Page 14 - Jan/Feb 2016 Vol.33 No.6
P. 14
PIGEON FORGE By Kenny Diehl, P.E., Herby Rader, P.E. and Joe Griffey, P.E.
Wastewater Treatment Plant is
2015 TCAPWA Project of the Year
The City of Pigeon Forge is an unusual discuss TDEC’s shift in nutrient regula- In addition to meeting the primary goal
place. Nestled in the heart of the Smoky tion from the total Maximum Daily Load of providing additional capacity, this loca-
Mountains, it is both scenic and vibrant. to a Nutrient Management Strategy and tion accomplished a number of secondary
It is also a City with 6,000 permanent the impact on the City’s National Pollut- goals as well. Since the land was already
residents that can see its population swell ant Discharge Elimination System permit. owned by the City, no additional land
to more than 60,000 on any given day due A variety of feasible options were evalu- needed to be purchased. Additionally, the
to tourism. ated, ranging from expanding the existing collection system had been constructed to
plant to purchasing additional property convey wastewater to this general location.
This wide variation in the popula- for a new plant. The City of Pigeon Forge This minimized the amount of collection
tion generates fluctuating sanitary sewer weighed various options, including: system improvements needed to bring
loads that had become challenging for the • The plant’s ability to treat varying wastewater to the new site. Finally, the
City’s 1976 treatment facility. The plant’s park activities displaced by the plant found
capacity of 4.0 million gallons per day was influent flows to very low total nitrogen a new home within a larger, state-of-the art
often insufficient to meet actual hydraulic and phosphorus levels community park that was designed during
demands. Much of the existing equipment • Capacity of the receiving stream the planning activities for the plant.
was at or near the end of its expected use- • Upgrading the existing wastewater Project Process Descriptions
ful life. Though the plant was operated in a plant to provide additional capacity and
very efficient manner by the City’s contract nutrient removal The individual treatment processes are
operator Veolia, it had little margin for • Availability and cost of purchasing land described in detail below. In addition to
error, flexibility and virtually no room for for a new plant these units, the project also included a
future growth. • Impact on the existing wastewater new main lift station, a robust SCADA
collection infrastructure system, a state-of-the-art 8,300 square foot
Additionally, the State of Tennessee’s • The City’s long term goal of developing laboratory and control building, and a
evolving nutrient reduction strategy placed a water reuse network to offset potable 2,000 square foot maintenance facility.
tight nitrogen and phosphorus limits on water demands Screening
the City’s discharge into the pristine West • The centrality of the wastewater plant’s
Prong of the Little Pigeon River. With location within the City, specifically in Treatment at the new plant begins with
flows sometimes exceeding design capac- relation to other highly utilized commu- fine screening provided by two rotary
ity, more restrictive discharge limits, and nity buildings and tourist locations drum screens. Each screen provides
aging equipment and infrastructure, the After careful consideration, the City screening of larger and stringy material
City was compelled to expand its waste- elected to construct a new 6.0 MGD plant using wedgewire drums with 1.5 mm
water treatment plant. with a hydraulic capacity of 15.0 MGD. openings, allowing for more effective
Project Planning and Process Evaluation Park land owned by the City west of the operation of downstream treatment
existing plant was chosen as the new plant processes.
A number of alternatives were evalu- site. By choosing adjacent land, the City Sequencing Batch Reactor
ated to increase the City’s capacity to was able to continue using its existing
treat wastewater. The City’s consultants permitted discharge. The heart of the new treatment process
met with the Tennessee Department of is sequencing batch reactors. This acti-
Environment and Conservation officials to
8,300 SF Laboratory and Control Building Sequencing Batch Reactor Tertiary Filtration
14 TPW January/February 2016
Wastewater Treatment Plant is
2015 TCAPWA Project of the Year
The City of Pigeon Forge is an unusual discuss TDEC’s shift in nutrient regula- In addition to meeting the primary goal
place. Nestled in the heart of the Smoky tion from the total Maximum Daily Load of providing additional capacity, this loca-
Mountains, it is both scenic and vibrant. to a Nutrient Management Strategy and tion accomplished a number of secondary
It is also a City with 6,000 permanent the impact on the City’s National Pollut- goals as well. Since the land was already
residents that can see its population swell ant Discharge Elimination System permit. owned by the City, no additional land
to more than 60,000 on any given day due A variety of feasible options were evalu- needed to be purchased. Additionally, the
to tourism. ated, ranging from expanding the existing collection system had been constructed to
plant to purchasing additional property convey wastewater to this general location.
This wide variation in the popula- for a new plant. The City of Pigeon Forge This minimized the amount of collection
tion generates fluctuating sanitary sewer weighed various options, including: system improvements needed to bring
loads that had become challenging for the • The plant’s ability to treat varying wastewater to the new site. Finally, the
City’s 1976 treatment facility. The plant’s park activities displaced by the plant found
capacity of 4.0 million gallons per day was influent flows to very low total nitrogen a new home within a larger, state-of-the art
often insufficient to meet actual hydraulic and phosphorus levels community park that was designed during
demands. Much of the existing equipment • Capacity of the receiving stream the planning activities for the plant.
was at or near the end of its expected use- • Upgrading the existing wastewater Project Process Descriptions
ful life. Though the plant was operated in a plant to provide additional capacity and
very efficient manner by the City’s contract nutrient removal The individual treatment processes are
operator Veolia, it had little margin for • Availability and cost of purchasing land described in detail below. In addition to
error, flexibility and virtually no room for for a new plant these units, the project also included a
future growth. • Impact on the existing wastewater new main lift station, a robust SCADA
collection infrastructure system, a state-of-the-art 8,300 square foot
Additionally, the State of Tennessee’s • The City’s long term goal of developing laboratory and control building, and a
evolving nutrient reduction strategy placed a water reuse network to offset potable 2,000 square foot maintenance facility.
tight nitrogen and phosphorus limits on water demands Screening
the City’s discharge into the pristine West • The centrality of the wastewater plant’s
Prong of the Little Pigeon River. With location within the City, specifically in Treatment at the new plant begins with
flows sometimes exceeding design capac- relation to other highly utilized commu- fine screening provided by two rotary
ity, more restrictive discharge limits, and nity buildings and tourist locations drum screens. Each screen provides
aging equipment and infrastructure, the After careful consideration, the City screening of larger and stringy material
City was compelled to expand its waste- elected to construct a new 6.0 MGD plant using wedgewire drums with 1.5 mm
water treatment plant. with a hydraulic capacity of 15.0 MGD. openings, allowing for more effective
Project Planning and Process Evaluation Park land owned by the City west of the operation of downstream treatment
existing plant was chosen as the new plant processes.
A number of alternatives were evalu- site. By choosing adjacent land, the City Sequencing Batch Reactor
ated to increase the City’s capacity to was able to continue using its existing
treat wastewater. The City’s consultants permitted discharge. The heart of the new treatment process
met with the Tennessee Department of is sequencing batch reactors. This acti-
Environment and Conservation officials to
8,300 SF Laboratory and Control Building Sequencing Batch Reactor Tertiary Filtration
14 TPW January/February 2016
