Analyzing a Rural Wastewater Treatment Facility

Global was retained by a municipality to prepare a hydrogeological study work plan, conduct the study, and prepare a report for submittal to the State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) utilizing two (2) waste stabilization lagoons, and ridge and furrow irrigation.

The municipality was served an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to cure deficiencies in their reporting. Global was tasked with analyzing the lagoon area for leakage and assessing the extent the wastewater lagoons have impacted groundwater and/or nearby surface waters. Global also analyzed the discharge area to assess the extent groundwater and/or nearby surface waters had been impacted by the discharge.

Global installed seven (7) monitoring wells on the subject property. Soil screening and classification was conducted as part of the installation. Physical testing to identify soil properties and aquifer characteristics was also conducted at each well location, and all soil borings were converted into monitoring wells at boring completion. Physical testing for site soils was performed for each change in lithology at each of the seven (7) soil boring and monitoring well locations. Physical testing was comprised of particle size distribution by sieve analysis, and hydraulic conductivity was determined by constant head permeability analysis.

Physical testing for groundwater was performed at each of the seven (7) proposed monitoring well locations and consisted of water level measurements, hydraulic conductivity, and groundwater sampling, to ultimately prepare groundwater flow direction maps and contouring.

The hydrogeological study report will be comprised of information obtained during on-site work as well as a survey of domestic wells in the area to characterize the water supply formation. Additionally, a map delineating an established or proposed designated wellhead protection area that may be affected by past, current, or proposed discharge will be generated and included in the final hydrogeological study report.