Water Supply & Waster Water Disposal
Owner: Mettowee Community School
Location: Pawlet, VT
Architect: Black River Architects, Montpelier, VT
Type of Project
Project Scope
Permit Programs
Project Details:
Mettowee Community School was a collaborative effort to meld four small rural schools, two in Pawlet, and two in Rupert, into a community school. We participated in the assessment of various sites, eventually settling on the site on VT Rt. 133, near VT Rt. 30, a portion of the former Hulett Farm.
Challenges with both water supply and wastewater disposal were expected. Wells within the Slate Valley are often high in several constituents. And, wastewater disposal is a challenge with a high seasonal groundwater table and poorly drained soils.
The school board drilled three wells, each producing a color akin to coffee. After several months of pumping, the water quality clarity improved to a weak tea, nonetheless not suitable for a potable water supply.
After extensive water quality testing, we settled on a treatment program with iron and turbidity filtration, aeration, 5-micron filtration, activated carbon filtration, and disinfection. Later, when the Maximum Contaminant Level threshold for arsenic was revised, an AdEdge Arsenic Treatment system was incorporated into the water treatment system.
The water system consists of a drilled bedrock well, the treatment system, an atmospheric storage reservoir, duplex booster pumps, and a series of hydropneumatic tanks, metering and sampling ports.
The wastewater system was approved with the construction of advanced treatment. An OSI sand filter was approved and constructed. The wastewater system consists of a collection system, grease interceptor, septic tank(s), recirculation tanks for treatment, and an effluent pump station to a shallow in-ground wastewater disposal system.
