E-Z Trays® Treating Multiple Groundwater Contaminants in Grand Island, NE
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched an effort to treat contaminated groundwater in Grand Island, Nebraska. The Parkview Well Superfund Site consists of two areas of groundwater contamination, the Northern and Southern Plumes, which include several volatile organic contaminants including tetrachloroethene (PCE), 1,1-dichloroethene (DCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) and 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCA), and 1,4-Dioxane.
In 2010, the construction of a groundwater extraction well network and treatment system, including QED E-Z Tray® (U.S. Patent Number 5,518,668) Air Strippers, was completed. The system is intended to prevent further plume migration or expansion, and to protect the city’s water supply. The system has been fully operational since August 2010, and continuously treats over two million gallons of groundwater per day.
Water is pumped to the facility from a series of centrifugal submersible groundwater pumps. As it enters the building, flow rate monitoring occurs, an in-line static mixer allows for the addition of a sequestering agent, and the water runs through a series of bag filters. The total maximum flow rate of 1,500 gpm is then split into two 750 gpm flow streams and each of these is sent to an E-Z Tray 96.4 Air Stripper. After being discharged through the local storm sewer system, the water is reused in a nearby lake to maintain water levels, and in a river for enhancement of ecological habitat.
Water must be treated to safe drinking water levels for all contaminants prior to discharge. Performance testing conducted on the E-Z Tray system has confirmed expected removal levels. The system is sized conservatively to easily accommodate flow and concentration changes without any issues. Both strippers are cleaned periodically, and the E-Z Tray’s ease of access allows this to be completed in under eight hours.
To learn more about the E-Z Tray as an effective air stripping technology for drinking water clean-up, visit www.qedenv.com/modeler where you can run the exclusive Online Performance Modeler to pick the right E-Z Tray system for your specific treatment application.
