Project Information
- Location: Martensville, Saskatchewan
- Project Type: Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
- Completion Date: November 2019
Treatment Objectives
- Design Flow:
2,400 m3/day (0.5279 MGD) - Effluent Quality:
cBOD5: < 10 mg/L
TSS: < 10 mg/L
PROJECT BACKGROUND & CHALLENGES
The town of Martensville, Saskatchewan, is less than 300 KM (173 M) from provincial capital Regina but less than 20 minutes north of Saskatoon. It can be found roughly halfway between the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers, where it inhabits a region of aspen parkland – the transitional zone between the expected prairie grasses of the south and the rugged boreal forest in the north. North of Saskatoon, the Martens family had originally purchased a plot of land in 1939. Sections of this land were later sold to other families also wishing to live in a small community, eventually resulting in the community of Martensville. First incorporated as a town in 1969, it would gain sewer and water systems in 1976 as more and more people began to move into the area.
Officially granted city status in 2009, many people who work in Saskatoon choose to live in Martensville, given its proximity and the ability to retain close connections within the community. In fact, the most recent Canadian census places the population of Martensville at nearly 10,000 people – making it the 11th largest city in the province. Starting first in 2004, Martensville sought to upgrade their wastewater treatment facility. Faced with a rapidly expanding population and a pair of facultative lagoons, city engineers turned to a combination of our optAER® fine-bubble lagoon aeration with patented Float-Sink headers, to ultimately create a solution.
The NEI Answer
The original treatment system (facultative ponds) had been adequate for wastewater treatment until the area began experiencing rapid population growth. In 2004, the existing system was no longer able to maintain permit levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). Additionally, facultative (or passive) wastewater storage ponds are well known for producing odors, particularly during spring break up.
One option for increasing capacity, without constructing additional lagoons or expanding existing ones, is to aerate the lagoons. Aerated treatment cells greatly reduce the footprint of the treatment upgrade as compared to installing additional facultative cells.
Working with Catterall & Wright Consulting Engineers, we proposed upgrading the existing lagoons using the our optAER system, enabling Martensville to both deal with its odor issues and also meet its permit limits for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) year-round.
Solving the capacity problem:
During both phases, the fine-bubble aeration diffusers pivotal to the optAER system provide excellent operational flexibility, operating in an airflow range of 5-20 SCFM. The airflow can be adjusted to accommodate variable load conditions while also providing cost effective future upgrades to increase capacity. Fine bubbles also mean greater surface area and a slower rise rate when compared to traditional “coarse bubbles”. This increases the overall oxygen transfer efficiency of the system, and effectively mixes the water to ensure aerobic conditions throughout the pond.
The diffusers are placed at the bottom of the pond, suspended from air distribution floating laterals on the surface of the pond. This provides a level surface, meaning diffusers can be installed at consistent depth regardless of the condition of the bottom of the pond. Equal diffuser submergence allows for even distribution of air, providing consistent mixing and prevents the formation of localized anaerobic zones, which can create odor issues.
The second phase would allow the WWTF to accommodate the needs of a future population of 8,000, with a flow rate of 2,400 m3/day. In 2008, the storage cells were aerated with the optAER aeration system, using the headers pre-installed during the initial construction of the new lagoons in 2004. Linear aeration tubing was installed in the shallow storage cells to provide gentle mixing and maintain aerobic conditions in order to minimize odor generation, as aerating the water throughout the winter is very effective for minimizing “spring turnover” odors.
Growing with the community:
Unexpectedly rapid population growth saw the community of Martensville hit its 20-year population projection within ten years. In 2013, the town reached out again to us, seeking a solution. In order to gain additional capacity from the current structures, a third aerated storage cell was constructed in order to accommodate the increase in flow. The blower servicing the storage ponds was also replaced with a larger one to supply the required oxygen.
Implementation of the SAGRs:
UPGRADED SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
Following the successful completion of system construction, the upgraded WTTF at Doaktown was commissioned in December 2010, with operator training on December 20th. Since commissioning, the Doaktown facility has exceeded all effluent requirements – consistently producing low effluent concentrations for BOD, TSS and TAN.
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