Jalalabad Airfield (JAF, also known as FOB Fenty) houses over 5,000 personnel ranging from airfield staff to our deployed troops as they perform their duties in Eastern Afghanistan. It is a strategically important airfield due to its proximity with Pakistan and the border between the two countries. This was the base that was used during the 2011 raid of Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. We were in Afghanistan and at the time of that operation.
As part of our role while working for Technologists Inc (Ti), we were responsible for the design of the waste water treatment plant inside the airfield compound. Ti’s contractual responsibility included the design and construction of the WWTP facility and we were part of a team that resulted in its successful turnover to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the fall of 2010.
Jeff Ruppert oversaw the design process of the plant and managed the relationship between Ti and its subcontractor who manufactured the plant in the U.S. and delivered it to Jalalabad for installation. The plant is a 250,000 gpd extended aeration system that uses a vortex grit removal system, UV effluent disinfection and a filter sludge press.
Due to a flood at the base, and the logistics of building a plant on a highly secured military base, this project presented many challenges and required extra time to complete. At this point, the plant is in full operation and serving the base as intended.
Interior of the clarifier prior to start-up
