Primary and Waste Activated solids are pumped to the Mixing and Holding Tanks and blended together and stored for further processing. There are a total of six tanks, each with a one million gallon capacity. The blended thickened sludge is pumped under the Cuyahoga River to the City of Akron Composting Facility. The composting process is based upon an agitated in-vessel system utilizing four 720ft. long rectangular reactor vessels. The sludge is dewatered using Belt Filter Presses then mixed with bulking agents such as yardwaste, hardwood bark, and sawdust.
Air is blown into the mixture to provide oxygen for the biological decompostion process.
Odors are contained and controlled with 12 two-stage packed tower scrubbers. There are dozens of support activities performed daily to ensure the wastewater treatment processes operate correctly and efficiently. For example, a complete laboratory is staffed with chemists and technicians who conduct continuous tests as a quality control measure. Maintenance and repair of the complete process is carried out routinely by teams of mechanics and utilityworkers. The Akron Water Pollution Control Division experienced the best year ever operationally in 2000.