Upgrading treatment of solids
The Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection (WEP) upgraded sludge-handling at the Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The project was authorized in 1999 and completed in
2001. To implement the project, WEP made improvements
to sludge digester tanks, the settling lagoons, and
the gas compression system.
WEP first emptied and then inspected the digester
tanks and then cleaned and repaired or modified them.
Piping was changed, as needed. The methane gas
compression system was replaced.
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Digester at Metro
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Digesters are critical to management of solid wastes
(called “biosolids”) that are by-products of the
wastewater treatment process. Biosolids are kept
heated for several days in the digester tanks.
Bacteria thrive in this environment and break down the
biosolids. In the process, the bacteria reduce the
volume and odors of the biosolids and rid them of
organisms that might cause disease.
Two products result from the digestion process:
methane gas and solid waste.
WEP's modifications have improved the treatment of
solids.
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Susan Miller, Project Deputy Director
Onondaga County Dept of Water Environment Protection