Controlling POTW Pass-

Through /Interference

Due to Compatible Pollutants

Elaine J. Venema, P.E.

September 2013

Nutritional Supplements/Dairy

Fruit Processing/Canning

Pickling Operations

Tannery/Rendering

Flour/Grain Mills

Egg/Poultry

Breweries

Win-win solution Protect the POTW (collection & WWTP)

and the environment

Maintain or attract industry

Good for the community!

Community Expectations/Goals

Industry Needs/Expectations

Finances/Funding Opportunities

Full Treatment: Separate from POTW

Direct discharge

Challenges

Pretreatment: Screening

Primary Treatment

Solids Separation

Chemical Addition

Biological Pretreatment

Source Treatment

Variable waste loading

Need operations staff

Treatment onsite not always

desired/feasible

Discharge (NPDES or GW)

Determine what level is needed for win-win

Waste minimization & Best Management Practices

Pretreat to “domestic”

And everything in between!

Waste Stream Segregation

Equalization/Slug Prevention

Sidehill screen, or other

Grease interceptor (larger than this one)

Sidehill Screen

Grease

Interceptor

Concentrate waste products

To be hauled to POTW/anaerobic digester

Solids separation (belt press, etc)

Can waste solids be used as livestock feed?

Belt Press

Tannery

Food Supplement Mfg

High BOD, and Toxics Hair/Flesh

FOG Leather chunks

Slug loading

Making … “Soft Corinthian Leather”

Project Planning:

Hides per day

Capacity Evaluation

Meetings with SIU

Pilot Studies

Estimate Odor Control Needs

SIU Decision – Independence

from POTW

http://leather

Full Treatment Onsite

Oxidation Ditch

NPDES Discharge

Evaluate short rock media TF tall plastic media TF

Project Planning:

Capacity Evaluation

Meetings with SIU

Capacity modeling GPSx

Pilot Study

Estimate Odor/Corrosion$

Industry Reconsideration

Pilot Study

Towards …

13,000 #/Day

Pilot study and evaluation: a TALL trickling filter is req’d

Financing: cash + grant Discussions with industry

Initial decision: pH pretreatment/equalization:

Not just WWTP improvements: Long F.M. with high BOD/Temp

Final result: SIU built pretreatment onsite, SBR

Discharge to POTW : Domestic strength BOD, TSS

So you want to treat at the POTW, now what?

Next Steps:

Capacity Analysis

Ordinance/Legal Review

& Determine Local Limits

WWTP Improvements, if

necessary

Capacity Analysis:

Evaluate flows & loads

Engineering calculations –

MAHLs, AORs, organic

loading, hydraulics

Identify processes with

insufficient capacity –Headworks? Secondary Trt?

Install more blowers

Switch out media

(e.g. rock trickling filter plastic media)

Add media to aeration tanks

(e.g. Conventional AS IFAS)

Construct influent equalization

Construct parallel treatment units

Expand existing tanks – deeper SWD

Add roughing and/or polishing treatment

Negotiate with industry to pay for upgrade All? Definitely pay their fair share (“proportionate”)

Have industry pay for a portion of upgrade Especially effective if a WWTF upgrade is planned already

and a few additional improvements are needed to

accommodate the industry

MEDC or Economic Development Authority

In conjunction with USDA RD grant/loan; SRF

Capacity Analysis:

Blueberry Processor

Pickle Processors

Groundwater discharge … no longer an option

WWTP Improvements were needed

(switch from groundwater to surface water discharge)

Identified Industry needs

discussed future BOD Trt needs vs production GREAT Marriage (win-win) of

Tanks with available treatment volume … minimum HRT

A home for Lots of MBBR plastic media … enough for berries

“Tell ya what … buy s’more plastic and couple of blowers, we’ll

call it good, Vinnie” Then, we’ll dedicate the service capacity.

MBBR

Lagoon

MBBR

Lagoon

COD in lieu of BOD5 This is so Important

Shows up in the anaerobic digester, not Aeration Tank

Acetic/lactic acid is biodegradable

Seasonality of loading is large

Like clockwork- peaking in August

Biogas production is (mostly) wonderful

Historic odor & corrosion in 27 mile FM big problem

Slug loading noted at the digester AND big biogas

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

08/03/12 08/23/12 09/12/12 10/02/12 10/22/12 11/11/12 12/01/12 12/21/12 01/10/13

Bio

ga

s (

cf/

da

y)

Date

Actual Biogas

Low Estimate of Theoretical

High Estimate of Theoretical

Pickle Production takes

off in Mid-August

COD in lieu of BOD5

Sticks well on biofilm/media (if no digester)

Project in the planning/preliminary design phase

Review of industrial flow/BOD

Surcharges were applied based on BOD5

How well did that reflect the loading? (COD not BOD5)

Two-stage attached growth is great NPDES protection

No biomass “washout” + biofilm “pockets”

Expansion is desired – Over Doubling!

(see previous steps)

Recommendation: Treat at the POTW, increase

capacity