Wastewater Treatment Plant

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WrPNFTyt
Vvg&feature=youtu.be
The Wastewater Treatment Plant protects the people, property, and environment downstream
from Saskatoon along the South Saskatchewan River. The Plant is designated as a Class 4
treatment facility, the highest level of certification in Canada. The treatment of wastewater is
regulated by provincial and national criteria.

Plant History
The Wastewater Treatment Plant in Saskatoon was built in 1971. Since that time, the Plant has
had numerous improvements and expansions to meet new environmental laws and serve the
growing population of Saskatoon.

The first major expansion of the facility was in 1991 when the Plant was upgraded from a
primary treatment facility to an enhanced primary treatment facility. This upgrade included:

 The addition of chemicals to reduce the levels of biochemical oxygen demand,

phosphorus and solids entering the river;
 two additional Primary Settling Basins;
 one additional Digester;
 improved chemical feed equipment;
 an additional boiler; an expanded laboratory and maintenance facility;
 and deep storage and drying bed cells at the Biosolids storage site.

In 1996, Secondary Treatment facilities costing $52 million were added. The new Biological
Nutrient Removal (BNR) process further reduces the levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, and
dissolved organic matter in the effluent discharge to the river. With the BNR process, the
addition of chemicals for secondary treatment is no longer necessary. Saskatoon was one of the
first cities in Canada to use this process.

An additional pipeline from the Digesters to the Biosolids Handling Facility north of the City
was added in 2005. The Grit and Screen Facility upgrade was completed in November 2008. An
Ultraviolet Disinfection facility was completed in November 2009, which eliminated the use of
chlorine in the treatment process. The nutrient recovery facility was added in 2013.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant

Grit and Screen Facility

The Grit and Screen Facility is where sewage first enters the plant. The wastewater first passes
through bar screens to remove any material larger than 12.5 mm in size. This material is then
washed, shredded and dewatered. The wastewater then passes through a centrifical grit removal
process. The grit is washed and dewatered. The material and grit is then transported to the
landfill for proper disposal. The wastewater then flows by gravity to the Primary Sedimentation
Basins.

Primary Sedimentation Basins

This is where suspended solids settle out and floating scum is removed for further treatment.
Upon entering the Primary Sedimentation Basins, the velocity of the wastewater is reduced to 0.3
metres per minute, allowing fine particles to settle to the bottom. Settled sludge on the bottom of
the basins is continuously scraped into hoppers at the end of tanks. It takes about 4 hours for
wastewater to flow through the Primary Sedimentation Basins. Upon completion, the primary
effluent is pumped to the Bioreactors and the settled sludge is pumped to the Fermenters or
Digesters. The scum from the top of the basins is collected in hoppers and pumped to the
Digesters.

Pump Station

The Primary Effluent Pump (PEP) Station pumps primary effluent from the Primary
Sedimentation Basins to the Bioreactors.

Fermenters
The Fermenters are where the primary sludge that settled out from the Primary Sedimentation
Basins is processed. Fermentation converts the organic material into Volatile Fatty Acids
(VFA's). An example of a VFA is acetic acid or vinegar. The VFA's are sent to the Bioreactors
and utilized by the nutrient consuming micro-organisms.

Bioreactor

The two Bioreactors are where the Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) process takes place. This
natural process greatly reduces the concentration of dissolved organic compounds in the effluent
and removes unwanted carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen from the wastewater without the
addition of chemicals. In the Bioreactor, the effluent from the Primary Sedimentation Basins is
mixed with micro-organisms and Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA's).

The micro-organisms come from the secondary clarifiers (see below), where they have settled
out and are then returned to the Bioreactors. The VFA's are created in the Fermenter (see above).
The micro-organisms naturally break down excess carbon and nutrients present in the
wastewater. The effluent is moved through carefully controlled anaerobic (absence of available
oxygen), anoxic (chemically available oxygen only), and aerobic (abundance of free oxygen)
zones of the Bioreactors. Each of these areas remove specific organic compounds as the micro-
organisms continue to grow and flourish, consuming impurities in the wastewater. After
approximately 9 hours in the Bioreactors, the effluent flows to the Secondary Clarifiers.

What is Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR)?

Biogas and Biosolids

WASSTRIP and Nutrient Recovery Facility

The nutrient recovery facility is a side stage process which produces a high grade slow release
granular fertilizer. The settled micro-organisms from the secondary clarifiers are intercepted
prior to them entering the DAF (Dissolved Air Flotation) Thickener. They are held in a
WASSTRIP reactor; an anaerobic (no Oxygen available) environment for approximately 20
hours. This allows them to release some of their stored Phosphorus and Magnesium into the
solution. In the DAF Thickener, the water removed from the thickening process is now rich in
nutrients. The water is blended with Ammonia rich supernatant from the sludge settling ponds
prior to being introduced into the Ostara Pearl Reactor. The reactor is a fluidized bed upflow
reactor where the soluable nutrients form together to produce a mineral called Struvite
(Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate). This mineral is a highly valuable fertilizer used in
greenhouse and turf industries. This process reduces the overall nutrient load of the treatment
plant, which increases reliability, capacity, and the final effluent quality.

Control Room

The Control Room is where Plant Operators monitor all aspects of the wastewater treatment
process and lift station operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Numerous electronic controls,
monitoring devices, and computers are used to continuously ensure the proper operation of the
plant and quality of effluent being discharged to the South Saskatchewan River.
Utility Building

The Utility Building contains additional low pressure boilers, associated heating equipment,
airblowers for the bioreactors, standby generators, and an equipment storage area.

Heating Building

The Heating Building is where maintenance on plant equipment is performed and tools are
stored. The Heating Building also houses low pressure boilers, heat exchangers, pumps and other
equipment required to maintain the process.

Treatment Process

Discharge Quality
Through a Permit to Operate, Saskatchewan Environment regulates the levels of discharges from
the plant because of the potential impact to the river. Monthly effluent quality reports are
provided to both Saskatchewan Environment and Environment Canada.

In order to ensure that the process is working properly, technologists take over 7500 samples per
year. The laboratory performs a variety of analytical tests, which are based on Standard Methods
for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, along with the recommended quality control and
quality assurance tests.

By keeping abreast of new technology and trends in the wastewater industry, the City of
Saskatoon's Wastewater Treatment Plant will continue to provide an essential service for the
citizens of Saskatoon and to protect the environment upon which we all depend