Pre-project Conditions
The existing wastewater treatment facility with an average capacity of 0.6 million gallon per day (mgd) did not provide adequate treatment to flows generated by the city of Somerton and was unable to meet Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) permit requirements consistently. Between January 1998 and July 2001, there were 12 AZPDES permit violations relative to concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and total suspended solids (TSS) in the facility’s effluent.
Project Scope
The project consisted of constructing a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with a total capacity of 0.8 mgd to replace the existing lagoon system
Project Benefits
The new plant improved effluent discharges to the Yuma Drain Canal and the underlying groundwater aquifer by reducing the levels of BOD5, TSS and total nitrogen in compliance with U.S. standards for wastewater treatment.
