THE TWO primary clarifiers, left,remove settlable and floatable solids from the sewage. The four aeration basins, right, blow air into the activated sludge so the bacteria can breathe while they eat the sewage.

All sewage from New Ulm is now being treated at the new $6.1 million plant, but at less than full efficiency.

Aeration equipment necessary for more complete treatment has not arrived and is not expected until the first of next year.

Even though sewage isn’t getting the full treatment, however, it is still getting more than at the old plant.

City Manager Richard Salvati says a large part of the sewage (one-third to one-half) was bypassing the old sewage treatment and going untreated into the Minnesota River-the old plant did not have enough capacity to handle the load.

“All waste for the first time in many years is now being treated,”he says.

KEN SCHRADER, foreman at the New Ulm-Waste Water Treatment Facility, stands next to the vacuum filters which de-water sludge. (Photos by Art Hanson.)

The sewage is being processed through primary settling tanks. When the missing equipment arrives the sewage will then go into aeration tanks. Until then it goes directly to final settling tanks,then through chlorination tanks.

Consulting engineer Pete McClurg calls the present arrangement “two-stage settling.” He says, “We hope to improve this with chemical flocculent agents,” pending arrival of the aeration equipment.

Since the new plant won’t be in full operation until January or February 1976, open house for the public will be delayed until next spring.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Nov 7, 1975