Wastewater Treatment Plant Ensures Safe Water Reaches River

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Wastewater Treatment Plant Ensures Safe Water Reaches River

Safe Water Reaches River

While a recent study by Environment America stated Indiana dumps more pollutants into waters than any other state, Shelbyville Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Brad Fix says the treatment facility is one of the cleanest and best run plants in the state.

"We've been told we have one of the cleanest and better run plants. We are proud of what we do," Fix said.

According to Environment America, which is an organization that strives to research and help protect the environment, 206 million pounds of toxic chemicals were released into waterways by industrial facilities.

Fix said wastewater is defined as anything that goes into drains from toilets, sinks or showers.

"It is 99.9 percent water," Fix said of the wastewater.

It's Fix's job, along with his staff, to ensure the wastewater is handled properly, and it's a job that doesn't take a day off.

"The flow comes in 24 hours, seven days a week. There's never a moment where we don't have flow coming in. The flow comes in from the pump station at Sunset Park and from the north from the industrial park to the casino. It is then split into two grit chambers," Fix said.

Last month, the flow into the plant was 4.42 million gallons. According to Fix, the average daily flow from last year was 5.007 million gallons per day and the plant treated 1,828 million gallons last year, or 1.8 billion gallons. The plant is designed to treat 8 million gallons with a peak of 16 million.

"We discharge back into the Big Blue River just south of the plant. In 2000, we did our last expansion and we put some of the cleanest water into the river. We test daily for pH, E. Coli, metals and solids," Fix said.

Fix said it is important residents remember that water is always available.

"Water is a renewable resource. It goes back into the river stream and the ground. When you turn on the tap in your house, that used to be someone's shower water. From the time you flush your toilet in your house, it could take eight hours for it to arrive and then spend another six to 14 hours in the plant before it goes back out," Fix said.

Over the years, the wastewater plant has undergone several changes, including various expansions, the addition of a levee in 1958 and no longer using chlorine to kill germs.

"We used to use chlorine, but now we use UV light. We use 84 light bulbs and they kill the germs before the water goes back into the river," Fix said.

As for expansion, the plant has grown twice since its inception, and Fix said he can foresee another growth taking place in the future.

"We've got three or four big industries looking at us. In 2011, we were set to expand but the economy had other ideas. If we have new things come to town, we will need an upgrade. I think the next expansion will take place soon and take us to 10 million gallons that we can treat," Fix said.

Source: Shelby News

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