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Engineers report foaming issues, high MLSS and pending blower switch replacements at Paradise plant
Summary
Rettew Associates reported April 6 that automatic blower controls initially worsened foaming at the wastewater plant but adjusting blowers to ~90% cut foam; the plant is operating with MLSS above recommended range and required blower switches have not yet been installed.
Aaron Dewald of Rettew Associates presented the engineering report at the April 6 meeting, detailing several operational issues at the Paradise wastewater treatment plant and steps taken to mitigate them.
Dewald said Martz installed blower pressure transmitters and modified blower programming on March 16 so blowers can operate automatically instead of manually. After the Martz blower control logic was implemented, foaming conditions worsened. Rettew coordinated with PreDoc and Martz and the team adjusted the blowers to operate at approximately 90 percent; Dewald reported this change produced a noticeable reduction in foaming. In addition, following advice from Veolia, PreDoc flushed the membrane tanks which mitigated foam formation in the ultrafiltration (UF) tanks.
Dewald also told the board the plant continues to operate with a mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration above the recommended range, which is adversely affecting the biological treatment process; the transcript did not specify the numeric MLSS value. Rettew is in contact with PSI about the correct blower switches, but the correct switches have not yet been installed.
The board asked for follow-up on outstanding equipment installations and continued monitoring of MLSS and foaming after the operational adjustments.
