The Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority (KVWPCA) plant was originally constructed in 1972. The current plant provides preliminary, primary and secondary treatment along with disinfection prior to the treated effluent being discharged to the Kiskiminetas River under the terms of NPDES Permit Number PA0027626.
The newly expanded wastewater treatment facility has an average daily design hydraulic capacity of 7.0 Million Gallons per Day (MGD), with the capacity to accept and treat peak flows up to approximately 31 MGD meeting the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding combined sewer systems (CSS) and their combined sewer overflow (CSO) Control Policy.
KVWPCA initiated construction for the new expanded $32 Million plant in January 2013. This expansion included:
- Upgrade of the existing plant influent pump station with two (2) low flow duty pumps and two (2) high flow duty pumps with ultimate pumping capacity of 31 MGD.
- A new headworks building with an automatic mechanically cleaned bar screen, multiple-tray solids concentrator type grit removal chamber and belt conveyor to convey screenings and grit to a dumpster for disposal.
- Four (4) Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs) to provide secondary treatment in the new process train. The SBRs are designed to accommodate the average and peak daily hydraulic loadings of 7 MGD and 31 MGD. Each SBR basin is aerated through a grid of fine bubble membrane diffusers for high efficiency oxygen transfer.
- Elimination of three (3) existing final clarifiers (the new process provides clarification within the SBR basins).
- An ultraviolet disinfection system to replace the existing chlorine system for disinfection of the wastewater prior to dicharge.
KVWPCA initiated operations through the new facilities in October 2015; the on-site pump station became operational in May 2016.
