South Central Regional Wastewater System Treatment Facility Improvements

South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, aerial view.

PBS&J assisted in the upgrade and expansion of Brevard County’s South Central Regional Wastewater System (SCRWS) wastewater treatment facility that had been designed originally by PBS&J in the late 1980s. The recent improvements involved expanding the treatment and reuse system capacity from 3 mgd to 5.5 mgd, while upgrading the wastewater treatment to advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) levels.

Using the five-stage Bardenpho process for biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal, the treatment upgrade and expansion was achieved through extending the existing oxidation ditches, thereby avoiding the need for mechanical internal recirculation pumping. This innovative approach resulted in a cost savings of approximately $1 million over a more conventional design. Other elements of the upgrade and expansion project included rehabilitation of the existing mechanical bar screens, the addition of fermentation basins, addition of continuous backwash filter cells, conversion of the disinfection system to sodium hypochlorite feed, and expansion of the reclaimed water storage and pumping facilities. Alum and polymer feed systems were also provided to supplement biological phosphorus removal.

In addition, a 150-acre, 2.5-mgd wetlands was constructed which provided the polishing treatment necessary for surface water discharge, and the operational flexibility to manage the seasonal variations in irrigation reuse demand. PBS&J designed a new computer control and monitoring system using iFIX 32 as human-machine interface (HMI) software, and the improved automation allowed for a 75-percent reduction in required operating labor. Working closely with the County’s legal and purchasing departments, PBS&J enabled the County to realize a significant cost savings using the County's tax-exempt status for the procurement of certain materials and equipment.