Jacksonville Electric Authority Arlington Wastewater Treatment Plant

1. INTRODUCTION

The Arlington East Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) serves as a cornerstone of wastewater infrastructure for Jacksonville, Florida, managed by JEA, one of the largest municipal-owned utilities in the United States. With a permitted design capacity of 25.0 million gallons per day (MGD), this facility provides critical sanitary services to the rapidly growing Arlington and eastern Jacksonville region. As a designated Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) facility, Arlington East plays a pivotal role in protecting the ecological health of the St. Johns River, a designated American Heritage River.

Beyond conventional treatment, Arlington East is a hub for innovation and sustainability. It serves as a primary source for JEA’s extensive reclaimed water network, offsetting potable water demand for irrigation. Furthermore, the site houses the H2.0 Purification Center, a state-of-the-art demonstration facility testing advanced potable reuse technologies. Through rigorous biological nutrient removal (BNR) and high-level disinfection, the plant consistently meets stringent regulatory standards mandated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for the Lower St. Johns River Basin.

2. FACILITY OVERVIEW

A. Service Area & Coverage

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The facility services a diverse sewershed encompassing approximately 60 square miles in eastern Duval County. The service area includes the neighborhoods of Arlington, Fort Caroline, and Regency. The collection system feeding the plant is complex, comprised of a network of gravity mains and force mains fed by over 100 regional and local pump stations. The demographic profile includes dense residential subdivisions, substantial commercial corridors along Atlantic and Merrill Roads, and light industrial zones.

B. Operational Capacity

Arlington East is permitted for an Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) of 25.0 MGD. Current operational data indicates the facility processes an average of 16.5 MGD, utilizing approximately 66% of its design capacity. This headroom allows JEA to accommodate projected population growth in the eastern corridor over the next decade without immediate civil expansion of the aeration basins. Peak hydraulic flows during wet weather events are managed through on-site equalization and robust hydraulic design, ensuring process stability during Florida’s intense tropical storm seasons.

C. Discharge & Compliance

The facility operates under a dual-path disposal system:

• Surface Water Discharge: High-quality effluent is discharged into the St. Johns River via a submerged outfall. Due to the river’s impairment status for nutrients, the facility must meet AWT standards, specifically focusing on Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) reduction.
• Public Access Reuse: A significant portion of the effluent is diverted to the public access reuse system (PAR III), providing reclaimed water for landscape irrigation to residential customers, golf courses, and commercial properties, thereby reducing withdrawal pressures on the Floridan Aquifer.

3. TREATMENT PROCESS

The Arlington East WRF utilizes a modified activated sludge process designed specifically for Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) to comply with the stringent nutrient limits of the Lower St. Johns River Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP).

A. PRELIMINARY TREATMENT

Raw wastewater enters the headworks where it undergoes physical separation. Large debris is removed via mechanical bar screens (typically 6mm spacing) to protect downstream pumps. Following screening, flow enters vortex grit chambers where inorganic solids (sand, gravel, coffee grounds) are settled out via centrifugal force. The grit is washed and dewatered before landfill disposal. Odor control at the headworks is managed through chemical scrubbers (typically packed tower wet scrubbers) to mitigate H2S emissions.

B. SECONDARY TREATMENT (BNR)

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The core of the treatment train is the 5-Stage Bardenpho or similar multi-stage activated sludge configuration. This process is engineered for simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and biological phosphorus removal:

• Anaerobic Zones: Promote the growth of Phosphorus Accumulating Organisms (PAOs) to facilitate biological phosphorus removal.
• Anoxic Zones: Where nitrate is converted to nitrogen gas (denitrification) using internal recycle streams (mixed liquor return).
• Aerobic Zones: Equipped with fine bubble diffused aeration systems to facilitate nitrification (conversion of ammonia to nitrate) and BOD oxidation.

Secondary clarification is achieved through large circular center-feed clarifiers where biomass settles and is returned to the head of the aeration basin as Return Activated Sludge (RAS).

C. TERTIARY TREATMENT & FILTRATION

To meet “Public Access Reuse” standards (Florida Administrative Code 62-610), effluent undergoes deep-bed granular media filtration (sand/anthracite). This step is critical for removing remaining suspended solids and ensuring the turbidity remains consistently low (typically < 2.0 NTU) prior to disinfection. Alum or polymer may be added upstream of filters to enhance phosphorus removal and flocculation during upset conditions.

D. DISINFECTION

The facility utilizes Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection for the primary effluent stream. UV provides effective pathogen inactivation without generating chlorinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are harmful to aquatic life in the St. Johns River. For the reclaimed water stream, chlorination (sodium hypochlorite) is used to maintain a residual in the distribution system, preventing biological regrowth in the purple pipe network.

E. SOLIDS HANDLING

Waste Activated Sludge (WAS) is thickened, typically using Rotary Drum Thickeners (RDTs) or Gravity Belt Thickeners. JEA operates an integrated biosolids management plan. Thickened sludge from Arlington East is often transported to the Buckman Biosolids Processing Facility, a regional hub where it undergoes anaerobic digestion and pelletization (producing Class AA fertilizer), or it is dewatered on-site via centrifuges/belt presses for land application depending on current operational logistics.

4. INFRASTRUCTURE & FACILITIES

A. Energy Systems

Arlington East is a significant energy consumer, with aeration blowers representing the largest load. JEA has implemented Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) on major blowers and pumps to match energy consumption with biological demand. The facility is integrated into JEA’s smart grid infrastructure, allowing for load shedding during peak electrical demand periods where possible.

