Assembled Pontoon Floats Prior to Installation
Rural South Carolina Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
Located in a small rural community in South Carolina, a wastewater treatment facility recently underwent a significant upgrade to increase treatment capacity and improve effluent quality. The facility treats a flow of 0.236 MGD, and the installation, completed by Entex Technologies in December 2024, introduces a fixed film biological treatment system designed to reduce BOD and ammonia levels within the existing lagoon infrastructure.
One of the defining characteristics of this project was the condition of the existing lagoon. Because the floor conditions were unknown, Entex’s floating WavTex system was an ideal fit — eliminating the need for any bottom-mounted anchoring or significant civil work. The modules float freely at the water surface, making them a practical and cost-effective solution for lagoons where subsurface conditions may be uncertain or difficult to assess. The facility had also previously installed baffles within the lagoon, and the WavTex modules were configured to work within that existing layout.
The upgrade features six floating WavTex modules (shown above), each equipped with integrated coarse bubble aeration grids and self-buoyant EnTextile media sheets. Each bottom frame measures 6 feet wide by 10 feet long, while the top pontoon float frame extends to 12 feet wide by 13 feet long. The EnTextile media sheets hang 7 feet below the frame, residing approximately 6 inches below the water surface to maximize contact with the wastewater stream. Each module operates at an airflow of approximately 154 scfm, supplied through a 3-inch MNPT elbow connection, with the aeration drop pipe and floats field-installed by the contractor.
Assumed Influent and Effluent Levels for System
As shown in the design basis above, the system is engineered to deliver a significant reduction in both BOD and ammonia, enhancing the facility’s ability to meet effluent standards while protecting local water quality.