Wastewater Treatment Plant Chemical Feed Systems Upgrades

https://www.thereporteronline.com/2023/07/12/lansdale-committee-votes-ahead-wastewater-plant-upgrades/ LANSDALE - A vote later this month could clear the way for a major upgrade to Lansdale's wastewater treatment plant. Council could vote later this month to seek bids for an aeration upgrade project that could mean major savings for the borough long-term. "This is a significant investment, if it is something we choose to do," said public works committee chair BJ Breish. Throughout the summer the public works committee has discussed a need to keep up with aging infrastructure at the wastewater treatment plant, which is located on Ninth Street and processes roughly 4.5 million gallons of sewer flow per day, with some equipment dating back to the plant's construction in the late 1970s. In June council approved the town's first sewer rate increase since 2015, after staff made the case for more funding to tackle equipment replacement and upgrades, and during the July 5 committee meeting, talks began on the first big project the plant could tackle. "We were dealing with this aging underground air piping throughout the plant, that had seals from 1978, and they had started to fail. As we replaced them, it just caused other seals to fail," said wastewater superintendent Greg Rapp. "This is very significant underground aeration piping, in the 48-inch diameter range in places," he said. As part of the processes required to handle the sewage that flows into the plant, Rapp told the committee, the aeration system currently uses a series of five 250-horsepower blowers to add air into the system, with two blowers used each day providing a total of 500 horsepower - but only about 300 horsepower is needed. "We basically take 200 horsepower of air per day, and blow it off. This upgrade will address that: the upgrade will put instrumentation in place so that the aeration will be produced on-demand," he said. Where does that added horsepower go? At times, Rapp told the committee, right through leaks in the 40-plus-year-old lines and through to the ground above, where it's most visible in the winter. "We have areas throughout the plant, where the aeration runs - it probably runs in the area of 150 yards - where grass will not grow, because of the amount of air leaking out of those pipes. The benefit is, it will not accumulate snow in the winter, but we have significant air leaks," he said. "And the equipment we have now is not efficient. In 1978, it was efficient and valid equipment. It is no longer," Rapp said. Councilman Rich DiGregorio asked how much the aeration project would cost, and Rapp said engineering estimates are roughly $2 million to $2.5 million, with exact figures depending on bid results. The councilman then asked if the costs would be offset by revenue from Merck, the major manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in neighboring Upper Gwynedd that has sent sewage flow to the Lansdale plant since 2012 and increased their flow in 2022, and Rapp said some of the proceeds from increased flow would go toward the aeration project, in addition to $500,000 in grant funds. When could the project start? If council votes on June 19 to seek bids, the committee could see the results in their August 2 meeting, Rapp said, with a vote for council approval possible two weeks later, and a possible project completion by the end of 2024. Breish asked if the project would decrease the plant's overall energy consumption, and Rapp said that was one of the main objectives. "We know it will be significant. I don’t want to set a percentage, but minimal I would expect a 30 percent decrease in aeration costs," he said. After the committee voted ahead a request to seek bids, for action by council later this month, Rapp also gave an update on a new UV disinfection system currently being installed in the plant, which Rapp said should decrease the plant’s expenses for chemicals that have seen steep cost escalations in recent years. The slideshow also included photos of plant employees taking care of smaller maintenance and repair projects throughout the plant, which Breish said were worthy of kudos from council and the public. "Those departments, public works and the wastewater treatment plant, are working incredibly hard, and doing a wonderful job, and should be commended," he said. The project consists of demolition and a number of access platform, tank, mixer, pump, piping, electrical and equipment control improvements for various chemical feed systems located in three existing buildings at the Borough's WWTP. A certified check or bank draft, payable to the order of the Borough of Lansdale, negotiable U.S. Government Bonds (at par value), or a satisfactory Bid Bond executed by the Bidder and an acceptable surety, in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total bid amount shall be submitted with each Bid. Bonds are to be issued by a surety licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The successful Bidder will be required to furnish and pay for Satisfactory Performance and Payment Bond and Labor and Materialmen's Bond. Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages set forth in the Contract Documents must be paid on this project, and that the Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Bidders are required to comply with the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act of 1961, P.L. 987, No. 442, where the estimated cost of the total project is in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). The Borough reserves the right to reject any or all Bids or to waive any informalities or irregularities in the bidding when, in the opinion of the Borough, such rejections or waivers shall be in its interest or advantage. Question Deadline 07/19/2023 at 5:00 PM ET

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