Ackley, Iowa
Population: 1,810
Employees: 1
Responsibilities:
Operations, maintenance and management of treatment plants, distribution and collection system.
Description of Facilities:
WTP .250 MGD, Iron removal filter, chemical addition (gas chlorine, polyphosphate) and 3 wells. WWTP .530 MGD capacity, 3 cell aerated lagoons with 10 floating aerators, 2 lift stations.
Obstacles:
- Aging facilities
- Compliance issues
- Working with engineer on upgrades
Accomplishments:
- Saved city money on sludge removal
- Improved chemical feed system
- Worked through 2 well rehabs
- WWTP improvements
- Water plant control upgrade
- New rate structure in place
- Renovate WTP
Project Summary:
This was the first contract signed by PeopleService in December of 1988. Since this project started, PeopleService has jointly worked on numerous system improvements with the city including water system control upgrades, lift station upgrades, well rehabilitation, chemical feed system and many other improvements and studies. Most recently the wastewater treatment plant was upgraded and after careful research by the city and PeopleService, a new aeration system was installed. This new type of aeration is a vacuum bubble technology and is one of the first in the state. PeopleService spent considerable time working the Iowa DNR to get this new system approved. The system was first installed on a study basis in October 2001 and installed permanently in the summer of 2005. Other improvement to the WWTP at that time included a new raw pump station, electrical system, and control building. This type of aeration has saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars by biologically removing the biosolids as opposed to mechanical removal.