Kent County Facility to Use Severn Trent UV Disinfection
The Department of Public Works for Kent County Levy Court in Dover, Del., has selected Severn Trent Services' MicroDynamics™ ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system for use at the Kent County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, according to a Sept. 25 company press release.
The microwave UV technology was successfully piloted at the Kent County facility prior to selection, consistently treating wastewater well below the limit for Enterococcus at varying flow rates.
The UV system will replace chlorination at the site. This decision will result in reduced chemical usage, simplified regulatory compliance issues, and improved employee and community safety.
The wastewater treatment plant is an advanced secondary waste treatment facility that receives wastewater from Kent County, southern portions of New Castle County, and northern portions of Sussex County, Del. The facility treats an average of 12 million gallons per day (mgd) with a peak treatment capacity of 18 mgd, and it is permitted for Enterococcus at 33.0 colonies/100 milliliter. Treated wastewater is discharged to a tributary of the Murderkill River, part of the Delaware River basin.
"UV disinfection is proven to be a highly effective treatment method. With a three-year lamp life guarantee, the MicroDynamics system offered the lowest overall operational costs and maintenance requirements of any UV technology we evaluated," said Director of Public Works Hans Medlarz.
The UV system should be installed and operational by the spring of 2009.