Category: Wastewater Lagoon Blog

Phosphorus

October 29, 2015 4 min read

Wastewater Lagoon Phosphorus: The Crackdown Is Coming

In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed lagoon ammonia, including its sources and how to treat it. In this two-part article, we’ll begin to tackle the other half of the nutrients puzzle: wastewater lagoon phosphorus.  Part 1 will cover the sources of lagoon phosphorus and the problems environmental phosphorus can cause. The upcoming Part 2 will […]

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Odor

October 6, 2015 3 min read

How to Prevent Autumn Lagoon Turnover and Odors

It’s autumn again—time for football, apple cider, falling leaves, and wastewater lagoon turnover. Although less extreme than the spring transition, cooler fall temperatures cause destratification and may trigger lagoon turnover. In this short article, we’ll talk about causes of lagoon turnover and how to prevent it. What Is Autumn Lagoon Turnover? An improperly mixed wastewater […]

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Odor

August 27, 2015 4 min read

The Nose Knows: Lagoon Odors Give Clues to Lagoon Health

The wastewater lagoon operator has many tools at his or her disposal to determine the overall condition of a lagoon. Lagoon sampling and testing, of course, are the main methods, but even without equipment, the lagoon operator can get valuable diagnostic clues from sensory information. In a previous blog post, What color is your wastewater lagoon?, […]

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Aeration

August 12, 2015 6 min read

Aerated Lagoon Design: Partial Mix vs. Complete Mix

According to an EPA wastewater technology fact sheet, the purpose of wastewater aeration is twofold: to supply the required oxygen to the metabolizing microorganisms; and to provide mixing so that the microorganisms come into contact with the dissolved and suspended organic matter. Thus, mixing is a critical component of wastewater lagoon aeration. You can design […]

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Aeration

July 24, 2015 8 min read

Aerated Lagoons: 5 Design Factors to Consider

An aerated lagoon can be one of the most efficient, cost-effective, and low-maintenance methods of wastewater treatment. Because aeration can account for 50–60% of energy costs, it’s important to consider design conditions when determining the type and amount of aeration required. This article will provide an overview of the factors, namely SOTE, SAE, aeration type, flow […]

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Sludge

June 12, 2015 5 min read

Lagoon Aeration: Enemy of Sludge Accumulation

Benjamin Franklin famously said there are only two things in this world to be certain of: death and taxes. Wastewater operators can add a third: sludge. Sludge can be just a normal, innocuous byproduct of wastewater treatment, or it can be a real nuisance, disrupting treatment efficiency by reducing retention time, causing odor complaints, and requiring expensive […]

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Industrial Wastewater

May 29, 2015 4 min read

That Dairy Air: Preventing Dairy Wastewater Odor

We’ve seen quite a few news stories recently about dairies being cited and fined for wastewater lagoon violations, namely biological oxygen demand (BOD) exceeding permit levels and odor complaints. So what’s going on? Why is dairy processing wastewater such a challenge, and what’s behind the odor complaints this spring? We’ll answer these questions and look […]

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Aeration

May 12, 2015 4 min read

Removing Wastewater Contaminants: Lagoons Do It Better

Virtually everything people consume or use ends up in the waste stream and ultimately back into the environment. A class of substances the EPA calls Contaminants of Emerging Concern, or CECs, has come under scrutiny in recent years to determine what types of chemicals are ending up in wastewater and how various wastewater treatment methods perform […]

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Aeration

April 6, 2015 4 min read

How to Prevent Spring Lagoon Turnover and Odors

Spring is in the air, and for some wastewater lagoons, that means foul lagoon odors are in the air, too. In this short article, we’ll talk about spring lagoon turnover, why it can cause odors, and how to prevent it. What is spring lagoon turnover? An improperly mixed wastewater lagoon will settle into layers, with […]

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Aeration

March 20, 2015 5 min read

Using Wastewater Lagoon pH as a Diagnostic Tool

Wastewater lagoon pH is a common testing parameter that is easily taken for granted. Dig a little deeper, however, and pH can give you valuable clues about what’s going on in your lagoon and help you troubleshoot the source of effluent problems. In this article we’ll talk about what pH is and what various pH readings […]

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Algae

March 5, 2015 3 min read

Troubleshooting High Wastewater Pond TSS

Total Suspended Solids, or TSS, is a standard testing parameter for wastewater pond or lagoon operators. Effluent TSS is a measurement of the amount of solid material that is escaping with the wastewater pond or lagoon effluent, and is a valuable indicator of the quality of treatment. In this article, we’ll outline methods for diagnosing […]

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Case Studies

January 23, 2015 6 min read

LRAS™ Advanced Lagoon Treatment Expands Capacity: A Case Study

Lagoons are a popular method of wastewater treatment for smaller municipalities—they are energy-efficient, easy to operate, and low maintenance. However, when a lagoon system reaches capacity or underperforms, sometimes the immediate reaction is to replace it with a mechanical plant, with its high capital and construction costs, operational complexity, and more demanding maintenance.

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