Although by no means overwhelming, clogging problems in a county prison wastewater treatment system had simply become a nuisance, and it was time to take action with new technology to solve the problem. Read the full case study to learn more.
Sun City, AZ, has had the same wastewater treatment plant since the '70s, along with a new, expensive problem: non-dispersible waste.
Pump blockages and rags are a significant barrier to energy and operational efficiencies at pump stations, causing unscheduled shut downs, safety hazards for operators, costly equipment repairs and increased power usage due to a decrease in the pumps’ hydraulic performance. Scottish Water observed these negative effects caused by an influx of wipes and rags throughout a network of area pump stations. Engineers looked to a proven, powerful solution in the form of two JWC Environmental Channel Monster® grinders at one of their most problematic sites.
Keeping up with both the water needs and sewage disposal of the Santa Margarita Water District has come with significant challenges, particularly due to both the increase in influent and change in the makeup and durability of the sewage running through the district’s reclaimed-water facility.
The Independence Hill Conservancy District's Taney Lift Station was having continuous problems with wipes, swiffers, and plastics deposited in the incoming lines, which then broke loose in storms and overwhelmed the old non-clog pumps.
The 5.8 million gallon per day (mgd) Fairwood Lift Station, one of 76 major stations in the Hot Springs system, experienced frequent overflows. Particularly, the station struggled during heavy rainfall events or when pumps clogged because of increasingly popular "disposable" products such as duster heads, cleaning cloths, and disinfecting wipes, which can build up on the leading edge of the pump impeller and become entangled, reducing the efficiency of the pump or even causing a complete stoppage.
The use of so-called ”disposable” products such as personal care and cleaning wipes caused recurring clogs in the pump impellers at a 1,350-gpm (gallons per minute) lift station operated by the city of Waconia, Minnesota.
The Vaughan Conditioning Pump is a Vaughan Submersible Chopper Pump mounted on a portable stand and fitted with high-velocity mixing nozzle. The Conditioning Pump recirculates the contents of the wet well, chopping and mixing to produce a homogeneous mixture that is more easily pumped out.
Are you wipes ready?
Wipes and rags are clogging pumps and damaging wastewater treatment systems. NEW Wipes Ready technologies from JWC will keep your systems running efficiently.
The Auger Monster model AGV safely and easily screens, cleans and conveys rags and debris straight up and out of the sewer system. This gives collection system managers an affordable new way to remove rags before they clog sewage pumps, eliminating the time and expense wasted on de-ragging pumps.
Wet wipes, and premoistened personal wipes, now ubiquitous alongside toilet tissue in the supermarket aisle, are causing problems for wastewater plant managers. They are incompatible with sewage treatment technology and they’re forced to spend the millions of dollars each year to pull gobs of wipes out of their systems.
In the past decade, wastewater professionals have been confronted with a drastic change in the debris coming through their facilities as consumer “flushables” have become a nightmare. Darby Ritter of Smith and Loveless discusses a potential solution.
Ken Biele, CEO of JWC Environmental, discusses solutions to the growing problem of equipment-clogging disposable wipes.
The flushing of nondispersible wipes has become the biggest problem for collection systems operators over the past few years, and it’s only getting worse. Kevin Bates of JWC Environmental discusses the issue and offers potential solutions.
"Flushable" wipes are a big, expensive problem for both utilities and homeowners. Watch this animated video to learn why, and how you can help by remembering the "3 P's" when flushing.
Watch this video demonstration of a Vaughan chopper pump handling various products made of cloth.
