Waste Water blower replacement
Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor
EPCOR was present at the regular Town council meeting on March 20 to discuss replacing a blower and motor at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP).
“We’ve been having some issues with the blowers for the last number of months, we’ve been trying to rebuild the existing blowers,” said Jesse Parker, director of engineering and operations for the town.
“When we constructed the new Waste Water Treatment Plan there was a decision made, or a thought, that eventually the blowers that we had in place could be sustained and maintained through an upgrade in the DNR plant that we had in place. Unfortunately that’s kind of blown up a little bit for us and we’re looking at a replacement blower.”
Administration requested a new capital project budget be created in the amount of $66,000, with a $6,000 credit anticipated for the effort made to reclaim the existing blowers.
In the existing plant, built in 2001, there were three blowers, two 60 horsepower ones and one 40 horsepower. Currently the WWTP is down to only one 40hp blower which is not enough to supply the air demand as the higher flow season, spring and warmer weather approaches. The WWTP is a biological plant and the bugs are relied on to do that treatment. They need the air to be able to do their job. The intent from EPCOR is that one blower will be requested this year and then a second next year.
“The aeration blowers in a Waste Water Plant are really the heart to the plant, if we did not have them we would not have power to the plant, it’s truly that important,” said Craig Bonneville, Manager for EPCOR water services.
“The blowers we’ve selected are a higher capital cost, there were some that were cheaper, however, the operating costs are much less expensive than some of the other choices. So when we looked at the net present value over 10 years, these blowers while more expensive in year one are the most economic option over the lifecycle.”
The blowers installed when the original plant was built have been replaced approximately eight times over the course of the past 12 years. This is the third treatment technology and over time the use has changed. Bonneville said the current blowers aren’t the appropriate ones for the current use, which he thinks attribute to the history of failure. The latest replacement is two and a half years old, and all companies will only provide a one year warranty.
The project proposed is to replace the blower and the motor. Two new 60 horsepower blowers will be brought in, and will be the primary blowers, one as stand by and one in use, alternating.
Councillor Rocky Blokland made a motion to create a capital project budget for the Waste Water Treatment Plant blower replacement not to exceed $66,000. The funds are to be drawn from the financial stabilization fund. Councillor Earl Best was opposed to the motion.
Tour committee changes
The terms of reference for the Tour of Alberta committee have been revised, and the proposed committee size has been increased. The committee is to include eight directors, one chairperson and two council members. Councillors Dave Hamilton, Bob Sobol and Pat Fule signed on to be members of the committee. Council also appointed Jennifer Sawatzky, Jesse Parker, Jennifer Cuthbertson and Scott Carlson to the committee.
Health day
Council proclaimed June 1, 2013 as National Health and Fitness day in Strathmore.