That's right, today everyone got to visit the Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant. Did it smell? Yes. Was there poop everywhere? Yes. Did I learn something? Yes! Luckily this was a very well-run plant where every little piece of waste has its place. I originally didn't know what I was going to get out of this field trip, but I found the logistics of the whole operation quite intriguing. These people had their (place funny word here) together, if you catch my drift. I will sleep well knowing that my waste is being managed responsibly by the people at the Richmond plant. Here's how it works in a nutshell: Water is pumped in, and goes through a bar screen where larger waste is removed and taken to a landfill (they still haven't found the perfect place for it). Then, the grit tanks collect your dirt and sand particles. The waste then goes through settling tanks where oils are pushed to one end on the top, and sludge is pushed to the other end on the bottom. They use an activated sludge process and aeration tanks to keep the "bugs" happy as they munch on Aiken's poo. At the disinfecting stage, salt is added to gently disinfect the water without using harmful chemicals that can injure employees. After all is said and done, the water is moved out to the wetlands where it goes through tertiary treatment. What an amazing way to clean water! The picture at the top shows the sludge being thickened before it is taken out to be spread on land...hopefully land that I will never set foot on. This plant actually is working on a biological process for odor control...and it smelled glorious! I'm just kidding. As previously stated, the logistics involved were mind-blowing. This plant can handle over 60 million gallons of waste a day! Overall the whole process worked like a charm, but I would really hate to be there if the (again, use your imagination) ever hit the fan.
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