Press moves discharge permit approval, reduces costs

Problem: Dave Hapchuk owns and operates a septage receiving facility where he pre-treats septage from his operation and seven others in the region southwest of Pittsburgh. With tightening restrictions, effluent quality was threatening his permit renewal, which was taking a toll on Hapchuk’s peace of mind. “I was lying awake trying to figure out how to make sure we’d get our discharge permit renewed,” he says. Costs were also an issue. “I wanted to lower my surcharges by sending a better quality of water to the city plant,” says Hapchuk.

Solution: The solution came with the Fournier Rotary Press. After screening, grit removal and settling in tanks, sludge is pumped to the dewatering system. The dewatered cake comes out as a 30 to 44% dryness brick. Bricks drop directly from the press in a roll-off container, ready to be trucked to a local landfill.

Result: What really enthuses Hapchuk is the quality of the effluent compared to his previous product. The Fournier press captures over 95% of suspended solids. “That was one of the things that moved our new permit for discharge along a lot faster,” he reports. 800-463-6328; www.fournierdewatering.com