B. Odor Control

Given the proximity of residential neighborhoods, odor control is a high priority. The facility employs a combination of biological trickling filters and chemical scrubbers at high-generation points (headworks, solids handling). Air is captured under negative pressure from covered tanks and treated before release.

C. Advanced Water Purification Pilot

A unique feature of the site is the H2.0 Purification Center. This facility demonstrates “potable reuse” technology. It treats secondary effluent using Ultrafiltration (UF), Reverse Osmosis (RO), and UV/Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP). While currently a demonstration and education center, it represents the future infrastructure for water resilience in Northeast Florida.

5. RECENT UPGRADES & MAJOR PROJECTS

H2.0 Purification Center (2018-Present)

• Scope: Construction of a 1.0 MGD demonstration facility for potable reuse.
• Budget: ~$30 Million (Phase 1).
• Technology: Membrane filtration (UF/RO) and UV-AOP.
• Goal: To validate technology for future alternative water supply plans and educate the public on the safety of purified water.
• Contractors: Haskell (Design-Build).

Nutrient Reduction & BNR Optimization (2015-2020)

• Scope: Upgrades to aeration basins, replacement of coarse bubble diffusers with fine bubble membranes, and installation of turbo blowers.
• Drivers: Compliance with Lower St. Johns River BMAP and energy efficiency.
• Outcome: Enhanced Nitrogen removal capabilities (TN < 3.0 mg/L annual average) and reduced electrical consumption per gallon treated.

Main Substation & Electrical Reliability Upgrades (2021-2023)

• Scope: Replacement of aging MCCs (Motor Control Centers) and switchgear. Installation of hardened backup generation capabilities.
• Driver: Increasing resiliency against tropical storms and grid outages.

6. REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Arlington East operates under FDEP Permit FL0020427. The facility is subject to strict limitations due to the nutrient impairment of the St. Johns River.

Key Effluent Limits (Annual Average Basis targets):

• Carbonaceous BOD (CBOD5): ≤ 5.0 mg/L
• Total Suspended Solids (TSS): ≤ 5.0 mg/L
• Total Nitrogen (TN): ≤ 3.0 mg/L
• Total Phosphorus (TP): ≤ 1.0 mg/L
• Fecal Coliform: Non-detect (High-level disinfection)

The facility consistently receives recognition for compliance, frequently earning the NACWA (National Association of Clean Water Agencies) Peak Performance Awards (Silver and Gold categories) for consecutive years of permit compliance.

7. CHALLENGES & FUTURE PLANNING

Climate Resiliency & Sea Level Rise

Located near the coast and the St. Johns River, Arlington East is vulnerable to storm surge and rising sea levels. JEA has integrated climate modeling into its Integrated Water Resource Plan. Future CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) projects include hardening of pump stations, raising critical electrical gear above the 500-year flood elevation, and installing flood barriers.

Potable Reuse Implementation

As the Floridan Aquifer faces sustainability limits, JEA plans to scale up the technology validated at the H2.0 center. Future planning involves potentially expanding Arlington East to produce purification-grade water for aquifer recharge or direct potable reuse, pending finalization of Florida’s potable reuse regulations.

Aging Infrastructure

Sections of the plant date back to the 1970s. A comprehensive asset management program is underway to systematically rehabilitate concrete structures (clarifiers/aeration basins) suffering from biogenic sulfide corrosion.

10. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS SUMMARY

11. RELATED FACILITIES

The Arlington East WRF is part of an interconnected grid of JEA wastewater facilities, including:

• Buckman Water Reclamation Facility: JEA’s largest regional plant and biosolids processing hub.
• Southwest Water Reclamation Facility: Serves the rapid growth in the southwest quadrant of Duval County.
• District II & District III Regional Plants: Interconnected via the reclaimed water transmission grid to ensure reliability of irrigation supply.

12. FAQ

Technical Questions

1. What is the specific nutrient removal capability of Arlington East?
The facility is designed for Total Nitrogen (TN) removal to < 3.0 mg/L and Total Phosphorus (TP) to < 1.0 mg/L, utilizing biological nutrient removal zones supplemented by chemical trim (alum) if necessary.

2. Does Arlington East treat industrial wastewater?
The plant receives primarily residential and commercial flow. While there is no heavy industrial load, light industrial dischargers are monitored under JEA’s Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) to prevent pass-through or interference.

3. How is the reclaimed water distributed?
Treated effluent meeting Part III public access reuse standards is pumped into the JEA “purple pipe” network. It is pressurized for delivery to golf courses, parks, and residential irrigation meters in the Arlington area.

4. What is the H2.0 Purification Center?
It is a demonstration facility located at Arlington East that treats secondary effluent to drinking water standards using UF, RO, and UV/AOP. It serves to test technology and gain public acceptance for future water supply projects.

Public Interest Questions

5. Does the plant smell?
While wastewater treatment naturally generates odors, JEA employs advanced chemical scrubbers and biological filters to treat foul air before it leaves the site. Odor complaints are tracked and investigated immediately.

6. Is the discharged water clean?
Yes. The effluent discharged to the St. Johns River is “Advanced Treated” water. It is clear, disinfected, and low in nutrients, often meeting higher quality standards than the river water itself.

7. Who do I contact for a tour?
Tours, particularly of the H2.0 Purification Center, can be arranged through JEA’s Community Outreach department or via the official JEA website.