return Activated Solids (RAS), are returned to the Bioreactors so the microorganisms can resume digesting organic material. Some of the settled solids, called Waste Activated Solids (WAS), are pumped to the Solids Holding Tanks for dewatering. The pumping occurs in the RAS/WAS Building. The clear ‘clarified’ effluent flows to the Chemical Phosphorus Building.

STAGE FIVE: FILTERING – CHEMICAL PHOSPHORUS BUILDING

Aluminum Sulfate (Alum) is now mixed with the clarified effluent. The Alum bonds with any remaining soluble Phosphorus and is removed from the effluent as it passes through the sand filters. The filtered solids are returned to the Headworks while the filtered effluent flows to the disinfection process.

STAGE SIX: DISINFECTION - CHEMICAL PHOSPHORUS BUILDING

Filtered effluent now passes through intense ultraviolet (UV) light. UV radiation penetrates the cell wall of any remaining organisms and destroys the cell's ability to reproduce.

STAGE SEVEN: POST AERATION – POST AERATOR

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Disinfected effluent now cascades over concrete steps and natural rock. The resulting turbulence adds dissolved oxygen to the effluent. The treated effluent now enters East Canyon Creek. This completes the treatment of wastewater from sewage influent to cleaned, filtered, and oxygenated water suitable for the aquatic environment.

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SOLIDS PROCESSING – SOLIDS HOLDING TANKS AND SOLIDS BUILDING

Settled solids from the Clarifiers are aerated in the Solids Holding Tanks. The solids are then dewatered in centrifuges. The removed water (centrate) is pumped back to the Headworks for processing. The dewatered solids are trucked to Environmental Technologies, near the Salt Lake County Landfill, for processing into an organic soil amendment for use by the landfill as top cover for the landfill cells.

ODOR CONTROL – ODOR CONTROL COLUMNS

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Air from the Headworks Building, Equalization Basin, and the Biological Reactors is contained and pumped through granular activated carbon (GAC) to ensure no odors leave the facility.

EMERGENCY GENERATORS – EMERGENCY GENERATOR BUILDING

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Two 500KW diesel generators ensure the facility can continue to treat wastewater in the event of a power outage.