Project: Concrete Batch Plant Expansion

Scope of Work: Redesign of Existing Concrete Block Plant to Add Ready-Mix Batch Operation

Overview:

This project involved an existing Concrete Block Facility which wished to expand their ready-mix batching capabilities. EEC designed a 5 acre tract of land in Tampa as a concrete block plant in 2005- 2007. The addition of a concrete batch plant would produce industrial wastewater. The project involved the Site Planning, Design, and Permitting of the proposed Ready Mix Facility. Elements for the expansion of the Facility would include a complete Batching Plant, Wash Down Area with a Closed Loop Water Reclamation System, Material Storage Bins, Admixture Contaminant Area, Sediment Basins and a modification to the existing Stormwater Drainage System. Another Air Permit was issued. In all, six environmental permits were needed for the project.

A critical concern of the design was in the fact the operations at concrete batch plants, especially at the truck wash down facility, are environmentally sensitive and were carefully designed to comply with State Permit Requirements. EEC designed the expanded portion of the Facility to collect the wastewater generated by the Wash Down of the batch trucks and to contain a 25 year 24 hour periodic stormwater event. A concrete pad constructed underneath the batch plant was designed to collect the wash down water and rainwater and direct it to an adjacent basin where it will be pumped and conveyed to a Type II Wastewater Basin. The Type II wastewater basin was designed to filter wastewater generated by washing out the drums of concrete delivery trucks. The Site Design proved to have many challenges as the plant foundations had to fit within inches of the existing plant, as well as modifications to the existing on-site flood plain mitigation basin and existing stormwater management system to provide adequate storage from the expansion as well as protection from off-site discharge. EEC prepared the construction site plans with sediment basin and wash down basin cross-sections and details.

Due to the environmentally sensitive nature of the facility, permitting with FDEP and the Hillsborough County EPC was necessary to provide a detailed depiction of the Closed Loop Water Reclamation System to ensure no wastewater off-site discharge. The permitting of the facility required Air Construction permits for the new cement silos, and were obtained from the Environmental Protection Committee (EPC). This was in addition to existing permits that were modified for Phase II’s and storm water runoff through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). A water well was permitted from Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the Health Department for Phase I. The wastewater that was generated by the concrete batch plant was designed to be treated in a four stage sedimentation basin to accommodate the flow and runoff from a 25-year rainfall event. Elements for the expansion of the Facility would include a complete Batching Plant, Wash Down Area with a Closed Loop Water Reclamation System, Material Storage Bins, Admixture Contaminant Area, Sediment Basins, and a modification to the existing Storm Water Drainage System. Another Air Permit was issued. Moreover, EEC performed anti-flotation calculations for the structures due to the high water table.