The Commission’s primary method of filtration, the rapid sand filters, require regular cleaning, or “backwash.” Residuals from the backwash process – essentially, the material that is filtered out of the drinking water – collect in a series of lagoons located on-site at the West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant. The EPA regulates the allowable discharge of these residuals into the lagoons.

Recent optimization of a coagulant used in the filtration process – in order to remove more dissolved natural organic matter from the water – has resulted in an accumulation of these regulated solids in the lagoons. This project will support the design and engineering of the removal of these solids from the lagoons in order to comply with EPA regulations.