Landfill Treatment System Design

Disposal of solvent-containing storage drums in the City of Sturgis (City) owned landfill resulted in groundwater contamination of chlorinated VOCs. When nearby residential drinking wells became at risk and Remedial Investigations concluded impact in the upper aquifer, a consent order was set for the City to take corrective actions at the facility. For over 20 years, F&V staff have provided design engineering and environmental services to address immediate and long-term management goals of the former Big Hill Landfill.

As part of these corrective actions, a groundwater pump and treat system (System) was designed and constructed to collect impacted VOC groundwater migrating from the former landfill. The System was designed to provide an effective, yet low-cost method to extract and treat groundwater impacted with volatile organic compounds.  The groundwater treatment system consists of two purge wells, influent piping, influent metering, discharge sump, an aeration lagoon, discharge piping, influent/effluent sampling areas and related mechanical and electrical systems. The System treats up to 300 gallons a minute using a large lagoon with aggressive aerators to strip the VOCs prior to discharging to surface waters.

Recent PFAS investigations from the System, monitoring well network, and nearby residential wells have indicated the presence PFAS. F&V worked with the City, local health department, and EGLE staff to implement monitoring plans to address and protect sensitive receptors in the area.

Services conducted by F&V include:

• Remedial investigations
• Public meetings
• Residential well PFAS sampling
• Monitoring of wells within the cells
• On-going collection of regulatory NPDES permit samples
• On-going annual groundwater sampling events from over 30 monitoring and residential wells
• Feasibility studies of alternative corrective actions
• Engineering design of System upgrades
• Construction management
• On-going assistance with System operation and maintenance