Bio-fouling is unacceptable to the ISO-awarded managers of this privately owned, 720-acre site, which handles an average of 4,750 tons of solid waste per day and takes pride in its environmental management system.

The Subtitle D-compliant facility accepts household municipal waste, construction and demolition debris, and commercial office lunchroom waste. With the necessary approvals, the site may also accept manufacturing waste, wastewater treatment sludge, processed infectious waste, agricultural and mining waste, virgin-fuel contaminated waste, and asbestos-containing waste.

Pumping is essential to remove both leachate and gas-well condensate from a sump that is 20 feet deep and has a 3-foot well casing. The sump was constructed with a gravity drain and a water column of 10 inches. The down-well vacuum was measured at a negative 14.33 psi.

The bio-growth on the previous airlift-float pump was a result of the design of the air pump. To eject liquid, airlift-float pumps must force compressed air directly into the nutrient-rich fluid with each stroke. This creates an environment that encourages slime and biorock to form on the interior walls of the pump casing and on the mechanical parts of the moving float, making these airlift pumps prone to sticking and hanging up.

So, why did the landfill choose the Edge to replace the airlift model? Like all of Blackhawk's piston pumps, the Edge features an above-grade reciprocating-rod driver, which eliminates air-driven bio-fouling. Additionally, the pump operates independently of vacuum, providing a significant advantage over airlift pumps, which cannot function effectively under high-vacuum conditions.