T
Summer 2015
NCRWA.COM
19
feature
his year’s Plant Tours were hosted by the City of
Eden, North Carolina. A group of 14 Conference
attendees assembled in the lobby of the Sheridan
Four Seasons at 8:00 a.m. We all climbed into
a 15 passenger van and headed north. The trip
to Eden took approximately 45 minutes. The
Treatment Plants in Eden are across the street
from each other! Upon arrival at the Water
Treatment Plant the group was greeted by Dena
Reid, Water Plant Superintendent. Ms. Reid
proceeded to explain her ongoing plant upgrade
which will include the addition of Chloramines
in an effort to maintain compliance with THM’s
and HAAS. The improvements are being funded
by Duke Energy as part of a settlement reached
with three Public Utilities which draw their
source water from the Dan River. Bromides
released from Duke’s Belews Creek Steam
Station were found to be the precursor for THM’s.
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belews-creek-power-plant-affects-water-quality/
During the tour Ms. Reid referred to a
distribution map that indicated their flush points
at the terminating ends of a “Tree System.”
Maintaining compliance in this type of system
will require a lot of routine flushing. Extensive
flushing will add cost to the operation of the
distribution system. Annual and/or semi-annual
“Burn Out” of the system will also use a lot of
finished water.
The Wastewater Plant tour was conducted by
Mr. Joel Freeman, the plants Chief Operator.
The Eden Plant has extreme capacity in excess
of 12 MGD. Currently the Plant is treating
approximately 3 MGD. The low flows are
related to the loss of textiles manufacturing in
the piedmont area of North Carolina. The Plant
itself consists of two parallel treatment trains.
Each of these trains has been refitted with
floating brush type aerators. These units
replace traditional low speed surface aerators.
Energy saving have been substantial over the
life of these units. In Eden, Bio-solids are
managed by a private contractor. Solids are
dewatered and composted before application to
area farms. The tour included a walk through
the Wastewater Lab.
– PLANT TOURS –
By Fred Summers, Wastewater Tech II
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