Full Answer
How does a Maine wastewater treatment facility operate?
Virtually all of the wastewater treatment facilities in Maine use a combination of biological, chemical and physical processes to remove pollutants from the water. One of the most important jobs of the wastewater treatment facility operator is to control that process to maximize the efficiency of the removal of pollutants.
What is Berwick Sewer District doing to protect the public?
The Berwick Sewer District is making every effort to protect the public, its staff and their families during the Covid 19 Pandemic and aftermath. The continued operations of the District are critical to public and environmental health.
Is there an industrial pretreatment program in Maine?
In some communities in Maine there are approved local Industrial Pretreatment Programs; these communities manage their Industrial Users locally, and issue their own Industrial User permits:
Where can I find wastewater testing data in Maine?
Additional wastewater testing sites in Maine report data directly to US CDC. The sites are in these counties: Find these data on the US CDC COVID Data Tracker.
Announcements
Our office on Main Street is closed until further notice. Please email [email protected] if you need assistance.
Upcoming Meeting
Trustees meet at 7:00pm the first Monday of each month in the Town Council Chambers at the South Berwick Town Hall, 180 Main Street.
What is Maine DEP?
In an effort to optimize the performance of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities, the Maine DEP provides Pollution Prevention services to municipal and industrial facilities. Pollution Prevention is the concept of preventing the pollution before it is created in the first place. Typically a team will be formed to identify any opportunities to increase the efficient use of chemicals and energy throughout the treatment facility. In addition, the team will look for any opportunities to reduce pollution either throughout the municipality or the industry. This team typically is comprised of a DEP staff person, plant operators and administrators, and may include engineering consultants. This team approach is now used more extensively than in the past, because it builds trust and better working relationships and produces improved results. The team will work together to identify pollution prevention opportunities. Once the problem has been properly identified, the team will identify possible solutions. The facility staff's extensive experience with their facility, combined with the DEP's experience with a variety of facilities, combines to form a very effective team.
What is NetDMR in Maine?
The Network Discharge Monitoring Report (NetDMR) tool provides web-based technology to record and report treated waste water monitoring data. The operators of Maine’s various public and private wastewater treatment facilities are required to submit Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) to the DEP. The DMR data is required to be submitted electronically to the Environmental Protection Agency. Maine facilities use the NetDMR tool to do this.
What is the biggest expense in wastewater treatment?
Energy is always one of the largest expenses when running a wastewater treatment facility. Pumping water, aerating mixed liquor and dewater sludge require large amounts of electricity, much of it used around the clock every day.
Can commercial wastewater be discharged into a conventional wastewater treatment system?
Commercial and Industrial operations may produce process wastewater streams, or discharges into a facility’s conventional wastewater stream, that are difficult or impossible to handle in a conventional wastewater treatment system. For such facilities it is necessary to obtain a permit (or permission) from the appropriate authority before commencing to discharge.