The Harrisburg International Airport’s existing plant was built in the 1940s with staff working extremely hard to keep the plant in operation and compliant with the Department of Environmental Protection. In 2005, the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) recognized the need to construct a new wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) to meet future needs of the airport. SARAA selected an out-of-state firm to complete the design of a new 350,000 gallon per day WWTF.
SARAA acknowledged the need and the benefit associated with full-time construction administrative and inspection services and contracted with Buchart Horn, Inc. Working closely with SARAA, the design firm, and contractors, BH provided third-party construction management services for the project including shop drawing management, quality verification testing, and full-time on-site construction monitoring. The inspection staff performed general inspection, oversaw contract administration, change order negotiation, monthly applications for payments, and equipment testing/start-up.
The new WWTF included the construction of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with two concrete SBR tanks, two concrete digester tanks, one concrete post EQ tank, process building, headworks building, generator, mixers, decanters, aeration systems, pumps, blowers, and UV disinfection system. The project included the construction of a new main pump station building with pumps, generator, wet well, and electrical as well as the construction of 1,500 feet of 10-inch force main to the new WWTF.