New technology coming to Wastewater Treatment Plant will kill stench at landfill

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is one action closer to a $40 million update, a person that really should provide to an finish the seasonal stench coming from the landfill in Woodlawn.

The task will get $15 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

“This grant funding will make it possible for for significant infrastructure updates that will benefit citizens and enterprises during the neighborhood,” point out Sen. Monthly bill Powers reported in announcing the grant.

The large task: Thermal dryers

The grant will support spend for a new 6-tale setting up made up of thermal dryers that will be manufactured on the present wastewater plant site, according to Mark Riggins, general manager for Clarksville Gas & Water.

Thermal dryers dry out the leftover sludge – a byproduct of the water treatment plant’s purification course of action – creating it less difficult to correctly dispose of in techniques in addition to just dumping it in the landfill, Riggins claimed.

Rhonda Fulton, advertising coordinator for Fuel & H2o, described the thermal dryer method.

“Dewatered wastewater sludge is tumbled in a rotary drum with an added heat source to dry the sludge even further more to generate a Class A biosolid. It will then get pelletized to create a products that is much easier to take care of,” she mentioned.

Immediately after the sludge is eradicated for processing, the purified liquid is emptied into the Cumberland River, and that has been the exercise from the commencing. For those worried about the health and fitness of the river, Riggins reported the purified wastewater is cleaner than ingesting h2o.

The leftover sludge has been sent to the Bi-County Landfill. “The solids them selves, they are handled, and there (are) distinct ways that you can deal with these and then dispose of those people,” Riggins reported.

Injury from the flood

Before the 2010 flood, crews at the Wastewater Therapy Plant processed the sludge to a class that they could be used to land. “And people today use that as fertilizer,” Riggins explained. “We hauled it out there to a farm, or something like that, that they required, and then we experienced a … manure spreader that individuals could load into that and then distribute on to their farms.”

In accordance to epa.gov, the finish solution of wastewater therapy vegetation is frequently a Class A humus-like product with out a detectable stages of pathogens that can be utilized as a soil conditioner and fertilizer to gardens, food and feed crops.

But Riggins explained the flood brought on significant harm to the wastewater plant, and likely back to the process of making fertilizer was heading to be highly-priced. “That sludge … it is (known as) biosolids, suitable now it is taken to landfill and disposed of.

“Now, back again then when that decision was built, the landfill was willing and pleased to take that,” he said.

But about the past quite a few many years, the smell has turn into a problem. “There (are) a whole lot of grievances (from nearby neighbors) about the odor at the landfill,” Riggins claimed.

Mark Neblett, govt director for the Bi-County Good Waste Administration Program, mentioned they get about five loads of sludge a working day, and it smells pretty poor.

“The 0ther issue is, it is tough to mix with the other waste to get compaction,” Neblett reported, noting that if there is as well substantially sludge blended in with the common refuse, it creates a form of quicksand, producing major gear to get caught.

Lengthy-phrase alternative

When hunting for a alternative, Riggins said a guide prompt Gas & Drinking water haul the sludge to a diverse landfill, at a expense of $15 million.

“I just felt like that was a squander of ratepayers’ income,” he explained. “If I am likely to commit $15 million, I want this to be anything that is going to operate for this plant for eternity.”

Riggins explained that with the new thermal dryers, the output will be decreased by up to 70{18875d16fb0f706a77d6d07e16021550e0abfa6771e72d372d5d32476b7d07ec}, and the system will make it possible for the sludge to be at the time all over again be classed to use as fertilizer for farmers.

“We are grateful to the State of Tennessee Office of Atmosphere and Conservation for their acceptance of our grant application,” Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts mentioned. “The funding will support clear up a prolonged-standing concern at our wastewater therapy plant. Credit score to Mark Riggins and our personnel family at CGW for their get the job done in securing these funds.”

The up coming stage is for the job to go out to bid, and the task should really be complete in about two yrs, Riggins claimed.