Wastewater Plant - NIPSCO, Michigan City, IN

Northern Indiana Public Service Company's (NIPSCO's) existing, on-site, packaged Sewage Treatment Plant, located at the Bailly Generating Station in Michigan City, IN, was in need of being replaced with a new treatment facility. NIES Engineering, Inc., working as a sub consultant to HOH Engineers, Inc., of Chicago, provided preliminary and final design services for a new on-site treatment facility.

A Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) established a Design Average Flow of 4500 GPD and a Peak Design Flow of 15000 GPD, required to accommodate domestic wastewater from onsite buildings. The PER compared three alternatives including discharge to a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) owned by others, an on-site WWTP using recirculating filter technology or an on-site WWTP using extended aeration technology. NIES recommended an on-site extended aeration, single stage nitrification treatment plant based on lower first cost, greater operational flexibility, less use of land area, improved treatment capability and existing Plant Operators familiarity.

The new extended aeration WWTP features tilt-up concrete construction for the equalization tank, dual aeration chambers, dual clarifiers and an aerobic digester. The extended aeration tankage has a concrete top with FRP grates for access to equipment. All electrical equipment, dual rotary 5 HP air blowers, UV system, and metering system are located in a concrete block building. Throughout the plant, attention was given to utilization of corrosion resistant materials including concrete extended aeration tankage, stainless steel and plastic piping, stainless steel UV trough, FRP metering flume and fiberglass wet well structures for the Influent and effluent pump stations.

Key Points

  • Rapid Deployment
  • Cost Effective
  • Cooperation

High Service Pump Station Modifications - Village of Mt. Prospect, IL

Upon the receipt of Lake Michigan water delivered by NWSMJAWA under pressure at three locations in the Village, Mt. Prospect officials requested an Energy Efficiency Study of their existing five high service pump stations. The study reviewed pump head and flow operational requirements and recommended a staged program of pump replacements to reduce energy costs.

Designs were completed to replace existing water distribution system high service pumping units with energy efficient pumps. Six stages of the improvement program have been completed, replacing 8 electric motor driven, horizontal split case pumps and two engine-driven pumps. The two engine driven pumps replaced existing gasoline fueled, engine-drives with natural gas fueled units. By careful selection of pumping equipment and the use of high efficiency motors, the pump efficiency program has saved the Village about $8,000 annually in electrical power costs.

Additional projects recently completed for the village include design and services during construction for electrical modifications to three pump stations to allow direct plug-in of portable standby power generation equipment, a new 300KW portable engine-generator, and a staged program of motor control center replacements at each of the five pump stations.

Key Points

  • Improved Efficiency
  • Improved Reliability

Water Filtration Plant Upgrades - City of New Buffalo, MI

The City of New Buffalo uses conventional surface water treatment to provide potable water to the residents of New Buffalo and outlying areas. While the filtration plant produces quality finished water, operating personnel recognized the need for modifications to improve the reliability of their system.

NIES Engineering worked with City officials and staff to design and implement improvements which improved operations, safety and reliability of the 25 year old facility. Hydraulic limitations prevented plant personnel from operating the plant at its rated capacity. NIES Engineering designed improvements to the plant's chemical mixing, flocculation and sedimentation which now allow effective operation at the plant's original capacity. In order to secure a consistent supply of potable water, NIES Engineering also designed improvements to improve overall system reliability. Additional high service pumping and an emergency generator now provide the reliability necessary to ensure delivery of water to the City's customers. Apart from improved operations and reliability, NIES Engineering also designed modifications to improve operator safety as well. Facilities for storage and feeding chlorine and fluoride were cordoned off from occupied areas of the plant and brought into compliance with modern standards. Additionally, chlorine feed facilities were modified to use 150 lb. cylinders instead of the previously used 2,000 lb. cylinders. The plant's flow rates did not require the use of larger containers and elimination of the large volumes of stored chlorine has improved safety at the plant.

NIES Engineering has helped improve operations, reliability and safety at the New Buffalo Water Filtration Plant.

Key Points

  • Improved Efficiency
  • Improved Reliability
  • Improved Safety

    

500,000 Gallon Elevated Water Storage Tank City of New Buffalo, MI

The City of New Buffalo, Michigan was using an old 100,000 gallon elevated tank to provide storage and fire flow capacity in a community with large seasonal variations in population, and water demand. The tank was in clear need of repairs, and appeared too small to adequately serve this growing community. In addition, because the system capacity was so low the plant clearwell could not be taken off-line for any period of time. This meant that some much-needed repairs at the Water Filtration Plant could not be undertaken.

NIES Engineering, Inc. conducted a Hydraulic Network Analysis (HNA) of the City's distribution system. The HNA confirmed the need for greater storage capacity as well as increased pressure to adequately serve new developments in the rolling terrain around New Buffalo. Careful analysis of the HNA results allowed NIES Engineering, Inc. to optimize the design of a new elevated storage tank to serve not only the existing customers, but anticipated developments as well. Once the City's new 500,000 gallon elevated storage tank was on line, the door was open for the other required system repairs.

The city now had sufficient operational flexibility to sandblast, repair, paint and install cathodic protection in their clearwell. Through careful attention to the City's needs, NIES Engineering helped New Buffalo not only meet their water storage requirements, but add to the system flexibility as well.

Key Points

  • HNA Optimized Placement
  • SCADA Pump Controller
  • Overflow Set Through HNA Analysis

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