Wayne Farms Lagoon

TOLM Group partnered with Wayne Farms to engineer and construct a new sludge storage lagoon at its poultry processing facility in Danville, Arkansas. The project required careful planning and coordination to overcome challenging site conditions while maintaining uninterrupted wastewater treatment operations. 

Before construction began, TOLM addressed several site constraints, including existing cattle fencing, mature trees, and overhead and underground utilities. Temporary solar-powered fencing was installed and maintained to protect the active cattle operation, while existing utilities were identified and relocated to accommodate the new lagoon, levees, piping, and drainage. Electrical relocation was carefully coordinated with Wayne Farms personnel to prevent disruption to wastewater treatment operations. 

Lagoon construction included approximately 15,000 cubic yards of cut and fill. TOLM utilized GPS-based surveying technology and third-party soil testing throughout construction to verify elevations, moisture conditions, compaction, and levee integrity. When challenging native soil conditions were encountered, the team incorporated additional drainage beneath the lagoon to help manage potential groundwater and protect the long-term performance of the liner and levees. 

Quality control was a major focus during liner installation. TOLM and Wayne Farms worked together to establish rigorous inspection and testing procedures, including daily visual inspections, laboratory testing, weld pressure testing, and final spark testing of the completed liner. 

The project also encountered COVID-related equipment delays affecting the pump station. To protect Wayne Farms’ operations, TOLM developed a contingency plan for temporary bypass pumping if needed, allowing the project and facility operations to continue without interruption. 

Upon completion, the new lagoon provided Wayne Farms with approximately 5.19 million gallons of additional wastewater storage capacity, increasing available storage time to approximately 144 days without decanting. 

The Wayne Farms project demonstrates TOLM Group’s ability to combine engineering, construction, quality control, and proactive problem-solving to deliver reliable water and wastewater infrastructure under challenging conditions.