Beyond Clarifiers: Innovative Applications of Pile Cloth Media Filtration for Primary and Wet Weather Treatment

Presentation Description: Wastewater utilities worldwide are facing mounting challenges — from tightening nutrient discharge limits and more frequent wet weather events to rising energy costs and aging infrastructure. To address these pressures, many are adopting flexible, compact, and energy-efficient technologies that deliver multiple treatment benefits within a limited footprint. One such solution gaining momentum is pile cloth media filtration (PCMF), particularly in multi-purpose applications such as enhanced primary treatment and wet weather flow management.

Originally applied in tertiary filtration, PCMF systems have evolved into a versatile platform for upstream treatment and peak flow management. Today, they are being used to replace or supplement primary clarifiers, expand biological treatment capacity, and reduce the need for costly wet weather storage infrastructure. By improving solids capture, PCMF also supports energy and resource recovery goals through increased biogas production, while enhancing effluent quality and overall process resilience.

This presentation will feature case studies from North American facilities that have successfully implemented PCMF. These examples will demonstrate how utilities are leveraging this technology to maximize existing infrastructure, meet stringent permit limits, expand treatment capacity, and eliminate untreated wet weather discharges.