What is a Water Reclamation Facility?

Commonly referred to as a wastewater treatment plant, a water reclamation facility (WRF) cleans wastewater used by homes and businesses so that it can be safely returned to the environment. The Division of Water Quality within the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sets requirements for the treatment of wastewater and the reuse of cleaned wastewater.

The new WRF is proposed to be constructed on a 211 acre site located north of US 1 and south of Old US 1 in western Wake County, close to the community of New Hill. It is located in an area between Shearon Harris Road to the west and New Hill Holleman Road to the east. Approximately 45 acres of the 211 acre site will be used for the proposed facilities. See the proposed site plan.

Key features of the WRF

Preliminary Treatment – Preliminary treatment of wastewater will be provided in a headworks facility consisting of enclosed mechanical screening, influent flow measurement, and grit removal. Air ventilated from the enclosed headworks will be treated in a biofiltration odor control facility before being emitted to the atmosphere.

Secondary Treatment – The secondary treatment facility will consist of an influent splitter box, biological nutrient removal process basins, rectangular secondary clarifiers, jet aeration and mixing, aeration blowers, return activated sludge pumping, waste activated sludge pumping, and interconnecting channels.

Tertiary Treatment – Tertiary treatment will consist of cloth disk filters, low-pressure/high-intensity ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system, effluent flow measurement, and post aeration.

Solids Handling – Solids handling facilities will consist of solids thickening via rotary drum thickeners, covered aerobic solids holding tanks, and solids dewatering via centrifuges. Dewatered solids will be dried on or off-site biosolids loading. Solids dewatering systems will be enclosed in a building and air ventilated from it treated in a biofiltration odor control facility before being emitted to the atmosphere.

Other treatment facilities and systems part of the WRF will include:

• A metal salt chemical feed system will be provided for chemical phosphorus precipitation. Metal salt dose points will be ahead of secondary clarifiers and dewatering centrifuges. Provisions will be made for adding liquid Odophosâ, ferric chloride, or alum.
• An onsite reclaimed water system will be provided for non-potable process water purposes at the plant.
• A sodium hypochlorite chemical feed system will be provided for supplemental disinfection/residual in the onsite reclaimed water system.

Operation and support facilities at the WRF will include:

• Operations Building and a Maintenance Building
• Storage building for mowers, portable equipment, and other miscellaneous items
• An electrical building to house power distribution equipment engine driven generators for the standby power during utility power outages