Challenge

Camp Courageous provides services to persons with disabilities and hosts thousands of visitors of all ages year round.  The camp supports a wide variety of activities including weekly camping and lodging; daily pool activities and site visits; tent camping; and special events.  Behind the scenes is the Camp’s wastewater treatment system.  While the camp’s existing plant was well maintained, it was undersized for the flows produced during their peak season.  In addition, the camp received tighter ammonia discharge limits that the existing plant could not reliably meet.

Solution

 Through a design-build project delivery approach, Shive-Hattery collaborated with Camp Courageous and their contactor to select, design, permit and construct a new treatment system employing advanced, but proven technology within a compact foot print.  The chosen technology included moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) and tertiary filters.
 
In addition to the technology review, Shive-Hattery developed the technical basis for the project, including design criteria, site layout, hydraulic profile, and construction sequencing.  These technical requirements were then used to coordinate and develop detail equipment drawings and installation requirements with the contractor and equipment manufacturer. 
 
Shive-Hattery also assisted Camp Courageous obtain IDNR approval and construction permit, which included an Anti-Degradation Analysis, Facility Plan, Waste Load Allocation, and construction permit application. 

Impact

The improvements more than doubled the treatment capacity to serve the camp and their visitors well into the future.  A two-train system was implemented for redundancy, but also turn-down for the lower flows typical of the camp’s off-season.  Overall, the improvements reliably and consistently meet permit limits and produce effluent quality that protects the receiving streams.