Aug. 20—Flathead Lake Organic Station earlier this month unveiled its new modular wastewater remedy plant, which can serve the analysis station and Yellow Bay State Park.
Through the ribbon reducing, which was swapped for lavatory paper, Bio Station Director Jim Esler did not waste a chance to get in some “potty puns.”
“Our outdated plant was fairly pooped out, so I can not inform you how relieved I’m to wipe the previous clear and open this new plant,” he joked with attendees on the annual open home.
The $2.1 million StreamGo plant, inbuilt modular delivery containers, was important to persevering with the Bio Station’s mission of decreasing nutrient discharge in Flathead Lake. Esler mentioned their earlier plant was 20 years previous its engineered lifespan.
Following indicators that the lake was experiencing water high quality deterioration within the late Sixties and early Seventies, the Bio Station acquired funds from the Environmental Safety Company to assemble an illustration wastewater remedy plant to show that elimination of phosphorus to low ranges was attainable.
The sequencing batch reactor plant was state-of-the-art for the period, and the primary tertiary remedy plant within the Flathead Watershed, in keeping with the Bio Station.
Though workers have saved it afloat since, it was clear there would should be a brand new plant sooner or later. Bio Station workers started working with the College of Montana and the state of Montana to exchange the growing old system in 2015.
A preliminary engineering examine was carried out to discover substitute choices — all the pieces from implementing an enormous septic system to repairing the prevailing plant — however the Bio Station as soon as once more regarded to the long run with trendy and cutting-edge expertise.
“They needed to place a sewage lagoon on the property, and I mentioned, ‘Should you try this, you are going to be discovering a brand new director’ … that was a non-starter. As an alternative, we came across the choice to put in a modular membrane bioreactor,” Esler mentioned.
Membrane bio-reactor remedy expertise is similar utilized in most trendy municipal wastewater remedy vegetation, together with these in Whitefish, Bigfork and Polson.
Esler mentioned a membrane bioreactor is superior wastewater remedy that makes use of microorganisms to interrupt down and transfer fluids to waste waters, then utilizing very fantastic membranes to separate the micro organism and different particles from the effluent that is discharged.
The modular unit value $750,000, and after including obligatory infrastructure and set up value, the mission totaled $2.1 million. A standard plant would have value upward of $10 million, in keeping with theBio Station. Funds got here from the federal authorities, the state of Montana and grants from a number of completely different foundations.
Along with the good thing about it being modular, the plant additionally offers the choice of scalability. If the Bio Station was to develop considerably, further remedy expertise and capability might be added by the addition of extra pre-assembled containers.
Esler mentioned the brand new plant has already proven promising outcomes. Though the Bio Station was at all times discharging phorphorus inside EPA rules, water high quality assessments present the brand new membrane bio-reactor discharges 1/10 of the phosphorus that was going into the water from their outdated plant.
Esler, who just lately co-authored a ebook on phosphorus sustainability, mentioned the plant gives a small-scale method to growing old septic programs, notably for a booming Flathead Valley.
“So as an alternative of simply constructing extra septic programs, possibly we have to do one thing completely different? We all know numerous our wastewater infrastructure is at capability and may’t take care of additional septic. So, I am of the opinion that possibly that is good expertise that we could be contemplating at native or county stage, or within the tribal investments as effectively,” he mentioned.
An expanded wastewater remedy plant anticipated to serve Flathead County is getting underway in Lakeside, however the Bio Station’s new modular plant is unrelated, in keeping with Bio Station Media and Info Specialist Ian Withrow. He added that it took “a few decade of fairly in depth analysis, funding and development efforts” to get them the place we they as we speak.
Forward of the ribbon reducing, Esler gave a presentation in regards to the new plant on the Bio Station’s open home. The occasion befell all-day and included boat rides, informational cubicles about ongoing tasks and science actions for youths.
Esler mentioned the occasion is an opportunity to share the work they have been doing.
“Of us locally will typically say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve by no means been in there. I at all times drive previous I ponder what it is like.’ So that is our likelihood to fulfill folks’s curiosity about what goes on again right here. And most of the people are very impressed by the scale and scale of the operation,” he mentioned.
To study extra in regards to the Bio Station, go to their web site at flbs.umt.edu/.
Taylor Inman could also be reached at 758-4440 or tinman@dailyinterlake.com.