Wastewater Treatment
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 10/12/2011. Pictured from left to right: Alderman Bob Sornberger, WWTF Employee Zon Stephens, Alderman Barb Alexander (WWTF Committee), Alderman Troy Pinkston (WWTF Committee), Mayor Roger Pethtel, Shannon Woodard (Connor & Connor Engineers), Alderman John Birkofer (Chairman, WWTF Committee), WWTF Employee Cody Cornwell, WWTF Employee Randy Hayes, Matt Heuerman (Curry Construction, Site Superintendent) and Lawrence E. Quick (Superintendent Robinson WWTF) Not pictured, WWTF Employee Tom Hose, Alderman Jim McKinney, Alderman Russell Snider, Alderman Lon Smith and Alderman Karen Bowman.
The Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF) are located on outer Mitchell Avenue. The plant is operated by a Superintendent and four Operators/Maintenance employees.The Robinson WWTP was newly constructed in 2010-2011 and includes a 2.5 MGD Advanced Activated Sludge Plant and complete laboratory where they perform process control and NPDES testing. They also maintain 11 sewage pumping stations located throughout the city and surrounding area, an Industrial Pretreatment Program and provide wastewater billing. The plant has consistently met or exceeded its NPDES permit requirements over the past 17 years. The Robinson Wastewater Treatment Facility just finished a 7.8 million dollar upgrade. It is a state of the art activated sludge facility incorporated into their existing infrastructure.
Highlights of the new facility include Biological Nutrient Removal (Denitrification and Phosphorus removal), automated storm flow management, waste activated sludge screening and disposal, waste sludge conditioning to reduce waste sludge yield, ultraviolet disinfection, plant effluent water reuse and a comprehensive SCADA package which includes the plant and all 11 collection system lift stations.
The upgrade raised the plant design average flow capacity from 1.5 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to 2.5 MGD and the design peak flow capacity from 3.75 MGD to 6.25 MGD. The expansion began on 5/6/10 and was completed on 9/5/2011.
Existing Treatment Processes at Robinson include:
Influent Screening (Parkson Aquaguard with screenings collection, washing and compacting)
3 Ring Orbal Activated Sludge complete with 3-60 hp Siemens Disc rotors and 3-30 hp Siemens Disc Rotors
2 – 80′ diameter Siemens Tow-Bro Clarifiers equipped with Sludge Density Baffles and NEFCO Weir/Launder Covers
1 – Parkson Strainpress for RAS screening to 5mm
2 – Sets Trojan UV 3000 PLUS self cleaning effluent disinfection units
2 - Siemens Chemical metering Pumps to pump Sodium Aluminate to polish out Phosphorus.
2 – 90′ diameter Interchange/Digester Tanks for aerobic digestion and solids yield reduction
2 – 15 hp Flygt Mixers in Interchange/Digester Tanks
3 – 45 hp Flygt Submersible Influent Pumps
2 – 20 hp Flygt Submersible RAS/WAS Pumps
Plant Water system provides 80psi @ 250 gpm for washdown of equipment, wash feed for Belt Filter Press and wash feed for Parkson Aquaguard Influent Screen
All valves are Henry Pratt Eccentric Plug Valves
Complete SCADA System with touchscreen and 42″ display in Lab Building covering all plant operations/ alarms and all remote lift stations/alarms
Renovation of the UV Building
Renovation of the Existing RBC building to a 90′ x 100′ heated machine and maintenance building
Belt Filter Press, Covered Sludge Storage Building and Agricultural Land Application.
The WWTF facility equipment is maintained by utilizing a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). The CMMS is a work order generating computer program designed to ensure maintenance tasks are performed at their recommended frequency. The facility also utilizes the eDMR reporting system.
Robinson operates on a five year plan which includes scheduled expenditures associated with facility upgrades, retrofits, repairs and new construction. They have a written safety program which includes monthly safety seminars. The seminars are presented in house by WWTF employees. The topics range from “Confined Space Entry”, to “Lockout – Tagout”. The facility promotes energy savings as well as pollution prevention & waste minimization by hosting Household Hazardous Waste and Used Tire collections. They provide tours for local schools, community colleges, civic organizations, and other interested groups and individuals.
The facility has been awarded numerous awards over the past few years for operation and maintenance excellence. The most recent by winning the 2007 Group 1 Plant of the Year by the Illinois EPA. The facility was awarded the Illinois Operator of The Year in 1999. They have also been nominated two other times for Group 1 Plant of the Year and twice for Operator of the Year. The facility placed second in USEPA’s Region Five O&M excellence for medium advanced wastewater facilities in 1998. The facility employees are all certified wastewater operators. Robinson promotes educational opportunities for their operators by means of college courses, CD ROM training (WEF), seminars, conferences, etc. They are members of the IAWPCO, WEF and IWEA.
For residential customers, a monthly fee of a minimum of $10.00 per month is charged for sewer usage. It is based on water usage, and additional charges are made on the cubic feet of water used. Bills are mailed before the 15th of each month, and due on the 28th of each month.
Bills may also be paid at:
First Financial Bank and Regions Bank
Hours: 7 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday through Friday
* Two night deposit boxes are also available. At the community center, a walk-up box is to the right of the front doors. A drive-up box is across from the Catholic church.
Contact information
Phone: 618-544-7616 (Lynn Weger-Williams, Billing Manager)
or 618-544-8110 (Lawrence Quick, Superintendent)
Contact Lawrence Quick: Contact
Sewer Use Ordinance
The City of Robinson Sewer Use Ordinance is also available for download.
Industrial Pretreatment Program Index
Industrial Pretreatment Program
New Plant Construction Photos:
