Primary Clarifier Evaluation and Design at the Morris Forman Water Quality Treatment Center

The Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD’s) Morris Forman Water Quality Treatment Center (MFWQTC). It has a peak primary treatment capacity of 350 MGD and a secondary treatment capacity of 140 MGD. The Primary Sedimentation Basins (clarifiers) were original to the 1958 plant and were rehabilitated in the 1970s. The equipment in the clarifiers had exceeded the expected service life and performance was unreliable. Prior to the design and rehabilitation of the clarifiers, an evaluation of available technologies was completed to determine if a different technology may be more effective. The objectives of the evaluation were two-fold: to improve biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal efficiency, and to more efficiently and effectively remove primary sludge. The evaluation of treatment technologies included conventional primary clarification, primary biofiltration, primary clarification with Lamella Tubes, and primary filtration. The initial evaluation considered the entire list of technologies and evaluated them based on the criteria developed by MSD and the project team. A facilitated workshop approach was used to develop criteria, develop a scoring and weighting system and set a protocol on how technologies were to be evaluated. Once that analysis was completed, the number of remaining technologies were shortlisted and a triple bottom line (TBL) analysis was completed on the remaining technologies. There was clear consensus that conventional primary sedimentation would remain at MFWQTC. It was recommended that CEPT be added to the primary clarifiers to improve removal efficiencies during peak wet weather flow.  

Following the study, Greeley and Hansen was retained to provide design and construction phase services. The design project included replacement of the sludge collection mechanism, influent and effluent gates, primary sludge, scum and dewatering pumps and associated piping, influent channel aeration improvements, addition of CEPT and odor control, concrete structural repair, MCC replacement and consolidation, NFPA 820 compliance and overall rehabilitation of the primary treatment facilities. 

As part of our engineering design work, Greeley and Hansen also participated in the Louisville MSD Community Benefits Program. The Community Benefits Program (CB Program) is designed to provide employment, contracting, education, and community improvements for the service areas impacted by MSD’s construction and construction related projects and professional and engineering services. The CB Program also promotes economic inclusion, creates job opportunities, assists with revitalizing low-income neighborhoods and encourages healthy lifestyles and community improvements. As part of our work, Greeley and Hansen supported organizations such as the Louisville Urban League where we provided sponsorship for the Kentuckiana Builds Cohort. Additionally, our community commitment includes partnering with Grace James Academy of Excellence, which empowers middle school girls through an Afrocentric, STEAM curriculum. We are supporting again the STEAM Field Trips which are out of classroom visits to local STEAM related companies to see their studies in practice in the field as well support for their summer reading program where staff designs activities that focus on the STEAM curriculum for students to complete to avoid any summer loss and to build community around literature. 

Project Highlights: 

• Technology evaluation of primary clarifiers 
• More efficient biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids removal 
• Rehabilitation of primary treatment facilities 
• Community benefits program to augment engineering improvements for greater impact to the Louisville community