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O'Fallon details $10M reverse-osmosis upgrade and wastewater improvements
Summary
City engineers updated the board on water and wastewater projects including a $10,000,000 RO upgrade (about 15% complete), pre-oxidation design work, sludge-dewatering changes that shifted landfill disposal for biosolids, and several lift-station and clarifier rehab projects.
City engineers briefed the public works board on ongoing water- and sewer-system upgrades, highlighting a major reverse-osmosis (RO) upgrade at the treatment plant, progress on distribution and collection-system projects, and changes to biosolids handling.
Sean, the water and sewer presenter, introduced new project manager Max Hillerman and told the board the RO project — contracted with CAMEX Construction and designed around a selected RO vendor — is a roughly $10,000,000 upgrade and is about 15% complete. He said the vendor and contractor coordination is ongoing to keep equipment delivery and installation on track later in the year.
On distribution work, Sean said pre-oxidation improvements (to remove iron and manganese before the filters) are in early design and that well 3 and 4 chemical-feed improvements recently held a pre-construction meeting. The Brookside Forest water-main extension is about 30% complete in design and is budgeted for construction in 2027.
On wastewater, Sean described a new headworks (perforated-plate fine screen) intended to improve screening and protect downstream equipment, recent sludge-handling upgrades including a low-dock conveyor for tractor-trailer hauling, and planned centrifuge installations for improved dewatering. He said equipment lead times have delayed some start dates (grit classifier equipment expected to ship in May; odor-control equipment around August).
The city also described a policy change in biosolids handling: staff received DNR approval to landfill treated sludge, and the city now hauls material to Champ Landfill. Sean said the shift avoids a costly RDP (lime pasteurization) upgrade that had been estimated at about $17,000,000 and reduces recurring chemical costs (he cited roughly $300,000 per year in lime costs the city no longer pays). He said typical dried sludge cake moisture is around 18–22%, averaging near 20% depending on feedstock and timing.
Collection-system work includes the Pru Creek EQ Basin upgrade (facing minor DNR-driven changes but close to completion) and a North Lift Station upgrade (about 20% designed) that will accept Castle project flows. Several sanitary sewer relief projects are in design and easement acquisition has begun for some segments.
Board members asked about landfill acceptance, backups and contingency planning; Sean said the city times deliveries early in the day to allow landfills to cover loads and is negotiating a potential backup contract with another landfill as an emergency option.
Sean recommended staff continue coordinating equipment lead times and vendor schedules; no formal procurement approvals were recorded in the meeting.
