Robinson Run Microfiltration Water Treatment Facility

The Alexandria water system, serving 950 water customers in Huntingdon County, PA has a water supply intake on Robinson Run.  The water authority's existing water filtration system was prone to breakdown and water quality violations.  The Authority hired Gwin, Dobson & Foreman, Inc. to design a filtration system using the best available technology.  The resulting membrane treatment system is one of the first plants in the southcentral region of Pennsylvania to employ microfiltration.

The project included the following work elements:

• Extensive six month pilot testing of membrane filtration system of a Pall Corporation ARIA Model AP-3 technology.
• The microfiltration (MF) system achieves 6-log removal of protozoans like giardia and cryptosporidium, with filtrate turbidity less than 0.1 NTU and 95% MF system recovery.
• Process included a 188,000 GPD capacity prechlorination, coagulation, microfiltration and post chlorination system
• Design of control building included chemical feed and storage systems, mechanical and process piping systems, MF "clean-in-place" chemical cleaning system, hot-water boiler system (for MF make-up cleaning water), control room, open waste holding/recycle tank, clearwell, disinfection, metering equipment and sludge drying beds.
• Sophisticated computer instrumentation, control and monitoring system for MF system operation
• Electrical work, lighting system, power wiring and standby power system
• The project included a 100,000 gallon finish water storage tank of bolted, stainless steel construction

GD&F also provided all construction administration, inspection and PennVEST documentation.  Although one of the most sophisticated water treatment plants in southcentral Pennsylvania, the microfiltration system is one of the easiest to operate and maintain.  The water authority expressed complete satisfaction with the function and workmanship of the project.