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Fairmont Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion and Upgrade Project INTRODUCTION Fairmont’s Wastewater Treatment Facility went into operation in 1973 and discharges to Center Creek under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit number 0030112 issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). In October 2002, MPCA reissued Fairmont its NPDES permit with new effluent limits for phosphorus and ammonia. Fairmont’s existing wastewater treatment facility can not meet these new limits and is the main reason for the expansion. The Fairmont Public Utilities Commission interviewed five consulting firms to design a facility that will bring Fairmont into compliance with its discharge permit limits and serve the community needs for the next 20 of 30 years. Howard R. Green Company was the firm selected, with James R. Rasmussen, P.E. as the Senior Project Manager for the project. Options considered: 1) Build a new wastewater treatment facility at an estimated cost between 20 and 24 million dollars and completely abandon the present facility. 2) Expansion and upgrading of the present facility at an estimated cost between 10 and 14 million dollars. The Fairmont Public Utilities Commission voted to go with option 2. Bids for the project were opened on February 4, 2004. Seven bids were received with a range from $12,363,900.00 to $15,885,000.000. The project was rewarded to the low bidder, Gridor Construction, Inc. from Plymouth, MN. Work is to start in April 2004 and be completed by November 2006. EXPANSION DETAILS New construction will include: 1) Headworks building which will house two new bar screens and two new grit removal tanks. 2) Two Primary Clarifiers 3) Two Secondary Clarifiers 4) Solids process building 5) Two primary anaerobic digesters and one secondary digester 6) Ultraviolet disinfection7) Miscellaneous pumps and equipment. Upgrading will include: 1) Aeration basins improvements. 2) Blower room improvements with new blowers. 3) Improvements to the two existing secondary clarifiers. 4) Standby generator. 5) Electrical control panels and wiring. 6) Control building modifications. 7) Computer system for operating the wastewater facility. Demolition will include the micro-screen building and the three sludge drying beds.
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