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1. Introduction <br />A, Background <br />Waste Management owns and operates a landfill north of the city of Elk River that <br />generates leachate from both municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and <br />demolition waste (C&D) at a rate of approximately 35,000 gallon per day (gpd). <br />Actual leachate rates will vary seasonally based on precipitation, however, this <br />evaluation is based on an average daily leachate rate of 35,000 gpd. The leachate is <br />currently stored on-site and transported by truck to the Metropolitan Council <br />wastewater system where it is treated at a facility with a design capacity of more than <br />251 MGD. The Elk River landfill was opened in 1972 and is projected to remain <br />open through 2063. <br />The City of Elk River is currently undergoing an expansion and upgrade of their <br />wastewater treatment facility. The expansion will change the treatment process from a <br />trickling filter facility to extended aeration activated sludge process. The new facility <br />after the expansion will have fine screen, grit removal, anaerobic basins, anoxic basin, <br />aeration basins, final clarifiers, sand filters, and UV disinfection before the treated <br />wastewater is discharged to Mississippi River. Historically, the City has meet all <br />permit requirements set forth in the NPDES permit. <br />B. Purpose <br />The purpose of the pilot study was to evaluate the treatability of the leachate at Elk <br />River's wastewater treatment facility. The pilot study will evaluate the impacts of the <br />leachate on the Wastewater Treatment System's processes. The main focus will be <br />the removal of the color of the leachate, CBOD, ammonia nitrogen, and phosphorus <br />by the new treatment process of the Wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) at Elk <br />River. <br />The study will also evaluate the quantity (gallons per day) of the leachate that the <br />WWTF can handle without any adverse effects to the treatment. The report will also <br />identify and outline any minor changes that might be necessary at the WWTF to treat <br />the leachate. <br />The leachate is a substance that has both color properties and particles that might not <br />be effectively removed by the treatment process. The objective was to run the pilot <br />Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Introduction <br />Waste Management/Elk River Leachate Pilot Study I T21.109643 Page 1 <br />