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The Speedway Wastewater
Treatment Plant is a Class IV facility with a design daily flow of 7.5 million
gallons per day and a peak design flow of 11.25 million gallons. Treatment is
accomplished by various physical, chemical, and biological processes.
A.
Administration Building - Offices and the laboratory are located here. The lab
is where we perform many tests on the wastewater, both for regulatory and
operational purposes.
B. Service
Building - The raw wastewater receives its first treatment here. A cylindrical
screen removes large debris from the waste stream. The flow is then measured
and pumped to the next treatment.
C. Grit
Removal -The flow velocity is slowed way down here so inorganic material such
as sand and gravel will settle to the bottom of the tanks. This material is
dewatered and disposed of in a landfill.
D. Primary Settling Tanks - The flow velocity is slowed even
further so more solid material can settle to the bottom. Lighter materials
such as grease float on top. The floatable material is removed and disposed of
in a landfill. The solids on the bottom are collected and pumped on for
further treatment.
E. Pressure
Swing Adsorption Unit (PSA) - This unit produces pure oxygen to be utilized in
the activated sludge process.
F. Activated
Sludge Process (Unox) - In this process microorganisms are utilized to eat
(oxidize) the waste materials in the wastewater. This is accomplished by
providing the microorganisms with food (organics in the wastewater) and oxygen,
which is generated by the PSA. The biomass produced by this process is called
“mixed liquor”.
G. Final
Settling Tanks - After treatment in the Unox system the mixed liquor enters
these tanks , where it settles to the bottom leaving clear water on top. This
clear water moves on for further treatment while the mixed liquor is returned
back to the Unox tank to be reused.
H. Sludge
Pumping Building - This building houses the pumps used to return the settled
solids in the final settling tanks back to the Unox tank.
I.
Nitrification Towers - These towers have a plastic media in which to grow
special nitrifying bacteria. As the clear water from the final settling tanks is
trickled through this media, the bacteria convert the ammonia to nitrates.
J. Chlorine
Contact Tank - The final treated water is chlorinated to kill disease causing
bacteria, de-chlorinated, then discharged to Eagle Creek. Approx. 95% of the
pollution causing materials have been removed.
K. Anaerobic
Digester - The solids removed during treatment are stabilized by heating them to
95 degrees F. for 15 days.
L. Sludge
Holding Tank - A storage tank for digested solids.
M. Belt Press
Building - Equipment located here dewaters the sludge in the holding tank
reducing the volume.
N. Sludge
Storage Building - Dewatered sludge (biosolids) are stored here until they can
be recycled on farmland as fertilizer.
The plant is staffed by thirteen
full-time employees consisting of two administrative, two maintenance workers,
seven plant operators, one belt press operator, and one lab technician.
Personnel are cross-trained to cover the press and lab operations.
We are open for business 24
hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. In addition to the plant the
department is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the town’s closed
landfill which is adjacent to the plant property. We also administer the
Industrial Pretreatment Program and have four lift stations we maintain.
The State of Indiana through the
Indiana Department of Environmental Management has a certification program for
certifying wastewater operators in the state. They range from a Class 1 to a
Class 4. We encourage certification and give pay raises to those who become
certified. The department currently has two Class 4 operators, one Class 3
operator, two Class 2
operators, and two Class 1 operators. All new hires on or after January 1, 2002
are required to try and become certified.
Speedway Utilities
