Events - Event View

Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant Tour

(1 PDH)

Thursday, November 6, 2025

The ASCE Philadelphia YMF invites you to explore the evolution of urban wastewater engineering with a guided tour of PWD’s Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant (SWPCP). Engineers will also gain perspective on the plant operations and considerations for the design and construction of large-scale projects.

This tour is not ADA accessible. Accessible by public transit via 68 Bus to Fort Mifflin Rd & Enterprise Ave. Closed-toe shoes and long pants required. Vests and hard hats are optional. We anticipate 1 PDH will be awarded for attendance. Lunch will be provided to attendees. Parking details are provided below.

When: Thursday, November 6, 2025

Time: Tour begins at 1:00PM; Concludes by 3:00PM; Networking social to follow

Location: 8200 Enterprise Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19153

RSVP: HERE by 5PM on Thursday, October 30, 2025

Questions?For additional details or questions, contact Anthony Rizzo at Anthony.Rizzo@mbakerintl.com.

About the Site: Originally built in the early 1900s as a sewage pumping station, the facility has been transformed into a high-purity oxygen (HPO) activated sludge plant, treating an average of 170 million gallons per day (MGD) with peak wet-weather capacity exceeding 400 MGD.

The liquid treatment process begins with coarse screening, followed by grit removal to protect downstream equipment. Flow then passes through primary sedimentation tanks before entering the HPO activated sludge system, where oxygen is generated onsite and delivered to covered aeration tanks to maximize treatment efficiency and minimize odor. Effluent is polished in final sedimentation tanks before disinfection and discharge to the Delaware River.

The solids handling system is fully integrated within the facility. Primary sludge is mixed with thickened secondary sludge and then anaerobically digested. Digested sludge is then pumped to the Biosolids Recycling Center and dewatered using centrifuges. Dewatered cake is conveyed to thermal dryers, where it is processed into a Class A biosolids product suitable for beneficial reuse. This onsite treatment reduces hauling requirements, improves sustainability, and supports a circular resource recovery model.

Attendees may park in the main parking lot just off of Enterprise Avenue, enter through the iron pedestrian gate, then enter the Administration Building. The parking lot is outlined in red in the map below.