Sparkling Streams for our Future
Minisink Valley School District
Upgrading the district's aging wastewater treatment infrastructure
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The Minisink Valley Central School District faced a critical challenge with its aging wastewater treatment plant, which was no longer able to meet campus demands and was at risk of failure. The facility suffered from freezing during cold months, lacked capacity to operate continuously during maintenance, and experienced corrosion due to poor ventilation. A breakdown would have forced a full shutdown, disrupting school operations and affecting the entire community. To address these issues, the district approved a capital improvement project to upgrade the wastewater treatment infrastructure, aiming for a reliable system that meets current needs and complies with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulations.
Tetra Tech was tasked with designing a modern wastewater treatment plant that prioritized reliability, flexibility, and regulatory compliance. A key feature of the new design is redundancy: two identical aeration chambers allow the system to switch seamlessly between units during maintenance or unexpected issues. One tank remains offline during normal use but can be activated instantly to store wastewater if treatment is disrupted, providing vital operational resilience. Corrosion issues were resolved by adding robust mechanical ventilation to prevent methane buildup and using corrosion-resistant materials, greatly extending the plant’s lifespan.
Tetra Tech took advantage of the campus’s existing natural gas service, which runs adjacent to both the old and new plants, to convert the generator from propane to natural gas for the new facility. This transition offers significant advantages, including a consistent, uninterrupted fuel supply, and the elimination of the need for frequent tank refills and vaporizer maintenance. The generator can now operate more efficiently and reliably with fewer manual interventions.
Additional improvements include a grinder pump station for waste collection and a UV disinfection system to ensure safe effluent discharge. The facility features explosion-proof equipment and accessible platforms for safe, efficient maintenance. Designed for future growth, the plant can expand to meet increased demand, ensuring long-term reliability for the district.