Pollard Wastewater System Improvements

Wastewater Treatment and Collection System Improvements for the City of Pollard

Pollard, a small, rural town in Northeastern Arkansas, was facing frequent wastewater permit compliance issues due to effluent discharge violations. The main culprit for this was the city’s outdated and deteriorated sand filtration system, which was incapable treating municipal wastewater to the effluent standards set by the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). To correct this issue, ADEQ collaborated with the city and Heartland Engineering to develop a Corrective Action Plan (CAP). The purpose of the CAP was to outline the necessary steps for the city to return to compliance and plan a timeline for the implementation of these actions.

Heartland Engineering was enlisted by the City of Pollard to secure multi-agency funding for the necessary sewer improvements. The goal was to obtain a funding package that would both cover all project costs while also keeping user utility rates at a manageable level. The new wastewater treatment facility design consists of a non-discharging land application system. The new wastewater system collects effluent from the existing user-side septic tanks into a large storage lagoon. The lagoon is constructed next to the land application site, which features a spray head irrigation system. Wastewater is then land-applied in a controlled fashion by the system operator when ground and weather conditions are favorable. This approach offers great operational flexibility, allowing the operator to manage the timing and volume of wastewater application. Bermuda Hay is grown on the land application site to remove ammonium and nitrates from the soil. Per ADEQ and Arkansas Department of Health requirements, UV disinfection is being used to deactivate any potential pathogens in the final waste stream.

Non-discharging land application systems are both environmentally friendly and cost-effective for small municipalities, providing a sustainable solution for wastewater management. Heartland Engineering is pleased to support Pollard by bringing the design and construction of this project to fruition.