Millville advanced wastewater treatment plant getting new $2 million UV disinfection system
PANAMA CITY — The City Commission on Tuesday approved a $2 million UV disinfection system for the Millville advanced wastewater treatment facility to stay in compliance with state regulations.
The project was awarded to J&P Construction of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Funding will come from State Revolving Funds loans.
City Manager Mark McQueen said city officials have been in talks with county officials to send some of the sewage currently being treated at the more than 70-year-old Millville plant to the AWT facility near Tyndall Air Force Base. The city also is considering sending sewage to its 23rd Street wastewater plant.
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"It takes an engineering study to evaluate that, to determine how we would redirect the flow to the AWT, if there is capacity at the AWT and if there is not, what it would take to design an upgrade to that facility so that we can ensure that we have proper treatment of the sewage that's currently treated at the Millville plant," McQueen said.
City Commissioners delayed approving the bid at their previous meeting on June 28, saying they planned to seek guidance from the county before proceeding with new equipment.
"All of this has been going through analysis over the last several weeks and gaining engineer input to the decision," McQueen said. "Today's decision for the UV lighting system was necessary as the city continues to meet its requirements under the consent order that we have with the (state Department of Environmental Protection) to ensure that we are making sure that all treatment at the Millville Wastewater Treatment Plant is being met to the standards that it was permitted for."
The project consists of replacing the existing UV disinfection system, which includes phased demolition and the installation of new UV banks, electrical, hydraulic and communications components.
McQueen said the new equipment will ensure the city has state-of-the-art facilities that will treat and discharge sewage safely into state waters.
City officials also are undertaking a $1.5 million relocation study of the Millville plant, which McQueen said is "very vulnerable to damage" from hurricanes.
The new equipment approved Tuesday could transfer to a new facility should they relocate the plant, he said. Contractors must install the new UV equipment before the city's consent order is up in December.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City approves new UV disinfection system for Millville plant
