Meridian Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility Expansion

May 3, 2021

The City of Meridian, Idaho included DuroMaxx® SRPE for the piping into two new clarifiers, providing some significant advantages to their treatment plant expansion project.

Related To: Contech Engineered Solutions LLC

The Meridian Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, located in Idaho, is the central treatment plant for the City of Meridian. In response to a growing population, they needed to expand their facility and added Secondary Clarifier Numbers 6 and 7. This required a large diameter pipe to convey the water from both new clarifiers to tertiary treatment. The discharge from each clarifier required 36-inch, 48-inch and 66-inch pipes to convey the flow to tertiary treatment prior to discharge to the creek.

During the design phase, reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) was specified. DuroMaxx® SRPE was approved by the City of Merdian under a value engineering proposal for its cost savings. Contech Engineered Solutions held a preconstruction meeting with the contractor, JC Construction, to discuss installation methods and ensure the success of the project. Contech Engineered Solutions provided detailed shop drawings for the installation and also fabricated some special fittings on short notice that were required to avoid existing utilities.

The final design included DuroMaxx® SRPE for the piping into to these two new clarifiers and provided some significant advantages. The lighter pieces were easier to install and were manufactured in longer segments (some as long as 48’). The design also required long radius curves. Contech was able to provide small angle mitered elbows to meet these requirements with bell and spigot joints.

The City of Meridian was very pleased with the end results. They are the first in the state of Idaho to hold a citywide Class A Recycled Water Permit which allows reuse water for car washes, toilet flushes, etc. with any excess water discharged in to Five Mile Creek.

Matt Neukom from JC Constructors, Inc. commented, "Contech manufactured some pieces on short notice that were necessary to avoid conflicts with existing utilities. Contech's quick turnaround kept our crews working and demonstrated their ability to act as a team player."

The project required the construction of a secondary clarifier splitter box that allowed operators to convey water to old or new secondary clarifiers. The 1,800 LF of 36-inch diameter pipe connecting the secondary clarifier splitter box to the old secondary clarifiers was specified as solid wall HDPE. When the price of solid wall HDPE rose during natural disasters, the city accepted 36-inch DuroMaxx® SRPE pipe as an approved substitute. JC Constructors connected 36-inch ductile iron pipe to the 36-inch SRPE with a concrete collar and used ductile iron pipe for the connection to the secondary clarifiers.

Editor's Note: Scranton Gillette Communications and the SGC Water Group are not liable for the accuracy, efficacy and validity of the claims made in this piece. The views expressed in this content do not reflect the position of the editorial teams of Water & Wastes Digest, Water Quality Products and Storm Water Solutions.