City of Columbus, WI

Project Description

R/M provided planning, design, and construction engineering services for the aeration system upgrade. Through this project, the aeration blowers were replaced, the underground air piping was replaced with above-ground piping with continuously welded joints, and the aeration basin diffusers were replaced with a more efficient type. The new diffusers provided smaller air bubbles in the mixed liquor to increase oxygen transfer compared to the old diffusers. R/M worked with WPPI and Focus on Energy to secure approximately $35,000 in grants for the project. With the upgrades, the City is saving $24,000 a year on electrical costs due to higher efficiencies.

Project Highlights

  • Aeration basins were retrofitted with high-efficiency, finebubble diffusers
  • Diffuser design prevents solids from settling in aeration basins
  • Diffusers and new blowers were designed to operate together
  • New positive displacement blowers with a large degree of turn-down capability replaced inefficient multi-stage centrifugal blowers