2014 WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Divisional Services
The Wastewater Treatment Plant is responsible for the treatment of wastewater
before the effluent can be discharged into the Red River. The Wastewater Plant
has the capacity to treat an average daily flow of 15 million gallons per day
(MGD). In 2012, the average daily flow was 12.023 MGD. The total amount of
wastewater treated was 4.389 billion gallons.
The Wastewater Treatment Plant employs a mechanical and biological process;
consisting of an influent pump station, bar screen and grit removal, pre aeration,
primary clarifiers, biological trickling filters, intermediate clarifiers, nitrification
tricking filters, final clarifier, and subsequent chlorination and dechlorination.
Treated effluent drains by gravity to the Red River unless the river levels are
above 22’, at that point it must be pumped to the River. Solids handling and
processing includes anaerobic sludge digestion and a sludge drying facility that
use both belt filter presses and sludge drying beds to remove water from the
biosolids. Biosolids are then disposed of at the landfill where they are used for
daily cover and/or topsoil conditioners. The total amount of biosolids delivered to
the landfill in 2012 was 9,532 tons.
The City of Fargo wastewater stabilization ponds may be used whenever the Red
River rises above 22’ river stage. The stabilization ponds are also used in the
event that federal standards cannot be met through the normal treatment
process.
The Wastewater Treatment Plant operates and maintains 62 sanitary lift stations
at various locations throughout the City as well as the surrounding area. The
Southeast Cass sewer system which includes many rural subdivisions, small
cities utilize over 80 grinder pumps which are also operated and maintained by
Fargo wastewater plant personnel. The City of Fargo WWTP is gradually
becoming a regional provider of wastewater treatment for numerous surrounding
communities that extend as far south as the City of Oxbow to Harwood to the
north.
In June of 2001, the City implemented a sump pump and foundation drain
enforcement program in an effort to remove illegal connections to the sanitary
sewer system. The program includes conducting initial inspections of all homes
subject to compliance (approx. 12,000) followed by annual random compliance
inspections. The program is a function of the Wastewater Treatment Plant and
presently consists of one full-time coordinator, one full-time inspector, and one
seasonal part-time inspector.
Wastewater Reuse
The WWTP staff also operates and maintains an Effluent Reuse Facility. Treated
effluent is diverted to the facility and is further treated to high quality water that is
pumped to an ethanol plant. The technology used to achieve this high quality
include: microfiltration, reverse osmosis and various treatment, and cleaning
chemicals. In 2012 the WWTP produced over 331 million gallons of reclaimed
water.
Division Operating Comments
Manage wastewater treatment, sump pump, effluent reuse and Southeast
Cass sewer budget exceeding $4.5 million in 2012.
Treats wastewater for the Cities of Fargo, Frontier, Prairie Rose,
Briarwood, North River, Reiles Acres, Oxbow, Harwood and numerous
rural subdivisions.
Meets or exceeds Federal and State regulatory standards for discharge of
treated effluent to the Red River.
The plant operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year with
at least one operator on duty.
Prepare monthly operational report.
The Wastewater Plant Laboratory performs daily testing for operational
control of the Wastewater Plant as well as some of the testing required to
meet its discharge permit. The Chemistry lab at the Water Plant also
performs some of the testing required by Federal and State Standards
(Clean Water Act). The Water and Wastewater Plant also perform
numerous analyses for the Effluent Reuse Facility.
Manage an Industrial Pretreatment Program required by the US
Environmental Protection Agency. This program is designed to prevent
pollutants into the POTW that may interfere with the operation of the
facility or may be harmful to the environment.
Manage an Effluent Reuse Facility, which utilizes advanced and unique
technology to reclaim wastewater to produce high quality water for other
purposes.
Staffing:
Administration
Plant Operations and Maintenance
Lift Station Operations and Maintenance
Water Reuse
Computers and Instruments
Sump Pump Coordinator
Sump Pump Inspector
Total
Assigned Personnel:
3
9
4
1
1
1
1
20
HISTORY OF THE FARGO SEWAGE/WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT
Fargo’s original sewer collection piping prior to 1898 was a combined
system for both storm water and sewage. It was constructed along 9th Avenue
North and discharged directly into the Red River. Other collectors were added in
1904 on 1st Avenue North, 1919 on the southside and in 1923 and 1925 the 14 th
and 15th Avenue north collectors were added. The basis for the original design is
unknown, but according to an engineer report done for the period of 1910 to
1912 quote “It is evident at once that no preconceived plan or design has been
followed in the construction of the system, for some sizes are too large and some
too small and many with improper grade---a sewer system cannot be designed
without a study being made of the probable class of buildings, the number of
people who will eventually live in the district, whether it will be business or
residence districts, streets paved or unpaved and the amount of rainfall during
short periods of time. There are no records that such studies have been made
and data compiled.” Frank L. Anders.
As the City continued to grow, health concerns were becoming an issue
during low flows because of odors and the possibility of illness from the
concentration of sewage in the river.
In 1932 a committee was formed to investigate building a sewage plant
after complaints from the Veterans Administration and the American Legion
concerning the terrible river conditions on the north side of Fargo due to the
sewage pollution of the Red River.
1932:
City authorized $400,000 Bond to fund construction. Voters
disapproved bond issue, 6,216 against—5,026 for.
1933:
Issak Walton League sent letter concerning sewage problems in
river and requested city stop practice. Signed contract with Buell &
Winter Engineering Co. of Sioux City, Iowa for $1.275.00 to conduct
a survey for plant location and collection system. Survey report
presented to city with seven sites selected for plant. Decided on
area southeast of El Zagal Park east of Holes addition & Elm
Street. Action started in District Court by Marvin H. Jones, 105
South Terrace compelling the city to stop/discontinue practice of
dumping sewage into the Red River. ND State health Dept. sent
letter to city concerning sewage being dumped into Red River.
