Case Study
Nestle Purina — Hartwell, GA
Wastewater containment and treatment lagoon liner system for Nestle Purina's pet food manufacturing facility, engineered for high-BOD rendering wastewater.
The Challenge
Problem
Nestle Purina's Hartwell pet food manufacturing facility generates high-strength wastewater from rendering and wet food processing with BOD levels exceeding 12,000 mg/L. The existing unlined lagoon was showing signs of seepage, triggering Georgia EPD concerns about groundwater contamination. The facility needed a containment solution that could withstand the chemical aggressiveness of rendering wastewater while maintaining uninterrupted production.
Our Approach
Solution
EFI installed a 60mil HDPE geomembrane liner system across the facility's primary and secondary treatment lagoons, totaling 185,000 SF. The liner was specified for chemical resistance to the high-fat, high-protein wastewater profile unique to pet food manufacturing. Installation was phased to allow continuous facility operation, with temporary bypass pumping during each lagoon's rehabilitation.
Outcomes
Results & Metrics
Key Outcomes
- 185,000 SF HDPE liner system installed
- Zero production downtime during installation
- Georgia EPD compliance restored
- Groundwater monitoring confirms zero seepage
- Phased installation maintained continuous operations
- Engineered for high-fat rendering wastewater
“The phased approach was critical — we couldn't afford a single day of production downtime. EFI managed the bypass pumping and sequencing flawlessly while our plant ran at full capacity.”
Plant Engineering Manager, Nestle Purina PetCare
Related Work
Similar Projects
Aerospace / GovernmentKennedy Space Center — Cape Canaveral, FL
Landfill40 West Landfill Cell 1, Hagerstown, MD
Pulp & PaperRayonier Advanced Materials — Florida
Have a Similar Project?
Get a free site assessment and custom proposal from our engineering team.
Or call us directly: (307) 264-0309