Notification of emergency procurement of a gravity thickener from Reynolds Construction, LLC in the amount of $40,000.00.  The structure has begun to degrade and separate from the supporting columns causing structural concern.  This was an emergency because the situation presented a safety hazard.  This vendor was selected because it was the first available to immediately respond.

The President Street Water Reclamation facility treats wastewater from the greater Savannah area. The treatment process consists of headworks treatment systems, primary treatment system, secondary treatment systems (biological treatment), and disinfection.  Gravity thickeners are tanks that are designed to slow the flow of the bacterium in suspension, allowing settling to occur. As the bacterium settle they become more compressed and thicker and are ready for conditioning.

The thickener mechanism design incorporates pickets, which slowly travel through the compressed material and release excess nitrogen, which inhibits the settability of the organisms.  Gravity thickeners also receive flow from the primary treatment process. Once the incoming flow passes through the head works it travels to the primary treatment system. This system removes any readily settable solids and floatable solids (fats, oils, and grease). The settable solids generally have no benefit to the biological treatment process and are pumped to the gravity thickeners.

Both thickeners in use at the President Street Water Reclamation Facility were designed and installed in the mid 1970s. Most equipment in a wastewater treatment facility operates under the most extreme conditions. As a result, structural and mechanical equipment have a finite life expectancy.

Approval