Waste Water History

Date of Record: September 10, 2003

History of Greenfield's Wastewater Treatment Plant

The original treatment plant was constructed about 1932 in it's present location. It consisted of a one-tank treatment process. This Imhoff tank handled all treatment processes before it discharged to Brandywine Creek.

In 1964, a plant renovation had been completed. The update included grit collection, trash grinder, one primary settling tank, one trickling filter, one final clarifier, anaerobic digester and chlorine disinfection tank. It was a vast improvement towards the quality of water being returned to the environment.

1980 brought about the last major expansion of the treatment plant. The City's sewage would now flow through 2 trash grinders, new grit collector, 2 primaries, 3 aeration tanks, 3 final clarifiers, 6 rapid sand filters and 2 chlorine tanks. Other process features included 3-50 h.p. pumps, 3-150 h.p. blowers, 2-75 h.p. blowers, aerobic digester, 2 sludge centrifuges, and 4 sludge drying beds. In 1983, the plant was the recipient of the EPA. Region 5, Plant of the Year Award. The plant's discharge waters had to be dechlorinated as of 1986. This water was now as clear as drinking water as it discharged into the creek.

Since 1991, several additions and changes have been made to improve the plant's efficiency. Some of these items include an automatic fine bar screen, power factor correction units, vehicle garage, sludge storage barn and sludge belt press.

To improve the system's overall efficiency, the Sewer Department was merged with the Wastewater Plant in 1997. We now treat over 1 billion gallons annually and maintain over 70 miaintain over 70 miles of sewer lines.