Cleaning Up: Automated Wastewater pH Treatment System
Transforming non-compliant discharge at 3.3 pH into city-approved effluent in the 5.5–6.5 pH compliant range — fully automated, zero operator guesswork.
This system is a fully automated two-stage industrial wastewater pH neutralization solution designed to treat 20,000–40,000 gallons per day of acidic discharge (3.3 pH) and deliver consistent municipal-compliant effluent within the 5.5–6.5 pH range using closed-loop chemical dosing, continuous mechanical mixing, and PLC-controlled conditional discharge authorization.
Under federal pretreatment rules, discharging wastewater below a pH of 5.0 into a public sewer is prohibited unless the system is specifically designed to handle it.
Financial exposure: $1,000–$5,000+/day in municipal administrative penalties, up to $25,000/day in civil penalties
Inflow & Holding — The FOG Tank
The wastewater is initially diverted into a 4,500-gallon Snyder holding tank, designated as the FOG tank — Stage 1, the intake and buffer point for all corrosive inflow before any active treatment occurs. To mitigate the risk of vessel failure, the holding tank is placed within a double containment setup, ensuring that even in the event of a tank rupture or seal failure, no acidic material escapes to the environment or drainage system.
A ProMinent radar unit is installed on the tank to provide continuous, non-contact level monitoring — tracking the liquid level in real time and triggering the transfer pump automatically at a preset level of approximately 115 inches.
| Stage 1 — FOG Tank | Technical Reference |
|---|---|
| Vessel | 4,500-Gallon Snyder Holding Tank |
| Containment | Double-Wall Secondary Containment |
| Level Sensor | ProMinent Radar Unit (AP05) — Non-Contact |
| Transfer Trigger | ~115 inches → auto-activates transfer pump |
| pH Monitoring | ProMinent pH Sensor (AP00) — Inflow Measurement |
Key System Components
- ProMinent Fluid Controls — metering pumps, radar level sensors, pH sensors, Dialog X PLC controller
- Grovhac — industrial mixers
- Georg Fischer — electromagnetic flow meters
- Snyder Industries — polyethylene chemical storage tanks
Wastewater pH Treatment FAQ
What pH range is required for municipal wastewater discharge?
Under federal pretreatment rules, discharging wastewater below a pH of 5.0 into a public sewer is prohibited unless the system is specifically designed to handle it. This system targets a 5.5–6.5 pH compliant range.
What happens if a facility discharges out-of-range wastewater?
Financial exposure ranges from $1,000–$5,000+ per day in municipal administrative penalties and up to $25,000/day in civil penalties.
What is the FOG tank in this system?
The FOG tank is a 4,500-gallon Snyder holding tank that serves as Stage 1 — the intake and buffer point for all corrosive inflow before any active treatment occurs, placed inside double-wall secondary containment.
How does the system know when to start treatment?
A ProMinent radar unit provides continuous, non-contact level monitoring on the holding tank, automatically triggering the transfer pump at a preset level of approximately 115 inches.
Don't leave your compliance to guesswork.
James Riggins — zero spec failures across 30+ years, 100+ projects
See exactly how automated pH neutralization protects your operations from crippling fines.