A major emphasis during the planning and design of the new Lower Meramec River Wastewater Treatment Plant has been to use the latest technology available to control odors. Buried pipes will convey wastewater at the plant instead of traditional exposed open channels. Submerged wiers will be used on the primary clarifiers and the trickling filters will be covered to help control odors.
The originally designed odor control system used to capture, contain and treat odors, with estimated construction at $5 million, was deleted from the scope of work in an effort to reduce overall project cost.
During the construction of the new plant, the majority of construction traffic will enter the site from a new "temporary construction entrance" located off Telegraph Road. This will minimize the construction traffic using the Fine Road plant entrance.
As part of the development of this new plant, MSD will develop an educational and recreational facility as an interpretive learning center for the remaining acreage of the site, which contains several varieties of habitat and many opportunities for hiking trails.
The Meramec River Wetland Demonstration Project will provide a permanent, public exhibition of the use of created wetlands to polish treatment plant effluent to higher water quality standards. The wetland will attract both permanent and migratory wildlife and thus present an accessible demonstration of the compatibility of water quality improvement via wetlands and wildlife enhancement.
