Craig Beach /
Lake Milton Facility

The Craig Beach Wastewater Treatment Facility treats sewage with a process called an ORBAL system. The plant design flow rating is 1.0 MGD (million gallons per day). This type of process can be expected to achieve pollution removal rates of 94% in terms of Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Suspended Solids. The plant also is capable of reducing the ammonia-nitrogen levels.

The wastewater enters the plant through a 18 inch gravity sewer and first goes through mechanical bar screens and grit removal which takes out objects that could interfere with treatment or damage equipment. The flow is then directed to the biological process (ORBAL) for treatment to remove pollutants.

The biological treatment process at this facility consists of three concentric endless channels where aeration is provided by a 4 sets of rotating discs spaced periodically around the channels. The discs are located at the surface of the wastewater to provide for the transfer of air into the wastewater. The wastewater passes through all three channels and then is discharged to the center island where it flows to the final clarifiers. There are two clarifiers which are equipped with sludge removal equipment that return some sludge back to the process and the rest to the sludge holding tanks for disposal.

The treated wastewater is then sent to the chlorine contact tank for disinfection and then to the Mahoning River downstream of the Lake Milton Dam.

The plant waste product or sludge is dewatered and hauled to an approved landfill.