Introduction

The City of Somerset is served by two wastewater treatment facilities: the Otis B. Chaney Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the Sinking Creek WWTP. The Sinking Creek WWTP was originally constructed in 1941 and subsequently upgraded in 1964 and 1979. All flow from the Sinking Creek WWTP is pumped to the Chaney WWTP for final treatment. The 1996 upgrade of the treatment facilities was activated by the need to meet the requirements established in the KPDES permit of Preventing any bypasses or overflows. After an extensive pilot study was completed, it was determined that a facultative lagoon would provide the best method of treatment and equalization and was constructed in 1998. An additional benefit of this lagoon, toxicity may be reduced at the Sinking Creek plant thus improving the Chaney WWTP to meet biomonitoring requirements. Also as part of this project, a new screening structure was installed as well as a septage receiving station. The WWTP includes the following processes: screening, influent pumping, facultative lagoon, primary clarification, activated sludge, secondary clarification, flow monitoring, sludge thickening, aerobic and anaerobic digesters and drying beds

Sinking Creek  

    This facility is no longer there.  It was constructed in 1941 and upgraded in 1964.  All that remains today are the basins that are in the foreground of the black & white photo.  The color photo shows today a pre-treatment facility that was built in the late 1990's.  It handles around 1.3 million gallons per day.

Pitman Creek

    This the current wastewater treatment facility that is located close to the 914 bypass.  This facility was built from 1973-1974 and can handle 3.0 million gallons of wastewater per day.  It averages around 2 million gallons a day.

Lift stations

Lift stations are part of the collection system that helps to bring the waste to the plant..