Project Highlights:
- Reduced daily wastewater flows from 99,000 to 26,000 gallons per day
- Reduced wastewater system design and installation proposed cost from $1,000,000 to $400,000
EEC Environmental (EEC) conducted a feasibility study at the production facility to evaluate the current wastewater system’s design and to recommend design modifications to accommodate a more stringent wastewater discharge limit for boron from the regulating agency. The facility discharged approximately 40,000 to 160,000 gallons (daily average 99,000 gallons) of wastewater per day from their operation to the local sewer.
The sources of wastewater were evaluated for opportunities (including a potential for reuse) to reduce or eliminate the need for sending waste to the wastewater system – source minimization. Process flow diagrams (PFD), process and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID) and mechanical piping plans were drafted for segregation of the waste streams for reuse and for wastewater discharge.
The modifications reduced wastewater discharge flow ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 gallons per day (daily average 26,000 gallons), reduced the high fluctuations of boron concentrations in the wastewater and provided for the flexibility of treatment for a portion of the final waste stream when a new limit is approved if required. It is currently projected that the all of the high strength wastewater will be recycled and that the facility will be able to meet the new boron discharge limit without installing a wastewater treatment system.
