FPUD approves membrane replacement for main plant aerators

The Fallbrook Public Utility District board voted to approve the purchase of membrane replacement kits to provide new membranes for the main plant.

The board’s August 23 approval will allow FPUD staff to enter into a purchase agreement with Parkson Corporation for up to $30,241 to acquire the kits. The FPUD board had previously budgeted $33,000 for membrane replacement during the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year.

“The old ones have worn out,” said FPUD general manager Keith Lewinger. “Over time the panels develop leaks and you have to replace the panel.”

The membranes are used on the treatment plant’s sludge tank. “One of the primary processes is aeration,” said FPUD engineering and planning manager Jack Bebee.

Membranes need to be replaced three to five years after they begin service. “If you don’t replace them, the air distribution gets very poor,” said Bebee, who noted that poor air distribution uses more energy and puts FPUD at the risk of non-compliance with its discharge limits.

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