Implementation of Montana’s 1st Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)

PNCWA 2012 Boise, ID

Jeff Ashley, P.E. Morrison-Maierle, Inc.

Presentation Outline 1.  Facility Planning

2.  Project Phasing

3.  MBR Equipment Pre-Selection

4.  Design

5.  Construction & Startup

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Presentation Outline 1.  Facility Planning

2.  Project Phasing

3.  MBR Equipment Pre-Selection

4.  Design

5.  Construction & Startup

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Bigfork, Montana

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Flathead Lake

Kalispell

Missoula

Bigfork

Helena

Facility Planning •  Aging trickling filter plant (1980’s) BOD removal

•  Effluent filtration for Phosphorus removal

•  Small Site (~ 1 acre)

•  Outfall to Flathead Lake

•  Facility planning efforts initiated in 2006   Preliminary Engineering Report (PER)

  Grant / loan application

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Facility Planning •  30-day Avg. Permit Limits (expired in 2006):

  BOD / TSS 30 mg/L

  Total Nitrogen (TN) 152 ppd

  Total Phosphorus (TP) 1.0 mg/L

  E.coli 32

•  Current Influent Flows:   Avg. Day = 0.23 mgd

  Max Day = 0.40 mgd

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Facility Planning •  Bigfork seasonal tourist economy

•  Service Population   Year round residents (~1,500)

  Seasonal residents (~30% increase)

  Tourists (~25% increase)

•  ~ 5% per year residential growth (2006)

Influent flow increase to plant

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Facility Planning •  Existing Permit Limits (2006):

  BOD & TSS 30 mg/L   TN 152 ppd   TP 1.0 mg/L   E. coli 32

•  Potential Permit Limits:   BOD & TSS 10 mg/L   TN 10 mg/L   TP 0.5 mg/L   E. coli 32

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Facility Planning •  Existing Permit Limits (2006):

  BOD & TSS 30 mg/L   TN 152 ppd   TP 1.0 mg/L   E. coli 32

•  Potential Permit Limits:   BOD & TSS 10 mg/L   TN 10 mg/L   TP 0.5 mg/L   E. coli 32

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12 Condos  

Highw

ay  ROW  

Neighbor  

Neighbo

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Facility Planning •  New permit issued in 2010

•  2010 Interim Permit Limits (30-day avg):   BOD & TSS 22 mg/L   TP 1.0 mg/L   E. coli 32

•  2013 Final Permit Limits (30-day avg):   BOD & TSS 22 mg/L   TN 15 mg/L (max month Q)   TP 1.0 mg/L   E. coli 32

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Facility Planning •  PER investigated several options to meet

future flows & effluent limits:

  Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)   Sequencing Batch Reactor   Relocate Plant

•  Detailed evaluation of economic and non-economic factors of each option

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Facility Planning •  PER investigated several options to meet

future flows & effluent limits:

  Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)   Sequencing Batch Reactor   Relocate Plant

•  Detailed evaluation of economic and non-economic factors of each option *MBR selected for cost effectiveness, small footprint,

effluent quality

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