The Primary Clarifier Improvements Project for the Glenbard Wastewater Authority is officially complete. Trotter and Associates, Inc. provided design and resident engineering services for this rehabilitation project, which upgraded aging treatment equipment while improving operational flexibility and reliability.

Major improvements included rehabilitation of the Authority’s two primary clarifiers and gravity thickener with new stainless steel collection mechanisms, replacement of sludge and scum pumps, piping, valves, meters, and associated electric and control systems, replacement of clarifier influent and effluent gates with the addition of electric actuators, replacement of large-diameter clarifier effluent piping in their diversion structure, and installation of new thickened waste activated sludge piping from the gravity thickener to the existing anerobic digesters to allow additional operational control of the primary sludge and thickened waste activated sludge.

Additional upgrades focused on improving plant operations and odor mitigation by installing primary clarifier launder covers and a new walkable aluminum flat cover over the gravity thickener.

Construction was completed while maintaining continuous plant operations. A 47 MGD temporary bypass system was implemented to facilitate installation of the diversion structure gates and large-diameter clarifier effluent piping, while a temporary solids thickening operation maintained the solids treatment processes during the gravity thickener equipment rehabilitation.

Project Team Included: Glenbard Wastewater Authority, Trotter and Associates, Inc., Vissering Construction, Dahme Mechanical Industries, Connelly Electric Co., and TRI-R Systems, Inc.