The sewer collection system is made up of over 229 miles of underground pipes, ranging in size from 6″ to 108″. Sewage generated by Springfield citizens, businesses, and industries is collected throughout the system and treated at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
Wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment is a process used to remove contaminants from wastewater or sewage and convert it into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle with minimum impact on the environment, or directly reused. The latter is called water reclamation because treated wastewater c…
Full Answer
Where is the Springfield regional wastewater treatment facility located?
Large interceptor pipes also convey wastewater from the communities of Ludlow, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Agawam, and West Springfield to the treatment facility. The Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (SRWTF) is located on Bondi’s Island, off Route 5 in Agawam.
How does a wastewater treatment system work?
The wastewater system relies on the force of gravity to move sewage from your home to the treatment plant. So wastewater-treatment plants are located on low ground, often near a river into which treated water can be released. If the plant is built above the ground level, the wastewater has to be pumped up to the aeration tanks (item 3).
What does the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission do?
Partial or peak demand service is provided to Southwick, Westfield, and West Springfield. The Commission is also equipped to provide an emergency water supply to Chicopee and Wilbraham. The Commission owns and maintains 471 miles of wastewater collection mains throughout the city of Springfield.
Where is a wastewater treatment plant located?
So wastewater-treatment plants are located on low ground, often near a river into which treated water can be released. If the plant is built above the ground level, the wastewater has to be pumped up to the aeration tanks (item 3).
What happens in a sewage treatment plant?
There are two basic stages in the treat- ment of wastes, primary and secondary, which are outlined here. In the primary stage, solids are allowed to settle and removed from wastewater. The secondary stage uses biological processes to further purify wastewater. Sometimes, these stages are combined into one operation.
What are the 4 steps of sewage treatment?
4-Step Wastewater Sludge Treatment ProcessStep 1 – Sludge Thickening. The first step in the sewage sludge treatment plan is called thickening. ... Step 2 – Sludge Digestion. After amassing all the solids from the sewage sludge begins the sludge digestion process. ... Step 3 – Dewatering. ... Step 4 – Disposal.
What are the 3 stages of sewage treatment plant?
There are three main stages of the wastewater treatment process, aptly known as primary, secondary and tertiary water treatment.
What are the 8 steps of sewage treatment?
The Wastewater Treatment ProcessStage One — Bar Screening. ... Stage Two — Screening. ... Stage Three — Primary Clarifier. ... Stage Four — Aeration. ... Stage Five — Secondary Clarifier. ... Stage Six — Chlorination (Disinfection) ... Stage Seven — Water Analysis & Testing. ... Stage Eight — Effluent Disposal.
What happens to poop at the water treatment plant?
During the first stage, all of the waste that accumulates in the city's pipes just sits in a tank for hours. This stage allows the solids to settle at the bottom of the tank. The water at the top of the tank is skimmed off and sent off to be processed. Your poop remains in the sludge that's left over.
Where does human waste go after a sewage treatment plant?
The treated wastewater is released into local waterways where it's used again for any number of purposes, such as supplying drinking water, irrigating crops, and sustaining aquatic life.
What can sewage treatment not remove?
Biological stages in wastewater treatment plants are not able to remove substances such as drugs, found in the wastewater of medical centers, or halogenated compounds and cyanides from industrial wastewater.
What is sewage treatment process?
Sewage Treatment refers to the process of removing contaminants, micro-organisms and other types of pollutants from wastewater. Wastewater, or raw sewage, is water that drains from toilets, sinks, showers, baths, dishwashers, washing machines and liquid industrial waste.
Is the water drinkable after it has been treated?
After treatment, the water is added to the reservoirs. NEWater, which has passed more than 65,000 scientific tests and surpasses World Health Organization drinking water standards, is clean enough to be used for the electronics industry and to be bottled as drinking water.
How do they involve in wastewater treatment?
The Wastewater Treatment ProcessStage One — Bar Screening. ... Stage Two — Screening. ... Stage Three — Primary Clarifier. ... Stage Four — Aeration. ... Stage Five — Secondary Clarifier. ... Stage Six — Chlorination (Disinfection) ... Stage Seven — Water Analysis & Testing. ... Stage Eight — Effluent Disposal.
What is the first stage in sewage treatment process?
primary sedimentation stageThe first stage in the sewage treatment is the primary sedimentation stage. Sewage including all of the grey and black water from a home flows into a chamber called the primary sedimentation tank and holds waste until it has had enough time for heavy sediment to disperse to the bottom.
Where does sewer go?
The sewage treatment process The sewerage system pumps the sewage to a treatment plant where it is processed and treated to remove any contaminants. Once treated, the resulting effluent is released back out into waterways, where it continues its journey through the water cycle.
What to do if sewer is not in city sewer?
If the cause of the problem is determined to be within the private lateral and not within the City sewer main, you will be instructed to contact a plumber or sewer cleaning service.
What are eligible projects for Illinois?
Eligible projects include new drinking water or wastewater infrastructure construction; upgrading or rehabilitating existing infrastructure; storm water-related projects that benefit water quality; and a variety of other projects that protect or improve the quality of Illinois’s rivers, streams, and lakes.
What is SSO in sewer?
SSO's are defined as when sewage leaves the sanitary sewer system due to a problem or failure of the city owned sewer main. Basement backups caused by problems in private laterals are not considered SSO's. Residents in affected areas are cautioned to avoid contact with untreated sewage.
What is IEPA in Illinois?
The IEPA assist applicants with projects that address human health and failing water infrastructure. Eligible projects include new drinking water or wastewater infrastructure construction; upgrading or rehabilitating existing infrastructure; storm water-related projects that benefit water quality; and a variety of other projects that protect or improve the quality of Illinois’s rivers, streams, and lakes. The IEPA historical list of borrowers includes the state’s largest city, as well as, many small communities and water districts with populations less than 1,000 people.”
Where did the water in Springfield come from?
Prior to that time, most of Springfield’s water source came from private wells, local streams, or springs. Formation of the Springfield Aqueduct Company in 1848 facilitated the use of Van Horn Reservoir, which became the city’s primary water source. As population in the city increased during the Civil War due to industrialization, ...
What are the two main processes of wastewater treatment?
Wastewater treatment consists of two major processes: primary treatment and secondary treatment . The original facility built in the late 1930s only conducted primary treatment ; secondary treatment was added when the facility was modernized in 1977 following adoption of the Clean Water Act in 1972.
Why is water filtered?
There, water is filtered to remove particles, organics, and any other impurities. Then the pH of the water is adjusted and corrosion inhibitors are added to protect home plumbing from the leaching of lead and copper. Finally, chlorine is added to disinfect the water from pathogens.
When was Ludlow reservoir completed?
Ludlow Reservoir was completed in 1875 and its 1.75 billion gallon supply became the city’s main water source for the next 35 years.
When was the Provin Mountain tank built?
The tanks range were constructed between 1909 and 1960, with the oldest tank taken permanently offline in 2019. Staff stationed at Provin Mountain oversee maintenance and operation of the Provin Mountain tanks as well as the transmission mains running through Westfield, Agawam, and West Springfield.