Restoring Treatment Capacity at a Closed Michigan Landfill

Bag filtration

Three 150-lb carbon vessels

4-cu-ft resin vessel for PFAS polish

Automated-fill, 275-gallon clean-water storage tank

Emergency backup pump

At a closed, state-managed landfill in Southeast Michigan, Global Environmental was retained to provide routine operations and maintenance for the site's leachate treatment system ahead of discharge to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). An initial site visit found that low treatment output was causing leachate to back up within the collection system.

During regular visits, Global's team incrementally increased treatment output by refining backwash procedures, completing overdue media change-outs, and staying closely engaged with day-to-day system performance. The team installed an automated-fill, 275-gallon clean-water storage tank to improve backwash efficiency and extend the life of the carbon media, and completed a full-line cleanout to clear accumulated buildup. Global also added an emergency backup pump, coordinated pump replacements as needed, handled control panel troubleshooting and repairs, including fuse and hour-meter replacements, and trained on-site staff on ongoing O&M procedures.

The treatment train runs bag filtration and three 150-pound carbon vessels, followed by a 4-cubic-foot resin vessel that provides a final polish for PFAS, the site's contaminant of concern. Global continues to operate and maintain the system, participating in weekly stakeholder calls and responding to operational needs as they arise.

Over roughly six months, treatment flow rate increased from 2.5 to 7.5 gallons per minute, tripling throughput and returning the system to normal, reliable on/off operation.