Of the many types of treatment available to municipal and privately owned utilities providing treatment for domestic waste, extended aeration of modified treatment ponds is sweeping across California to fulfill many new regulatory requirements.
The California Code of Regulations Title 23, Section 3671, defines modified treatment ponds as, “a pond in which either the biological oxidation of organic matter is enhanced by the addition of aeration or the effluent receives disinfection before discharge.”
Parkson Corporation is a leader of treatment pond aeration with its Biolac® system. Biolac® is an innovative activated sludge process that allows for extended sludge age to create an extremely stable system that is operator friendly. Over the past 2 years Aqua Operations has provided startup, chief plant operator and educational services for 3 new California facilities featuring the Biolac® system. The Rosamond Community Services District, the Lamont Public Utility District and the Nipomo Community Services District have all been expanded to include the Biolac® system for extended aeration and nitrification – denitrification capabilities. The system maintains the required mixing of the activated
sludge and suspension of the solids at only 4 CFM per 1000 cu.ft. of aeration basin volume. As a result, air delivery to the basin can be reduced during periods of low loading while maintaining effective food-to-biomass contact and without the risk of solids settling out of the wastewater. Lamont Public Utility District staff are pictured left performing periodic maintenance to the Biolac® system from a pontoon hoist platform.
Pictured right is Aqua Operations’ Mike Popichak and Peter Sevcik, Director of Engineering for the Nipomo Community Services District, who stated “We’re doing a much higher level of treatment, smaller footprint, much more efficient. We used to be able to barely meet our limits of 60 parts per million BOD, 60 parts per million TSS, and right now we’re around five.”
Simple control of the air distribution to the BioFlex® chains creates moving waves of oxic and anoxic zones within the basin. This is known as the Wave Oxidation process. No additional in-basin equipment is required, and air distribution is regulated by simple timer-operated actuator valves. Biological phosphorus removal also can be accomplished by incorporating an anaerobic zone. In the video below you can see the Parkson Corporation Biolac® System in action.
Facility modification that include aeration systems such as the Biolac® System, may result in a higher classification for your California treatment facility.
Modified treatment pond definition taken from the California Code of Regulations Title 23, Section 3671. Biolac® and Bioflex® are a Registered Trademarks of Parkson Corporation.
