System Upgrade of a Soft Drink Process Wastewater Pretreatment Plant Background- A soft drink bottling plant in the Midwest had been experiencing noncompliance with pretreatment parameters of the process wastewater pretreatment plant (PTP) since start-up in 1990. The system was to pretreat up to 162,000 gpd from two soft drink bottling operations discharge to the municipal sewer. A flow equalization tank followed by an anaerobic filter reactor (AFR) was previously constructed to meet the pretreatment requirements. Project Description- The original PTP consisted of flow equalization, single basin AFR, biogas collection and flare system, and chemical feed systems. The Owner was faced with an administrative order from the regional treating to bring the PTP into compliance with pretreatment standards. MRV was able to meet the objective at a minimal capital cost and little increase in operating cost. The approach was to install a single basin sequencing batch reactor (SBR) following the AFR. The organic reduction of the PTP with the SBR system will allow for future production increases with only minimal configuration changes to the PTP. The PTP has consistently discharged at BOD levels well below pretreatment requirements since project startup. The Project included an additional 125,000 gallon flow equalization tank, 48 ft. diameter by 16 ft. SWH SBR, 20 ft. by 32 ft. Blower/Storage building, 21 ft. diameter by 16 ft. SWH aerobic solids digester and associated piping/pumping equipment. The PTP is capable of treating 162,000 gpd with an influent organic load of 3,400 mg/L BOD and 515 mg/L TSS with pretreatment limits of 300 mg/L BOD-max. day and 200 mg/L BOD-avg. week. Discharges from the PTP range from 50-100 mg/L BOD. Project Scope MRV was retained to provide regulatory negotiation, design, project/construction management, procurement, installation, start-up and operator training of the PTP upgrade. ©2008 MRV Group