Wastewater Services

Master Planning

Jones Edmunds has the knowledge, experience, and technical expertise to complete wastewater facility and collection system master plans. These plans typically include an infrastructure assessment of existing utilities, unit treatment processes and mechanical and electrical facilities to develop the existing conditions and recommended improvements. Future growth and population increases within the utility service areas are estimated using census data, Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) projections and utility data.

Planning efforts are usually evaluated over a 5-, 10-, 15- or 20-year period to develop future wastewater flows and loads over the desired period. In addition, upcoming or pending regulatory initiatives or rules are evaluated based on our knowledge and relationships with the regulatory agencies. Evaluation of possible future regulations allows determination of required facility or collection system improvements to mitigate future discharge permit compliance issues. The master plan outcome and/or recommendations typically include an estimated opinion of probable costs for the recommended alternatives, as well as an implementation plan and/or capital improvement program over the planning period. Grant and loan funding opportunities are also identified and the most feasible of these are recommended for your consideration.

Wastewater Collection, Treatment, and Disposal

Jones Edmunds engineers have designed wastewater collection systems for both large and small communities. Gravity and pressure-sewer system designs have been used to fit local conditions and to provide the most effective and cost-efficient collection system. Lift station designs include small to large duplex submersible pump stations and multi-pump, built-in-place master lift stations using large variable-speed pumping units.

TMDLs, Permitting, and Compliance

Jones Edmunds has designed, obtained permits for, and administered construction of water and sanitary sewer systems throughout Florida. Our experience includes performing hydraulic modeling and designing, relocating, upgrading, and rehabilitating water transmission and distribution systems, gravity sanitary sewers, and force mains. We are experienced with the FDEP permitting process and requirements for each of these systems. We also have extensive experience with utility relocations and upgrades on a variety of projects for municipalities, counties, and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Many of these projects included utility relocations as part of an overall roadway widening or streetscaping project.

Process Control and Automation

With the implementation of more complex infrastructures, process control and automation have become a necessity for WWTPs in Florida. Jones Edmunds has experience designing, planning, and implementing flow meters with flow transmitters and pressure-indicating transmitters for process control and reporting purposes at various wastewater treatment plants.

Hydraulic Modeling

The staff at Jones Edmunds has considerable experience with water and wastewater system hydraulic modeling, system evaluation studies, system facilities design, and infiltration and inflow studies. When all of these elements are integrally linked, along with an effective operation and maintenance program, the lowest life-cycle cost is provided for the collection system. In terms of hydraulic modeling, the Jones Edmunds team has experience with nearly every major hydraulic sewer model (e.g., SewerGEMS, SewerCAD, EPA-SWMM, XP-SWMM, MikeSWMM, MOUSE, HydroWorks/ InfoWorks, HYDRA, etc.). Our engineers work closely with our GeoSpatial Information Solutions (GIS) Division to develop site-specific population projections, average daily flows, sewersheds, etc. Through this engineering and GIS integration, Jones Edmunds is able to deliver more effective modeling for less. Additionally, our experience reduces the cost of modeling through our knowing where to focus efforts, how to efficiently go through the model set up, and what to look for to ensure credible model results.

Capacity Assessment / Rerate

Our team of experts at Jones Edmunds is highly skilled providing capacity assessment and/or rerate services for various wastewater treatment plants throughout Florida. Our experience includes developing comprehensive engineering reports and expansions for existing facilities.

O&M Cost Optimization and Energy Audit

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) optimization is an important, but often-overlooked aspect of water reclamation facilities. O&M facility components vary based on the specific needs of an individual client. Jones Edmunds develops schematic designs and space optimization options for review followed by incorporation into final projects or assessments for our clients. In order to cut costs, O&M optimization and energy audits are an integral aspect to an overall project plan.

Rate and Impact Fee Study

Rate reviews or studies involve effectively identifying cost and its equitable allocation to the different categories and between different classes of customers and ensuring that sufficient revenues are available for lawful purpose. Jones Edmunds has performed rate reviews and studies and related services for numerous clients, including the Cities of DeFuniak Springs, Dunnellon, and Madison. Such studies have addressed rate structure, special charges, public service taxes, power cost adjustment, tariff language, and equitable reallocation of cost factors, among other considerations.

