The Operations Department is responsible for all aspects of the wastewater operation at the facility. The plant is staffed 24/7.
The operations department schedules and plans all tours. They also work with any students who are looking for influent, effluent, or sludge to analyze.
Licensed wastewater operators constantly check the operations of the plant, and keep watch over the plant’s equipment. These systems provide real-time information on the status of many areas and operations in the wastewater treatment plant and main pumping station.
Note: this page will also have the process slide show.
In 2002, GLSD selected The New England Fertilizer Company (NEFCO) to permit, build and begin managing the biosolids drying and pelletizing facility at GLSD. The facility produces Class A slow-release fertilizer which is used at GLSD and sold to local farms. NEFCO uses digester gas to fuel the facility’s dryers instead of fossil fuels, saving the District $600,000 a year.
The facility at GLSD has the capacity to take in 152 wet tons per day and produce 38 dry tons a day. The fertilizer is created by taking sludge, a mixture of water, organic solids, and mineral solids that comes from settling mechanisms in the wastewater treatment process. The sludge is dewatered and dried in a rotary dryer, which NEFCO uses to create a uniform end product.
The exhaust gas is processed before it is vented outside. First, it passes through a scrubber and condenser to remove any remaining solids and then through a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer to remove odors. Additionally, an Odor Scrubbing System is used to remove odors from the building.