A pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point provides opportunities for
Training, Research and Development
in Wastewater Treatment
Facility offers research and training opportunities
The Waste Education Center at the University
of Wisconsin-Stevens Point contains a working
wastewater treatment plant with state-of-theindustry technology, the same processes and
technology used in municipal wastewater
treatment plants across the United States. The
facility is managed by the Wisconsin Institute for
Sustainable Technology (WIST), a unit within the
UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources.
In addition to its use as a classroom and
laboratory for UW-Stevens Point courses in the
Soil and Waste Resources Discipline, this center
is an excellent training facility for treatment plant
operators, engineers, environmental compliance
officers and others who may have a need to
understand wastewater treatment processes.
The waste education center is also used by WIST
to provide research and laboratory services for
business and industry.
(Left) Excess sludge may be pumped to settling tanks and then to digestors.
Activated sludge system
This plant uses a biological treatment known as
activated sludge. Wastewater is pumped into aeration
tanks containing microorganisms, which use organic
material in the wastewater as food. As the microorganisms break down the organic material, they multiply
and form clumps of active masses of microbes and stable
solids, called activated sludge. Air is injected continuously into the system to mix the activated sludge with
the wastewater and to provide oxygen needed by the
microbes. This combination of activated sludge and
wastewater is called mixed liquor. The mixed liquor
moves to clarifying tanks where the activated sludge
settles out and clean water exits the system. Most of the
settled sludge is pumped back to the aeration basins to
keep the microbe population adequate. Excess sludge
may be pumped to sludge settling tanks and from there
to digestors. The aeration tanks in the pilot treatment
plant feature a series of baffles, so that part of a tank
may be run with air and other portions of the tank run
without air. Because the treatment plant is designed
with two parallel systems, it is possible to run different
simulations at the same time.
Chemical additions
The pilot plant includes six pumps capable of adding
different chemicals to the process. For example, in a
classroom simulation, a pump may add molasses to
simulate wastewater organic compounds to provide
additional nutrients to the microorganisms in the tanks.
These pumps may be used to add specific chemicals to
be tested in the treatment process.
Training opportunities:
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Municipal wastewater system operators
Industrial wastewater system operators
Engineers
Environmental compliance personnel
Research and Development
• Understanding the biodegradability profile
of compounds during wastewater treatment
• Testing of treatment technology prototypes
(Bottom) Aeration tanks contain microorganisms, which use organic material in the
wastewater as food.
A laboratory at the Waste Education Center provides
space for bench-top trials.
The plant features a touch-screen control panel,
where adjustments can be made without entering
the wastewater processing area.
Technical specifications
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Two independent parallel systems may be run separately or mixed
Continuous aeration
Two aeration tanks, 2.5’ x 8’ x 12’: 1,800 gallon capacity
Each aeration tank equipped with baffles so that a portion of the tank
may be run with air and other parts without air
• Two clarifying tanks, 2.5’diameter by 10’ height: 350 gallon capacity
• Wastewater flow of up to 1.5 gallons per minute
The system includes pumps capable of adding
chemicals to the process.
• Activated sludge recycling at up to 1.5 gallons per minute
• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Computer (SCADA)
gathers and stores information for analysis
• Touch screen control
• Ultraviolet disinfection system
Schematic of UW-Stevens Point pilot wastewater treatment plant
Treated water
Digestor
1
Digestor
2
Key
Sludge
Storage
2
6
Baffle
Fine bubble diffuser
Clarifier
1
Clarifier
2
Aeration
Aeration
Tank 1
Tank 2
5
Chemical
Feed
Pumps
1
Wastewater
1
Sludge
Storage
1
4
3
2
Wastewater
2
The Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology —
Creating sustainability solutions
and economic opportunities
WIST offices and labs are in the Science Building
and the Dan Trainer Natural Resources Building
on the UW-Stevens Point campus.
Online: www.uwsp.edu/wist
Direct mail to:
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology
800 Reserve Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897
To discuss how your company or institution might
use the UW-Stevens Point Waste Education Center
contact:
John Baldus, Director of Laboratory Services
Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology
Email: John.Baldus@uwsp.edu
Phone: 715-346-3265
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is an Equal Opportunity/
Affirmative Action Institution.
Ed. 2: 04/2014