The Sewickley Creek tributary of Wilson Run parallels the Pennsylvania turnpike in the
middle watershed area, in Mt. Pleasant Township along route 819. Discharge from the abandoned
Stewart mine entering Wilson Run contributes over 1,500 gpm.
Initial remediation of this site by the Sewickley Creek Watershed Association included
increasing the oxidation process with the installation of a low volume air pump within an
air shaft 10 to 15 feet below the water surface - this process precipitated the iron oxide
before it entered Wilson Run. This system worked for a brief period of time , but iron oxide
formed on and clogged the tubes within the air shaft and thus required extensive maintenance.
Experimentation continued.
Currently a new design project has been undertaken with Hedin Environmental and Iron Oxide
Recovery, Inc.
The project consists of several stages
-
divert the discharge directly into Wilson Run allowing the current pond to be drained
and enable equipment to remove the iron sludge from the discharge channel and pond.
-
construct two berms in the existing pond to help with water retention and future removal of iron sludge.
-
installation of pipe to carry the discharge to the aerator before water enters the treatment pond.
-
construction of two storage ponds for pumping sludge from the current pond and for future iron removal.
-
discharge diverted back into new pond for treatment.
-
grading and seeding of site once construction is completed.
With good weather conditions, the project should be completed in early summer 2008, with iron oxide recovery ongoing.
