Wynne wastewater plant rebuild incorporates antimicrobial concrete protection

Kryton International announced the completion of concrete protection work for the rebuilt wastewater treatment plant in Wynne, Arkansas, following infrastructure damage caused by an EF-3 tornado in 2023.

The project was supported by $2.6 million in federal funding from the Delta Regional Authority and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Project teams selected Kryton’s KIM BioGard integral crystalline waterproofing admixture to help protect the new facility against microbial-induced corrosion and chemical degradation commonly associated with wastewater environments.

“We recognized that there was urgency behind the Wynne wastewater treatment plant project, and we wanted to get it right. We knew that the residents of Wynne needed a wastewater treatment facility that had a long service-life, and could withstand the effects of highly acidic water, sulfates, salts and other harsh chemicals,” said Dan Moore of Sustain Admixtures, the concrete admixture supplier to the project, in a press release. “We recommended KIM BioGard as their best option.”

KIM BioGard uses crystalline waterproofing technology designed to protect concrete from water penetration, sulfates, hydrogen sulfide and acidic conditions while extending infrastructure lifespan and reducing maintenance needs.

“Wastewater infrastructure is constantly under attack from microbial-induced corrosion (MIC),” said Kari Yuers, president and CEO of Kryton, in a press release. “By incorporating KIM BioGard into the concrete at Wynne, the city is rebuilding while looking to the future and protecting its investment against the sulfuric acid and bacteria that typically degrade untreated concrete over time.”

According to the release, the wastewater facility had been out of service for more than two years, requiring officials to divert flows to a temporary lagoon while reconstruction efforts were underway.