Northern Illinois Case History - Municipal FOG Reduction and Lagoon Treatment

SITUATION:
The Department of Public Works (DPW) in a small town in the mid-west is responsible for wastewater collection and transportation to a neighboring water treatment facility. Keeping water flowing through the system is the key priority of the DPW preventing odor complaints and back ups.

THE PROBLEM: 
The town’s public school buildings are located on a single campus, and there are multiple nursing home facilities in the community. Food solids enter the water system through waste disposers in these establishments. These solids reconstitute in water lines and cause considerable problems in lift stations throughout the town. Grease fouls filters and weighs down floats as it would build up in the lift stations. This build-up caused DPW to have to clean or pump out the lift stations to improve water flow. In extreme cases, lift pumps would have to be rebuilt or replaced. The town also uses a lagoon system as holding ponds for wastewater.

THE SOLUTION:
The Superintendent of Public Works uses a combination of State products including Pit Raider™, Bio-Mate™ and Block Worx BCT™ to reduce the build-up of grease in lift stations. "The State Account Manager analyzed our situation and made recommendations that worked for us," noted the Superintendent. He adds Block Worx to manholes upstream from high volume lift stations to break down the grease before it enters the station. The Superintendent also treats the wastewater with Pit Raider and BioMate in the sewer lines to reduce line plugging, manage odor and keep the system operating more efficiently. "These products break down the greases in the lines as they travel to our lagoon systems. And Aqua Jolt BEM™ is used to break down sludge and bottom solids in lagoon ponds.”

THE RESULT:
State products have become the preventive maintenance solution for the wastewater lines in the town. There is a noticeable reduction in the amount of grease build-up, particularly in sewer lines near high volume intakes.

BENEFITS:
According to the Superintendent, "We can see the results. If we don't use the State solution, within one month, we can see grease accumulating in the lift stations."