Headworks Building.

Headworks is often considered the beginning of the treatment process at GBMSD. Within, step screens provide preliminary treatment, and degritting equipment separates and removes inorganics (sand-like substances) from the waste streams.

Step Screens
The purpose of the Headworks step screens is to trap and remove objects from the wastewater flow that may have slipped past the bar screens in the Pump Station. Objects removed by the step screens include sticks, rags and plastic.

Our fine screen step screens remove solid objects that could interfere with the operation of the treatment process. Incoming wastewater passes through two fine screen step screens, which trap debris. Once trapped, the solid objects are removed, then washed and compacted before being emptied into a bucket on the ground floor for removal to a landfill.

Teacups
The solids that settle out in the primary clarifiers (called primary sludge) go through a degritting process to remove gritty and stringy materials, which may be abrasive (rough) to the treatment equipment. Centrifugal force is used to separate this grit from the rest of the primary sludge. The grit is landfilled and the primary sludge is sent to gravity thickeners.