Wright-Pierce, a provider of water, wastewater and infrastructure engineering services, was selected by a Northern New England utility to upgrade its slow sand filtration water treatment facility. Wright-Pierce recently completed the upgrade design, and will oversee the installation of an innovative pretreatment system that will minimize the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBP), a major cause of compromised water quality.
The Magnetic Ion Exchange (MIEX) pretreatment process removes dissolved organic carbon, which are naturally occurring chemicals and a precursor for disinfection byproduct formation. The upgraded facility will enable the utility to comply with the federal Clean Water Act and provide safe drinking water to the community.
After nearly two years of studies, design work for the facility concluded in August 2008. Construction of the project will begin in late October and is scheduled for completion in June 2009. Once completed, the facility will be the first of its kind in New England to use the MIEX treatment process.
The MIEX Process, developed by Orica Watercare, is an innovative pretreatment technology with a unique continuous ion exchange process that offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly removal process capable of achieving new standards in water quality. Benefits of the MIEX Process include significantly less waste residuals, color removal, reduced chlorine demand for disinfection and significant reductions in disinfection byproduct formation. Adapting this technology upstream of a slow sand filtration process is a unique and effective solution to organics removal.
"Creativity is required to help smaller communities design water treatment systems that work for their facilities; systems that provide the best method to achieve the highest water quality and meet new regulations," stated Jeff Musich, P.E., vice president of Wright-Pierce. "We are thrilled to be selected to design and construct this state of the art water treatment facility. The district's water quality will meet stringent federal and state requirements, and consumers should notice improved taste and reduced color."
