The headworks at Destin Water Users’ (DWU) George F. French Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) was originally constructed in 1982 as part of the facility’s third expansion. Following the useful life of the original influent screens, the headworks was retrofitted with an in-channel mechanical step screen which proved to be inefficient when paired with the existing headworks configuration. In May 2018, DWU tasked BDI to evaluate the replacement of their headworks.
BDI started the project by evaluating the facility’s hydraulics and determining the best solution to install the primary treatment equipment cost-effectively while accommodating high influent flows. BDI worked closely with DWU to select screening and grit removal equipment systems that would treat the types of wastewater flows seen at the facility and that would best suit their operators from a maintenance standpoint. To mitigate the high instantaneous flows through the influent screens, an influent pump station was designed to shave peak flows and provide a steady, consistent flow.