Chicora Borough Sewer Authority is located in Chicora, Pennsylvania, 40 miles north of Pittsburgh. Chicora was incorporated as the borough of Millerstown in 1855, and the borough name was changed to Chicora in 1959. The municipal authority was incorporated in 1947. In older core communities such as Chicora, underground infrastructure systems are aging and many struggle to expand systems to keep up with growth.
One such project was the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) collection tank at the treatment plant. The sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is a fill-and-draw activated sludge system for wastewater treatment. In this system, wastewater is added to a single “batch” reactor, treated to remove undesirable components, and then discharged. Equalization, aeration, and clarification can all be achieved using a single batch reactor. They are uniquely suited for wastewater treatment applications characterized by low or intermittent flow conditions. Over the years, age had taken its toll on the concrete of the SBR tank and the Chicora Borough Sewer Authority sought to optimize the performance of the system with a spray-applied lining system rather than a costly alternative.
Tim McGregor, Manager of the Sewer Authority, selected ART, an OBIC-certified installer, for this project as he wanted to add at least ten years to the lifespan of the tank. By protecting the concrete walls with OBIC’s spray-applied polyurea and polyurethane lining system, they would receive a high performance, cost-effective solution that would make the SBR tank like new again.
“Whenever the coating goes, we hope to redo the coating and not the tanks,” said McGregor.
The ART installation team applied the OBIC 1000 flexible polymer interior coating that would rehabilitate the SBR tank. This product was selected as it is a fast-set application that’s long-lasting and would have the treatment plant up and running again with minimal downtime. The team used OBIC 1000 in gray for this project instead of the traditional OBIC orange color, since exposure to UV rays would potentially fade the orange faster than a gray color.
McGregor said of his experience with ART, “It was great. We had two crews, and they were both great. Logan and his crew were very impressive, nice to see young men work so hard and be professional. Alex’s crew arrived nice and early and did a great job. Both crews were very professional. They cleaned up and left the site as good or better than when they arrived. I have already referred them to another authority.”
This successful project delivered a long-lasting solution for minimal investment for the Chicora Borough Sewer Authority, which is always a plus when municipalities are tasked to do more with less.
Find out how ART can help rehabilitate your wastewater treatment plant by contacting us at info@artcoatingtech.com or 419-636-2684.
