Brief Project Description

Grantee: Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) - James River Treatment Plant

Grant:    #440-S-10-03 (James River Treatment Plant-Phase I)

 

HRSD owns and operates the James River Treatment Plant (JRTP), which provides secondary treatment (conventional activated sludge) at a design capacity of 20 MGD. The existing treatment process consists of screening, grit collection, pre-aeration, and primary clarification followed by aeration tanks, secondary clarification, and chlorine contact tanks. Solids handling at the plant consists of gravity thickening (primary solids), belt thickening (waste activated sludge), digestion, and centrifuge dewatering. Dewatered biosolids are transported to a contract composting facility. Scum, grit, and screenings are disposed of at a local landfill.

 

Due to new nutrient discharge control regulations for the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, HRSD has received a combined, “bubble” waste load allocation for nitrogen and phosphorus for its three treatment plants discharging within the James River watershed. Providing nutrient removal at the JRTP is a key element for meeting the waste load allocation for the James River and improving local water quality.

 

Under a plan referenced as “James River Treatment Plant Improvements Project-Phase I-Nutrient Reduction Upgrades”, HRSD will augment the existing secondary treatment process with an integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) system capable of biologically reducing effluent total nitrogen to an annual average concentration of 12.0 mg/l. Facility upgrades related to the IFAS system and other improvements are also planned.

 

Facilities included in the Phase I project are described as follows.

 

Secondary Treatment (grant eligible)

• Screening improvements at the headworks to include replacement of two existing screens (40 MGD capacity) and installation of a new 20 MGD screen
• Modification of the biological reactors to an MLE configuration with integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) in the aerobic sections
• Blower upgrades
• Electrical upgrades related to IFAS and blowers
• Electrical buildings at the aeration basins
• Caustic storage and feed facilities
• Polymer system replacement (not grant eligible)
• Digester heating boiler replacement (not grant eligible)
• Odor control at the aeration basins (partially grant eligible)