Facultative lagoon

Facultative lagoons are a type of stabilization pond used for biological treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater. Sewage or organic waste from food or fiber processing may be catabolized in a system of constructed ponds where adequate space is available to provide an average waste retention time exceeding a month. A series of ponds prevents mixing of untreated waste with treated wastewater and allows better control of waste residence time for uniform treatment efficiency.

Facultative lagoon in Kenya.

First pond

The facultative lagoon in the pond sequence functions like the primary clarifier of a conventional sewage treatment system. Heavy solids will settle to the bottom of the lagoon, and lighter solids will float. This facultative lagoon lacks the sludge removal capability of a primary clarifier, so a population of anaerobic organisms will colonize accumulated sludge on the bottom of the lagoon. The surface area of the lagoon should be large enough to provide an atmospheric oxygen transfer rate adequate to prevent anaerobic conditions on the lagoon surface. Intermediate depths of the lagoon support facultative micro-organisms capable of oxidizing both the dissolved and suspended organics from the original wastewater and the products of anaerobic catabolism on the bottom of the lagoon.[1]

Subsequent polishing ponds

Facultative lagoon (polishing pond) providing tertiary treatment after a constructed wetland in Hamburg-Allermöhe, Germany

Overflow from the facultative lagoon may be routed through one or more polishing ponds supporting lower populations of anaerobic micro-organisms and a higher proportion of aerobic organisms adapted to survival in lower concentrations of organic material. Effluent from the final polishing pond may be suitable for discharge to natural receiving waters.[2]

Oxygen transfer

Objectionable odors are likely when the rate of oxygen transfer from the lagoon surface is less than the rate of oxygen consumption in the lower levels of the lagoon. A 1-acre (4,000 m2) facultative lagoon might provide 50 pounds of oxygen per day (5 grams of oxygen per square meter per day) for biochemical catabolism. Biological activity within a facultative lagoon varies directly with temperature. Warm weather will require large oxygen transfer rates, and waste accumulation during cold weather can cause short-term warm weather oxygen requirements to exceed long-term waste loading rates.[2] Algae can provide surface oxygen during daylight hours, but algal respiration can require additional oxygen during darkness.[3] Ice or scum mats can reduce the oxygen transfer surface. Some facultative lagoons use mechanical surface aerators to increase atmospheric oxygen transfer, but aerator mixing depth should not re-suspend anaerobic sludge from the bottom of the lagoon. Aerator operation may be limited to periods of heavy waste loads, high temperatures, darkness, low wind velocity, or other conditions threatening to cause anaerobic conditions on the lagoon surface.[1]

Minimum temperature

Vertical stratification including an aerobic surface layer, an anaerobic bottom layer, and a facultative intermediate layer is essential to proper functioning of a facultative lagoon ecosystem. Stratification is maintained by a thermal gradient of cool, dense water at the bottom of the lagoon overlain by warmer, less dense water on the surface. This thermal gradient becomes unstable when water reaches its maximum density at 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit). Facultative lagoons are impractical in cold climates, because the lagoons become non-functional when cooler air temperatures depress water temperatures below this critical value.[4]

Other considerations

Inert solids in wastewater will accumulate on the bottom of the lagoon and gradually reduce depth until there is inadequate room for the facultative zone. Lagoon depths between 2 and 5 feet (60 to 150 cm) are preferred for effective treatment. Parallel facultative lagoons with common polishing ponds allow wastewater treatment to continue while one lagoon is out of service for sludge removal.[2]

Precipitation falling on the surface of the lagoons and polishing ponds will increase the volume of wastewater requiring disposal. Conversely, the volume of wastewater may be reduced by evaporation from the water surface in arid climates.

Wastewater nutrients may cause continuing growth of algae in the polishing ponds after the original wastes have been catabolized. Algae may cause measurable contribution to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations where discharge regulations include limitations on those concentrations.[2] The TSS contribution of algae tends to peak in the summer months, but the long-term BOD of decomposing algae may not be evident within the typical 5-day test.[5] United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations describe facultative lagoons as providing "treatment equivalent to secondary treatment" when 65 percent of influent BOD and TSS are removed and effluent BOD and TSS concentrations do not exceed a 7-day average of 65 mg/L and a 30-day average of 45 mg/L. Individual States may establish alternative effluent limitations.[6]

Similar facilities

The facultative lagoon may be replaced by an aerated lagoon as the first pond of the series. Aerated lagoons have mechanical aerators which minimize anaerobic zones by completely mixing the lagoon to achieve catabolism through a process called extended aeration.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Metcalf & Eddy (1972) pp.552-554
  2. 1 2 3 4 Hammer (1975) pp.399-402
  3. ↑ Fair, Geyer & Okun (1968) p.34-11
  4. ↑ Reid (1961) p.115
  5. ↑ Weston (1971) p.7-1
  6. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, D.C. "Treatment equivalent to secondary treatment." Code of Federal Regulations, 40 C.F.R. 133.105. Accessed 2013-05-04.

References

  • Fair, Gordon Maskew, Geyer, John Charles, and Okun, Daniel Alexander (1968). Water and Wastewater Engineering, Volume 2. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-25131-3. 
  • Hammer, Mark J. (1975). Water and Waste-Water Technology. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-34726-4. 
  • Metcalf & Eddy, Inc. (1972). Wastewater Engineering. McGraw-Hill Book Company. ISBN 0-07-041675-3. 
  • Reid, George K. (1961). Ecology of Inland Waters and Estuaries. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. 
  • Weston, Roy F. (1971). Process Design Manual for Upgrading Existing Wastewater Treatment Plants. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 
  • EPA (2002). "Facultative Lagoons." Wastewater Technology Fact Sheet. Document no. EPA 832-F-02-014.
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