Municipal Lagoon Postpones $600,000 Dredging Project

A municipality increased its lagoon capacity and postponed a $600,000 dredging project with BioSpikes^® 5000.

Benefits

• A 28% reduction in sludge levels in the treated area
• An increase in lagoon treatment capacity from 9% to 35% in the treated area
• Postponed a $600,000 dredging project without associated negative impacts on effluent quality

Background

A municipality was concerned about potential problems from years of sludge buildup in its wastewater treatment lagoon. The 2.5 hectare (6 acre) lagoon is 3.4 meters (11 feet) deep, and sludge levels ranged from 2.4 to 3.0 meters (8 to 10 feet) throughout the lagoon, severely limiting treatment capacity.

Looking for alternatives to a $600,000 dredging quote, the municipality teamed up with EnviroZyme to evaluate BioSpikes.

Application

The lagoon is aerated by two floating mixers in the front end. BioSpikes were added to an area of the lagoon with significant sludge buildup.

Sludge measurements were performed monthly for 6 months and compared to the untreated control area.

BioSpikes® 5000

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BioSpikes® 5000

BioSpikes® 5000 are formed as dense spikes that rapidly sink to the bottom of a lagoon, releasing billions of microorganisms, powerful enzymes, and essential micronutrients directly into the sludge layer. This combination ensures rapid stimulation of biological activity, reduction of the sludge layer, and an increase in the aqueous phase.

• The shape and density allow for simple application to hot spots or build-up problem areas to target accumulated sludge
• Eliminate or reduce the need for expensive dredging
• Increases hydraulic retention time and improved plant efficiency
• Improves overall lagoon performance

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Results

After 60 days, the sludge levels in the treated area diminished by 28% or 0.87 meters (2.8 feet), while the sludge levels in the untreated areas increased by 19%, or 0.47 meters (1.5 feet).

The drop in sludge levels led to an improvement in operating capacity from 9% before the trial to 35% after the trial – a 289% increase.

Sludge Reduction

Conclusion

The addition of BioSpikes to the municipal lagoon system successfully deferred dredging and increased treatment capacity.

The municipality is planning to scale up the application and treat a much larger area.