Wastewater Treatment

PMU’s state-of-the-art Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is located in the southeastern part of town. This facility spreads across approximately 100 acres, with offices, laboratories, and operational systems. It is here that the water Paragould uses every day is cleaned and returned safely to the environment. Significant upgrades include the addition of an Eimco Carrousel System and the Biosolids Facility.

The Eimco Carrousel System is an activated sludge treatment process that effectively removes organic material in a simple, energy-efficient system that is easy to operate and maintain.

WWTP solids are processed in the Schwing Bioset Lime-Stabilization process to produce Class A EQ Biosolids. One of the most important features of the Bioset process is that it consistently and reliably produces Class A EQ biosolids from start-up to shut-down. No expensive and maintenance-intensive supplemental heat sources are required since all of the heat to operate the Bioset process is achieved by means of chemical addition. The biosolids produced by the PMU WWTP are classified as Exceptional Quality, Class A Biosolids which are sold to area farmers for application as fertilizer.

The laboratories of the WWTP are able to perform analyses on samples taken throughout the treatment process, as well as industrial processes to ensure regulations established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) are being met. In addition, the laboratory is the fifth in the state to be certified by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) to perform microbiological testing on drinking water to ensure the water is safe for human consumption.