DAF unit & activated sludge system

Bercen, Inc. is committed to maintaining environmental compliance during a period of significant growth and expansion at their Denham Springs, LA location.

Bercen is in the process of a major upgrade of the company’s wastewater treatment system. As the plant production has increased in recent years and the product mix has become more varied, the plant has outgrown the existing system. The result was that a considerable amount of wastewater was sent off site for treatment rather than being treated on site.

In addition to costing the company several hundred thousand dollars per year, this approach meant transporting wastewater to the contract wastewater treatment facility. In 2007, the company approved a capital expenditure in excess of $400,000 to upgrade and expand the treatment system. This two phase projected consisted of (1) a new dissolved air flotation unit (DAF) to allow on-site treatment of the wastewater being treated off site and (2) a new activated sludge treatment system with over twice the capacity of the existing system to improve wastewater quality and allow for future expansion.

The DAF has been in operation since July 2008 and has resulted in a reduction in offsite treatment by 75%.  The new activated sludge system will be on line tentatively for the year 2010.