The Lehigh Acres WTP, located near Leeland Heights Blvd. and Lee Blvd., serves over 13,000 customers in Lehigh Acres. The treatment plant, initially constructed in the late 1960’s, uses lime to soften the well water from 13 raw water wells. The lime softening process is an economical method for softening well water but produces a lime sludge that must be hauled offsite. The FGUA has conducted a study on how to better manage the sludge and produce a by-product that could have a beneficial use.

The FGUA and our Engineer, Ardurra Engineering, are pilot testing a gravity belt press thickener unit to determine if the lime sludge residuals can be effectively dewatered from a wet slurry to a cake form. Dewatering and drying the sludge to a cake form gives the FGUA environmentally friendly options to dispose of this water treatment residual, including using the dried material for road base, power plant scrubbing systems, wastewater neutralization or landfill disposal.

This lime sludge residual project is another example of FGUA’s continued efforts to provide reliable water service to our customers and protect our environment.

UPDATE – December 3, 2020

The FGUA and Ardurra completed the gravity belt press thickener unit pilot study. The unit performed well and Ardurra is proceeding with the final design of this project.