MAWSS Stickney WTP Solids Upgrade

The Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) selected Garver to design new thickening basins, perform conveyance improvements, and address mechanical equipment replacement and rehabilitation at the Stickney Water Treatment Plant (WTP). Garver partnered with MAWSS to develop each phase of the design and performed an evaluation of residuals management to improve resiliency, optimize processes, and increase redundancy at the facility.

The evaluation identified key upgrades needed at Stickney WTP including the design of a new clarifier, thickener, and sludge collection mechanism, as well as a splitter box to control flow distribution between clarifiers. To improve operability and increase the redundancy of essential equipment at the facility, our team also identified the need for a sludge pump station at Stickney WTP to route sludge from the facility to Myers WTP, reducing the chance of a single point of failure. Garver’s design also included flushing improvements for the existing 6-mile force main at the plant.

The pump station evaluation showed that the demolition of the existing pump was necessary to allow for the new design. To make sure operations would continue throughout the design and construction of the new pump station, a temporary dewatering area was developed at Stickney WTP. The 60-ft by 100-ft area allowed for operation of a trailer-mounted press to address temporary solids dewatering in the event sludge was unable to be transferred to Myers WTP. This process ultimately provided the time and bandwidth needed by the team to construct the new pump station.

Replacing the previous pump station has allowed for increased efficiency and operability at the facility, and improved solids processes for operations staff. This upgrade in tandem with flushing improvements to the plant’s force main will provide long-term resiliency and increased redundancy for the facilities residuals management process going forward.