Clarifier Systems

Bridge-supported and pier-supported clarifiers play an important role in water and wastewater treatment

Clarifiers are a core component of both water and wastewater treatment systems. While their job is straightforward — separating suspended solids from water by gravity settling — their impact on plant performance is significant. A well-designed clarifier can improve treatment efficiency, reduce operational strain, support regulatory compliance, and help extend the life of downstream equipment.

AUC Group provides both bridge-supported and pier-supported clarifier systems for municipal, commercial, industrial, and development projects across the United States. Since acquiring key assets of WAWCON, Inc., in 2024, AUC can now support a wider range of treatment applications, from compact modular systems to large municipal treatment facilities. The acquisition also expanded AUC’s ability to provide larger bridge-supported and pier-supported clarifier systems for higher-flow municipal and regional treatment applications, including systems exceeding 57 feet in diameter.

Whether the project involves a new treatment plant, a phased expansion, or a retrofit, AUC works closely with owners, engineers, and developers to deliver clarifier systems built around long-term reliability and practical operation.

Clarifiers for Water and Wastewater Treatment

Clarifiers are used throughout both water and wastewater treatment processes to remove suspended solids and improve effluent quality.

In wastewater treatment plants, clarifiers are commonly used as primary clarifiers and secondary clarifiers to separate solids and activated sludge from water. These primary and secondary clarifiers play a direct role in solids loading management, downstream treatment performance, and overall plant efficiency. In drinking water applications, clarifiers help remove suspended solids after coagulation and flocculation, and before filtration and disinfection.

Because clarifiers directly affect downstream treatment performance, reliability matters. Poor solids separation can increase loading on other treatment processes, creating maintenance challenges and reducing overall efficiency.

AUC designs clarifier systems to support stable operation, simplified maintenance, and long-term plant performance.

Bridge-Supported Clarifiers

Bridge-supported clarifiers are commonly used in smaller and midsize treatment facilities, including many decentralized treatment plants. These systems are also commonly integrated into package wastewater treatment plants and circular clarifier configurations where space efficiency and operational simplicity are important.

The mechanism is mounted on a bridge structure that spans the basin, making installation and maintenance more accessible.

Benefits of bridge-supported clarifiers include:

• Well-suited for packaged treatment systems
• Simplified installation and maintenance
• Reliable long-term performance

AUC bridge-supported clarifiers can be configured with galvanized steel, stainless steel, and other corrosion-resistant materials, depending on project requirements.

Pier-Supported Clarifiers

Larger treatment facilities often require clarifiers capable of handling higher flow rates and larger basin diameters. For these applications, pier-supported clarifiers provide additional structural support and improved torque resistance.

With expanded WAWCON capabilities, AUC now provides pier-supported clarifier systems exceeding 57 feet in diameter for larger municipal and regional treatment plants.

Benefits of pier-supported clarifiers include:

• Suitability for larger diameters and higher-capacity plants
• Enhanced torque handling
• Efficient solids collection

These systems are often selected for growing municipalities, utility districts, and plant consolidation projects where future expansion is part of the long-term plan.

Supporting Growth, Expansion, and Faster Project Delivery

Many communities begin with smaller modular treatment systems and expand them incrementally over time. As treatment demand increases, however, operating multiple smaller clarifiers can become inefficient and consume valuable land area.

AUC supports plant expansion and consolidation efforts by helping facilities transition toward larger clarifier systems that simplify operations, improve treatment efficiency, and better support long-term growth planning.

Larger clarifier systems can often consolidate multiple smaller treatment units into a more operationally efficient footprint while supporting higher long-term flow capacity. AUC clarifier systems have supported projects ranging from compact decentralized treatment facilities to larger municipal treatment plants requiring expanded clarification capacity within constrained site footprints.

Long equipment lead times can also create serious delays for municipalities and developers facing urgent treatment capacity needs. To help reduce project timelines, AUC fabricates key clarifier internals in-house, allowing for greater quality control and faster delivery than many traditional suppliers.

In some cases, clarifier systems can be delivered in as little as 12 weeks rather than the 30-plus weeks common across the industry. Reducing equipment lead times can help prevent costly project delays and accelerate treatment capacity deployment for fast-growing communities and infrastructure-constrained projects.

Benefits include:

• Reduced operational complexity
• Lower maintenance requirements
• Improved treatment performance
• Better use of available site space
• More efficient long-term growth planning