Water Reclamation Facility

The Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) is designed to treat up to 3.6 million gallons of wastewater a day. The facility is designed to remove the following from its discharge:

  • Ammonia
  • Bacteria
  • BOD
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
  • TSS
  • Viruses

Critical equipment is monitored 24 hours a day with a computerized data acquisition system. The facility is also equipped with 3 standby generators.

Mission Statement

The Town of Apex Water Reclamation Division is dedicated to protecting public health and the environment by providing high quality wastewater treatment in an economically and ethically responsible manner to maintain the quality of life in Apex while exceeding all federal and state regulations.

Wastewater Source

Every house, apartment, business, factory, and commercial business in the Town produces wastewater from:

  • Sinks
  • Showers
  • Dishwashers
  • Toilets
  • Industrial processes
  • Laundry equipment
  • Other processes

This wastewater flows through a series of pipes and pump stations which delivers the wastewater to the plant’s headworks or the intake point.

Bar Screens

At the headworks, preliminary treatment takes place as wastewater is passed through bar screens to remove paper, sticks and other debris for safe operation of the machinery in the plant. The next area is the grit removal units. These units remove sand, grit and rocks.

Operational bar screens removing debris from wastewater

Oxidation Ditches

After the preliminary treatment is accomplished, the wastewater is pumped to the secondary treatment process where 3 rectangular concrete tanks provide the necessary detention time to grow microorganisms which consume organic matter in the wastewater.

Oxidation ditches and apparatus

These organisms also reduce the available nitrogen and phosphorous, thereby protecting the stream from excessive nutrient loading. Mixers are provided in these tanks as an air supply and for keeping the organisms and solids in suspension. The mixture of solids and organisms are referred to as activated sludge.

Clarifiers

After leaving the oxidation ditches, the water continues through to the clarifying stage. This process is simply to remove solids from the water. The 4 circular concrete tanks provide the detention time necessary for solids to settle from the water.

Circular containers of water with clarifying equipment

The solids are then either returned back to the oxidation ditches or removed from the system to the biosolids digesters. The clarified water continues to the next process for additional treatment.

Traveling Bridge Filters

Filtration is provided by 4 traveling bridge sand filters. Here the wastewater passes through 11 inches of a sand media where the remaining solids are captured on the media and returned back into the system for additional treatment. The filtered water then continues on to the final stage of treatment called the disinfection phase.

Still water in a traveling bridge filter

Ultraviolet Lamps

Ultraviolet high intensity lamps are used for disinfection. Disease carrying organisms are eliminated during this process. This level of treatment makes the water once again safe and ready for future use. An additional benefit of ultraviolet disinfection is that no dangerous chemicals, such as chlorine, are needed. This protects the aquatic life in the receiving stream.

Water illuminated green by UV lamps

Post Aeration

Dissolved oxygen is needed in the receiving stream for the aquatic life to flourish. At this stage it is added by simply allowing the reclaimed water to cascade down concrete steps into the stream. After nearly 30 hours of intensive treatment, the water can be safely returned to the environment.

Water flowing down steps in the post aeration phase of wastewater treatment

Facility Tours

If you’d like to tour our facility, please call (919) 387-3078 to set up a time.