Meeting held with the taxpayers to discuss the necessity for
construction of sewage plant. Contract awarded to Buell & Winter
for plans and cost estimate of sewage plant. Declaration of
necessity for sewage disposal plant made. Notice of 30 days given
for protest. No protest received. Suit brought by Jones resulting in
an injunction directing the City to stop dumping sewage into the
Red River. The City has 18 months to resolve the problem. The
City filed for a loan of $385,000 and a grant of $127,000, through
the National Industrial Recovery Act of June 16, 1933. Loan was
approved, W.P.A. Docket No. 747 for $524,000. Petition filed by
northsiders against location of sewage plant.
1934:
Petition filed February 26, 1934 requesting ordinance prohibiting
the building of a sewage disposal plant within the city limits.
Special Election: 2,306 for the ordinance, 975 against. Option from
Emil Utke 15 Acres one and one fourth miles north of 19 th Avenue
(City limits) $250.00/acre. City accepted tract of land. Public
Works Administrator approved loan $598,000 and a grant of
$224,000. Total $812,000. Construction bids were as follows:
Meinecke Johnson-Sewage Plant $308,630.
Haggart, Birch, Shaw-Collector & Lift Station $305,991.
Powers, Meinecke Johnson-Trickling Filter $48,265.
Started excavating site on October 22, 1934.
1936:
The sewage plant began operation January 1, 1936. Four lift
stations located along the Red River received sewage and storm
water from the combined collector system and pumped the
wastewater to the head works lift station at the plant. The plant
facility consists of:
 administration building
 laboratory
 mechanical bar screen
 one detriter (grit removal unit)
 two gas boilers and burners
 two sludge pumps
 building containing two primary clarifiers
 two dosing chambers
 one rock trickling filter with fixed nozzles
 one solid cover primary sludge digester with stirring
mechanisms and heating coil
 one secondary digester with a floating cover for gas storage
 30,000 sq. ft. of biosolids drying beds
Design dry weather flow: 2.7 MGD.
Design wet weather flow: 9.0 MGD.
Design population:
40,000
The rate for billing was set at $2.25/quarter or $0.09/1,000 gallons if
more than 150,000 gallons were used annually. Commercial rate
set at $0.75/month and $0.09/1000 gallons over 8,500
gallons/month.
1939:
Added four biosolids drying beds to handle emergency cleaning of
digester and additional storage 13,300 ft.
1958:
Facility study recommended upgrading plant to 9.0 MGD to serve
population of 70,000 and add secondary treatment.
1961:
New influent sewage pumping station with two automatic
mechanical bar screens, three pumps and effluent re-circulation
line. The old station will serve as a standby unit. Grit
chamber/aeration basin with grit conveyor and aeration blowers,
two additional primary clarifiers, two sludge pumps and one scum
pump, one 150 ft. rotating distributor trickling filter, and one 110 ft.
final settling clarifier.
1962:
Two new primary digesters each having three mechanical mixers.
One control room, three digester heat exchangers, three pumps to
circulate solids. Old digesters will receive supernate biosolids from
new digester. Additional biosolids drying beds.
1970:
U.S. Department of the Interior cited the city for being in violation of
discharge limits. Study recommended using waste stabilization
ponds for additional effluent treatment. Installed chlorinator for
effluent disinfection.
1972:
New effluent pumping station with four pumps to transfer 10 MGD
effluent from final clarifier to six new waste stabilization ponds with
a volume of 261 million gallons each. This capacity will allow
enough detention time for tertiary treatment of wastewater and
storage of effluent for five months when river is frozen over.
1979:
Facility plan study to update old parts of plant.
1982:
Replace old mechanical bar screens with new ones. Add a fourth
influent pump, one fifty foot clarifier and install aluminum covers
over all the clarifiers. Demolished old building on original primary
clarifiers, demolished dosing chamber and old stationary trickling
filter building and replaced with two 125’ diameter synthetic media
trickling filters with rotating distributors. Two additional digester
storage tanks, one with a floating cover, and one with a solid cover.
70,000 sq. ft. of biosolids drying beds added. Additional laboratory
facilities and up-grade of office space.
1989:
Facility study: additional lagoon needed. State was not in favor of
this idea so plant design will be upgraded to 15 MGD with direct
discharge to river.
1990-95:
Demolished old grit chamber and aeration channel and installed a
new vortex grit removal system, pre-aeration channel with four
blowers, odor control unit, two additional primary clarifiers with
covers, modified BOD trickling filters and replaced rock with
synthetic stacked media. One new filter lift station with four BOD
pumps and four nitrification pumps, converted final clarifier to an
intermediate clarifier and added an additional intermediate clarifier.
Two new nitrification trickling filters with rotating distributors and
stacked synthetic media, one 150’ final clarifier, a chlorine mixing
chamber and detention channel with dechlorination treatment prior
to discharge to river. One chlorine/sulfur dioxide tank storage and
control building with an emergency chlorine scrubber. Two standby
emergency generators.
1997:
Additional biosolids beds.
1998:
Upgrade sludge handling and disposal for 15 MGD plant. Rehab
two primary digester and added an additional primary digester with
two storage tanks, one having a floating cover for gas storage,
replaced digester heat exchangers, circulating pumps and
mechanical mixers. Added another biosolid transfer station. A new
building for three biosolid belt filter presses and associated
equipment plus an odor control unit. Additional office space and a
garage were added to complete the 15 MGD expansion of the
plant.
The City of Fargo has and will continue to expand the
Wastewater Treatment Plant to meet future growth in the
population and federal and state mandated requirements of the
“Clean Water Act” for effluent discharge to the Red River.