System Retrofit/Rehabilitation

A wastewater treatment facility should be straightforward and affordable to construct, operate, and maintain. Jones Edmunds provides its clients with wastewater treatment facilities that meet these ideals and that consistently produce effluent that satisfies permit requirements. Jones Edmunds’ expertise has led to the completion of numerous wastewater treatment facilities using conventional activated sludge processes as well as systems such as oxidation ditches (Carrousel), sequencing batch reactors (SBR), modified Ludzak-Ettinger, and Bardenpho processes.

The disposal of treated effluent is a site-specific issue requiring experience and an understanding of the regulatory agencies. Disposal of effluent to surface waters was once routine and a standard practice. Today this practice is limited and highly regulated. For example, some surface water discharges in Florida are beginning to be regulated for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) levels in their effluent. Land disposal methods such as rapid infiltration basins, limited public access irrigation systems, and public access reuse (irrigation) systems are now widespread and are preferred by the regulatory agencies.

Reuse/Reclaimed Water System Design

The demand for reclaimed water has increased dramatically in Florida, and Jones Edmunds has been on the leading edge of assisting our clients with reclaimed water projects. Replacing valuable potable water supplies with reclaimed water for public-access irrigation is of growing importance. Jones Edmunds has designed numerous reclaimed water treatment systems for new water reclamation plants and for upgrades and retrofits to existing domestic wastewater treatment plants. We have designed new and innovative filtration systems in addition to conventional filtration systems. We have experience in conventional disinfection techniques as well as techniques necessary to limit THM production (UV disinfection, ozone, mixed oxidants) for plants producing reclaimed water and disposing of effluent to surface waters. Jones Edmunds has designed numerous reclaimed water storage systems and state-of-the-art pumping systems. We have also designed numerous reclaimed water transmission systems, including systems successfully constructed in developed areas. We presented a paper at the National Reuse Conference in California on our involvement with the City of Rockledge’s reuse system from “birth” through the last 15 years.

Biosolids Treatment and Disposal

Regardless of how you plan on disposing of your biosolids, Jones Edmunds experts offer you the experience and understanding needed to navigate through available options and meet current regulatory requirements. Whether you are considering biosolids land application, landfill disposal, or distribution and marketing, biosolids dewatering will play a key factor in the success and cost-effectiveness of your biosolids management program.

Jones Edmunds can help you tailor biosolids dewatering processes specifically to meet your disposal goals. If you intend to dispose of your biosolids at the landfill, dewatering is essential to reduce cost of transport. More importantly, the proper planning and design of dewatering systems allows for more flexibility in addressing variations in biosolids generation and biosolids characteristics. Jones Edmunds experts can evaluate and optimize your dewatering system to make it more efficient and help reduce O&M costs.

Jones Edmunds is experienced in the planning, design, construction, startup, and optimization of biosolids management systems. This experience encompasses biosolids treatment and disposal processes specifically tailored to each application.

Disinfection By-Products (DBP)

Utilities in Florida face shrinking budgets and rising O&M costs. Jones Edmunds has the technical knowledge and proven record to provide you with solutions to your DBP issues. We have saved clients millions of dollars in construction and operating costs by providing simple, straight-forward solutions to meet the challenges of the DBP regulations and limits.

Jones Edmunds offers public and private clients cost-effective plans to meet the requirements of DBP control in water and wastewater treatment. DBP control is a continuing challenge for many drinking water utilities. Jones Edmunds has helped many water utilities solve their DBP issues through innovative water treatment processes (such as MIEX) and distribution system water quality modeling. Controlling DBP formed during the disinfection process is now a challenging operating issue for wastewater utilities discharging to surface waters or groundwaters. Wastewater effluent discharged to the Floridan Aquifer must comply with the United States Enivronmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Primary Drinking Water Standards including the DBP standards for trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). Treated wastewater effluents discharged to surface waters must meet the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) surface water quality criteria regulations.

Many Florida wastewater utilities are not able to consistently meet the effluent DBP regulations. Jones Edmunds has used cost-effective methods to solve the DBPs issues for wastewater treatment facilities. These DBP control methods include air stripping and sequential chlorination and present significant cost savings compared to other disinfection alternatives such as ozone and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation.