The DEP designated both springs as impaired for nutrients, meaning increased nutrient concentrations were causing an imbalance in natural populations of aquatic plants and animals. Thus adopting total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) to improve environmental water quality necessary to protect both springs was critical.
The county upgraded the treatment method to a five-stage bionutrient removal process designed by CPH Inc. Total nitrogen is expected to be reduced by more than 25,000 lb per year.
“We believe the reduced nutrient loading into the Blue Spring basin to be the biggest success of the project,” said Robert D. Beedle, plant operations manager for the Volusia County Water Resources and Utilties division. “The reduction will hopefully begin to restore balance to the natural populations of aquatic plants and animals. We are currently seeing a 54% reduction in total nitrogen and 77% reduction in total phosphorous.”
Additional reclaimed water supply was achieved as the county decommissioned a 0.3-mgd wastewater facility in the Blue Spring basin and redirected flow to the expanded Southwest Regional facility. The strategy was determined more efficient and cost-effective than investing in advanced treatment at two separate facilities.
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The consolidation of wastewater flow to one treatment facility generated an additional 220,000 gal per day of alternative water supply, helping to reduce reliance on potable water for irrigation within the springshed as population within the region continues to grow.
Maintaining continual operations and uninterrupted service for customers was a key goal for the project. Challenges occurred during the 20-month construction period. Frequent communication and coordination among the engineering, construction and plant operations teams helped ensure the objective was consistently achieved.
“From our perspective, it was being able to maintain compliance with our permit requirements as the entire treatment technique was converted from a three-ring Orbal oxidation ditch and a separate Upflow Sludge Blanket Filtration treatment train to independent five-stage bionutrient removal trains, all the while keeping current flows diverted while new stages came online and current plant processes were disrupted,” Beedle said.