Arkansas Wastewater Treatment Plant

Project Overview

Following the devastating EF-3 tornadoes that struck Arkansas on March 31, 2023, the City of Wynne faced widespread infrastructure damage, including severe impacts to its wastewater treatment facility. The city received $2.6 million in emergency federal funding from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to restore and modernize the plant.

To help ensure long-term durability and resilience, project teams selected Kryton’s KIM BioGard® integral crystalline waterproofing technology to protect the new concrete infrastructure against harsh wastewater conditions and microbial-induced corrosion (MIC).

The Challenge

Wastewater infrastructure faces constant exposure to aggressive chemicals, sulfates, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), acidic water, and bacteria that deteriorate untreated concrete over time.

For Wynne, rebuilding quickly was critical. In the more than two years the facility was offline, officials were forced to divert wastewater into a temporary lagoon system.

The city needed a durable, low-maintenance solution that could: • Resist microbial-induced corrosion (MIC)

• Protect against water and chemical intrusion

• Extend the facility’s service life

• Reduce future maintenance costs

• Deliver long-term resilience for critical infrastructure

The Solution

Project teams selected KIM BioGard®, Kryton’s integral crystalline waterproofing admixture designed specifically for wastewater and sewage environments.

Unlike surface-applied systems, KIM BioGard is added directly into the concrete during batching, providing permanent, full-depth protection throughout the structure.

• The technology utilizes Kryton’s proven Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM®) technology to:

• Reduce concrete permeability

• Self-seal cracks

• Protect against H₂S, sulfates, acidic water, and chemical attack

• Extend concrete durability and service life

Dan Moore of Sustain Admixtures, the concrete admixture supplier to the project, explained:

"We recognized that there was urgency behind the Wynne wastewater treatment plant project, and we wanted to get it right. We knew that the residents of Wynne needed a wastewater treatment facility that had a long service life and could withstand the effects of highly acidic water, sulfates, salts, and other harsh chemicals. We recommended KIM BioGard as their best option."

-Sustain Admixtures, Dan Moore

The Results

By incorporating KIM BioGard into the new wastewater treatment facility, the City of Wynne now has a more resilient and sustainable infrastructure system built to withstand harsh wastewater environments for decades to come.

Key Benefits

• Permanent integral waterproofing protection

• Resistance to microbial-induced corrosion (MIC)

• Reduced long-term maintenance costs

• Extended concrete service life

• Improved resilience for critical public infrastructure

• No reliance on vulnerable surface-applied membranes

Wastewater infrastructure is constantly under attack from microbial-induced corrosion. By

incorporating KIM BioGard into the concrete at Wynne, the city is rebuilding while looking to the future and protecting its investment against the sulfuric acid and bacteria that typically degrade untreated concrete over time.