Humboldt, Iowa
Population: 4,460
Employees: 6
Responsibilities:
Operations, maintenance and management of wastewater system, operations, maintenance and management of water system
Description of Facilities:
WWTP 2.7 MGD activated sludge plant (Bio-Lac), 5 lift stations, and collection system. WTP 2.3 MGD IGW lime softening plant and two 500,000 gallon water towers and distribution system
Obstacles:
- Non-compliant trickling filter plant
- Antiquated lift stations
- Deteriorated collection system
- Reclassification as influenced ground water
- Deteriorated distribution system
- Lack of water storage
Accomplishments:
- New activated sludge plant
- 4 new or rehabbed lift stations
- Established sewer standards
- Sump pump inspection program
- Sewer system improvements
- Assisted with $6 million upgrade of water treatment plant
- Transitioned to surface water treatment rule
- Distribution system improvements
- Assisted with addition of a new 500,000 gallon water tower
Project Summary:
This project began in January of 1996. The city at that time was out of compliance with its 40-year-old trickling filter plant with anaerobic digestion and had major problems with their lift stations. PeopleService assisted the city in establishing guidelines for selection of an engineer to design a new treatment plant. In December of 2000, a new 2.7 MGD Bio-Lac activated sludge plant went on-line with reed bed sludge handling and a 3 million gallon equalization basin. The Humboldt system also has 4 lift stations and a primary main lift station. Since 2000, three of the lift stations have had major upgrades or replacement. Numerous sewer system lines have been replaced or rehabilitated with cured-in-place pipe liners. PeopleService has helped establish private sewer service standards and completion of a major sump pump inspection program. The water system was added in 2009. It consists of a 2.3 MGD lime softening plant, two 500,000 gallon water towers, and the distribution system. Humboldt uses two water sources, one well and one spring. In 2011, the Iowa DNR reclassified the spring source as under the influence of surface water. We assisted the city of Humboldt with the upgrade of the water treatment plant to meet the Surface Water Treatment Rule.