Jersey Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant

Location

Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

Project Type

Wastewater Treatment Plant Rehabilitation

Construction Cost

TBD

Owner

Jersey Shore Borough

Jersey Shore Borough, Lycoming County, PA Infiltration/inflow Analysis

The Borough of Jersey Shore owns and operates a wastewater treatment facility with a capacity of 1.03 million gallons per day to provide wastewater treatment and disposal for Borough residents and portions of Porter Township. The Borough also owns and operates a sanitary sewer system which collects wastewater within the Borough and conveys it to the treatment plant for treatment. The Porter Township Municipal Authority owns and operates a collection system within the Township. The Township system is connected to the Borough at three locations. At each connection point a flow meter measures the quantity of sewage entering the Borough from the Township.

Total dry weather flows treated at the wastewater treatment plant average between 600,000 and 700,000 gallons per day. During wet weather events, sewage flows increase significantly due to excessive inflow and infiltration in the Borough’s and Township’s sanitary sewer system. Daily flows in excess of 4 million gallons per day have been recorded at the wastewater treatment plant. A bypass pipe, installed at the treatment plant, is used to bypass partially treated wastewater around the secondary treatment system to handle these excessive flows. Treatment plant operators typically activate the bypass when flows at the plant exceed 2.15 million gallons per day. Bypassing of partially treated wastewater is a violation of the Clean Streams Law and the Clean Water Act.

In 2002 the Borough experienced bypass events at the wastewater treatment plant. Borough operations staff reported these bypass events to PADEP in accordance with DEP’s reporting requirements. Considering the number and quantity of the bypass events, DEP prepared a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) to address high flows within the Borough’s sanitary sewer system. The COA required the Borough to address their Infiltration/Inflow problem by completing the following activities:

• Update current Corrective Action Plan
• Conduct a Treatment Plant Hydraulic Capacity Study
• Install a flow meter on the bypass
• Prepare a High Flow Operation and Management Plan

Larson Design Group assisted the Borough in negotiating the terms of the COA with DEP. The COA was signed by the Borough in August 2003. The Borough retained Larson to assist in compliance with the COA.

This report will contain recommended improvements to the system, cost estimates and funding alternatives. The revised CAP was submitted to DEP within the time frame permitted in the COA.

Conduct a Treatment Plant Hydraulic Capacity Study

Larson conducted a Treatment Plant Hydraulic Capacity Study of the existing wastewater treatment plant. The purpose of this study was to identify hydraulic limitations within the existing treatment plant and determine actions necessary to increase the flow capacity of the plant. It was determined that the conveyance line from the primary clarifiers to the secondary treatment process limited the plant capacity to 2.15 MGD. By increasing the size of the line the capacity could be increased to 2.8-3.0 MGD. The study was completed and submitted to DEP in accordance with the time frame included in the COA.

Prepare a High Flow Operation and Management Plan

Larson prepared a High Flow Operation and Management Plan to provide operations personnel with specific parameters to operate the plant to minimize bypass events. The plan includes step by step instructions, including flow limits to operate the bypass system.

Larson has been retained by the Borough to implement the Corrective Action Plan. This work will be completed during the spring and summer of 2004.