AWT Solids
Management Improvements

The Challenge

The Belmont Advanced Water Treatment Plant experienced increasing solids loading that pushed its five existing centrifuges, installed in 2015 and 2016, to or near full operational capacity. With minimal redundancy built into the system, the loss of a single centrifuge represented up to a 20% reduction in total dewatering capacity, creating a significant operational risk.

The original plant design had anticipated only four centrifuges being required. As loading grew beyond projections, the fifth unit had been added, but the plant still lacked a true standby machine. Centrifuge rebuild cycles with Alfa Laval typically take 6 to 8 weeks, meaning any unplanned outage during peak loading could severely impact plant operations and compliance.

This project added a 6th centrifuge to restore a genuine standby unit and provide operational flexibility for planned maintenance rotations. The addition also future-proofed the facility by providing headroom for continued growth in solids loading beyond what the original 4-unit design envelope anticipated.