Catawba River Pollution Control Facility Capacity Analysis

The City of Morganton’s Catawba River Pollution Control Plant sought alternatives for safer treatment processes, as it currently uses gaseous chlorination. Due to the rising cost of chlorine, the City selected Garver to conduct a disinfection alternatives study to evaluate replacing the existing treatment system with different technologies. The evaluation provides an overview of implications associated with bulk sodium hypochlorite and bisulfite, UV disinfection, and peracetic acid disinfection processes.

The evaluation also documents storage and feed requirements for the existing disinfection system and determines the necessary storage volume of sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid for NCDEQ regulations, as well as determining the required amount of sodium bisulfite to meet total residual chlorine levels. Garver will also conceptually size a 45-degree, open-channel UV system to treat the peak discharge flow and annual average daily flow (AADF) at the CRPCP. Based on the results of the evaluation, Garver will make a recommendation for a preferred disinfection process WWTP, based upon life-cycle cost analysis, UV transmittance testing, supply chain resilience, operator safety, and operational flexibility.