REINBECK WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS
Reinbeck, Iowa
In 2001, the City of Reinbeck hired Veenstra & Kimm, Inc., to update a Facility Plan completed by another consultant to address continued growth, bypassing of untreated wastewater and ammonia-nitrogen limitations. The facility at the time was a traveling bridge, brush rotor, activated sludge plant.

Veenstra & Kimm, Inc., prepared the facility plan which recommended utilizing a sequencing batch reactor for the treatment process. The existing activated sludge/clarifier tank was converted to a stormwater equalization tank and an existing Imhoff tank was converted into an aerobic digester. The improvements also included a new raw sewage pump station, stormwater pump station, screening and provisions for the addition of ultraviolet disinfection.

The upgrading of the facility was made challenging by the extreme flow conditions experienced by the facility. Flows ranged from dry weather flows from 0.200 mgd to peak wet weather flows estimated to be 4.4 mgd. In addition, the treatment plant site sits in a floodplain and improvements had to be elevated to ensure continued operation even in extreme conditions.

The facility was designed to treat 464 lbs BOD5 per day and an average wet weather flow of 0.728 mgd. The facility was placed in operation in June 2005 and has been in compliance with its effluent limitations since start-up. The final construction cost for the facility was $2,845,715.