Submitted by: Submitted by geoff223
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Category: Science and Technology
Date Submitted: 12/14/2011 06:01 PM
Wastewater Treatment in Grand Rapids
ENS 201 Section 01 Fall Semester 2011
Abstract
This paper discusses the history of the Grand Rapids wastewater treatment plant and specifically the problem of dumping or releasing sewage that is untreated into the Grand River. I talk about the effects of polluting the river and how this can harm the lake. After I discuss the problem I present some solutions the wastewater plant has already pursued to eliminate the problem through separating the sewer pipes and the use of rain gardens. Then I discuss how they are leaders in their industry by continuously searching for better ways of operating and the example I use is the Hach contest. Then I end it with my opinion of the wastewater plant and why I think they are taking steps in the right direction.
Introduction
The Grand Rapids Wastewater Treatment plant provides services for ten to fourteen communities within Kent county Michigan. This encompasses roughly 265,000 to 300,000 residents and this would be roughly 125 to 200 square miles. There is a North and a South plant in Grand Rapids. The north plant has a maximum of 106 MGD (million gallons daily) and on average does about 28 MGD. The South and North plants put together has a maximum of 127 MGD. The average amount of wastewater is 61 MGD per day between the two plants and the first plant was constructed in the 1920’s (City of Grand Rapids, Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plant).
The wastewater treatment plant had a primary clarification, anaerobic digestion, and drying beds in the first facility. The sludge that was created during the drying process was then sold off to farmers when it reached capacity and then the process was repeated. There are 12 primary clarifiers, which are large rectangular pools that transport sludge to a sludge hopper. This is the term they use for a pump that sends the sludge to storage tanks. During the 1950’s the plant needed to expand and they included a secondary treatment. The secondary...