Werribee Treatment Plant
Melbourne, Australia
Waste Stabilization Ponds are used extensively for sewage treatment in moderate and
tropical climates, and represent one of the most cost-effective, reliable and easily
operated processes for the treating domestic and industrial wastes. One of the biggest
problems associated with pond treatment, however, is the high algae concentrations in the
effluent. In many cases algae are not a desirable by-product and are themselves a source
of secondary pollution, rich in carbonaceous and nitrogenous algae matter. This puts an
environmental strain on the receiving waters. One of the recently improved ways to
control algae is to use trickling filters with a heterotrophic biofilm created by augmenting
readily available sustenance to the filter media. This paper examines some of the hybrid
facilities being used that combine existing stabilization ponds with trickling filters or
activated sludge for enhanced biological degradation and polishing of the final effluent.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: >1M, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Algae Removal, Improved Plant Effluent, Improved Water Quality, Plant Sustainability, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Reduced Nitrogen Load, Reduced Nutrients, Reduced Solids | No Comments »
Most water utilities recognize the correlation between performance measurement and
effective utility management (EUM). Strong performance measurement, and management of
that data, establishes greater transparency that supports continuous improvement and
strengthens utilities. The Effective Utility Management primer, produced by the
Environmental Protection Agency and six national water/wastewater associations, have listed
Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities (Ten Attributes) to help
utilities more effectively manage their utilities and have provided sample measures that serve
as a guide to utilities seeking to improve their performance measurement practices.
In turn, utilities are using performance indicators, such as those found in the QualServe
continuous improvement program, within their strategic planning process – aligning their
strategic plan with the Ten Attributes and integrated measures.
This paper/presentation illustrates how utilities have linked performance indicators that
incorporate the Ten Attributes into their strategic planning and performance management
practices, which has led to more effective utility management.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Chemically Enhanced Primary Treatment, Cost Savings, Effective Utility Management, Emergency Response Readiness, Energy Savings, Improved Customer Relations, Improved Plant Performance, Improved Water Quality, Optimized Plant Improvement, Plant Sustainability | No Comments »
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Many older cities have antiquated sewer systems that are unable to accommodate increasing
amounts of impervious surface runoff from urban expansion. Excess stormwater runoff often
causes systems to become overwhelmed resulting in untreated raw sewage spills into lakes,
streams, and rivers.
Installation of green roofs addresses this problem by using plants to cover the roofs of buildings;
providing runoff control as well as lowering the amount of radiant heat absorbed by the roof.
Green layered roofing systems absorb water that otherwise would have become runoff and
entered the sewer system, reduce runoff flow rates, delay peak flows and, possibly, improve the
water quality of runoff. Quantitative information is presented on the long term performance of
two different green roof technologies in terms of initial runoff retardation, maximum peak flow
retardation, and quantity of flow as compared to companion control roofs located in the
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: >1M, <50K, 100K-500K, 500K-1M, 50k-100k, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Best Practices, Environmental Impact, Green Infrastructure, Improved Water Quality, Lowered Absorbed Radiant Heat, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Reduced Flooding, Reduced Raw Spillage Leaks, Reduced Runoff, Sewer Overflow Control | No Comments »
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
New York City, New York
Upcoming construction work related to facilities upgrades will require a shut down of the Gowanus Flushing Tunnel for approximately 26 months. During this time, DO levels in the Canal are expected to drop to unsatisfactory levels. To address this problem, an interim system was developed to maintain satisfactory DO levels throughout Gowanus Canal at all times during a typical year. This centralized oxygenation system would withdraw Canal water at a rate of approximately 0.43 m3/s, oxygenate it to between 16 mg/L and 40 mg/L (as necessary to maintain desired ambient oxygen levels), and then discharge it via a diffuser system featuring 51 nozzles: one at the head end to support DO levels there, and 50 spaced 12 to 15 m apart between Sackett Street and the 4th Street turning basin—a reach of the upper Canal with minimal boat traffic and water depths of at least 1.2 m at mean low tide. The diffuser system is expected to achieve mixing across the width of the Canal without disturbing bottom sediments as long as the discharge ports can be placed at least 0.6 m below the surface and 0.6 m above the bottom at MLW. In a typical year, the system would need to operate from April through November. With the system discharging about 1,500 kg/d of oxygen (discharge concentration about 40 mg/L), the results show that DO levels of 3.0 mg/L would be maintained throughout the length of the Canal continuously throughout a typical year. Reducing the discharge to 40 percent of that level (600 kg/d of oxygen, or a discharge concentration of 16 mg/L) is projected to maintain satisfactory DO levels throughout most of the year and minimum DO levels of at least 1 mg/L throughout the Canal at all times. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Improved Water Quality, Maintaining Satisfactory DO Levels | No Comments »
City of Appleton
Appleton, Wisconsin
The Conkey Pond and Northland Creek channel naturalization and floodplain lowering projects consist of a wet stormwater detention pond and naturalization of 286.5 meters (940 feet) of navigable stream in an industrial area in the City of Appleton, WI. Sustainable features include extensive use of natural materials and vegetation that reduce maintenance costs, improves water quality, add biodiversity and enhances habitat and aesthetics. These two facilities reduce downstream flood stages by about 0.82 meters (2.7 feet), and reduce TSS loadings within the city by 27 tonnes/year (30 tons/yr), which is about 11 percent of the remaining citywide TSS removal goal. Additional benefits include naturalization of a concrete lined channel, and the creation of wetlands in shallow depressional areas within the newly created floodplain. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: 50k-100k, Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater | Tags: Environmental Impact, Improved Water Quality, Reduced Downstream Flood Stages, Reduced Maintenance Costs, Reduced TSS Loading, Stormwater Sustainability | No Comments »