Speaking

In Lebanon, Ohio, 80% of the city’s wastewater flow is received by the Glosser Road Pump Station and pumped five miles through a force main to the wastewater treatment plant. Due to the pumping distance, the 60-year-old pump station could not accommodate large wet weather events. After four overflows that discharged millions of gallons of sewage to a National Scenic River tributary within a two-year period, the Ohio EPA issued a Notice of Violation to eliminate future discharges. 

The creative solution designed by the project team significantly increased the facility’s capacity to prevent future overflows. This included the construction of the new Glosser Road Pump Station with a capacity of 10 million gallons per day (MGD). It also included the very rare application and construction of a booster station along the route of the force main. Dry weather and initial wet weather flow bypass the booster pump station, while higher rates of wet weather flow are routed through it to prevent over-pressurizing the force main at the Glosser Road location. In addition, the existing equalization (EQ) basin was modified to increase the usable depth. 

Boosting Capacity. Decreasing Costs.

This unique approach was the most cost-effective when compared to the option of additional storage (new tankage), a significantly larger pump station at Glosser Road, or upsizing five miles of force main. This out-of-the-box solution saved the City millions of dollars while addressing the Ohio EPA’s Notice of Violation to help protect area waterways. 

• Increased Capacity: The system’s previous capacity was 7.5 MGD. The 10 MGD pump station, 10 MGD booster station and operational modifications increase capacity and add 1.3 million gallons of storage in the existing equalization (EQ) basin, allowing the facility to handle peak influent flow rates over 20 MGD.  
• Unique Application: Adding a booster station along the force main reduced operating pressure at the pump station to help prevent a force main break and increased capacity. The booster station autonomously comes online as needed through the control system. This innovative solution cost significantly less than replacing the force main or significantly upsizing the pump station. 
• Cost-Savings: Maximizing existing assets, including diesel pumps at the EQ basin and newer pumps at the former pump station, saved millions of dollars. A $4 million Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant from the State of Ohio and a $9 million loan from Ohio’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund offset project costs. 

Audience Takeaways

Join the City of Lebanon’s WWTP Superintendent Mike Tong along with project team members Mark Upite, Chris Bowers and Jeff Eilers from Burgess & Niple to learn how their innovative thinking led to the extremely rare use of a wastewater booster pump station, maximized storage on site in lieu of extra tankage and reduced project costs realized through the design as well as available funding.