NORWICH – Flooding last June, combined with the regular wear and tear of over 20 years of operation, has made it necessary for the City of Norwich to make repairs to parts of the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Mayor Joseph Maiurano said the repairs at the wastewater plant would be one of the two big projects being looked at this year – the other being the construction of a new water filtration plant.

In need of repair are the Rotating Biological Contactors (RBCs). The RBCs are part of a secondary treatment system. Six RBCs make up each train, and the wastewater plant is comprised of three trains. The RBC is made up of a series of closely spaced, high density plastic discs supported on a long shaft, and rotated by a mechanical drive. Sewage travels through the primary treatment area, where coarse materials are removed, before passing through the RBC units, which work to breakdown and stabilize organic pollutants.